Rashi’s commentary to the book of Ecclesiastes is a long and digressive one. You can read the whole thing here which I grabbed from Sefaria.com and annotated in yellow. The bold font of the English of the original translation as marked at Sefaria). Is there sense to the text? A running concern or whole? I think there is. Jump-cutting forward into the text, I constructed a linear throughline with which to reconstruct the sense of the text as I best saw it, allowing the material to cohere and turn into something gelled. The difference between exegesis and eisegesis is itself twofold. Is Rashi, as I think he does, softening the biblical text from the outside or is he finding something soft inside the text itself? Am I doing the same to Rashi on the basis of what I already think in general about the core problem and what I already think I know about him? It is probably best to see these so-called concentric circles as, in fact, ex-centric, in the shape of a spiral?
I’ve tried to boil the commentary to Ecclesiastes down to what I think is its essence: a meditation by Rashi, much of it in the first-person singular, upon death and the problem of evil. In terms of my own exegesis/eisegesis reading out of and into the text by Rashi, the problem has drawn my own attention over a lifetime. As I feel it, the commentary stands out for being gentle, even sweet. In what very well might be in an autobiographical mode writing in the first-person singular, Rashi turns Kohelet and its theme into a book of gentle consolation and social sympathy: the universal inability to grasp the justice of God, our common human fate in a kinetic mortal circuit, and the warmth of being together.
Rashi’s analysis of Kohelet and analysis of the problem start from a position of confusion that surrounds the fear of death wrapped up in the inability to fathom the justice of God. There is nothing arrogant or orthodox in the tonal expression. What is the reward for all the work that is done under the sun? “[F]or we see wicked men prospering and righteous men declining, weeping for their souls, which are oppressed by the hand of destructive and cruel angels.” The bottom line is clear. Nobody can understand this matter, not even Moses. The confusion is, in this sense, universal.
This common confusion would be the start of a consolation in that the confusion relies on the power of recognition that I think I see here. This is the recognition that all of us together will one day all die. Recognition is the first word of consolation in the world, which is that the righteous and the wicked will all die, today or tomorrow. Rashi maps the circuit of life and death and time. Instead of pain, this mutual recognition softens the problem of death and suffering and evil. Rashi observes what for him is the gentle motion of the sun. He compares the rise and setting of the sun to the wicked and to the passing of generations, the entire circuit and encircling of the human condition in time. The sun went around yesterday, encircles and goes around today. Don’t be astonished at the oppression of the poor and the perversion of justice, and don’t hold it against God. Because everyone will come to their own end.
Rashi now turns the table on our question. Usually, we ask what is the point of being good in the world since all of us are going to die. Rashi will, obviously, appeal to reward and retribution in the world to come. But stood on its head, the question now reads, what is the good of all this work of the wicked under the sun since they too will die one day and they will, in the end, lose what they gained?
What matters in the meantime is caring for others and being cared for by others. Two are better than one, says Kohelet. Rashi refers this sociality to a person and his companion in Torah study, and to the relation between a man and his wife. “If his studies are too difficult for him, his companion will review them with him.” And regarding male and female, they are “aroused by one another and procreate.” The crux of social life is the reciprocal circuit. “I will need that they bestow upon me upon my death what I offer them upon their death. He who raises his voice in lamentation, they will raise their voices in lamentation for him; he who bears the dead, they will bear him; he who eulogizes, they will eulogize him; he who escorts the dead, they will escort him.”
By way of consolation, Rashi is giving us his best and gentle advice. “Don’t be astonished and know that God will exact retribution. Go eat [your bread] in joy. But you, the righteous man, who the Holy One, Blessed Is He, has already accepted your good deeds and who will merit the World to Come, ‘go, eat [your bread] in joy.’ At all times, let your garments be white. Prepare yourself at all times with good deeds, so that if you die today, you will enter [the Hereafter] in peace.” And when things go wrong? “ If the spirit [anger] of the Ruler. The Ruler of the Universe flares up against you, to scrutinize you with the Divine standard of justice. Do not leave your place. Do not set aside your virtuous trait and say to Him, “Of what avail is my righteousness?” For softness. The stringencies of the judgment with the afflictions that come upon you are a cure for your sins, and will relieve great sins for you. A bird of the skies. The soul, which is placed within you, which will ultimately fly up to the heaven.”
Now at the end of this discourse, Rashi tells us that Kohelet had sought and set his heart, had sought the matter and found it. The organizing confusion from early on in the commentary now dissolves. The light of Torah is sweet, “And it is good [pleasant] for the eyes to behold the sun. And fortunate are the students whose eyes see a legal opinion whitened and clarified thoroughly. So is it expounded in Aggadas Tehillim. Words of delight given to Moshe at Sinai, which are like goads. Directing a cow to its furrows, so do their words direct a person to the ways of life. Just as this nail is permanent, so are their words permanent, and just as a sapling is fruitful and multiplies, so are their words fruitful and multiply, to find a reason for them. In conclusion (sof davar) after all has been heard, fear God. Do what you can, and let your heart be [directed] toward Heaven. And preserve His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. Because, for this purpose [only], the entire man was created. Whether good or bad. Even if he stumbled in a commandment, e.g., giving charity to the poor in public. In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God, etc.”
DIGEST OF THE TEXT:
1:17
וָאֶתְּנָה עַכְשָׁיו אֶת־לִבִּי לָדַעַת אֶת־טִיב הַחָכְמָה מַה סּוֹפָהּ, וְאֶת־טִיב הַהוֹלֵלוֹת וְהַסִּכְלוּת:
And I applied my heart, now, to know the nature of wisdom, what its end is, and the nature of madness and folly.
הֹלֵלוֹת. שִׁעֲמוּם וְטֵרוּף הַדַּעַת, לְשׁוֹן עִרְבּוּב, כְּמוֹ “מָהוּל בַּמָּיִם”:
Madness. Dullness and confusion of thoughts, an expression of mixing, as in, “diluted מָהוּל with water.”
the earth abides forever. who are the ones who [cause the earth to] endure? The humble and low, who bring themselves down to the ground
And I applied my heart to search. 1] In the Torah, which is wisdom, and to ponder over it concerning all the evil deeds mentioned above, which are committed under the sun, and I pondered over it that it is a sore task that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, set before mankind. “The life and the good, and the death and the evil.” Reduced to I said to myself. Now that I have sunk from my greatness, I speak to myself, saying, “Who would have said about me that I would come to such a state?” And I applied my heart, now, to know the nature of wisdom, what its end is, and the nature of madness and folly. Of laughter I said it is senseless. Mixed with cries and sighs. And of joy, what does it [accomplish]? [What] good is it if it ends in grief. 2] Seeks to grasp foolishness. To things that appear foolish to me, concerning which I said, “Because God is with me, I will be able,” for example, the [prohibition against] wearing sha’atnez and having mingled species in a vineyard, which Satan and the nations of the world are critical of, and so it states, “It is best to take hold of one,” and also, regarding Shaul, in whose eyes it seemed foolish to kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, but it was the commandment of the Omnipresent, and he called it foolishness! Also, I [know], who praise the wise man over the fool, I know that they both will die.
he will not know the day of his visitation [death] and on what he will stumble, in order that he put his heart to repent, so that he will be concerned and say [to himself], “Today or tomorrow I will die.” Therefore, ‘הָעֹלָם’ is written here defectively [i.e., without a ‘vav’], an expression of “hidden,” for if man knew that the day of his death was near, he would neither build a house nor plant a vineyard. Therefore, he says that, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” The fact that there is a time for death is a beautiful thing, for a person optimistically says [to himself], “Perhaps my death is far off,” and he builds a house and plants a vineyard; and it is beautiful that it is concealed from people.
יָדַעְתִּי. עַתָּה, הוֹאִיל וְנֶעְלַם עֵת הַפְּקֻדָּה, כִּי אֵין טוֹב בַּבְּרִיּוֹת כִּי אִם לִשְׂמוֹחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵי בוֹרְאוֹ בְּעוֹד שֶׁהוּא חָי:
I know. Now, since the time of visitation [death] is concealed, that there is nothing better for man than to rejoice with his portion and to do that which is good in his Creator’s eyes, while he is yet alive.
סוֹפוֹ לָבֹא אֶל שַׁעְתּוֹ. כִּי שָׁעָה יֵשׁ לְכָל־חֵפֶץ, אַף לְפֻרְעָנוּת. וְלִפְקֻדַּת הַדִּין יֵשׁ עֵת מָתַי יָבֹא:
I said in my heart, etc. Therefore, I say everything is judged by the Holy One, Blessed Is He, in due time, and even though the matter [appears] delayed, it will eventually reach its time, for there is a time for everything, even for retribution and for the visitation of judgement there is a time that comes.
Who knows. As in, “Whoever knows, let him repent,” [i.e., he] who understands, knows that “the spirit of man” ascends on high and stands in judgment, “and the spirit of the beast” descends to the earth, and does not have to give a justification and reckoning. [Therefore,] one must not behave like a beast which does not [have to] care about its deeds.
וְרָאִיתִי. בְכָל־אֵלֶּה:
I perceived. In all of these.
כִּי אֵין טוֹב. לָאָדָם:
That there is nothing better. For man.
מֵאֲשֶׁר יִשְׂמַח הָאָדָם בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. מִיְגִיעַ כַּפָּיו יִשְׂמַח וְיֹאכַל, וְלֹא לְהַרְחִיב כִּשְׁאוֹל נַפְשׁוֹ לַחֲמוֹד לְהִתְעַשֵּׁר, לְהַרְבּוֹת לֹא לוֹ:
That man should rejoice in his work. He should rejoice and eat in the toil of his hands, but not to widen his desire like the grave, to covet riches, to accumulate that which is not rightfully his.
And behold, tears of the oppressed. Weeping for their souls, which are oppressed in the hand of the destructive and cruel angels, and similarly it says, “Transgressors in the valley of weeping, transform it into a fountain,” these are the ones who descend to Gehinnom. And this verse too is expounded in this manner in Sifre.
וּמִיַּד עשְׁקֵיהֶם כֹּחַ. עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם מַכְרִיחִים וְתוֹקְפִים אוֹתָם בְּכֹחַ:
And from the hand of their oppressors [flows the] power. Their oppressors overwhelm them and attack them with force.
3:1
לַכֹּל זְמָן. אַל יִשְׂמַח הָאוֹסֵף בְּהוֹן מֵהֶבֶל, כִּי אִם עַכְשָׁיו הוּא בְיָדוֹ, עוֹד יִירָשׁוּהוּ צַדִּיקִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן, כִּי לְכָל־דָּבָר יֵשׁ זְמַן קָבוּעַ מָתַי יִהְיֶה:
For everything there is a season. Let not one who accumulates possessions out of vanity rejoice, for although he possesses them now, they will ultimately pass on to the righteous, only the time has not yet arrived, for everything has a set time when it will be.
לְכָל־חֵפֶץ. לְכָל־דָּבָר. כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים קְרוּיִם חֲפָצִים בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה:
For everything. For every thing [=חֵפֶץ. All things דְּבָרִים are called “חֲפָצִים” in the language of the Mishnah.
3:2
עֵת לָלֶדֶת. לְתִשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים:
A time to be born. At nine months.
וְעֵת לָמוּת. קֶצֶב שָׁנוֹת שֶׁל כָּל־דוֹר וָדוֹר:
And a time to die. The limit of the years of each generation.
עֵת לָטַעַת. גּוֹי וּמַמְלָכָה:
A time to plant. A nation and a kingdom.
וְעֵת לַעֲקוֹר. עֵת יָבֹא לְהֵעָקֵר:
And a time to uproot. A time will come for it to be uprooted.
3:3
עֵת לַהֲרוֹג. אוּמָּה שְׁלֵמָה, כְּשֶׁמַּגִיעַ יוֹם פְּקֻדָּתָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וּשְׁאֵרִיתֵךְ יַהֲרֹג:
A time to kill. An entire nation, when the day of its visitation comes, as it is stated, “and he will slay your remnant [with the sword].”
וְעֵת לִרְפּוֹא. שִׁבְרָם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִצְרַיִם, “וְשָׁבוּ עַד־ה’ וְנֶעְתַּר לָהֶם וּרְפָאָם”:
And a time to heal. Their ruin, as the matter is stated concerning Egypt, “and they will repent to Adonoy, and He will accept their prayer and heal them.”
עֵת לִפְרוֹץ. חוֹמַת הָעִיר כְּשֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר, וְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם מְפֹרָצֶת:
A time to wreck. The wall of the city, when it is decreed upon it, as it is stated, “and the wall of Yerusholayim is breached.”
וְעֵת לִבְנוֹת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וּבְנִיתִיהָ כִּימֵי עוֹלָם:
And a time to build. As it is stated, “and I will build it up as in the days of old.”
3:4
עֵת לִבְכּוֹת. בְּתִשְׁעָה בְאָב:
A time to weep. On the ninth of [Menachem] Av.
וְעֵת לִשְׂחוֹק. לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ”:
And a time to laugh. In the time to come, as it is stated, “Then our mouth will be filled with laughter.”
עֵת סְפוֹד. בִּימֵי אֵבֶל:
A time to mourn. In the days of mourning.
וְעֵת רְקוֹד. בַּחֲתָנִים וְכַלּוֹת:
And a time to dance. With bridegrooms and brides.
3:5
עֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים. בַּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֻשְׁלָכִים בְּחֻרְבַּן הַבַּיִת, “תִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָה אַבְנֵי־קֹדֶשׁ:”
A time to cast away stones. The youths of Yisroel scattered during the destruction of the Beis [Hamikdosh], as it is stated, “sacred gems are scattered.”
וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אוֹתָם מִן הַגּוֹלָה, “וְהוֹשִׁיעָם ה’ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כְּצֹאן עַמּוֹ כִּי אַבְנֵי־נֵזֶר מִתְנוֹסְסוֹת עַל־אַדְמָתוֹ:
And a time to gather them from the exile, as it is stated, “And Adonoy their God will save His people like sheep on that day, for the stones of the crown will be exalted over His land.”
עֵת לַחֲבוֹק. “כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִדְבַּק הָאֵזוֹר וְגוֹ'”:
A time to embrace. [As it is stated,] “For, just as a belt is fastened, etc.”
וְעֵת לִרְחֹק מְחַבֵּק. “וְרִחַק ה’ אֶת־הָאָדָם”:
And a time to refrain from embracing. [As it is stated,] “And Adonoy will drive the people far away.”
3:6
עֵת לְבַקֵּשׁ. כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, אֶת־הָאֹבֶדֶת אֲבַקֵּשׁ. לְעִנְיַן נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
A time to seek. As the matter is stated, “I will seek the lost,” concerning the scattered among Yisroel.
וְעֵת לְאַבֵּד. וְעֵת שֶׁאִבְּדָם בַּגּוֹלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “וַאֲבַדְתֶּם בַּגּוֹיִם”.
And a time to abandon. And a time when He causes them to perish in the exile, as it is stated, “And you will become lost among the nations.”
עֵת לִשְׁמוֹר. “יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ”, כְּשֶׁאַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ:
A time to preserve. [As it is stated,] “May Adonoy bless you and safeguard you,” when you do His will.
וְעֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ. “וַיַּשְׁלִכֵם אֶל־אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת”:
And a time to discard. [As it is stated,] “And He cast them to another land.”
3:7
עֵת לִקְרוֹעַ. מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד, “וָאֶקְרַע אֶת־הַמַמְלָכָה וְגוֹ'”:
A time to rip apart. The kingship of the House of Dovid, [as it is stated,] “And I tore the kingship, etc.”
וְעֵת לִתְפוֹר. “וְהָיוּ לַאֲחָדִים בְּיָדֶךָ. . . וְלֹא יֵחָצוּ עוֹד לִשְׁתֵּי מַמְלָכוֹת”:
And a time to sew. [As it is stated,] “And they will become united in your hand;” [and] “neither shall they be divided any longer into two kingdoms.”
עֵת לַחֲשׁוֹת. פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹתֵק וּמְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “וַיִּדֹּם אַהֲרֹן”, וְזָכָה שֶׁנִּתְיַחֵד הַדִּבּוּר עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל־אַהֲרֹן. . . יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל־תֵּשְׁתְּ”:
A time to be silent. These are the times when a person is silent and receives a reward, as it is stated, “and Aharon was silent,” and he [therefore] merited that the Divine speech addressed him personally, as it is stated, “And Adonoy spoke to Aharon, [saying] ‘Do not drink intoxicating wine.’”
וְעֵת לְדַבֵּר. “אָז יָשִׁיר משֶׁה”; “וַתָּשַׁר דְּבוֹרָה”; “קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים”:
And a time to speak. [As it is stated,] “Then Moshe sang,” [and,] “And Devorah sang,” [and,] “Take words with you.”
3:8
עֵת לֶאֱהֹב. “וַאֲהֵבְךָ:”
A time to love. [As it is stated,] “And He will love you.”
וְעֵת לִשְׂנֹא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “כָּל־רָעָתָם בַּגִּלְגָּל כִּי־שָׁם שְׂנֵאתִים”:
And a time to hate. [As] it is stated, “All their evil is in Gilgal; for there I hated them.”
3:9
מַה־יִּתְרוֹן הָעוֹשֶׂה. מַה־יִּתְרוֹן שֶׁל עוֹשֶׂה רַע בְּכָל־שֶׁהוּא עָמֵל? גַּם הוּא עִתּוֹ יָבֹא וְהַכֹּל אָבַד:
What benefit [then] has the worker. What is the benefit of the one who does evil, in all that he labors? He too, his time will come, and all [his ill gotten gains] will be lost.
4:2
שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ. עַד שֶׁלֹּא שָׁלַט בָּהֶם יֵצֶר הָרַע הַזֶּה לִדְחוֹתָם מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּגוֹן אָבוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲנָה משֶׁה אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵיהֶן, וּכְגוֹן דָּוִד אָבִי, שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲנֵיתִי אֲנִי בְכ”ד רְנָנוֹת עַד שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי, “זָכְרָה לְחַסְדֵי דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ”:
Who already died. Before the evil inclination overpowered them to push them back from the Holy One, Blessed Is He, like the early Patriarchs, for Moshe was answered only through them [i.e., their merit]. And like my father Dovid, for I was not answered with twenty-four praises until I said, “Remember the kind deeds of Your servant Dovid.”
4:9
טוֹבִים הַשְּׁנַיִם. לְכָל־דָּבָר:
Two are better. In all aspects.
מִן־הָאֶחָד. לְפִיכָךְ, יִקְנֶה לוֹ אָדָם חָבֵר וְיִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לָהֶם יוֹתֵר רֶוַח בַּעֲמָלָם. הַרְבֵּה מְלָאכָה נַעֲשֵׂית בִּשְׁנַיִם, שֶׁאֵין הַיָּחִיד מַתְחִיל בָּהּ לְבַדּוֹ:
Than one. Therefore, a person should acquire for himself a companion and marry a woman, for they have a greater return in their labor. Much work is accomplished by two, because [there are tasks that] an individual would not start on his own.
4:10
כִּי אִם־יִפֹּלוּ. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וּלְעִנְיַן הַמִּשְׁנָה, אִם תָּקְפָה עָלָיו מִשְׁנָה שֶׁלּוֹ, חֲבֵרוֹ מַחֲזִירָהּ לוֹ, אוֹ אִם יִכָּשֵׁל וְלֹא דִקְדֵּק אֶת־אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע מִפִּי רַבּוֹ, בָּא חֲבֵירוֹ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הָאֱמֶת:
For if they fall. [To be understood] according to its apparent meaning. And regarding Torah studies, if his studies are too difficult for him, his companion will review them with him, or if he errs and is not exact in what he heard from his teacher, his companion will set him on the truth[ful course].
וְאִי לוֹ. וְאוֹי לוֹ:
But woe to him. But woe to him וְאוֹי לוֹ=וְאִי לוֹ.
4:11
וְחַם לָהֶם. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, וּלְעִנְיַן זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, מִתְחַמְּמִים זֶה מִזֶּה וּמוֹלִידִים:
They can be warm. [To be understood] according to its apparent meaning, regarding male and female, who are aroused by one another and procreate.
5:7
אִם־עשֶׁק רָשׁ וְגֵזֶל מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק וְגוֹ’. אִם תִּרְאֶה בַמְּדִינָה שֶׁהֵם עוֹשְׁקִים אֶת־הָרָשִׁים וְגוֹזְלִים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּט וְאֶת הַצֶּדֶק:
Oppression of the poor, perversion of justice and righteousness, etc. If you see in the province that they oppress the poor and deprive justice and righteousness.
אַל־תִּתְמַהּ. עַל חֶפְצוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם כְּשֶׁיָּבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה:
Do not be astonished. About the will of the Omnipresent, when He exacts retribution upon them.
כִּי גָבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר. וְרוֹאֶה אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, וּגְבוֹהִים יֵשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם הָעוֹשִׂים שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם וְיָדָם תַּקִּיפָה לִפָּרַע מֵהֶם:
For One higher than the high watches. And sees their deeds, and there are higher ones over them who carry out the mission of the Omnipresent, and their hand is strong to punish them.
7:2
טוֹב לָלֶכֶת אֶל בֵּית אֵבֶל. מִדָּה הַנּוֹהֶגֶת בַּחַיִּים וּבַמֵּתִים:
Better to go to a house of mourning. [Where] the type of conduct serves both the living and the dead.
מִלֶּכֶת אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֶּה. שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת אֶלָּא בַחַיִּים:
Than to go to a house of feasting. [Where] the type of conduct serves only the living.
בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא סוֹף כָּל הָאָדָם. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָאֵבֶל הוּא סוֹף כָּל הָאָדָם. סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל כָּל אָדָם לָבֹא לִידֵי כָּךְ. לְפִיכָךְ, הַחַי יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ, כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֶגְמֹל חֶסֶד עִם הַמֵּת, אֶצְטָרֵךְ אֲנִי שֶׁיִּגְמְלוּ לִי בְמוֹתִי, דְּיִדַּל יִדְלוּנֵיהּ, דְּיִטְעַן יִטְעֲנוּנֵיהּ, דְיִסְפֹּד יִסְפְּדוּנֵיה, דִּילַוֶּה יְלַוִּנֵיהּ.
For that is the end of all men. Because mourning marks the end of every person. Every person will ultimately come to this. Therefore, “the living should take it to heart,” [to the fact that] whatever kindness I bestow upon the dead, I will need that they bestow [the same] upon me upon my death. He who raises his voice in lamentation, they will raise their voices in lamentation for him; he who bears the dead, they will bear him; he who eulogizes, they will eulogize him; he who escorts the dead, they will escort him.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא סוֹף כָּל הָאָדָם. שֶׁהַמִּיתָה הִיא סוֹף כָּל יְמֵי הָאָדָם, וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו גּוֹמֵל לוֹ חֶסֶד, לֹא יִגְמֹל לוֹ עוֹד, אֲבָל בֵּית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, זִמְּנוֹ וְלֹא הָלַךְ, יוּכַל לוֹמַר לוֹ: “סוֹפָךְ שֶׁיִּוָּלֵד לְךָ בֵן, וְשָׁם אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, תָּבֹא לָךְ שִׂמְחַת חֲתוּנַת בִּנְךָ וְשָׁם אֵלֵךְ:
Another explanation: For that is the end of all men. For death is the end of all man’s days, and if he does not bestow kindness upon him now, he will no longer [be able to] bestow it upon him, but [if] he invited him to a house of feasting and he did not go, he can say to him, “a son will ultimately be born to you, and I will be there with you, the joy of your child’s wedding will come to you, and I will go there.”
8:17
וְרָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים. שֶׁמָּסַר לַבְּרִיּוֹת:
And I saw all the works of God. That He gave over to mankind.
כִּי לֹא יוּכַל הָאָדָם לִמְצוֹא וְגוֹ’. אֵין הַבְּרִיּוֹת יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמוֹד עַל סוֹף דְּרָכָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה שְׂכַר כָּל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה תַחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, שֶׁרוֹאִין רְשָׁעִים מַצְלִיחִים וְצַדִּיקִים יוֹרְדִים:
That man cannot discover, etc. Mankind is unable to fathom the ways of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, what the reward is for all the work that is done under the sun, for they see wicked men prospering and righteous men declining.
בְּשֶׁל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲמֹל הָאָדָם לְבַקֵּשׁ. בִּשְׁבִיל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי הַרְבֵּה עֲמֵלִים לְבַקֵּשׁ וְלִמְצוֹא אֶת סוֹף הַמִּדָּה וְאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין:
And though a man labor to seek. Because I saw many [people] toiling to seek and to fathom this matter, but they are unable.
וְגַם אִם יֹאמַר הֶחָכָם. שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵע לֹא יוּכַל. שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע”ה לֹא עָמַד עַל הַדָּבָר בְּאוֹמרוֹ “הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶךָ”:
And even though a wise man declares. That he understands it, he will not be able to, for Moshe our teacher could not comprehend this matter, when he said, “please make Your way known to me.”
9:2
הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל. הַכֹּל נוֹתְנִים לְלִבָּם כַּאֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ לְכָל אָדָם מִקְרֶה אֶחָד, וְיוֹדְעִים שֶׁסּוֹף דָּבָר לָתֵת לְכָל אִישׁ כְּדַרְכּוֹ:
All things come alike to all. All perceive when the occurrence happens to all mankind, and they know that ultimately each person is recompensed according to his ways.
מִקְרֶה אֶחָד. וְיוֹדְעִים שֶׁסּוֹף הַכֹּל צַדִּיק וַאֲשֶׁר רָשָׁע, לָמוּת, וּמִקְרֶה אֶחָד יֵשׁ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְכֻלָּם. כָּל זֶה יוֹדְעִים וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, בּוֹחֲרִים לָהֶם דֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹב, לְפִי שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
The same fate [awaits]. And [they] know that ultimately everyone, whether righteous or wicked, will die, and they all have one fate in this world. All this they know, but nevertheless, they choose for themselves the proper path, because they know that there is a distinction between them in the World to Come.
9:7
לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה. אֲבָל אַתָּה הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁכְּבָר רָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲשֶׂיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְתִזְכֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, “לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה”:
Go eat [your bread] in joy. But you, the righteous man, who the Holy One, Blessed Is He, has already accepted your good deeds and who will merit the World to Come, “go, eat [your bread] in joy.”
9:8
בְּכָל עֵת יִהְיוּ בְגָדֶיךָ לְבָנִים. הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בְכָל שָׁעָה בְמַעֲשֶׂה טוֹב, שֶׁאִם תָּמוּת הַיּוֹם, תִּכָּנֵס בְּשָׁלוֹם. וּמָשַׁל שְׁלֹמֹה הֶחָכָם אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְאָדָם שֶׁהִזְמִינוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ לְיוֹם סְעוּדָה וְלֹא קָבַע לוֹ זְמָן. אִם חָכָם הוּא אוֹ פִּקֵּחַ, מִיַּד מְכַבֵּס כְּסוּתוֹ וְרוֹחֵץ וְסָךְ, וְכֵן עֵת מָחָר, עַד עֵת יִקָּרֵא אֶל הַסְּעוּדָה יִהְיוּ כָל שָׁעָה בְגָדָיו לְבָנִים, וְהוּא רָחוּץ וְסָךְ. כַּךְ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת:
At all times, let your garments be white. Prepare yourself at all times with good deeds, so that if you die today, you will enter [the Hereafter] in peace. And Shlomo likened this to a man whom the king invited for a day of feast, without setting a date for him. If he is wise or clever, he will immediately launder his garments, bathe, and anoint himself. And similarly [he will do] tomorrow until such time that he will be summoned to the feast, all this time his garments are white [=laundered] and he is bathed and anointed. So did our Rabbis expound it in Maseches Shabbos.
10:4
אִם רוּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל. מוֹשֵׁל הָעוֹלָם תַּעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ לְדַקְדֵּק אַחֲרֶיךָ בְמִדַּת הַדִּין:
If the spirit [anger] of the Ruler. The Ruler of the Universe flares up against you, to scrutinize you with the Divine standard of justice.
מְקוֹמְךָ אַל תַּנַּח. מִדָּתְךָ הַטּוֹבָה אַל תַּנַּח, לוֹמַר לוֹ: “מַה יוֹעִיל צִדְקָתִי לִי”?
Do not leave your place. Do not set aside your virtuous trait and say to Him, “Of what avail is my righteousness?”
כִּי מַרְפֵּא. דִּקְדּוּקֵי הַדִּין בְּיִסּוּרִין הַבָּאִין עָלֶיךָ, מַרְפֵּא הוּא לַעֲוֹנוֹתֶיךָ, וְיַנִּיחַ לְךָ חֲטָאִים הַגְּדוֹלִים:
For softness. The stringencies of the judgment with the afflictions that come upon you are a cure for your sins, and will relieve great sins for you.
10:20
גַּם בְּמַדָּעֲךָ מֶלֶךְ. אֲפִילּוּ בְמַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ, בְּלֹא דִבּוּר. “גַּם” אֲפִילוּ.
Even in your thoughts [do not curse] the king. Even in your thoughts, without speech. “גַּם” means “even.”
מֶלֶךְ אַל תְּקַלֵּל. אַל תַּרְגִּיז לְמַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם:
Do not curse the king. Do not provoke the King of the Universe. Another explanation: According to its apparent meaning, this is a mortal king.
עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם. נְשָׁמָה הַנְּתוּנָה בְךָ, שֶׁסּוֹפָה לָעוּף עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם:
A bird of the skies. The soul, which is placed within you, which will ultimately fly up to the heaven.
11:2
תֶּן חֵלֶק לְשִׁבְעָה וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה. חִלַּקְתָּ מִלַּחְמְךָ וּמִשְׁתְּךָ לְשִׁבְעָה צְרִיכֵי חֶסֶד, חַלֵּק עוֹד לִשְׁמוֹנָה שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וְאַל תֹּאמַר “דָּי”:
Contribute to seven and even eight. If you shared your food and your drink with seven who need kindness, share further with eight more who come after them, and do not say, “Enough.”
כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יִהְיֶה רָעָה. שֶׁמָּא עוֹד בָּאִים וְתִצְטָרֵךְ לְכֻלָּם. אָז תִּנָּצֵל עַל יְדֵי צְדָקָה זוּ מִן הָרָעָה. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי?
For you never know what calamity will come. Perhaps days will yet come and you will need [support from] them all. Then you will be saved from the evil by this charity, and if not now, when?
So you will never know, etc. Also the decrees of the Omnipresent in dealing with poverty and wealth are hidden from you, and you should not refrain from [doing] kindness because you are worried, “perhaps my wealth will diminish and I will become impoverished; I will [therefore] not engage in Torah [study] and neglect my work and become poor; I will not wed and have children, because I will have to spend money to support them.”
11:6
בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְגוֹ’. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תּוֹרָה בְיַלְדוּתְךָ, לְמַד תּוֹרָה בְזִּקְנוּתְךָ אִם הָיוּ לְךָ תַּלְמִידִים בְּיַלְדּוּתְךָ, יִהְיוּ לְךָ תַלְמִידִים בְּזִקְנוּתְךָ נָשָׂאתָ אִשָּׁה בַת בָּנִים בְּיַלְדּוּתְךָ תִּשָּׂא בַת בָּנִים בְּזִקְּנוּתְךָ. עָשִּׂיתָ צְדָקָה בְיַלְדּוּתְךָ, עֲשֵׂה צְדָקָה בְזִקְנוּתְךָ:
Therefore in the morning sow your seed, etc. If your learned Torah in your youth, learn Torah in your old age. If you had students in your youth, you should have students in your old age. If you married a childbearing woman in your youth, you should marry a childbearing woman in your old age. If you performed charitable acts in your youth, perform charitable acts in your old age.
11:7
וּמָתוֹק הָאוֹר. מָתוֹק הִיא אוֹרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה:
And the light is sweet. The light of Torah is sweet.
וְטוֹב לַעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. וְאַשְׁרֵי הַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁעֵינֵיהֶם רוֹאִים הֲלָכָה מְלֻבֶּנֶת וּמְחֻוֶּרֶת עַל בֻּרְיָהּ, כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בְּאַגָּדַת תְּהִלִּים:
And it is good [pleasant] for the eyes to behold the sun. And fortunate are the students whose eyes see a legal opinion whitened and clarified thoroughly. So is it expounded in Aggadas Tehillim.
11:8
בְּכֻלָּם יִשְׂמָח. יִהְיֶה שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי הַחשֶׁךְ וְיֵיטִיב מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁיִּנָּצֵל מֵהֶם, וְהֵם יְמֵי מִיתַת עוֹלָם, הֵם יְמֵי הָרְשָׁעִים:
Let him rejoice in all of them. Let him be happy with his lot, provided that he remembers the days of darkness and improve his deeds so that he be saved from them; and these are the days of eternal death, they are the days of the wicked.
So remember your Creator. There we learned, Akavya the son of Mahalalel says, reflect upon three things, etc. And he expounded it from this verse, “so remember your Creator [=בּוֹרְאֶךָ,” that you will give an accounting and reckoning before Him; and remember your pit, your grave [=בּוֹרֶךָ, a place of earth, maggots, and worms; and remember your well [=בְּאֵרֶךָ, the well that flows from its source, that is, the putrid drop of semen and whiteness.
So remember your Creator. There we learned, Akavya the son of Mahalalel says, reflect upon three things, etc. And he expounded it from this verse, “so remember your Creator [=בּוֹרְאֶךָ,” that you will give an accounting and reckoning before Him; and remember your pit, your grave [=בּוֹרֶךָ, a place of earth, maggots, and worms; and remember your well [=בְּאֵרֶךָ, the well that flows from its source, that is, the putrid drop of semen and whiteness.
12:10
בִּקֵּשׁ קֹהֶלֶת. נָתַן לִבּוֹ, וְחָזַר עַל הַדָּבָר, וּמְצָאוֹ:
Koheles sought. He set his heart and sought the matter and found it.
דִּבְרֵי חֵפֶץ. הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינָי:
Words of delight. The law [as it was given] to Moshe at Sinai.
וְכָתוּב ישֶׁר. זֶה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְהַנְּבִיאִים:
And to write in a proper way. This refers to the written Torah and the Prophets.
Are like goads. Just as this goad directs the cow to its furrows, so do their words direct a person to the ways of life.
וּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹת נְטוּעִים. מַה מַּסְמֵר זֶה קָבוּעַ, אַף דִּבְרֵיהֶם קְבוּעִים, וּמַה נְטִיעָה פָרָה וְרָבָה, אַף דִּבְרֵיהֶם פָּרִים וְרָבִים לִמְצוֹא בָהֶם טַעַם:
Like well-fastened nails. Just as this nail is permanent, so are their words permanent, and just as a sapling is fruitful and multiplies, so are their words fruitful and multiply, to find a reason for them.
12:13
סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא. מַה שֶׁתּוּכַל עֲשֵׂה, וְלִבְּךָ לַשָּׁמָיִם:
In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God. Do what you can, and let your heart be [directed] toward Heaven.
וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו שְׁמוֹר כִּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם. כִּי לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה נִבְרָא כָּל הָאָדָם:
And preserve His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. Because, for this purpose [only], the entire man was created.
12:14
Whether good or bad. Even if he stumbled in a commandment, e.g., giving charity to the poor in public. In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God, etc.
