Two Torah scholars blessed the son of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai, but their blessings sounded like harsh curses. Rabbi Shimon explained how these were actually blessings.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai said to his son: These people, Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda son of converts, are men of noble form [wise and learned individuals]; go to them so that they will bless you. Those Sages said to him: What do you want here? Rabbi Shimon’s son said to them: Father told me: Go to them so that they will bless you. They said to him: May it be God’s will that you should sow and not reap, you should bring in and not take out, you should take out and not bring in, your house should be destroyed and your lodging place should be inhabited, your table should become confused, and you should not see a new year.

When he came to his father, he said to him: Not only did they not bless me, but they even caused me pain. His father said to him: What did they say to you? He said: They said to me such and such. Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai said to him: These are all blessings: You should sow and not reap means that you should bear children and they should not die. You should bring in and not take out means that you should bring in brides for your sons and your sons should not die, which would cause their wives to leave [and return to their parents’ home]. You should take out and not bring in means that you should have daughters and their husbands should not die, causing your daughters to return home to you.

Your house should be destroyed and your lodging place should be inhabited means: This world is your lodging place, and the World to Come is your house. [May you live a long life].… Your table should become confused means that you should be blessed with so many sons and daughters [that there will be much noise and confusion at your table]. You should not see a new year means that your wife should not die and you should not marry another woman. (Moed Katan 9a–b)