Midrash Rabbah – Ecclesiastes IX:7: ―LET THY GARMENTS BE ALWAYS WHITE; AND LET THY HEAD
LACK NO OIL (IX, 8). R. Johanan b. Zakkai said: If the text speaks of white garments, how many of these
have the peoples of the world; and if it speaks of good oil, how much of it do the peoples of the world
possess! Behold, it speaks only of precepts, good deeds, and Torah. R. Judah ha-Nasi said: To what may
this be likened? To a king who made a banquet to which he invited guests. He said to them, ̳Go, wash
yourselves, brush up your clothes, anoint yourselves with oil, wash your garments, and prepare yourselves
for the banquet,‘ but he fixed no time when they were to come to it. The wise among them walked about by
the entrance of the king's palace, saying, ' Does the king's palace lack anything?‘ The foolish among them
paid no regard or attention to the king's command. They said, ̳We will in due course notice when the king's
banquet is to take place, because can there be a banquet without labour [to prepare it] and company?‘ So
the plasterer went to his plaster, the potter to his clay, the smith to his charcoal, the washer to his laundry.
Suddenly the king ordered, 'Let them all come to the banquet.‘ They hurried the guests, so that some came
in their splendid attire and others came in their dirty garments. The king was pleased with the wise ones who
had obeyed his command, and also because they had shown honour to the king's palace. He was angry with
the fools who had neglected his command and disgraced his palace. The king said, ' Let those who have
prepared themselves for the banquet come and eat of the king's meal, but those who have not prepared
themselves shall not partake of it.‘ You might suppose that the latter were simply to depart; but the king
continued, ' No, [they are not to depart]; but the former shall recline and eat and drink, while these shall
remain standing, be punished, and look on and be grieved.‘ Similarly in the Hereafter, as Isaiah declares,
Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry (Isa. LXV:13). Ziwatai said in the name of R. Meir:
These will recline and eat and drink, while the others will recline without eating and drinking; because the
vexation of him who stands [at a banquet without participating in it] is not the same as of him who reclines
[without participating in it]. He who stands without eating and drinking is like an attendant, but he who
reclines and does not eat suffers very much more vexation and his face turns green. That is what the prophet
says, Then ye shall I sit and discern between the righteous and the wicked (Mal. III, 18).‖
25:10-11 The bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was
shut
―(10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the
marriage: and the door was shut. (11) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.‖
(Mat 25:10-11)
The marriage banquet is for Messiah the bridegroom and His bride who is the faith community of Israel,
consisting of both Jews and non-Jews who trust in Y‘shua and His Torah. The end-times Book of Revelation
shows the necessity of Torah (as part of one's faith in Y‘shua), in order to enter the Kingdom of God:
―And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, [Torah] and have the testimony of Jesus Y‘shua.‖ (Rev 12:17)
―Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, [Torah] and the
faith of Jesus.‖ (Rev 14:12)
―Blessed are they that do his commandments, [Torah] that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city.‖ (Rev 22:14)
25:12-13 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not―(12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (13) Watch therefore, for ye know
neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.‖
This is the same reply Y‘shua gave in chapter 7, which was directed to those who thought they could follow
Him apart from the will of the Father and His sayings – both of which refer to Torah:
―(21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father [Torah] which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (24)
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man,
which built his house upon a rock:‖ (Mat 7:21-24)
The above would lend credibility to the idea that the oil in the lamps of the virgins represents Torah.