A Midrash: Alexander of Macedon, world conqueror, comes to stand at the gate of the Garden of Eden. He demands admission and is
told that only the tzaddikim, the holy and righteous ones, may enter. Alexander becomes indignant.
No one would dare treat this monarch with such indifference! Alexander becomes angry and insists that the angel guarding the gate should offer him something of great worth. So
the angel gives him a human eyeball.
Puzzled, Alexander places the eyeball
on a scale, to determine its worth, and then begins to load gold and silver on the other
scale. No matter how much precious metal he adds, the eyeball outweighs
all. Finally, the angel covers the eyeball with a layer of dust.
Unable to see the gold, the eyeball immediately finally resumes its normal
weight.
The midrash, in its fashion teaches that the
human eye will never be satisfied with what is has, it always covets more.
Comments