One Fate for the Righteous and the Wicked at the Altar

Portion Acharei Mot. Rabbi Shimon son of Rabbi Avin opened: "All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked" (Ecclesiastes 9:2). "One event to the righteous" -- this is Noah, of whom it is written, "Noah was a righteous man" (Genesis 6:9). Rabbi Pinchas and Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosi the Galilean said: When Noah came out of the ark, the lion struck him and crippled him, and he was no longer fit to offer sacrifice, so his son Shem offered in his place. "And to the wicked" -- this is Pharaoh Necho. When he sought to sit upon the throne of Solomon, he did not know its mechanism, and the lion struck him and crippled him. This one died limping and that one died limping: one event to the righteous and to the wicked. "To the good and to the clean and to the unclean" (Ecclesiastes 9:2). "To the good" -- this is Moses, of whom it is written, "and she saw that he was good" (Exodus 2:2), for he was born already circumcised. "And to the clean" -- this is Aaron, who was occupied with the purification of Israel. "And to the unclean" -- these are the spies. These spoke ill of the land and did not enter it, and those [Aaron] were wholly righteous and did not enter it: one event to the righteous and to the clean and to the good and to the unclean. "And to him that sacrifices" (Ecclesiastes 9:2) -- this is Josiah, of whom it is written, "And Josiah contributed to the people lambs and kids" (2 Chronicles 35:7). "And to him that does not sacrifice" (Ecclesiastes 9:2) -- this is Ahab, who abolished the offerings from upon the altar. But is it not written, "And Ahab sacrificed for him" (2 Chronicles 18:2)? He sacrificed for him [Jehoshaphat's visit], not for the offerings. This one died by arrows and that one died by arrows. This one died by arrows: "And the archers shot at King Josiah" (2 Chronicles 35:23). And that one died by arrows: "And a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the breastplate" (1 Kings 22:34): one event to him that sacrifices and to him that does not sacrifice. "As is the good, so is the sinner" (Ecclesiastes 9:2). "As is the good" -- this is David, of whom it is written, "and good to look upon" (1 Samuel 16:12). "So is the sinner" -- this is the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is written, "and your sins by righteousness" (Daniel 4:24). This one built the Temple and reigned forty years, and that one destroyed it and reigned forty-five years: one event as is the good, so is the sinner. "He that swears, as he that fears an oath" (Ecclesiastes 9:2). "He that swears" -- this is Zedekiah, of whom it is written, "and he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God" (2 Chronicles 36:13). By what did he make him swear? Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Chanina said: He made him swear by the altar. "As he that fears an oath" -- this is Samson, of whom it is written, "And Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall upon me yourselves" (Judges 15:12). This one died by the gouging of eyes and that one died by the gouging of eyes. This one died by the gouging of eyes: "And they put out the eyes of Zedekiah" (2 Kings 25:7). And that one died by the gouging of eyes: "And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes" (Judges 16:21): one event to him that swears as to him that fears an oath. Another interpretation: "One event to the righteous" -- this is Aaron, of whom it is written, "In peace and uprightness he walked with Me" (Malachi 2:6). "And to the wicked" -- this is the company of Korah, of whom it is written, "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men" (Numbers 16:26). These [Korah's company] entered to offer in strife and came out burned, and those [Aaron's sons] entered to offer not in strife and came out burned, as it is written, "after the death of the two sons of Aaron" (Leviticus 16:1).