“The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they approached before the Lord, and they died” (Leviticus 16:1). “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.” Rabbi Shimon began: “Everything is as it is for everyone. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 9:2).
“For the righteous,” this is Noah, in whose regard it is stated: “A righteous man” (Genesis 6:9). Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Noah emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and maimed him, and he was unfit to offer sacrifices, and Shem, his son, offered in his stead. “And for the wicked,” this is Pharaoh Nekho. When he sought to sit on Solomon’s throne, he did not know its protocols; a lion bit him and maimed him.
This one died limping, and that one died limping. That is what is written: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.” “For the good, for the pure, and for the impure” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the good,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2).
Rabbi Meir said: That he was born circumcised. “For the pure,” this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel, as it is stated: “He walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he returned many from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). “For the impure,” these are the scouts. These1Moses and Aaron. spoke in praise of the Land of Israel and these2The scouts. spoke in its denigration.
These did not enter and these did not enter. That is what is written: “For the good, for the pure and for the impure.” “For the one who sacrifices” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Josiah, as it is stated: “Josiah donated to the members of the people from the flocks, lambs and goats” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for the one who does not sacrifice” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Ahab, who abolished offerings.
That is what is written: “Ahab slaughtered for himself sheep and cattle in abundance” (II Chronicles 18:2). He slaughtered for himself, but not for offerings. This one died with arrows and that one died with arrows. That is what is written: “For the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice.”
“Like the good [katov], so is the sinner” (Ecclesiastes 9:2); “like the good,” this is David, as it is stated: “He sent and brought him. He was…of fine [tov] appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “Of fine appearance,” regarding halakha. Anyone who saw him would remember his studies.
“So is the sinner,” this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24).3This verse was stated to Nebuchadnezzar, indicating that he was a sinner and therefore needed to redeem his sins. This one built the Temple and reigned forty years, and that one destroyed the Temple and reigned forty years. That is, “there is one fate…” “One who takes an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Zedekiah, as it is stated: “He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, too” (II Chronicles 36:13).
“Like one who fears an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Samson, as it is stated: “Samson said to them: Take an oath to me that you will not smite me” (Judges 15:12). This one died with his eyes gouged, “and he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (II Kings 25:7); and that one died with his eyes gouged, “the Philistines seized him, and they gouged his eyes” (Judges 16:21). That is what is written: “There is one fate…for the one who takes an oath…” Another matter, “there is one fate,” these are the sons of Aaron, in whose regard it is written: “In peace and uprightness” (Malachi 2:6).
“For the wicked,” this is the assembly of Koraḥ, in whose regard it is written: “Move, now [from the tents of these wicked men]” (Numbers 16:26). These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and these entered to sacrifice without dispute, and emerged burned.