Compare also Midrash Tanhuma, ed. Buber, II, Aḥaré, p. 35a. The Tanhu-
ma version is a reformulation of Yohanan's midrash after the Destruction,
in a more philological style:

"The Holy one, blessed be he, foresaw that the Temple was destined to be
destroyed, and he said, while the Temple is standing and you offer sacrifices
in it, it will make atonement for you; but when the Temple is not standing,
what will make atonement for you? Occupy yourselves in matters of Torah
for they are compared to sacrifices, and they will atone for you . . ."

The midrash continues, comparing the matters of Torah to various sacri-
fices, wine, bread, and oil:

They offer oil on the altar, as it is said, Meal mixed in oil ( Lev. 2:5), and
Torah is compared to oil, as it is said, At all times let thy clothes be white and oil
on thy head.

In only one place, to my knowledge, is this verse interpreted to apply to
study of Torah and that is Qoh. R. 9.8. Hence I conclude that the midrash
reformulates Yohanan's teaching. This is thus a statement of Yohanan's
interpretation of the verse, but in the idiom of the later hermeneutic. Com-
pare also the late formulation of the Yalqut Shimo 'ni, II, 979, where Eliezer's
treatment of the verse as in ARNb ch. 29 is repeated. But Schechter (ad loc
n. 35) is of the opinion that the citation of Qoh. 9.8 in ARNb is a late
addition.

Note that ARNa ch. 15, Schechter31b omits the vs. However, its use in
b. Shab. 153a would suggest that Eliezer learned the midrash of Qoh. 9:8
from Yoḥanan. On this I base my interpretation.

-239-