Commentary for Avodah Zarah 70:8
ולא עוד אלא דברים שמכוסין ממנו מתגלין לו שנאמר (שיר השירים א, ג) עלמות אהבוך קרי ביה עלומות ולא עוד אלא שמלאך המות אוהבו שנא' עלמות אהבוך קרי ביה על מות ולא עוד אלא שנוחל שני עולמות אחד העוה"ז ואחד העוה"ב שנא' עלמות קרי ביה עולמות:
Moreover things that are hidden become revealed to him, as it is said, “Therefore do the maidens (alamot) love you.” Read “the hidden (alumot).” Moreover, even the Angel of Death loves him as it says “alamot love you,” read, “the one who rules over death (al mavet).” Moreover, he inherits both worlds, this world and the world to come, as it says, “alamot” read “worlds (olamot).”
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
This midrash (and those below) play on the word “alamot” which literally means “maidens” or “young women.” With one vowel change it turns into “the hidden things.” When a Torah scholar teaches others, the hidden meanings of the words become revealed. As a teacher, I can tell you that this is certainly true. When teaching, I understand the material far better than I do when just learning it without the intent of teaching other.
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Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
By splitting the word “alamot” into two words and revocalizing it, we can read “over death,” an allusion to the Angel of Death. One who teaches Torah is loved even by the angel of death. While I assume that this is meant to be a good thing, I’m not really 100 per cent sure.
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Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
Another vowel change yields “olamot”—worlds. The Torah scholar earns both worlds, for he/she impacts this world and receives merit in the world to come. I read these kind of statements as saying that a particular act is good for others and is also inherently good even if if does not impact other people. At least that’s my rationalist reading of cases where the tradition says that one receives reward in both worlds.
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