Once, a man named Eleazar lived in the city of Bethel. Eleazar was weary from the weight of the world. His spirit was consumed, his days felt like they were extinguished, and it seemed as if the grave was ready for him. He was not only battling his own inner turmoil but was also constantly surrounded by people who mocked him and provoked him endlessly.

Eleazar would always challenge these mockers, asking, “Who among you is willing to give a pledge, to vouch for me in the sight of God and men?” But his words fell on deaf ears, their hearts were hidden from understanding by their pride and disdain. Instead of lifting him up, they sought to bring him down, using his plight as a weapon of mockery.

Among these mockers, there was one man named Barak, who was once a close friend of Eleazar. Yet Barak’s heart was filled with greed, and he chose to betray Eleazar to benefit himself. As a result of his treachery, Barak became an object lesson for the future – his children’s eyes failed, both physically and spiritually, as the consequence of his ill deeds.

Despite the taunts and slander, Eleazar’s resolve remained unbroken. He was indeed a byword among the people, scorned and spit upon. His heart was heavy with sorrow, his body weak and weary. But in his heart, he held onto his faith. He knew that the righteous would not be defeated, that those with clean hands would grow stronger and stronger.

Others tried to convince Eleazar to abandon his beliefs and join them in their godless paths. They attempted to change the night into day, told him that light was near, even when they walked in profound darkness. But Eleazar held firm. He realized there was no wisdom among these men.

Aware that his days on earth were passing, his plans were shattered, Eleazar found a strange comfort in contemplating his mortality, picturing Sheol as his home and corruption, and the worm as his kin. It was a dark and desperate hope, but a hope nonetheless. The question that echoed in his mind was, “Who will see my hope?”

Eleazar accepted that his hope seemed destined to descend to the depths of Sheol, to become one with the dust. Yet he clung onto it. For amidst all the sorrow, mockery, and suffering, Eleazar’s story serves as a reminder that one could find hope even in despair, strength in the face of adversity, and light amidst the darkness.