Kohelet 3:9-12:14 קהלת ג׳:ט׳-י״ב:י״ד

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.

הָעִנְיָן. הַמִּנְהָג:

The matter. The behavior.

לַעֲנוֹת. לְהִתְנַהֵג:

To be afflicted. To behave.

יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ. בְּעֵת הַטּוֹבָה, יָפֶה הוּא לָבֹא תַשְׁלוּם שְׂכַר מַעֲשֵׂה הַטּוֹב, וּבְעֵת הָרָעָה, רְאוּיָה הִיא לְתַשְׁלוּם מַעֲשֵׂה הָרָע:

Beautiful in its time. In its proper time, it is beautiful that reward be given for good deeds, but at the time of evil, it is appropriate for meting out punishment for evil deeds.²⁹Alternatively, “beautiful in its time,” refers to God’s provision of sustenance to all in a timely fashion (Sforno). Or, everything He made is “beautiful when used in its designated time.” (Metsudas Dovid)

גַּם אֶת־הָעֹלָם נָתַן בְּלִבָּם וְגוֹ'. גַּם אֶת־חָכְמַת הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן בְּלֵב הַבְּרִיּוֹת, לֹא נָתַן הַכֹּל בְּלֵב כָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, אֶלָּא זֶה קְצַת וְזֶה קְצַת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצָא הָאָדָם אֶת־כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָדַעַת אוֹתוֹ, וְלֹא יֵדַע אֶת־עֵת פְּקֻדָּתוֹ, וּבַמֶּה יִכָּשֵׁל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לֵב לָשׁוּב, שֶׁיִּדְאַג וְיֹאמַר: "הַיּוֹם אוֹ מָחָר אָמוּת". וּלְכַךְ, כָּתוּב כַּאן "הָעֹלָם" חָסֵר, לְשׁוֹן הָעֲלָמָה, שֶׁאִם יֵדַע הָאָדָם יוֹם מִיתָתוֹ קְרוֹבָה, לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת וְלֹא יִטַּע כֶּרֶם. לְכַךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ; זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֵת לְמִיתָה, דָּבָר יָפֶה הוּא, שֶׁסּוֹמֵךְ הָאָדָם לוֹמַר: "שֶׁמָּא עֲדַיִן עֵת מִיתָתִי רָחוֹק", וּבוֹנֶה בַיִת וְנוֹטֵעַ כֶּרֶם, וְזוּ יָפָה, שֶׁנֶּעְלַם מִן הַבְּרִיּוֹת:

Even [a sense of] the external world He has set in their heart, etc. Also the wisdom of the world that He instilled into the hearts of mankind, He did not instill it all into each one’s heart, rather a little to this one and a little to that one, in order that man should not fully grasp the workings of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, to know it; [and thereby] 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.³⁰Alternatively, “העלם” means eternity and the verse is translated as “even a sense of eternity [העלם] He has set in their heart, etc.” and therefore they act as if they will live forever. (Ibn Ezra) 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.³¹Alternatively, העלם is referring to forgetfulness.

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.

וְרָאָה טוֹב. תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת:

And enjoys the good. The Torah and the commandments.

יָדַעְתִּי כִּי כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, הוּא רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת לְעוֹלָם, וְאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹתוֹ, לֹא בְתוֹסֶפֶת וְלֹא בְגֵרָעוֹן, וּכְשֶׁנִּשְׁתַּנָּה, הָאֱלֹהִים צִוָּה וְעָשָׂה שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּנֶּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּירְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו. אוֹקְיָנוֹס פָּרַץ גְּבוּלוֹ בְּדוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וְהֵצִיף שְׁלִישׁוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וְהָאֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה שֶׁיִּרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים נִשְׁתַּנָּה הִלּוּךְ הַחַמָּה בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, לִזְרוֹחַ בְּמַעֲרָב וְלִשְׁקוֹעַ בְּמִזְרָח, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו. חַמָּה חָזְרָה לַאֲחוֹרֶיהָ עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת בִּימֵי חִזְקִיָּהוּ, וּבִימֵי אָחָז אָבִיו, נִתְקַצֵּר הַיּוֹם וְנִתְרַבָּה הַלַּיְלָה בְיוֹם מוֹתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִסְפָּד. כָּל־זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו. לְפִיכָךְ, אֵין טוֹב לָאָדָם לַעֲסוֹק אֶלָּא בְמִצְוָתוֹ וְלִירָא מִלְּפָנָיו:

I know that whatever [God] does. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, in the Creation, is fit to be eternal, and it cannot be changed, either by adding or by subtracting, and when it is changed, [it is because] God commanded and caused it to be changed, in order that they should fear Him. The ocean broke through its boundary in the generation of Enosh and inundated a third of the world, and God did this so that they would fear Him. Seven days, the course of the sun was changed in the generation of the flood, to rise in the west and set in the east, in order that they fear Him. [Also,] the sun went back ten degrees in the days of Chizkiyahu; and in the days of Achaz his father, the day was shortened and the night was lengthened on the day of his death, so that he should not be eulogized. All this was so that they would fear Him.³²See the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 31b which states that God created His world only that men should fear Him, i.e., that they should have awe and reverence for Him. Therefore, there is nothing better for a man to occupy himself with than with [fulfilling] His commandments and to fear Him.

מַה־שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר הוּא. מַה־שֶׁהָיָה מִלְּפָנֵינוּ, כְּבָר הוּא עָשׂוּי וּרְאִינוּהוּ אוֹ שְׁמַעְנוּהוּ מֵאֲחֵרִים שֶׁרָאוּהוּ, וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהָעִיד עָלָיו שֶׁרָאִינוּ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־הַנִּרְדָּפִים. יַעֲקֹב נִרְדָּף, עֵשָׂו רוֹדֵף. "וָאֹהַב אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי". מִצְרַיִם רוֹדְפִים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל; מִצְרַיִם טֻבְּעוּ בַיָּם, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בְיָד רָמָה:

That which already was. That which was before us, was already done, and we either saw it or heard it from others who saw it, and we can attest to it, for we saw that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, seeks the pursued. Yaakov was pursued, Eisav was a pursuer, [and Scripture states,] “And I loved Yaakov. But I hated Eisav.”³³Malachi 1:1-2. The Egyptians pursued Yisroel; the Egyptians drowned in the sea, and [Bnei] Yisroel were victorious.

וַאֲשֶׁר. עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת עוֹד בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, הוּא דֻגְמַת מַה שֶׁכְּבָר הָיָה. כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, כֵּן בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה. אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁנֶּה מִדּוֹתָיו בָּעוֹלָם:

And that which is. Destined to be at the end is a model of what already was. As it was in the beginning, so will it be at the end. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, does not change His standards [by which He sustains] the world.

וְהָאֱלֹהִים יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּף. לִפָּרַע מִן הָרוֹדֵף, לְפִיכָךְ, מַה־יִּתְרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹשֵׂה הָרָעָה בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא עָמֵל? הֲרֵי סוֹפוֹ לְהִשְׁתַּלֵּם:

And God seeks the pursued. To punish the pursuer. Therefore, what benefit is derived by one who does evil in what he labors? Ultimately he will have to pay [for it].

מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט וְגוֹ'. רָאִיתִי בְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְקוֹם לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית בִּיְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁהָיְתָה "מְלֵאֲתִי מִשְׁפָּט". שָׁמָּה יִשְׁפְּטוּ רֶשַׁע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "רָאשֶׁיהָ בְּשֹׁחַד יִשְׁפֹּטוּ", וְרָאִיתִי פֻרְעֲנוּתָם:

In the place of justice, etc. I saw with the Holy Spirit, the place of the Chamber of Hewn Stone in Yerusholayim, which was, “full of justice,”³⁴Yeshayahu 1:21. there they judge wickedly, as it is stated, “Her leaders judge for bribes,”³⁵Michah 3:11. and I saw their punishment.

מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק. שַׁעַר הַתָּוֶךְ, שֶׁהָיָה מְקוֹם חִתּוּךְ הֲלָכוֹת:

And in the place of righteousness. The middle gate, which was the place where laws were established.

שָׁמָה הָרֶשַׁע. שָׁם יֵשְׁבוּ שַׂרְסְכִים, רַב־סָרִיס, נֵרְגַל שַׂרְאֶצֶר, רַב־מָג, וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וְחֵילוֹתָיו, וְדָנִין אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיִסּוּרִים קָשִׁים וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי מָוֶת:

There was wickedness. There sat Sarsachim, the chief captain, Nergal Saretzer, the chief officer, and Nevuchadnetzar and his armies,³⁶See Yirmiyahu 39:3. and they judged Yisroel with harsh tortures and death sentences.

שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע. טַעֲמוֹ לְמַעֲלָה, לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ הָרֶשַׁע (וְהָיָה רָאוּי לִנָּקֵד בְּסֶגּוֹ"ל הָרֵי"שׁ, אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהוּא סוֹף פָּסוּק, נֶהְפַּךְ לִנָּקֵד קָמַ"ץ גָּדוֹל, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁבְּכָל־מָקוֹם לֹא מָצִינוּ לוֹ עוֹד שֶׁמִּתְהַפֵּךְ בְּאֶתְנַחְתָּא וְסוֹף פָּסוּק):

There was wickedness. The accent mark is above [i.e., before the last syllable], indicating that it is a noun like [the preceding] ‘הָרֶשַׁע [wickedness].’³⁷Alternatively, הרשע is “the wicked person.” (Targum) (It should have been vowelized with a segol under the resh, but since it is at the end of the verse, it is changed to be vowelized with a kamatz gadol, although we do not find another instance [of this word]³⁸But we do find instances of other words that change, as in Shemos 21:24, it states “פצע תחת פצע [=a wound for a wound],” the pei of the first “פצע” is vowelized with a segol, and the pei of the second פצע is vowelized with a kamatz because of the esnachta. (Sifsei Chachomim) where it changes in the case of an esnachta or a sof pasuk).

אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי וְגוֹ'. לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר, אֶת־הַכֹּל שׁוֹפֵט הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַחַר זְמַן; וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁמִּתְעַכֵּב הַדָּבָר, 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.

וְעַל כָּל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׂעָשָׂה הָאָדָם, שָׁם יִשְׁפְּטוּהוּ בְּבֹא עֵת הַפְּקֻדָּה. שָׁם בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵת נִתָּן זְמַן לְכָל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה לְהִשָּׁפֵט עָלָיו. אַבַּב חוּטְרֵי מִילֵי וְאַבֵּי דָרֵי חוּשְׁבְּנָא:

And for every deed that man did, they will judge him there when the time of the visitation arrives; there at that time, a time is given for every deed, to be judged for it. At the gate of the fold there are words, but in the stall are there is strict accounting.³⁹See Maseches Shabbos 32a. The shepherd waits until the goats are by the gate of the fold, and then he rebukes and punishes them.

אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי. בִּרְאוֹתִי כָל־זֹאת:

I said to myself. When I observed all this.

עַל־דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם. שֶׁאָחֲזוּ לָהֶם מִדַּת גַּאֲוָה לִנְהוֹג שְׂרָרָה וְרַבָּנוּת בִּקְטַנִּים מֵהֶם:

Concerning the state of man. Who adopted the trait of haughtiness, to exert rulership and superiority over those smaller than they.

לְבָרָם. (סְפָרִים אֲחֵרִים: לְבָרְרָם) הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהוֹדִיעָם שֶׁאֵין שְׂרָרוֹתָם כְּלוּם, וּלְהַרְאוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם, וְאַף הַשָּׂרִים וְהַמְּלָכִים:

[God] has set them apart. (Other texts: [God] should clarify for them.) The Holy One, Blessed Is He, to notify them that their rulership is nought, and to show them and also the princes and the kings —

בְּהֵמָה הֵמָּה לָהֶם. כִּשְׁאָר בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה הֵמָּה לְעַצְמָם:

They themselves are as beast. Like other beasts and animals they are to themselves.

כִּי מִקְרֶה בְנֵי־הָאָדָם וְגוֹ'. הוּא טַעַם הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִקְרֶה וּפֶגַע לִבְנֵי אָדָם, וְיֵשׁ מִקְרֶה וּפֶגַע לִבְהֵמָה, וּמִקְרֶה אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵיהֶם נָתַן, כִּי, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁזֶּה מֵת, כַּךְ זֶה מֵת:

For the fate of men, etc. This is the reason for the matter, that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, gave a fate and a mishap to mankind, and there is a fate and a mishap to the beasts, and He gave one fate to them both, for just as this one dies, so does that one die.

וּמוֹתַר הָאָדָם מִן־הַבְּהֵמָה אָיִן. וְיִתְרוֹנוֹ וְהַצְּלָחָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִן הַבְּהֵמָה אֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה מִשֶׁמֵּת, כִּי הַכֹּל נֶהְפָּךְ לִהְיוֹת הֶבֶל לָשׁוּב אֶל הֶעָפָר:

And the superiority of man over beast is nil. And the superiority and the success of man over beast is not apparent after he dies, for everything is converted to nothingness by returning to the dust.⁴⁰This is true when a person spends his life only in the accumulation of wealth. (Metsudas Dovid)

מִי יוֹדֵעַ. כְּמוֹ, "מִי יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב". מִי הוּא אֲשֶׁר מֵבִין וְנוֹתֵן לֵב שֶׁרוּחַ בְּנֵי אָדָם הִיא הָעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָה וְעוֹמֶדֶת בְּדִין, וְרוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה הִיא הַיּוֹרֶדֶת לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ, וְאֵין לָהּ לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְנַהֵג כִּבְהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מַקְפֶּדֶת עַל מַעֲשֶׂיהָ:

Who knows. As in, “Whoever knows, let him repent,”⁴¹Yoel 2:14. [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.⁴²However, there are a very few who understand and know this distinction which differentiates the spirit of man from beast. (Metsudas Dovid) [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.

כִּי הוּא חֶלְקוֹ. יְגִיעַ כַּפָּיו הוּא הַחֵלֶק הַנִּתָּן לוֹ מִשָּׁמַיִם, וּבוֹ יִשְׂמַח:

For that is his lot. The toil of his hands, that is the portion given him from Heaven, and with it he should rejoice.

כִּי מִי יְבִיאֶנּוּ לִרְאוֹת. לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת, בְּמֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְבָנָיו, אִם יַצְלִיחוּ גַם הֵם בָּעשֶׁר שֶׁאָסַף הוּא וְהֵנִיחַ לָהֶם, אוֹ לֹא יַצְלִיחוּ:

For who will bring him to see. After he dies, what his children will have; if they, too, will be successful with the wealth that he accumulated and left over for them, or whether they will not prosper.⁴³Alternatively, for who will bring him to see the reward and punishment after death.

וְשַׁבְתִּי אֲנִי וָאֶרְאֶה. בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ:

And I returned and considered. By means of the Holy Spirit.

אֶת־כָּל־הָעֲשֻׁקִים. הַנַּעֲשִׂים עֲשׁוּקִים בְּגֵיהִנֹּם בַּמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשִׂים:

All the oppressions. Who were made to be oppressed in Gehinnom for the deeds that were committed.¹Alternatively, one cannot rejoice in view of the injustice and robbery committed in the world. (Ibn Ezra)

תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. תַּחַת חֲלִיפִים שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה:

Under the sun. תַּחַת [meaning] in exchange for the Torah.²See above 2:18.

וְהִנֵּה דִּמְעַת הָעֲשֻׁקִים. בּוֹכִים עַל נַפְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם הָעֲשׁוּקוֹת בְּיַד מַלְאֲכֵי מַשְׁחִית וְאַכְזָרִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, "עֹבְרֵי בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא מַעְיָן יְשִׁיתוּהוּ"; אֵלּוּ יוֹרְדֵי גֵיהִנֹּם. וְאַף מִקְרָא זֶה כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי:

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,”³Tehillim 84:7. 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.

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,⁴Alternatively, I am able to determine the praise of those who died [ושבח אני את המתים], by observing the conduct and type of life style of their children who are alive [מן החיים]. (Yalkot Eliezer) like the early Patriarchs,⁵Rashi answers the apparent contradiction between this verse which praises the dead and below [9:4]. Koheles states “for a live dog is better than a dead lion.” (Sifsei Chachomim) for Moshe was answered only through them [i.e., their merit].⁶See Maseches Shabbos 30a. Moshe said many prayers and God did not answer, but when he mentioned the merit of the Patriarchs in his prayers, he was immediately answered. (Sifsei Chachomim) And like my father Dovid, for I was not answered with twenty-four praises⁷See Maseches Shabbos 30a. The Gemara there relates that the gates in the Bais Hamikdosh clung to each other when Shlomo attempted to place the Holy Ark into the Kodesh Hakadoshim. He said twenty-four expressions of entreaty and was not answered until he mentioned the kind deeds of Dovid. (Sifsei Chachomim) until I said, “Remember the kind deeds of Your servant Dovid.”⁸II Divrei Hayomim 6:42.

עֲדֶן. עֲדַיִן:

Yet. Yet עֲדַיִן=עֲדֶן.⁹‘עדן’ is a shortened version of עד הנה [=as yet]. (Ibn Ezra)

אֲשֶׁר לֹא רָאָה אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. רָאִיתִי בְמִדְרַשׁ קֹהֶלֶת, אֵלּוּ תתקע"ד דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁקֻּמְּטוּ לְהִבָּרְאוֹת וְלֹא נִבְרְאוּ:

Who has not seen the [evil] deed. I saw in Midrash Koheles that these are the 974 generations that were decreed to be created, but were not created.¹⁰Of the one thousand generations that were decreed to be created before the giving of the Torah, 974 were not created. However, 26 generations after God created the world He gave the Torah. There were ten generations from Adam to No’ach, ten generations from No’ach to Avrohom, and six generations from Avrohom to Moshe. Thus 974 + 26 equals one thousand generations. See Rashi in Maseches Chagigah 14a.

וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי אֶת־כָּל־עָמָל. הֵן הָעֲבֵרוֹת, שֶׁהֵן עָמָל בְּעֵינֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:

And I observed that all labor. These are the sins, which are toil in the eyes of the Holy One, Blessed Is He.

וְאֵת כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. שֶׁאֵינוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֶלָּא לְקִנְאַת אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ, שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם הָבֶל:

And all skillful work. Which is not for the sake of Heaven, but for one’s envy of his friend, both of which are vanity.

כִּי הִיא קִנְאַת אִישׁ. אֲשֶׁר הִיא קִנְאַת אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ:

Is the result of man’s envy. Which is the result of man’s envy of his neighbor.

הַכְּסִיל. הָרָשָׁע:

The fool. The wicked person.¹¹Alternatively, “the fool.” (Targum)

חוֹבֵק אֶת־יָדָיו. וְאֵינוֹ יָגֵעַ, וְאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל אֶלָּא מִן הַגָּזֶל:

Folds his hands. And does not toil, and he eats only from robbery.

וְאוֹכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ. לְיוֹם הַדִּין שֶׁרוֹאֶה צַדִּיקִים בְּכָבוֹד, וְהוּא נִדּוֹן. כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי:

And eats his own flesh. On the Day of Judgement, when he sees the righteous bestowed with honor, while he is being judged.¹²Alternatively, because he did not toil, he eventually dies from starvation (Ibn Ezra); or בשרו refers to “his relatives” that suffer on his account. See Rashi below 5:5 and also in Yeshayahu 58:7. It is expounded in this manner in Sifre.

טוֹב מְלֹא כַף נָחַת. לִהְיוֹת קוֹנֶה נְכָסִים מְעַט מִיגִיעוֹ, שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהֶן נַחַת רוּחַ לְיוֹצְרוֹ:

Better is a handful [earned] in contentment. To acquire few possessions, but with his toil, so that his Creator should have satisfaction from them.

מִמְּלֹא חָפְנַיִם. נְכָסִים הַרְבֵּה בַּעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁהוּא עָמָל וְעַצְבוּת רוּחַ לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם:

Than two handfuls [earned]. Many possessions [acquired] through sin,¹³Alternatively, the verse refers to giving charity, i.e., better a lesser amount given to a poor person but with a pleasant demeanor, than giving twice as much, but causing the poor man to feel uncomfortable. (Nachal Eshkol) which is toil and grief to the Omnipresent.

תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. כְּמוֹ "תַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם":

Under the sun. Is the same as, “under the heavens.”

יֵשׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה דְבָרָיו בִּיחִידִי:

There is one who is alone with none other beside him. There is a person who does his work alone.

גַּם בֵּן וָאָח אֵין לוֹ. אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא, אֵינוֹ קוֹנֶה לוֹ תַלְמִיד שֶׁהוּא כְבֵן, וְלֹא חָבֵר שֶׁהוּא כְּאָח. וְאִם רַוָּק הוּא, אֵינוּ נוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה לִהְיוֹת לוֹ כְאָח לְעֵזֶר וּלְהוֹלִיד בֵּן. וְאִם סוֹחֵר הוּא, אֵינוֹ קוֹנֶה לוֹ שֻׁתָּפִים, וְיוֹצֵא לְדֶרֶךְ יְחִידִי:

He has neither son nor brother. If he is Torah scholar, he neither acquires for himself a disciple, who is like a son, nor a companion, who is like a brother. And if he is a bachelor, he does not take a wife, to be to him like a brother, as a helper and to beget a son. And if he is a merchant, he does not acquire partners for himself, but he goes out on the road by himself.

וְאֵין קֵץ לְכָל־עֲמָלוֹ. יָגֵעַ בְּגִירְסָא, וְאִם סוֹחֵר הוּא, עָמֵל בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא:

Yet there is no end to his labor. He toils in study, and if he is a merchant, he labors in business.

גַּם־עֵינוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּע עשֶׁר. לֹא יְהֵא שָׂבֵעַ בְּטַעֲמֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁהַרְבֵּה תוֹרָה לוֹמֵד אָדָם מִתַּלְמִידָיו. וּלְעִנְיַן הַמָּמוֹן, רוֹדֵף תָּמִיד אַחַר הַמָּמוֹן:

Neither is his eye ever satisfied with riches. He will not be sated from the insights of Torah, for a person learns much Torah from his students, and regarding money, he constantly pursues money.

וּלְמִי אֲנִי עָמֵל. מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינִי מַעֲמִיד תַּלְמִידִים, וְאֵינִי נוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה לְהוֹלִיד בָּנִים:

And for whom do I labor. Since I do not develop students, and I do not take a wife to beget children.

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.

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].¹⁴The Gemara in Maseches Berachos 63b states that Torah scholars who sit alone and engage in Torah study become foolish and will eventually sin [by erring].

וְאִי לוֹ. וְאוֹי לוֹ:

But woe to him. But woe to him וְאוֹי לוֹ=וְאִי לוֹ.¹⁵Rashi renders this interpretation because ואילו is spelled ‘full’, i.e. with a yud. (Sifsei Chachomim)

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.¹⁶Alternatively, these verses refers to the performance of a mitzvah, i.e., if each one performs a mitzvah on his own then if he slackens off, there is no one to encourage him and “uplift him.” However, when two people perform a mitzvah together, it adds “warmth” to their performance of the mitzvah. (Divrei Avrohom)

וְאִם יִתְקְפוֹ הָאֶחָד. אִם בָּאוּ לִסְטִים עָלָיו לְתָקְפּוֹ אִם שְׁנַיִם הֵם, יַעַמְדוּ לְנֶגְדוֹ, וְכָל־שֶׁכֵּן אִם ג' הֵם, וְהַחוּט הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ לֹא בִמְהֵרָה יִנָּתֵק. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מִי שֶׁהוּא תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, וּבְנוֹ וּבֶן־בְּנוֹ, שׁוּב אֵין תּוֹרָה פוֹסֶקֶת מִזַּרְעוֹ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, "לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ". דָּבָר אַחֵר: חוּט הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ בְּמִקְרָא וּבְמִשְׁנָה וּבְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ לֹא בִמְהֵרָה הוּא חוֹטֵא. בְּפָנִים אֲחֵרִים נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ: "יֵשׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי" לוֹ, אֲבָל אֵין סֵדֶר כָּל־הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ מִתְיַשֵּׁב עֲלֵיהֶם:

And if an individual attacks. If thieves came to attack him, if they are two, they will stand up to them, and certainly, if they are three, “and the threefold cord is not quickly severed.” Another explanation: Whoever is a Torah scholar, as well as his son and his grandson, the Torah will never cease from his seed, as [Scripture] states, “[My words] will not depart from your mouth nor from the mouth of your offspring nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring.”¹⁷Yeshayahu 59:21. Another explanation: [And] “the threefold cord,” [i.e., one well versed] in Scripture, Mishnah, and [having] good manners, will not quickly sin. It is expounded in the Midrash in other ways, “There is one who is alone with none other beside”¹⁸Above Verse 8. Him, but the sequence of all these verses does not correspond with their interpretations.

טוֹב יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן וְחָכָם. זֶה יֵצֶר טוֹב, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יֶלֶד? שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָא בְאָדָם עַד י"ג שָׁנָה:

Better a poor but wise child. This is the good inclination, and why is it called “child”? Because it comes to a person only at the age of thirteen years.¹⁹Alternatively, this verse refers to Avrohom who had a Divine prophecy at the age of three years old and refused to bow before Nimrod’s idols. (Targum)

מִסְכֵּן. שֶׁאֵין הָאֵבָרִים שׁוֹמְעִים לוֹ כְּמוֹ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע:

Poor. Because the limbs do not obey it, as [they obey] the evil inclination.²⁰According to Rashi that this verse is referring to the good inclination and evil inclination, the expression “better” is somewhat difficult, because “better” implies that both are “good” and one is “better” that the other, but what “good” can be attributed to the evil inclination. The Amtachas Binyomin therefore suggests that the first mem of ממלך does not mean “than” rather it means “as a result of”, i.e., it is better to follow the good inclination “as a result of defeating, after a struggle, the evil inclination, as opposed to one who has not been exposed to the evil inclination, where the probability is a greater that he will be enticed.

חָכָם. שֶׁמַּשְׂכִּיל אֶת־הָאָדָם לְדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה:

Wise. Which gives a person intelligence to [follow] the right way.

מִמֶּלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל. זֶה יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁהוּא שַׁלִּיט עַל כָּל־הָאֵבָרִים. זָקֵן. שֶׁמִּשָּׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹלָד הַוְּלָד, הוּא נָתוּן בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ": וּכְסִיל. שֶׁמַּתְעֵהוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ רָעָה, כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ:

Than an old and foolish king. This is the evil inclination, which rules over all the limbs. “Old,” for when a child is born, it comes to him,²¹The evil inclination is referred to as “king” because all obey it, and “old” because it becomes part of man long before the good inclination. as it is stated, “sin rests at the opening.”²²Bereishis 4:7. And foolish. Because it misleads him in the way of evil. It is expounded in the Midrash in this manner.

אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר עוֹד. שֶׁהֲרֵי הִזְקִין, וְאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל תּוֹכֵחָה:

Who no longer knows how to be vigilant. Because he has aged and no longer accepts reproof.

כִּי־מִבֵּית הָסוּרִים יָצָא לִמְלֹךְ. מִמְּקוֹם הַטִּנֹּפֶת וְסִרְחוֹן, כְּדִמְתַרְגְּמִינָן "וַיִּבְאַשׁ" וּסְרִי:

Even though he [the child] emerged from prison to be king. From the place of filth and stench [=הָסוּרִים, as Targum renders, ‘וַיִּבְאַשׁ’, “and it became putrid וּסְרִי.”

כִּי גַּם בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ. מִּשֶׁמָּלַךְ בְּאָדָם, נוֹלַד הָרָשׁ הַמִּסְכֵּן הַטּוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבָא מִתּוֹךְ טָהֳרָה וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ טִנֹּפֶת הָרֶחֶם, כַּךְ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ בַמִּדְרָשׁ. דָבָר אַחֵר: "כִּי טוֹב יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן וְגוֹ'" כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. "אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר עוֹד", שֶׁכְּבָר הִזְקִין בְּרִשְׁעוֹ וּכְסִילוּתו‍ֹ. "כִּי מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים יָצָא לִמְלֹךְ", כִּי הַיֶּלֶד הַמִּסְכֵּן, סוֹפוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ עָלָיו שֶׁיָּצָא לִמְלֹךְ מִתּוֹךְ עָנְיוֹ וּמִבֵּית אֲסוּרָיו, שֶׁהֲרֵי סַמֶּ"ךְ שֶׁל הָסוּרִים נָקוּד רָפֵי, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ "הָאֲסוּרִים". (סְפָרִים אֲחֵרִים: כְּמוֹ, "וְלֹא־יַהֵל שָׁם עֲרָבִי", כְּמוֹ יַאֲהֵל) שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְיוֹסֵף, שֶׁמָּלַךְ מִתּוֹךְ יְצִיאַת בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים. וְכֵן דָּוִד, "אֲנִי לְקַחְתִּיךָ מִן־הַנָּוֶה מֵאַחַר הַצֹּאן":

Even though in his own kingdom. Since he reigned over man, the poor one was born; who was better than he, and who came out of purity, not out of the filth of the womb. So it was expounded in the Midrash. Another explanation: “Better a poor but wise child, etc.” [to be understood] according to its apparent meaning, “[one] who no longer knows to be vigilant,” for he has already aged in his wickedness and foolishness. “Even though he [the child] emerged from prison to be king.” For the poor child; it will ultimately be said about him that he went out to reign from the midst of his affliction and from his prison cell, for the samech of הָסוּרִים is punctuated without a dagesh, which is the equivalent of הָאֲסוּרִים. (Some editions: As in, “And no Arab will pitch יַהֵל his tent there,”²³Yeshayahu 13:20. which is the same as “יַאֲהֵל.”) For so we find that Yoseif reigned following his being freed from prison, and so Dovid, “I have taken you from the sheepcote, from following the flocks.”²⁴II Shmuel 7:8.

כִּי גַּם בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ נוֹלַד רָשׁ. כִּי כָשֵׁר וְהָגוּן הוּא שֶׁיִּמְלֹךְ, כִּי גַּם בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ הוּא נֶהְפַּךְ מִמִּנְהַג הַשְּׂרָרָה וּמַקְטִין עַצְמוֹ אֵצֶל הַחֲכָמִים כְּמִדַּת הָרָשִׁים, וְכֵן, "וְעַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵד", שֶׁיֵּהָפֵךְ וְיִשְׁתַּנֶּה לוֹ מִמַּה שֶׁהָיָה כְעַיִר פֶּרֶא, וְיֵעָשֶׂה אָדָם:

Even though in his own kingdom he was born a pauper. For it is fitting and proper that he should reign, because even in his kingship, he changed from the tradition of the ruling class and he humbled himself to the sages, which is characteristic of the poor. And so, “and from [one who is like] a wild donkey, a man will be born,”²⁵Iyov 11:12. [meaning,] that he will be changed and converted from what he was, resembling a wild donkey, and he will become a man.

נוֹלַד. נַעֲשָׂה, וּלְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה הוּא:

He was born. נוֹלַד means] “becomes,” and it is in the present tense.

רָאִיתִי אֶת־כָּל־הַחַיִּים וְגוֹ'. מָצָאתִי בְמִדְרַשׁ הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה: "זֶה דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם 'וּמִכָּל־הָחַי'":

I observed that all the living, etc. I found in the Midrash of this Book, that this refers to the generation of the flood, about which it is stated, “And of every living thing.”²⁶Bereishis 6:19.

עִם הַיֶּלֶד הַשֵּׁנִי. אֲשֶׁר יִתְקַיֵּם תַּחַת אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר, שֶׁהֵם נֹחַ וּבָנָיו:

Were supportive of the young successor. Who will exist instead of that generation, i.e., No’ach and his sons.

אֵין־קֵץ לְכָל־הָעָם. פָּרִים וְרָבִים הָיוּ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "זַרְעָם נָכוֹן לִפְנֵיהֶם". אִשָּׁה מִתְעַבֶּרֶת וְיוֹלֶדֶת לִשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים. "יְשַׁלְּחוּ כַצֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶם":

There was no limit to all the peoples. They were fruitful and multiplied too much, as it is stated, “their children are [well established] in their sight,”²⁷Iyov 21:8. a woman would conceive and bear in three days, “They send out their infants [i.e., carefree] like sheep.”²⁸Ibid. Verse 11.

לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה לִפְנֵיהֶם. אֵין קֵץ לְכָל־טוֹב שֶׁהָיָה לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְהַכֹּל אָבַד, וּבְרֶגַע שְׁאוֹל יֵחַתּוּ:

To all of them whom he lead. There was no end to all the good that they had, but all was lost, and in an instant descended to the grave.

גַּם הָאַחֲרוֹנִים. דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה:

Even though [it is so now] those who come after [the next generation]. The generation of dispersion.

לֹא יִשְׂמְחוּ. גַּם הֵם בַּטּוֹב הַנִּתָּן בְּיָדָם:

Will not rejoice. Also they, with the good that was given into their hands.

כִּי־גַּם־זֶה. סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל הֶבֶל וְרַעְיוֹן רוּחַ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָדָם מְהַלֵּךְ אַחַר יִצְרוֹ:

For this too. Its end is that of vanity and frustration, when a person follows his [evil] inclination.

שְׁמֹר רַגְלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ אֶל־בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים. הֵיאַךְ תֵּלֵךְ. אִם תָּבִיא תוֹדָה וְנִדְבַת שְׁלָמִים, הוּא הַטּוֹב, וּשְׁמֹר עַצְמְךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תִצְטָרֵךְ לֵילֵךְ בַּהֲבָאַת חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת:

Guard your foot when you go to the House of God. [“Watch”] how you go, if you bring a thanksgiving offering or a peace offering, that is good.²⁹Alternatively, this verse refers to one’s behavior when entering the House of God, i.e., he should enter in a manner that reflects reverence for God; or, one should make sure that his shoes are clean before entering. But “watch” yourself that you should not have to go and bring sin offerings or guilt offerings.

וְקָרוֹב. הֱוֵי לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וֶהֱוֵי טוֹב וְקָרוֹב לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:

Come near. To obey the words of the Holy One , Blessed Is He, and be good and near the Holy One, Blessed Is He.

מִתֵּת הַכְּסִילִים זָבַח. שֶׁיֶּחֱטָא וְיָבִיא קָרְבָּן:

Rather than offer sacrifices like the fools. That he should sin and bring a sacrifice.

כִּי־אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים לַעֲשׂוֹת רָע. אֵין הַכְּסִיל מֵבִין שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה רַע לְעַצְמוֹ:

For they do not know that they do evil. The fool does not realize that he is harming himself.³⁰The fool thinks that it is okay to sin as long as he brings a sin offering. (Metsudas Dovid)

לְהוֹצִיא דָבָר לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים. לְדַבֵּר קָשֶׁה כְּלַפֵּי מָעְלָה:

To utter a word before God. To speak critically toward [God] above.¹Alternatively, “do not let your heart be hasty” to voice complaints before God, “for He is in heaven and you are on earth,” i.e., He alone knows what is good for you and whatever he does is for the best. See Maseches Berachos 61a and Maharsha there.

כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים בָּשָּׁמַיִם וְאַתָּה עַל־הָאָרֶץ. וַאֲפִלּוּ חַלָּשׁ מִלְּמַעְלָה וְגִבּוֹר מִלְּמַטָּה, אֵימַת חַלָּשׁ עַל הַגִּבּוֹר, וְכָל־שֶׁכֵּן גִּבּוֹר לְמַעְלָה וְחַלָּשׁ לְמַטָּה:

For God is in heaven and you are on earth. And even if the weak one is above, and the strong one below, the fear of the weak one is upon the strong one, how much more so when it is the strong one [=God] Who is above and the weak one who is below.

כִּי בָּא הַחֲלוֹם בְּרֹב עִנְיָן. כִּי דֶרֶךְ הַחֲלוֹם לָבוֹא בְּרֹב הִרְהוּרִים שֶׁאָדָם מְעַיֵּן וּמְהַרְהֵר בַּיּוֹם, וְדֶרֶךְ קוֹל כְּסִיל לָבוֹא בְרֹב דְּבָרִים, כִּי בְּהַרְבּוֹתוֹ דְבָרִים, מוֹצִיא קוֹל שֶׁל כְּסִילוּת מִפִּיו, כִּי לֹא יֶחְדַּל פֶּשַׁע, לְכַךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר: "יִהְיוּ דְבָרֶיךָ מְעַטִּים":

For a dream comes with many subjects. For it is usual for a dream to come because of the many thoughts upon which a person ponders and thinks during the day, and it is usual for the speech of a fool to come with excessive words, because by increasing his words, he utters foolishness from his mouth, for transgression is inevitable; therefore I say, “let your words be few.”²Scripture in Mishlei [17:28] states, “even a fool who is silent will be considered wise, [and] when he seals his lips [he will be considered] understanding.”

אֵין חֵפֶץ בַּכְּסִילִים. אֵין חֵפֶץ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרְשָׁעִים הַנּוֹדְרִים וְאֵין מְשַׁלְּמִים:

He has no desire in fools. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, has no pleasure in the wicked who vow and do not pay.

אַל־תִּתֵּן אֶת־פִּיךָ. בְּנֶדֶר:

Do not permit your mouth. [By uttering] a vow.

לַחֲטִיא אֶת־בְּשָׂרֶךָ. שֶׁיִּפְקֹד הֶעָוֹן עַל־בָּנֶיךָ:

To bring guilt on your flesh. That He should visit the iniquity upon your children.³According to Rashi, בשרך means children, as in, “and do not hide yourself from your kin [ומבשרך],” in Yeshayahu 58:7. Alternatively, it can be understood literally, i.e., do not let the vain vows made by your mouth to bring punishment upon your flesh [=yourself=בשרך]. See Maseches Shavuos 39a.

וְאַל־תֹּאמַר לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ. שָׁלִיחַ הַבָּא לְתָבְעֲךָ צְדָקָה שֶׁפָּסַקְתָּ בְּרַבִּים:

Nor say before the angel. The representative who comes to demand of you the charity that you publicly pledged.⁴Alternatively, “an angel of God” who keeps and records all of man’s utterances (Ibn Ezra); or מלאך refers to “a Torah scholar” who is called upon to annul vows. (Sforno)

כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִיא. בִּשְׁגָגָה פְסַקְתִּיהָ. כְּסָבוּר הָיִיתִי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לִתֵּן:

That it was an error. I pledged it in error, I thought that I would have the ability to give.

וְחִבֵּל אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ. מִצְוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בְיָדֶיךָ, שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ כְבָר, אִבַּדְתָּם. כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ:

And destroy the work of your hands. [I.e.,] the commandments that were in your hands, that you had already performed, will cause them to be lost [=destroyed].⁵Alternatively, מעשה ידיך refers to the “children” of one who fails to fulfill his vows, who die as a result. It is expounded in this manner in the Midrash.

עַל־קוֹלֶךָ. בִּשְׁבִיל קוֹלֶךָ:

By your voice. Because of your voice.

כִּי בְרֹב חֲלֹמוֹת וְגוֹ'. אֲשֶׁר כָּל־מַה שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לְךָ חֲלוֹמוֹת וּנְבִיאֵי הֶבֶל וּדְבָרִים הַרְבֵּה לִפְרשׁ מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם:

For in the multitude of dreams, etc. For all that they tell you — dreams, false prophets, and idle chatter — to separate from the Omnipresent.

כִּי אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא. הֲרֵי "כִּי" מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן "אֶלָּא". אַל תִּשְׁמַע אֶל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת, אֶלָּא אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא:

Man should fear God. [The word] כִּי is an expression of “rather,” [i.e.,] do not obey the dreams, rather, “fear God.”

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 ones⁶I.e., angels. over them who carry out the mission of the Omnipresent, and their hand is strong to punish them.

וְגֵזֶל מִשְׁפָּט. גָּזֵל שֶׁל מִשְׁפָּט. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא דָבוּק, הוּא נָקוּד "גֵּזֶל", פַּתָּח קָטָן, שֶׁאִם לֹא הָיָה דָבוּק, הָיָה נָקוּד "גָּזֵל" קָמַץ. עִנְיָן אַחֵר: אִם תִּרְאֶה שֶׁהֵם עוֹשְׁקִים רָשִׁים וְגוֹזְלִים מִשְׁפָּט, וְרוֹאֶה אַתָּה צֶדֶק בָּא לָעִיר, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁפִּיעַ לָהֶם טוֹבָה, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְרָע מֵהֶם, אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל חֶפְצוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, כִּי כֵן דַּרְכּוֹ, לְהַאֲרִיךְ אַפּוֹ:

Perversion of justice. Deprivation of justice. Since it is in the construct [i.e., possessive] state, גֵּזֶל is vowelized with a small patach [=segol],⁷Apparently Rashi’s text is not like our edition where גזל is vowelized with a tzeireh. for were it not possessive, גָּזֵל would be vowelized with a kametz. Another explanation: If you see that they oppress the poor and deprive [them of] justice, and you see charity coming toward the city, [i.e.,] that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, lavishes goodness upon them and does not mete out retribution upon them, do not wonder about the will of the Omnipresent, for so is His custom, to be slow to anger.

כִּי גָבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר. מַמְתִּין עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא סְאָתָם:

For One higher than the high watches. He waits until their measure is filled.

וּגְבֹהִים. יֵשׁ לוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם לִפָּרַע מֵהֶם בְּבֹא עֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם, כְּמוֹ: "לֹא־תִשְׁמוֹר עַל־חַטָּאתִי"; "שֹׁמֵר אֱמֻנִים"; "שָׁמַר אֶת־הַדָּבָר":

And there are high ones. He has [many agents] over them to punish them when their time of visitation arrives, as in, “you do not wait תִּשְׁמוֹר for my sin,”⁸Iyov 14:16. [and as in,] “awaiting שֹׁמֵר the realization,”⁹Yeshayahu 26:2. [and as in,] “awaited שָׁמַר the matter.”¹⁰Bereishis 37:11. God waits, but ultimately He will punish them in the proper time.

וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא. וְיִתְרוֹן שֶׁל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהֵם מִתְגָּאִים וּמַכְעִיסִים לַמָּקוֹם, בַּכֹּל הוּא. בְּכָל־דָּבָר הוּא עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ לִפָּרַע וַאֲפִילוּ עַל יְדֵי יִתּוּשִׁין, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה לְטִיטוּס:

The profit of the earth is desired by all. And the loftiness of the earth’s dwellers, who are haughty and provoke the Omnipresent; “is desired by all,” in everything, he performs His mission to punish them, even through gnats, as He did to Titus.¹¹See Maseches Gittin 56b for details of Titus’ punishment. When God created His world, He did not create a single thing without a purpose, according to the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 77b.

מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה פוֹעֵל לְצִיּוֹן לִתְבֹּעַ עֶלְבּוֹנָהּ מִמַּחֲרִיבֶיהָ, וּלְשַׁלֵּם שְׂכָרָהּ לְבוֹנֶיהָ:

The king himself is subject to the soil. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, became subservient to Tzion to demand from her destroyers for [their] mistreatment [of Tzion], and to reward her builders.

אֹהֵב כֶּסֶף לֹא־יִשְׂבַּע כֶּסֶף. אוֹהֵב מִצְוֹת לֹא יִשְׂבַּע מֵהֶם:

He who loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves [to perform God’s] commandments never has his fill of them.¹²See the Gemara in Maseches Makkos 10a which interprets that this verse is referring to Moshe.

וּמִי אוֹהֵב בֶּהָמוֹן. מִצְוֹת רַבּוֹת:

And he who loves abundance. Of many commandments

לֹא תְבוּאָה. וְאֵין בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם מִצְוָה מְסֻיֶּמֶת וְנִכֶּרֶת, כְּגוֹן בִּנְיָן בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה נָאֶה:

Will have no produce. And among them none has a specific and distinguishable commandment, e.g., the building of the Beis Hamikdosh or a synagogue, or [writing] a beautiful Torah scroll.

גַּם־זֶה הָבֶל. כַּךְ נִדְרָשִׁים שְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, וְעוֹד פָּנִים אֲחֵרִים הֲגוּנִים, אַךְ זֶה הִקְדַּמְתִּי לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מֵעִנְיַן "וּגְבֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם", שֶׁסְּמָכָן הַכָּתוּב יָחַד.

This too is vanity. So are these two verses expounded upon in the Midrash, and there are other suitable interpretations, but I stated this one first because it is related to the matter of, “and there are higher ones over them,” which Scripture juxtaposed to them.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא. שְׂכַר עֲבוֹדַת הָאֲדָמָה חָשׁוּב הוּא עַל הַכֹּל, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הוּא מֶלֶךְ, צָּרִיךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת נֶעֱבַד לְשָׂדֶה; אִם עָשְׂתָה הָאָרֶץ פֵּרוֹת, יֵשׁ לוֹ מַה יֹּאכַל, וְאִם לַאו, מֵת בְּרָעָב:

Another explanation: The profit of the earth is desired by all. The reward for tilling the soil is most important of all, for even the king must be subservient to the field; if the earth produces fruits, he will eat, otherwise, he dies from hunger.

אֹהֵב כֶּסֶף לֹא יִשְׂבַּע כֶּסֶף. לֹא יֹאכַל כֶּסֶף:

He who loves money will never be satisfied with money. He will not eat money.

וּמִי אֹהֵב בֶּהָמוֹן. בְּמָמוֹן:

And he who loves abundance. Of money.

לֹא תְבוּאָה. שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹסֵף לוֹ פֵרוֹת, גַּם־זֶה הָבֶל.

Will have no produce. That he does not gather for himself produce, this too is vanity.¹³Alternatively, “one who loves [an] abundance” of slaves, maidservants and other household members, “will have no produce,” i.e., he will be unable to sustain his household staff, for they will consume everything (Metsudas Dovid).

דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא. שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה הוּא, בֵּין בְּמִקְרָא, בֵּין בְּמִשְׁנָה, בֵּין בִּגְמָרָא:

Another explanation: The profit of the earth is desired by all. The reward of Yisroel is in all aspects of Torah, be it in Scripture, in Mishnah, or in Gemara.

מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד. מֶלֶךְ בְּמִקְרָא וּבְמִשְׁנָה עוֹדֶנּוּ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת נֶעֱבָד לְבַעַל גְּמָרָא, שֶׁהוּא מְסַדֵּר לְפָנָיו הוֹרָאוֹת אִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר, טֻמְאָה וְטָהֳרָה, וְדִינִין:

The king himself is subject to the soil. If the king is well versed in Scripture and Mishnah, he must still be subservient to the one well-versed in Gemara, because he arranges before him the practical decisions regarding prohibition and permissibility, ritual impurity and purity, and practical laws.

אוֹהֵב כֶּסֶף. אוֹהֵב תּוֹרָה אֵינוֹ שָׂבֵעַ בָּהּ:

He who loves money. Whoever loves Torah [study], never has his fill with it.

וְאֹהֵב בֶּהָמוֹן. תּוֹרָה:

And he who loves abundance. Torah [study].

לֹא תְבוּאָה. שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מִקְרָא וּמִשְׁנָה וְאֵין לוֹ גְמָרָא, מָה הֲנָאָה יֵשׁ לוֹ? כָּל־אֵלּוּ בְּ"וַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה":

Will have no produce. One who has [knowledge of] Scripture and Mishnah, but has no [knowledge of] Gemara, what benefit does he have? All these are [expounded] in Vayikra Rabbah.

בִּרְבוֹת הַטּוֹבָה. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְטִיבִין מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם:

As goods increase. When the [Bnei] Yisroel improve their deeds.

רַבּוּ אוֹכְלֶיהָ. מַתַּן שְׂכַר הַמִּצְוֹת:

So do those who consume them. The giving of the reward for [fulfilling] the commandments.

וּמַה־כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ. לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכָל הַטָּבַת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם:

And what advantage has the owner. [I.e.,] to the Holy One , Blessed Is He, with all the improvement of their deeds.¹⁴Alternatively, “and what good is the owner’s skill [=כשרון],” as in 2:21 above.

כִּי אִם־רְאוּת עֵינָיו. שֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁהֵם כְּפוּפִים לוֹ וְנַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנָיו, שֶׁאָמַר וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ וְכֵן לְעִנְיַן הַקָרְבָּנוֹת:

Except beholding them with his eyes. That He sees that they are subservient to Him, and He has satisfaction, that He commanded and His will was done, and so is the matter concerning the sacrifices.

בִּרְבוֹת הַטּוֹבָה רַבּוּ אוֹכְלֶיהָ. שֶׁמְבִיאִים נְדָבוֹת הַרְבֵּה רָבּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹכְלֶיהָ:

As goods increase so do those who consume them. When they bring many freewill offerings, the kohanim who eat it increase.

וּמַה־כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ. לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:

And what advantage has the owner. Before the Holy One, Blessed Is He.

כִּי אִם־רְאוּת עֵינָיו. שֶׁאָמַר וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ:

Except beholding them with his eyes. That He commanded, and His will was done.

מְתוּקָה שְׁנַת הָעֹבֵד. עוֹבֵד הָאֲדָמָה יָשֵׁן, וְעָרְבָה שְׁנָתוֹ עָלָיו, בֵּין שֶׁהוּא אוֹכֵל מְעַט וּבֵין שֶׁהוּא אוֹכֵל הַרְבֵּה, כִּי כְּבָר הֻרְגַּל בְּכָךְ:

Sweet is the sleep of the laborer. One who tills the soil sleeps, and he enjoys his sleep, whether he eats little or a lot, for he is already used to it.¹⁵The Midrash relates that when Rabbi Boon died, Rabbi Zeira incorporated this verse, “sweet is the sleep of the laborer,” in his eulogy for Rabbi Boon who was only twenty-eight years old at his death. He said that Rabbi Boon accomplished in his life what would normally take one hundred years.

וְהַשָּׂבָע לֶעָשִׁיר אֵינֶנּוּ מַנִיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן. וְשׂבַע נְכָסִים שֶׁל עָשִׁיר בַעַל פְּרַקְמַטְיָאוֹת הַרְבֵּה אֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן, כָּל־הַלַּיְלָה מְהַרְהֵר בָּהֶן. דָּבָר אַחֵר: "מְתוּקָה שְׁנַת הָעוֹבֵד" אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים, "אִם מְעַט" יְמֵי שָׁנָיו "וְאִם הַרְבֵּה" יְמֵי שָׁנָיו, יֹאכַל שְׂכָרוֹ הַמּוּעָט כִּמְרֻבֶּה. משֶׁה פִרְנֵס אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מ' שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמוּאֵל הַנָּבִיא פִרְנְסָם עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים, וּשְׁקָּלָן הַכָּתוּב זֶה כָזֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ וְגוֹ'". כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בְּתַנְחוּמָא:

But the satiety of the rich will not permit him to sleep. But the satiety of possessions of the rich man, who owns much merchandise, does not allow him to sleep because he thinks about it all night.¹⁶The same idea is expressed in Mishnayos Avos 2:7, “the more possessions, the more worry.” Another explanation: The year שָׁנָה שֶׁל=[שְׁנַת of the one who serves God is sweet; whether he has a short life or a long life, he will partake of his reward, the one [who lives few years] like the one who [lives] many [years]. [E.g.,] Moshe led Yisroel forty years, and Shmuel the prophet led them ten years, and Scripture equates them one to another, as it is stated, “Moshe and Aharon among His kohanim, and Shmuel among those who invoke His name, etc.”¹⁷Tehillim 99:6. So is it expounded upon in Tanchuma.

וְהַשָּׂבָע לֶעָשִׁיר. בַּעַל שְׁמוּעוֹת:

But the satiety of the rich. The one with many traditions.

אֵינֶנּוּ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן. בַּקֶּבֶר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים". כָּל־תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים דְּבַר שְׁמוּעָה מִפִּיו, שִׂפְתוֹתָיו דּוֹבְבוֹת בַּקָּבֶר:

Will not permit him to sleep. In the grave, as it is stated, “causing the lips of the sleeping to murmur.”¹⁸Shir Hashirim 7:10. Every Torah scholar, in whose name a traditional law is recited, his lips murmur in the grave.¹⁹See Maseches Yevamos 97a.

עשֶׁר שָׁמוּר לִבְעָלָיו לְרָעָתוֹ. כְּעָשְׁרוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵן נִתְגָּאָה וְיָרַד לִשְׁאוֹל:

Wealth preserved by its owner to his own detriment. Like the wealth of Korach, because of which he became haughty and descended into the grave.²⁰Alternatively, a person’s wealth jeopardizes his personal safety by exposing him to robbery, kidnap, or even death. (Sforno). Or, “wealth stored by its owner,” i.e., he stores his wealth and does not spend it to aid the needy, “to his own detriment,” i.e., resulting in the visitation of punishment upon him.

וְאֵין בְּיָדוֹ מְאוּמָה. אַף זְכוּת אָבוֹת:

He will have nothing in his hand. Not even the merit of his ancestors.

וּמְאוּמָה לֹא יִשָּׂא בַעֲמָלוֹ. כְּשֶׁיָּמוּת, לֹא יִשָּׂא בְיָדוֹ שׁוּם זְכוּת צְדָקָה שֶׁעָשָׂה בְמָמוֹנוֹ בְחַיָּיו:

He will take nothing for his labor. When he dies, he will not take with him any merit of charity that he did with his money during his lifetime.

כָּל־עֻמַּת שֶׁבָּא. אוֹתוֹ הַמָּמוֹן, כֵּן יֵלֵךְ:

As he came. That money, so will it go.

וְחָלְיוֹ. כְּמוֹ "וְחֹלִי", וְהַוָּ"ו יְתֵרָה, כְּמוֹ וָי"ו שֶׁל "חַיְתוֹ יָעַר":

[He has] illness. וְחָלְיוֹ means] the same as ‘וְחֹלִי,’ and the vav is superfluous, just as the vav of, “beast חַיְתוֹ of the forest.”²¹Tehillim 104:20.

לֶאֱכוֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִרְאוֹת טוֹבָה. לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא לֶקַח טוֹב, וְאַל יְקַבֵּץ הוֹן רַב אֶלָּא בַחֵלֶק הַנִּתָּן לוֹ יִשְׂמַח, כִּי הוּא חֶלְקוֹ:

For one to eat and drink and to enjoy the good. To engage in Torah [study],²²Rashi is consistent with the Midrash Aggadah he cited in 8:15 below, “that all mention of ‘eating and drinking’ in Koheles refers only to the study of Torah.” which is a good doctrine; but he should not accumulate much wealth, rather he should rejoice with the portion given him, for that is his portion.

וְהִשְׁלִיטוֹ לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ. בְּחַיָּיו:

And the power to enjoy them. In his life.

וְלָשֵׂאת אֶת־חֶלְקוֹ. בְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁיְּזַכֵּהוּ לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְוֹת בְּחַיָּיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל שָׂכָר:

To take his share. After his death, that he merited to engage in Torah [study] and in [the performance of] commandments during his life, which enabled him to receive reward.

כִּי לֹא הַרְבֵּה. שֶׁאֵין אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה:

For there are not many. For there is no longevity in this world.

יִזְכֹּר אֶת־יְמֵי חַיָּיו. כִּי מְעַט הֵם, וְלֹא הַרְבֵּה, וְלָמָּה יַטְרִיחַ לֶאֱסֹף הוֹן? יַטְרִיחַ בַּדָּבָר הָעוֹמֵד לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, בְּחַיָּיו:

Let him remember the days of his life. For they are few and not many; so why then should he bother to accumulate wealth? Let him labor with something that endures for him in the World to Come during his lifetime.

כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים מַעֲנֶה וְגוֹ'. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵדוּת קְבוּעָה לָזֶה לְעוֹלָם:

While God answers [provides] him, etc. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, bears a permanent testimony about this eternally.²³According to Rashi מענה means, “bears testimony” as in, “you shall not bear false testimony [לא תענה] in Shemos 20:13. Alternatively, מענה means “answers” as in “may Adonoy answer [יענך] you,” in Tehillim 20:2. (Ibn Ezra)

בְּשִׁמְחַת לִבּוֹ. שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת טוֹב בְּחַיָּיו. וְרָאִיתִי בַמִּדְרָשׁ, זֶה אֶלְקָנָה שֶׁהִדְּרִיךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲלוֹת לְשִׁילֹה בָרְגָלִים, וּבַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָן בְּשָׁנָה זוּ, לֹא הָיָה מַעֲלֶה אוֹתָן לַשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת, כְּדֵי לְפַרְסֵם הַדָּבָר וּלְהַרְגִּילָם, לְפִיכָךְ יִחֲסוֹ הַכָּתוּב: "וְעָלָה הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מֵעִירוֹ וְגוֹ'". וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה סוֹף הַמִּקְרָא הוּא: "כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים מַעֲנֶה בְּשִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ". זֶה אֶלְקָנָה, שֶׁקָּבַע לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵדוּת בַּכְּתוּבִים, וְהֵעִיד עָלָיו, "וְעָלָה הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מֵעִירוֹ":

With the joy of his heart. That he rejoiced to do good in his lifetime, and I saw in the Midrash, that this refers to Elkanah, who led Yisroel up to Shiloh on the festivals, and on the route that he brought them up on one year he did not bring them back the following year, in order to publicize the matter and to accustom them. Therefore, Scripture praises him, “This man would go up from his city, etc.”²⁴I Shmuel 1:3. I believe that this Midrash is at the end of the verse, “for God answers [provides] him with the joy of his heart.” This is Elkanah, whom the Holy One, Blessed Is He, established in Scripture, and testifies about him, “this man would go up from his city.”²⁵Ibid.

מַעֲנֶה. נָקוּד פַּתָּח קָטָן; לְכַךְ אֲנִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ, "כִּי אֵין מַעֲנֶה בְּפִי שְׁלשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים:

Answers [provides] him. This is vowelized with a small pasach [=segol].. Therefore, I explain it as a noun, as in, “for there was no answer מַעֲנֶה in the mouth[s] of the three men.”²⁶Iyov 32:5.

בְּשִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ. שֶׁהָיָה שָׂמֵחַ בְּרָגֶל:

With the joy of his heart. That he was happy on the festival.

וְרַבָּה הִיא עַל־הָאָדָם. בְּהַרְבֵּה בְּנֵי אָדָם הִיא נוֹהֶגֶת:

And it weighs heavily on man. It is prevalent among mankind.¹It causes distress upon mankind.

עשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים. לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:

Wealth [and] possessions. Its simple explanation, is its apparent meaning.

וְלֹא יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ. שֶׁיְּהֵא שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, לִמְצֹא קוֹרַת רוּחַ בְעָשְׁרוֹ, כִּי שׁוֹאֵף לַעֲשֹׁק וּלְהַרְבּוֹת הוֹן, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְהוּא כַמָּוֶת וְלֹא יִשְׂבָּע", וְגַם לֹא יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה לֶאֱכֹל הֵימֶנָּה לְעָתִיד, וְאִישׁ נָכְרִי יִטֹּל אוֹתוֹ מָמוֹן וְיַעֲשֶׂה בוֹ צְדָקָה וְיֵהָנֶה מִמֶּנּוּ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה.

Yet God does not give him the power to eat thereof. That he should be happy with his portion to find satisfaction in his wealth, for he strives to oppress and to accumulate much wealth, as the matter is stated, “and he is like death and is never satisfied,”²Chavakuk 2:5. and also He does not give him the power to perform charity, from which to eat in the future, but a stranger will take that money and perform charity and he will benefit from it.³According to Targum, the verse is dealing with a person who dies on account of his sins without leaving heirs. His wife marries a stranger who enjoys the estate that he left. However, the Midrash Aggadah explains it as referring to Torah study.

עשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים וְכָבוֹד. מִקְרָא, מִשְׁנָה וְאַגָּדָה.

Wealth, possessions and honor. Scripture, Mishnah, and Aggadah.

וְלֹא יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּ. שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה לִגְמָרָא, וּמִתּוֹךְ כַּךְ, אֵין הֲנָאָה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּשׁוּם דְּבַר הוֹרָאָה.

Does not give him the power. Because he did not achieve [knowledge of] Gemara, he consequently has no benefit from his studies in any practical decision making.

כִּי אִישׁ נָכְרִי יֹאכְלֶנּוּ. זֶה בַּעַל הַגְּמָרָא:

For instead a stranger will enjoy them. The one who is versed in Gemara.

אִם יוֹלִיד אִישׁ מֵאָה. בָּנִים:

If a man begets a hundred [children]. Children.⁴“A hundred” is figuratively speaking, it is an expression used to denote “many.” (Ibn Ezra)

וְרַב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי שָׁנָיו. (וְרַב הוֹן וְכָל־טוּב יְמֵי שָׁנָיו) שֶׁלּוֹ. "וְרַב" לְשׁוֹן דַּי. דַּי לְכָל־טוֹבָה:

So that the days of his years are many. (and much wealth and all goodness during the days of his life) His; וְרַב is an expression meaning “sufficient,” [i.e.,] a sufficient [=וְרַב degree of all goodness.⁵Alternatively, ורב means “and honorable” (Metsudas Dovid). Or, “the length of his life is greater [=ורב] than the average.” (Ibn Ezra)

וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּע. מֵאוֹתָהּ הַטּוֹבָה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ לְהִתְקָרֵר רוּחוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ:

And his soul is not sated. From that goodness, for he is not happy with his portion, to be satisfied with what is his.⁶According to the Midrash, this phrase refers to the soul which comes from Above and is not sated with physical pleasures. Rather, its needs are spiritual, e.g., studying Torah, performing mitzvos and doing good deeds.

וְגַם קְבוּרָה לֹא הָיְתָה לּוֹ. פְּעָמִים שֶׁנֶהֱרָג, וּכְלָבִים אוֹכְלִים אוֹתוֹ. וְכָל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ נִמְצְאוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁהוֹלִיד בָּנִים הַרְבֵּה, וּמָמוֹנוֹ הִרְבָּה, וְהָיָה חוֹמֵד שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים, וְלֹא מָצָא קוֹרַת רוּחַ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, וּכְלָבִים אֲכָלוּהוּ:

And moreover he has no burial. Sometimes he is slain, and dogs devour him. All these happened to Achav, he begot many children, and he had great wealth, but he coveted [the property of] others and was not satisfied with his wealth, and [after he was killed] dogs devoured him.⁷According to the Midrash, only Achav’s blood was not buried, as Scripture states in I Melochim 22:38, “the dogs licked it up,” but his body was buried in Shomron [Ibid. Verse 37]. Alternatively, he did not have a proper burial, e.g., he was buried without burial shrouds (Ibn Ezra). Or, he was involved and focused on accumulating wealth to such a degree that one might think he would live forever and need “no burial.” (Ateres Shmuel)

טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ הַנָּפֶל. שֶׁל אִשָּׁה, כִּי הַנֶּפֶל בַּהֶבֶל בָּא וְהָלַךְ, וְלֹא רָאָה טוֹבָה וְלֹא נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ, וְאֵין לוֹ לְהִצְטַעֵר:

Better off than he is the stillborn child. [The stillborn] of a woman, for the stillborn came in vanity and went, he neither saw good nor desired it; so he does not need to be distressed.

וְאִלּוּ חָיָה. וְאִם חָיָה אַלְפַּיִם שָׁנָה, מַה יִתְרוֹן לוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְטוֹבָה לֹא רָאָה? הֲלֹא סוֹפוֹ לָשׁוּב אֶל הֶעָפָר כִּשְׁאָר הָעֲנִיִּים?:

Though he live. And if he had lived two thousand years,⁸Alternatively, one million years [אלף פעמים=1000 x1000]. (Ibn Ezra) what advantage would he have, since he did not experience any pleasure. Will he not ultimately return to the dust like all the poor people?

כָּל־עֲמַל הָאָדָם. בִּשְׁבִיל פִּיהוּ הוּא, שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה וְיֹּאכַל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַבָּא, וְזֶה לֹא נֶהֱנָה בְחַיָּיו:

All man’s labor. Is for his mouth, that he should benefit and eat in this world and in the next, but this one had no benefit in his life.

וְגַם־הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא. בִּתְמִיהָּ כְּלוֹמַר, וְזֶה אֲפִלּוּ תַאֲוָתוֹ לֹא מִלֵּא בַהֲנָאָה מֻעֶטֶת, כְּמוֹ, "תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ נַפְשִׁי", לְשׁוֹן הַשָּׂגַת תַּאֲוָה. וַאַחֲרֵי שֶׁכֵּן הוּא:

Yet his appetite is never filled. This is a question; i.e., but this one, did he not even gratify his desire with a small pleasure? This is similar to, “I will satisfy תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ my lust with them,”⁹Shemos 15:9. an expression of attaining a desire. And since this is so —

מַה־יוֹתֵר. לוֹ בְחַכְמָתוֹ מִשֶּׁאִם הָיָה כְסִיל:

What advantage. [What advantage does he have] with his wisdom, over what he would have if he were a fool.

מַה־לֶּעָנִי. חִסָּרוֹן מִן הֶעָשִׁיר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ קוֹרַת רוּחַ? גַּם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ לַהֲלֹךְ בָּאָרֶץ אֵצֶל הַחַיִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא עָשָׂה מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בְּחַיָּיו:

What disadvantage has the poor man. Over the rich man who has no satisfaction. He too knows how to go along with the living. Another explanation: Yet his appetite is never filled. For the World to Come, for he did not perform good deeds in his lifetime.

טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ. טוֹב הָיָה וְהֻכְשַׁר לָזֶה לִרְאוֹת עָשְׁרוֹ לְמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו מִמַּאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה הַהוֹלֵךְ בְּנָפֶשׁ.

Better is what the eyes actually see than the imagination of the soul. It would have been better and more proper for this one to gaze upon his wealth [to enjoy] what his eyes see, than [by investing his wealth] in food and drink that nourish the soul.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ. טוֹב הָיָה לָזֶה וְהֻכְשַׁר לָלֶכֶת אַחַר עֵינָיו לִגְזֹל וְלַעֲשֹׁק מֵהִלּוּךְ נַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן לֵב הֵיכָן נַפְשׁוֹ תֵלֵךְ כְּשֶׁיָּמוּת:

Another explanation: Better is what the eyes actually see than the imagination of the soul. It would have better and more proper for this one to follow his eyes, to rob and to oppress, rather than [being mindful of] the course of his soul, that he did not care where his soul will go when he dies.¹⁰Alternatively, it would be better for a person to actually see where the soul of the righteous goes and where the soul of the wicked goes after their death. He would realize the difference and mend his ways. (Metsudas Dovid)

גַּם־זֶה הֶבֶל. הוּא הַנִיתָּן לָרְשָׁעִים:

This too is vanity. It is what is given to the wicked.

מַה־שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ. חֲשִׁיבוֹת וּגְדֻלָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ בְחַיָּיו, "כְּבָר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ", כְּלוֹמַר, כְּבָר הָיָה וְעָבַר יָצָא לוֹ שֵׁם בִּשְׂרָרָה, וְעַתָּה חָלַף, וְנוֹדָע שֶׁהוּא אָדָם וְלֹא אֵל, וְסוֹפוֹ שֶׁמֵּת, וְלֹא יוּכַל לָדוּן עִם מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת שֶׁהוּא תַּקִּיף מִמֶּנּוּ:

Whatever has been has already been named. The stature and greatness that had been established during his lifetime, “has already been named,” i.e., it already was and passed, he already had attained fame, and now it has passed, and it was made known that he was a man¹¹According to the Midrash, this refers to Adam. Note that the gematria (numerical value) of ‘מה’ [=45] is equal to ‘אדם’ [=45], man. and not god, and his end was that he died, and he was unable to strive with the angel of death, who is more powerful than he.

כִּי יֵשׁ־דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה. שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶן בְּחַיָּיו, כִּשְׂחוֹק הַמְּלָכִים, קֻפִּים וּפִילִים וַאֲרָיוֹת, הַכֹּל הִרְבָּה לוֹ וּמַה־יִוָתֵר לוֹ מִשֶּׁמֵת?:

For there are many things. With which he occupied himself during his lifetime, such as the games of the kings, [e.g.,] monkeys, elephants and lions. They increased vanity for him, and what remains for him after he dies.

כִּי מִי־יוֹדֵעַ. כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יוֹדֵעַ מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, וּמַה לָּאָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּחַיָּיו, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ טוֹבִים לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הָאָרֹךְ:

For who knows. For who knows good deeds and what man should do during his life, so that it will bring him goodness in the hereafter.

מִסְפַּר יְמֵי־חַיֵּי הֶבְלוֹ. שֶׁהֵם מְעַט מִסְפָּר:

In the counted days of his vanity. Which are limited in number

וְיַעֲשֵׂם. לְאוֹתָם מַעֲשִׂים בְּשָׁעָה מֻעֶטֶת שֶׁהוּא חַי, שֶׁהִיא זְמַן קָצֵר כְּצֵל עוֹף הָעוֹבֵר, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, "כַּצֵּל" סְתָם, וְלֹא פֵרַשׁ אִם צֵל דֶּקֶל אִם צֵל כּוֹתֶל, שֶׁהֵם קְבוּעִים, כְּבָר פֵּרְשׁוֹ דָוִד אָבִיו, "יָמָיו כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר", זֶהוּ צִלּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹף הַפּוֹרֵחַ, כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ:

Which he spends. Those deeds, in the limited time that he lives, for this time is as short as the shadow of a passing bird,¹²Alternatively, “that he may do them [ויעשם] like a shadow,” i.e., while alive, a person should never rest, just as a shadow moves constantly as a result of the sun’s angle, so should a person constantly be on the move and be performing these good deeds constantly. (Metsudas Dovid) and although Shlomo said, “like a shadow,” in general, and did not specify whether the shadow of a palm tree, or the shadow of a wall, which are permanent, his father Dovid had already explained it, “his days are like a passing shadow,”¹³Tehillim 144:4. this is the shadow of a flying bird.¹⁴This is deduced in the following manner. A shadow has no permanency so when Scripture states “passing shadow,” it seems superfluous. Obviously, the “passing shadow” is a description of the object that is casting the shadow, e.g., a flying bird that passes [=flies] by. It is thus expounded in this manner in the Midrash.

אֲשֶׁר מִי־יַגִיד לָאָדָם. בַּמֶּה יִתְקַיֵּם הוֹן שֶׁקָּבַץ מֵעשֶׁק לְבָנָיו אַחֲרָיו תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ:

For who can tell a man. How will the wealth that he gathered from oppression remain for his children after him, under the sun.

טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב. יָפֶה לְאָדָם שֵׁם טוֹב מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב. וּבְיוֹם הַמָּוֶת טוֹב הַשֵּׁם מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ לְכַךְ הֻקַּשׁ שֵׁם טוֹב לְשֶׁמֶן יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר מַשְׁקִין, שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶן אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לְתוֹכוֹ מַיִם, וְהוּא צָף וְעוֹלֶה וְנִכָּר, אֲבָל שְׁאָר מַשְׁקִים, אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לְתוֹכָן מַיִם, וְהֵם בּוֹלְעִים.

Better a good name than precious oil. A fine reputation for a person is better than precious oil,¹The Mishnah in Avos 4:13 states that there are three crowns, the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name [כתר שם טוב], i.e., fine reputation, surpasses them all. and on the day of [his] death that reputation is better than [it was] on the day he was born. For this reason, a good name is compared to oil in preference to other liquids, for [if] you put water into oil, it rises and floats, and is distinguishable, but other liquids, [if] you put water into them, it becomes absorbed.

טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב. שֶׁמֶן טוֹב יוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב . . . יוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן". שֵׁם טוֹב עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ". שֶׁמֶן טוֹב לְשָׁעָה, וְשֵׁם טוֹב לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם". שֶׁמֶן טוֹב הוֹלֵךְ מִקִּיטוֹן לִטְרַקְלִין וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וְשֵׁם טוֹב לְסוֹף הָעוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן: "מָצִינוּ בַּעֲלֵי שֶׁמֶן טוֹב נִכְנְסוּ לִמְקוֹם הַחַיִּים וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִים, וְהֵם נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, וּמָצִינוּ בַּעֲלֵי שֵׁם טוֹב שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לִמְקוֹם הַמִּיתָה וְיָצְאוּ חַיִּים, חֲנַנְיָה, מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה, שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִכִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ:

Better a good name than precious oil. Precious oil runs down, as it is stated, “as the precious oil (on the head) runs down upon the beard.”²Tehillim 133:2. But a good name rises to the top, as it is stated, “and I will make your name great.”³Bereishis 12:2. Precious oil is temporary, but a fine reputation is forever, as it is stated, “may his name endure forever.”⁴Tehillim 72:17. Precious oil [at best] flows from the flask to the palace, and no further, but a fine reputation [spreads] throughout the world.⁵The fragrance of good oil dissipates but a good name grows constantly stronger. (Metsudas Dovid) Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said, that we find that those who had good oil entered the place of life and emerged burnt up. These are Nadav and Avihu, who were anointed with the anointing oil. And we find those who possessed a fine reputation, who entered a place of death and emerged alive, [these are] Chananyah, Mishaeil, and Azaryah, who emerged [unscathed] from the fiery furnace.

וְיוֹם הַמָּוֶת מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ. נוֹלְדָה מִרְיָם, אֵין הַכֹּל יוֹדְעִין מָה הִיא. מֵתָה, נִסְתַּלְּקָה הַבְּאֵר. וְכֵן אַהֲרֹן בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן, וְכֵן משֶׁה בְמָן:

And the day of death than the day birth. When Miriam was born, no one knew what she was. But when she died, the well ceased to exist, and similarly with Aharon with the pillar of cloud, and Moshe with the manna.⁶Alternatively, a fine reputation is better on the day of death than on the day of birth, because so long as one lives, his reputation is subject to possible future deterioration, whereas on the day of death there are no uncertainties. This thought is found in the Mishnah in Avos 2:4 wherein Hillel said, “do not believe in yourself until the day you die.” (Sforno) Or, it is good for one to consider his death [יום המות], beginning from the time that he is born [יום הולדו], and by doing so he will refrain from sinning. (Khilos Yaakov)

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.⁷Upon going to a house of mourning a person realizes that he too will be mourned when his time comes. This will cause him to be humbled and make him aware of sin. (Metsudas Dovid) Alternatively, the kindness done for the dead is absolute and the level of kindness [חסד של אמת], for the provider does anticipate any payback because that is “the end of all men.” However, when going to a house of feasting, e.g., a wedding, the newly married couple “take to heart” to remember that act of kindness so that they can return the kindness. The latter type of kindness is somewhat inferior to the former, and therefore Koheles says, “it is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, etc. (Binah La’itim) ⁸Frequenting the company of those who pursue honor and vanity arouses one’s lust and desire for those things, and that is the intent of this verse. (Mesilas Yeshorim)

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.”

וְהַחַי יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ. הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, שֶׁאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו יִגְמֹל לוֹ חֶסֶד, לֹא יִגְמֹל לוֹ עוֹד:

And the living should take it to heart. This matter, that if he does not bestow kindness now, he will no longer [be able to] bestow it upon him.⁹Alternatively, if a person who is planning to do evil visits a house of mourning, he will surely “take it to heart” the matters dealing with death, and will thus abandon his plans and repent before God. (Targum)

טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְּׂחוֹק. מִי שֶׁרוֹדֶפֶת מִדַּת הַדִּין אַחֲרָיו, אַל יִצְטַעֵר. טוֹב הָיָה לָהֶם לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל אִם הֶרְאָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פָּנִים זְעוּמוֹת עַל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם, מִשְּׂחוֹק שֶׁשָּׂחַק עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁאִלּוּ הֶרְאָה לָהֶם קִימְעָא רוֹעַ פָּנִים, הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים לְמוּטָב. טוֹב הָיָה לַאֲדוֹנִיָּהוּ אִם עֲצָבוֹ אָבִיו עַל כָּל עֲבֵרָה שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה, מִשְּׂחוֹק שֶׁהֶרְאָה לוֹ וּבְסוֹף נֶהֱרַג עָלָיו:

Better vexation than levity. If one is pursued by the [Divine] standard of justice, he should not be depressed.¹⁰Alternatively, “better vexation stemming from levity,” i.e., when a situation calls for vexation [e.g., a teacher with his student], it should be only an appearance on the outside of anger, but not an emotional, true feeling, of anger. In the words of the Mesilas Yeshorim [Chapter 11] “any anger shown should be anger of the face and not anger of the heart.” It would have been better for the generation of the flood if the Holy One, Blessed Is He, had showed them an angry countenance because of their sins, rather than the laughter that He laughed with them, for had He shown them a slight expression of displeasure, they would have returned to [do] good.¹¹See Maseches Shabbos 30b. It would have been better for Adoniyahu had his father caused him grief for every sin that he committed, rather than the laughter that he showed him, and for which he was ultimately killed.

יִיטַב לֵב. יַהֲפֹךְ לֵב הָאָדָם לְהֵיטִיב דְּרָכָיו:

The heart is made better. It will reverse man’s heart and cause him to improve his ways.¹²Alternatively, as a result of the drought and retribution inflicted upon the world, the righteous will pray to God for mercy. (Targum)

לֵב חֲכָמִים בְּבֵית אֵבֶל. מַחֲשַׁבְתָּם עַל יוֹם הַמִּיתָה:

The heart of the wise [will reflect on] the house of mourning. Their thoughts¹³The literal translation is somewhat difficult because the heart of the wise is located in the same place as everyone else, therefore Rashi explains that it refers to their thoughts. (Sifsei Chachomim) are [focused] on the day of death.¹⁴These are their thoughts even when they are not visiting a house of mourning. As a result they subordinate their desires and avoid sin. (Metsudas Dovid) ¹⁵Alternatively, the heart of the wise mourns over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh and grieve over Yisroel’s exile. (Targum)

וְלֵב כְּסִילִים בְּבֵית שִׂמְחָה. אֵין חֲרֵדִים מִיּוֹם הַמִּיתָה וְלִבָּם בָּרִיא כְאוּלָם:

But the heart of the fools [are attracted] to the house of feasting. They do not fear the[ir] day of death, and their heart is as sound as a palace.¹⁶They are always thinking about joy and levity which brings a person to sin. (Metsudas Dovid) ¹⁷Alternatively, the heart of fools is involved in mockery, in eating, drinking and seeking enjoyment, and they have no concern over the suffering of their brethren. (Targum)

כִּי כְקוֹל הַסִּירִים. עֲצֵי קוֹצִים, אשפינ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז:

For like the crackling of thorns. Thorn wood, espines in O.F.

תַּחַת הַסִּיר. תַּחַת סִיר נְחשֶׁת הַכָּפוּי עַל תַּבְעֵרַת קוֹצִים, וְהֵם מְקַשְׁקְשִׁים לְתוֹכָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כָּל קִיסַיָּא, כַּד אִינוּן דָּלְקִין, לֵית קָלְהוֹן אָזִיל. בְּרַם, הָלֵין סִירַיָּתָא, קָלְהוֹן אָזִיל, לְמֵימָר, אַף אֲנָן מִן קִיסַיָּא. מוֹדִיעִים שֶׁאַף אָנוּ מִן הָעֵצִים, וְיֵשׁ צוֹרֶךְ בָּנוּ. אַף הַכְּסִילִים מַרְבִּים דְּבָרִים, לוֹמַר: "גַּם אָנוּ מִן הַחֲשׁוּבִים":

Under a pot. Under a copper pot turned over a fire of thorns, and they rattle into it.¹⁸The crackling of thorns in the fire lasts only a brief moment and then is gone. So, too, the laughter of the fool has no useful purpose or lasting value. Or, the verse conveys the thought that the wise grieve because they are fearful that they are lacking in their service to God, whereas fools are generally satisfied and happy because they feel they have totally fulfilled their obligation in their service to God. Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Leivi said, that all [other] woods when they are kindled, their sound does not travel [far], but when thorns are kindled, their sound travels [far], as if to say, “We, too, are of wood”. They publicize, “We too are wood, and we are needed.” So do fools speak excessively, [as if] to say, “We, too, are important.”

וְגַּם זֶה הָבֶל. וְעָמָל הוּא, שֶׁמָּסַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַבְּרִיּוֹת לִהְיוֹת יְגֵעִים וּמְקַנְתְּרִים בָּהֶם:

This too is vanity. And it is labor, which the Holy One, Blessed Is He, gave the people to toil in and to be vexed with.

כִּי הָעשֶׁק יְהוֹלֵל חָכָם. כְּשֶׁהַכְּסִיל מְקַנְתֵּר אֶת הֶחָכָם, מְעַרְבֵּב דַּעְתּוֹ, וְגַם הוּא נִכְשָׁל. דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם קִנְתְּרוּ אֶת משֶׁה, לוֹמַר: "יֵרֶא ה' עֲלֵיכֶם וְיִשְׁפֹּט וְגוֹ'", וִיְעִרְבְּבוּהוּ וְאִבְּדוּ אֶת לִבּוֹ, וְגָרְמוּ לוֹ שֶׁהִקְפִּיד כְּנֶגֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר, "וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אֶת עַמֶּךָ", וְנֶעֱנַשׁ בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ, "עַתָּה תִרְאֶה", וְלֹא תִרְאֶה בְמִלְחֶמֶת ל"א מְלָכִים:

For quarreling makes the wise foolish. When the fool provokes the wise person, he confuses his thoughts, and he too, stumbles. Dasan and Aviram taunted Moshe, by saying, “may Adonoy look down upon you and judge, etc.,”¹⁹Shemos 5:21. and they confused him and caused his wisdom to depart and to speak in anger²⁰A wise person should distance himself from being involved in discussion with fools because it will cause his own wisdom to suffer. (Metsudas Dovid) against the Holy One, Blessed Is He, and he said, “and You did not save Your people,”²¹Ibid. Verse 23. and he was punished for this matter, when He replied to him, “now you will see,”²²Ibid. 6:1. but you will not see the war of the thirty-one kings.

לֵב מַתָּנָה. לֵב חָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא מַתָּנָה לְאָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה":

And a gift [corrupts] the heart. The heart of wisdom, which is a gift to man,²³I.e., the provocation by the wicked, causes the wise to forfeit their wisdom, which is God‘s gift to man. as it is stated, “For Adonoy gives wisdom.”²⁴Mishlei 2:6.

עשֶׁק. לְשׁוֹן רִיב וְקִנְתּוּרִין. יֵשׁ פָּנִים אֲחֵרִים מַפְרִידִין הַמִּקְרָאוֹת זוּ מִזּוּ וְ"כִי" הָאָמוּר בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ שֶׁמְּחֻבָּר לַמִּקְרָא שֶׁלְּפָנָיו:

Quarreling. An expression of conflict and provocation. There are other interpretations, but they separate the verses one from the other, but “כִּי” [=for] which is stated at the beginning of the verse proves that it is connected to the preceding verse.

טוֹב אַחֲרִית דָּבָר מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, בְּרֵאשִׁית הַדָּבָר, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מַה יְּהֵא בְסוֹפוֹ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאַחֲרִית טוֹב, נִגְמַר בְּטוֹב.

Better is the end of a matter than its beginning. [To be interpreted] according to its apparent meaning, [i.e.,] at the beginning of a matter, we do not know what will be its outcome,²⁵And we are therefore unable to evaluate it properly. but when the outcome is good, it ends well.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: טוֹב אַחֲרִית דָּבָר מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ. בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ טוֹב, שֶׁנִּתְכַּוְּנוּ לְטוֹבָה כְּשֶׁהִתְתִילוּ בּוֹ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר הֲוָה קָאִים וְדָרִישׁ כּוּלֵיהּ מִלְתָא בֶּאֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה בְּמִדְרַשׁ קֹהֶלֶת:

Another explanation: Better is the end of a matter than its beginning. When it is good from its beginning, [i.e.,] that they had good intentions when they started it.²⁶Alternatively, immediately at the beginning of a matter, a person should reflect on its repercussions, and by doing so he will constantly improve himself, as the Gemara in Maseches Tamid 32a states, “Who is wise? He who discerns what is about to come to pass.” (Ksav Sofer) Rabbi Meir stood and expounded the entire matter as referring to Elisha the son of Avuyah,²⁷Rashi should not be translated literally, that Rabbi Meir expounded this matter etc., rather Rabbi Meir was in the midst of expounding when Elisha clarified to Rabbi Meir what Rabbi Akiva expounded pertaining to this verse. (Sifsei Chachomim) in Midrash Koheles.

אֶרֶךְ רוּחַ. הַמַּאֲרִיךְ רָגְזוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ מְמַהֵר לָרִיב:

Patience. One who is slow to anger and is not easily provoked.²⁸See Mishnayos Avos 5:11.

אַל תְּבַהֵל. אַל תְּמַהֵר:

Do not quicken. Do not rush.

אַל תֹּאמַר מֶה הָיָה שֶׁהַיָּמִים וְגוֹ'. אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁהָיְתָה בָאָה עַל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כְּדוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר וְדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד:

Do not say, was it that the former days, etc. Do not wonder about the goodness that was bestowed upon the righteous men of yore, such as the generation of the wilderness, the generation of Yehoshua and the generation of Dovid.

כִּי לֹא מֵחָכְמָה שָׁאַלְתָּ. שֶׁהַכֹּל לְפִי זְכוּת הַדּוֹרוֹת:

For it is not out of wisdom that you ask. For everything depends upon the merit of the generations.²⁹Alternatively, the answer to this question is beyond human comprehension. (Metsudas Dovid)

טוֹבָה חָכְמָה וְגוֹ'. חָכְמָתָם עָמְדָה לָהֶם עִם נַחֲלַת זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם, כִּי טוֹבָה הִיא הַחָכְמָה:

It is good to have wisdom, etc. Their wisdom stood for them together with the heritage of the merit of their forefathers, for wisdom is good.³⁰Alternatively, נחלה refers to a monetary inheritance or a skill that is handed down from father to son (Ibn Ezra). Thereby, one is able to immerse himself in his studies without having the burden of financial worries (Alshich). See Mishnayos Avos 2:2 which states that the study of Torah is good when combined with an occupation, for the exertion of them both makes sin forgotten. Or, wisdom is good as an accompaniment to an inheritance, for without wisdom, the wealth he came into will not endure. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְיֹתֵר לְרֹאֵי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. יִתְרוֹן הִיא הַחָכְמָה לְכָל הַבְּרִיּוֹת:

And [such wisdom] benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a benefit for all mankind.

לְרֹאֵי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. הֵן כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּדִתְנַן: "הַנּוֹדֵר מֵרוֹאֵי הַחַמָּה אָסוּר אַף בְּסוּמִין. לֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן זֶה אֶלָּא בְמִי שֶׁהַחַמָּה רוֹאָה אוֹתוֹ:

Those who see the sun. This refers to all mankind, as it was taught in the Mishnah,³¹Mishnayos Nedarim 3:7. “He who vows not to benefit from those who see the sun, is also forbidden [to benefit] from the blind.” The intention [of this phrase] is to [include] anyone who benefits from the sun.

כִּי בְּצֵל הַחָכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף. כָּל מִי שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ בְצֵל הַחָכְמָה יֶשְׁנוֹ בְצֵל הַכָּסֶף, שֶׁהַחָכְמָה גוֹרֶמֶת לְעשֶׁר שֶׁיָּבֹא:

For wisdom shelters [as well] as money shelters. Whoever is in the shade of wisdom is in the shade of money, for wisdom causes eventual wealth.³²Alternatively, just as wisdom of the Torah gives life [i.e., shelters] in the World of Come, so does money that is given to charity provide life [i.e., shelters] in the World to Come. (Targum)

וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ. וְעוֹד הַחָכְמָה יְתֵרָה עַל הַכֶּסֶף, שֶׁהַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ:

But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who possesses it. And moreover, wisdom has an advantage over money, because wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.³³Wisdom is not subject to death or consumption. The idea that “wisdom preserves the life of him who possesses it,” may be in reference to the Gemara in Maseches Yevamos 97a, which states that the lips of a deceased scholar in whose name a traditional statement is reported in this world, move gently in the grave. (Reb Tzvi Charif)

רְאֵה אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים. הֵיאַךְ הוּא מְתֻקָּן, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַפְּעֻלָּה שֶׁל אָדָם: גַּן עֵדֶן לַצַּדִּיקִים, גֵיהִנֹּם לָרְשָׁעִים. רְאֵה לְךָ בְּאֵיזֶה תִדְבָּק:

Consider the deeds of God. How everything is prepared according to man’s actions, the Garden of Eden for the righteous and Gehinnom for the wicked. Consider to which you should cling.

כִּי מִי יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן. לְאַחַר מִיתָה אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר עִוְּתוֹ בְחַיָּיו:

For who [else] can straighten. After death that which he made crooked during his life?³⁴Alternatively, only God can straighten what He made crooked on account of the inequity of the generation, e.g., the Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashanah 17b states, that if little rain had been decreed on account of the inequities of the generation and afterwards the people improved their ways, God will rectify what He made crooked and cause the rain to fall in its proper time and place without the loss of a drop. (Metsudas Dovid)

בְּיוֹם טוֹבָה הֱיֵה בְטוֹב. בְּיוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת טוֹבָה, הֱיֵה בְעוֹשֵׂי הַטּוֹבָה:

On a day of goodness [prosperity], be in good spirits. On a day in which you have the ability to do good,³⁵Alternatively, on a day of good fortune be happy and enjoy it. (Metsudas Dovid) be among those who do good.

וּבְיוֹם רָעָה רְאֵה. כְּשֶׁתָּבוֹא הָרָעָה עַל הָרְשָׁעִים, אַתָּה תִהְיֶה מִן הָרוֹאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ'", וְלֹא תִהְיֶה מִן הַנִּרְאִים: "וְהָיוּ דֵרָאוֹן לְכָל בָּשָׂר":

And on a day of adversity reflect. When evil comes upon the wicked, be among the observers,³⁶Adversity is caused by being sinful. Therefore, examine your deeds and remove any sins by repenting (Sforno). Alternatively, on a day of adversity, reflect and be hopeful for a day of goodness to come. (Likutei Yehudah) as it is stated, “And they will go out and see the corpses of the people, etc.,”³⁷Yeshayahu 66:24. and you will not be among those who are seen, “and they will be a sight for all mankind.”³⁸Ibid.

גַּם אֶת זֶה לְעֻמַּת זֶה. הַטּוֹבָה וּשְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתָהּ לְעֻמַּת הָרָעָה וּשְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתָהּ:

The one was set up against the other. The good and the reward for its performance, in contrast to the evil and the ensuing punishment for doing it.³⁹Alternatively, “one set up against the other,” refers to the punishment that was set up against the evil deeds, i.e., the concept of מדה כנגד מדה, that is, the manner of punishment corresponds to the sin, and it is never meted out in a greater amount than warranted.

שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצָא הָאָדָם אַחֲרָיו מְאוּמָה. לְהַרְהֵר אַחֲרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:

That man should not find anything after him. To be critical of the Holy One, Blessed Is He.

יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא אוֹבֵד, עוֹדֶנּוּ עוֹמֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ. מַעֲשֵׂה בְּיוֹסֵף בֶּן פִּנְחָס הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁעָלְתָה נִימָא בְרַגְלוֹ. קָרְאוּ לְרוֹפֵא לַחֲתּוֹךְ רַגְלוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ: "כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מַגִּיעַ לְחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, הוֹדִיעֵנִי". וְכֵן עָשָׂה, קָרָא לְחוּנְיָא בְּנוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: "בְּנִי, עַד כַּאן הָיִיתָ חַיָּב לִטַּפֵּל בִּי. מִכַּאן וְאֵילֵךְ אֵין אַתָּה חַיָּב לִטַּפֵּל בִּי, שֶׁאֵין כֹּהֵן מִטַּמֵּא לְאֵבֶר מִן הַחַי מֵאָבִיו:

There is a righteous man who perishes [despite] his righteousness. Although he is perishing, he is nonetheless steadfast in his righteousness.⁴⁰Alternatively, “there is a righteous man who perishes because of his righteousness,” i.e., were he not righteous, he might not have been punished at all. God is more demanding with the righteous, as stated in Maseches Yevamos 121b (Metsudas Dovid and Alshich). Avrohom, Yaakov, Yoseif, Dovid, Michal and Chizkiyah are examples of righteous people who did not escape judgement because of a slight indiscretion on their part. (Mesilas Yeshorim) There was an incident concerning Yoseif the son of Pinchas the kohen who had an ulcerating sore on his leg. They called the physician to amputate his leg. He said to him, “when you are about to reach the last remaining hairbreadth [of completing the amputation], let me know,” and he did so. He then called his son Chunya and said to him, “My son , until now, you were obligated to care for me. But, from now on, you are no longer obligated to care for me, because a kohen may not become ritually impure from a limb cut off from his father while he was alive.”

אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה. כְּשָׁאוּל, שֶׁדִּמָּה לִהְיוֹת צַדִּיק וְרִחֵם עַל הָרְשָׁעִים:

Be not exceedingly righteous. Like Shaul, who tried to display his righteousness and [misdirected] his mercy on the wicked.

וְאַל תִּתְחַכַּם יוֹתֵר. לָדוּן קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁל שְׁטוּת, וּמַה עַל נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת אָמְרָה תוֹרָה, הָבֵא עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה, וְכוּ':

Nor overly wise. To deduce from a foolish inference from a minor case to a major case, [namely,] that for [the murder] of one person, said the Torah, bring a decapitated heifer, etc.⁴¹This Rashi refers back to the preceding one and explains the misdirected logic which led Shaul to spare Amoleik.

אַל תִּרְשַׁע הַרְבֵּה. אֲפִלּוּ רָשַׁעְתָּ מְעַט, אַל תּוֹסִיף לְהַרְשִׁיעַ:

Be not excessively wicked. Even if you have been somewhat wicked, do not continue to act wickedly.

לָמָּה תָמוּת בְּלֹא עִתֶּךָ. כְּשָׁאוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל בְּמַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר מָעַל" בְּנֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים וּבַעֲמָלֵק:

Why should you die before your time. As Shaul did, as it is stated, “and Shaul died for his transgressions that he committed [against Adonoy],”⁴²I Divrei Hayomim 10:13. in the case of Nov, the city of kohanim,⁴³See I Shmuel 22:16-19. and in the case of Amoleik.⁴⁴See I Shmuel 15:8-15.

טוֹב אֲשֶׁר תֶּאֱחֹז בָּזֶה וְגוֹ'. אֱחוֹז בְּצֶדֶק וּבְרֶשַׁע. אִם אָמַר הַנָּבִיא הַצַּדִיק דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא דוֹמֶה לְךָ לְרֶשַׁע, כְּגוֹן שֶׁאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְשָׁאוּל, אַל יֵקַל בְּעֵינֶיךָ לְפַקְפֵק בּוֹ:

It is best to take hold of one, etc. Grasp both, righteousness and wickedness. If the righteous prophet told you something that appears to you as being evil, e.g., what Shmuel said to Shaul, let it not be taken lightly by you to doubt it.

יֵצֵא אֶת כֻּלָּם. יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם, יְקַיֵּם הַצֶּדֶק וְהָרֶשַׁע כְּהִלְכָתָן:

Will discharge his duty to both. Both of them, to preserve the righteousness and the wickedness according to their rule.

הַחָכְמָה תָּעֹז לֶחָכָם. לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר, "אַל תִּרְשַׁע הַרְבֵּה", אִם רָשַׁעְתָּ מְעַט, אַל תּוֹסִיף עָלָיו, אֶלָּא פַּשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּתְהֵא תוֹהֵא עַל הַחֵטְא, אָמַר, "הַחָכְמָה תָּעֹז לֶחָכָם", שֶׁהִיא יוֹעַצְתּוֹ לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה:

Wisdom gives [more] strength to the wise. Since it stated, “be not excessively wicked,”⁴⁵Above, verse 17. if you have been somewhat wicked, do not add to it, rather examine your deeds and regret the sin. He states, “wisdom gives [more] strength to the wise,” because it leads him to repentance.⁴⁶Rashi explains the juxtaposition of verse 17 with this verse is to teach that in the event a person sinned slightly, his wisdom will encourage him to repent his way. (Sifsei Chachomim)

מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. מָצִינוּ בְיֹאשִׁיָּהוּ שֶׁהֵעִיד עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב, "וְכָמֹהוּ לֹא הָיָה לְפָנָיו מֶלֶךְ וְגוֹ'". הֲרֵי עָמְדָה לוֹ חָכְמָתוֹ, שֶׁפִּשְׁפֵּשׁ בְמַעֲשָׂיו וְטוֹב לוֹ מֵעֲשָׂרָה מְלָכִים שֶׁהִרְשִׁיעוּ וְלֹא שָׁבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם:

Than ten rulers. We find regarding Yoshiyahu, that Scripture testified about him, “the likes of him there had never been a king before him, etc.”⁴⁷II Melochim 23:25. Therefore, his wisdom remained with him, and he examined his actions, and it was better for him than “ten rulers” who acted wickedly and did not repent.⁴⁸Alternatively, the חכם refers to Yoseif, and the ten rulers refer to Yoseif’s brothers. (Targum)

אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ בָּעִיר. בִּיְרוּשָׁלַיִם: רְחַבְעָם, אֲבִיָּה, אֲחַזְיָה, יוֹאָשׁ אַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹיָדָע, אֲמַצְיָה, אָחָז, מְנַשֶּׁה, אָמוֹן, יְהוֹיָקִים, צִדְקִיָּהוּ:

Of the city. In Yerusholayim. [The ten were,] Rechovam, Aviyah, Achazyah, Yo’ash, after the death of Yehoyada,⁴⁹For as long as Yehoyada was alive, Yo’ash was completely righteous. (Sifsei Chachomim) Amatzyah, Achaz, Menashe, Amon, Yehoyakim, and Tzidkiyahu.

כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ. לְפִיכָךְ, צָרִיךְ לְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו:

For there is not a righteous man on earth. Therefore, he must examine his actions.⁵⁰Rashi is explaining the previous verse [Above 7:19], where one could question that instead of stating that wisdom encourages a person to repent, would not wisdom deter one from sinning altogether. Therefore Scripture declares that “there is not a righteous man...who...never sins.”

גַּם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ'. לְפִי שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר בְּשָׁאוּל שֶׁקִּבֵּל לְשׁוֹן הָרַע עַל נוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר: "אַל תִּרְשַׁע הַרְבֵּה", אָמַר: "גַּם לְכָל הַדְבָרִים וְגוֹ'", אֲשֶׁר יְדַּבְּרוּ אֵלֶיךָ הוֹלְכֵי רָכִיל, אַל תִּתֵּן לִבְּךָ לְקַבְּלָן:

Furthermore, of all the words, etc. Because he is speaking of Shaul, who accepted slander regarding Nov the city of kohanim, and concerning him it is stated, “ Be not excessively wicked,”⁵¹Above, verse 17. he says, “Furthermore of all the words that are spoken,” to you by talebearers, “take them not to heart,” to accept them.

אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשְׁמַע אֶת עַבְדְּךָ מְקַלְּלֶךָ. אֵין טוֹב אֲשֶׁר תַּטֶּה אָזְנְךָ לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶת עַבְדְּךָ מְקַלְּלֶךָ.

Lest you hear your own servant curse you. It is not good that you incline your ear to hear your servant cursing you.⁵²As Dovid did with Shimi the son of Geira. See II Shmuel 16:5-13. (Sifsei Chachomim)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. אֵלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים הַמְחַיְּבִים אֶת הָאָדָם: שְׁתֵּי עֵינָיו מָרְאִין אוֹתוֹ דִבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה. שְׁתֵּי אָזְנָיו מַשְׁמִיעִין אוֹתוֹ דְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים. שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו שֶׁגּוֹזֵל וְחוֹמֵס בָּהֶן. שְׁתֵּי רַגְלָיו שֶׁמוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה. וּפִיו וְלִבּוֹ.

Another explanation: Than ten rulers. These are the ten things that condemn a person. His two eyes show him sinful things, his two ears which enable him to hear idle talk, his two hands with which he robs and plunders, his two feet which lead him to sinful things, and his mouth and his heart.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: הַחָכְמָה תָּעֹז לֶחָכָם. זֶה נֹחַ. מֵּעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. מֵעֲשָׂרָה דוֹרוֹת שֶׁלְּפָנָיו.

Another explanation: Wisdom gives [more] strength to the wise. This is No’ach. Than ten rulers. More than the ten generations that were before him.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֶחָכָם. זֶה אָבְרָהָם. מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. מֵעֲשָׂרָה דוֹרוֹת שֶׁלְפָנָיו.

Another explanation: To the wise. This is Avrohom. Than ten rulers. More than the ten generations that were before him.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֶחָכָם. זֶה יוֹסֵף. מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. אֵלּוּ אֶחָיו.

Another explanation: To the wise. This is Yoseif. Than ten rulers. These are his brothers.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֶחָכָם. זֶה משֶׁה. מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים. עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים הַמְּשַׁמְשִׁין אֶת הַגּוּף עַל יְדֵי מַאֲכָל: מִן פּוּמָא לְוֶשְׁטָא וּמִן וֶשְׁטָא לְכַרְסָא וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְמִדְרַשׁ קֹהֶלֶת. וְחָכְמָתוֹ עָמְדָה לוֹ לְמשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטָרֵךְ לְמַאֲכָל אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה. כָּל הַפָּנִים הַלָּלוּ בַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְיַשֵּׁב עֲלֵיהֶן מִקְרָא שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו: "כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַּדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ".

Another explanation: To the wise. This is Moshe. Than ten rulers. [The] ten organs that minister to food ingested by the body. From his mouth to the esophagus, from the esophagus to the stomach, etc., as it is [stated] in Midrash Koheles, but Moshe’s wisdom stood for him so that he did not need food for forty days and forty nights. All these interpretations are in the Midrash, but I am unable to reconcile them with the verse following, “For there is not a righteous man on earth.”⁵³Above, verse 20.

כָּל זֹה נִסִּיתִי בַחָכְמָה מוּסָב עַל מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁלְּמַטָּן (סְפָרִים אֲחֵרִים: וְלֹא) וְעַל שֶׁלְּמַעְלָן:

“All this I have probed with wisdom,”⁵⁴Below, verse 23. refers to the verses below (other texts: and not) and [to the verses] above.

נִסִּיתִי בַחָכְמָה. בַּתּוֹרָה:

I have probed with wisdom. With the [wisdom of the] Torah.

אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה. לָדַעַת אֶת הַחָכְמָה:

I said I will be wise. To know the wisdom [of Torah].⁵⁵Alternatively, if I consider myself a wise person [=אמרתי אחכמה], then it is beyond doubt that wisdom is very distant from me [=והיא רחוקה ממני]. (Rabbi of Kotzk)

וְהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִמֶּנִּי. וּמָה הִיא זוּ?:

But [it proved to be] far beyond me. And what is this?⁵⁶Alternatively, the reason why the Torah proved to be far, i.e., I am unable to comprehend it, is because of me [=ממני] and not, God forbid, that the Torah is lacking. (Amtachas Binyomin)

רָחוֹק מַה שֶׁהָיָה. אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָרְחוֹקִים שֶׁהָיוּ בִיצִירַת בְּרֵאשִׁית:

That which was is far beyond me. The distant things that were in the Creation.

וְעָמֹק עָמֹק הוּא "מִי יִמְצָאֶנּוּ", שֶׁאֵין לִי רְשׁוּת לְהַרְהֵר בָּהֶן, מַה לְּמַעְלָה וּמַה לְּמַטָּה, מַה לְּפָנִים וּמַה לְּאָחוֹר: וְעוֹד:

And so very deep it is; who can find it, for I am not permitted to delve into them, what is above and what is below, what is before and what is after.⁵⁷See Maseches Chagigah 11b. Furthermore—

סַּבּוֹתִי. לָדַעַת וְלָתוּר וּלְבַקֵּשׁ חָכְמַת פָּרָשַׁת פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן קֵץ הַגְּאֻלָּה:

So I turned about. To know and to search out and to seek the wisdom [=meaning] of the section dealing with the Red Heifer⁵⁸The numerical value [gematria] of “והיא רחוקה” equals 341, the same as “פרה אדומה.” ⁵⁹The Gemara in Maseches Yoma 14a states, that verse 7:23 above “I said, ‘I will be wise but it proved far beyond [והיא רחוקה] me,’” is referring to the Red Heifer, whose ashes render ritually clean one who has become contaminated by contact with a corpse, and yet these same ashes contaminate one who is ritually clean. and the computation of the End [of exile] for Redemption.

וְלָדַעַת רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל. לַעֲמֹד עַל סוֹף דַּעְתָּה שֶׁל אַפִּיקוֹרְסוּת וְסִכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת, מְעֻרְבָּב וּמְשֻּׁעְמָם שֶׁבָּהּ:

And to know that wickedness is folly. To foresee the ultimate end of heresy, and “foolishness is madness,” [i.e.,] the confusion and madness therein.

וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מַר מִמָּוֶת. שֶׁהִיא קָשָׁה מֵעֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים הַקָּשִׁים שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בָעוֹלָם, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּבָבָא בַּתְרָא בְּ"הַשֻּׁתָּפִין". "וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מַר" וְקָשֶׁה מִמֶּנָּה "אֶת הָאִשָּׁה", זוּ הַמִּנוּת:

And I find more bitter than death. Which is the severest of the ten harsh things that were created in the world, as it is [stated] in [Maseches] Bava Basra, in [the chapter entitled] “The Partners.”⁶⁰10a. “And I find more bitter” and severe than it, “the woman,” this refers to heresy.

וַחֲרָמִים לִבָּהּ. לְשׁוֹן מִכְמֹרֶת, כְּמוֹ, "יְגֹרֵהוּ בְחֶרְמוֹ וְיַאַסְפֵהוּ בְּמִכְמַרְתּוֹ":

Whose her heart is full of [traps and] nets. An expression of a net, as in, “he catches them in his net and gathers them in his trawl.”⁶¹Chavakuk 1:15.

אֲסוּרִים יָדֶיהָ. וּמִשֶּׁהֶחֱזִיקָה בְאָדָם, הֲרֵי הוּא כְנִקְשַׁר בְּקִשּׁוּרֵי עֲבוֹתוֹת:

Her hands as chains. Once she seizes a man, he is as though bound with thick ropes.

אֲסוּרִים. שֵׁם דָּבָר שֶׁל קִּשׁוּרִים, כְּמוֹ "וַיִּמַּסוּ אֱסוּרָיו", קִשּׁוּרָיו. וְכֵן פֵּרְשׁוֹ מְנַחֵם:

Chains. אֲסוּרִים is] a noun meaning “bonds,” as in, “and his bonds אֱסוּרָיו melted,”⁶²Shoftim 15:14. meaning his bonds, and so did Menachem explain it.

רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי אָמְרָה קֹהֶלֶת אַחַת לְאַחַת לִמְצֹא חֶשְׁבּוֹן. כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים עוֹשִׂים וְהָעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים עוֹבְרִים נִמְנִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַחַת אֶל אַחַת עַד שֶׁמִּצְטָרְפוֹת לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן גָּדוֹל. כַּךְ פֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה:

See, this is what I have found, says Koheles, adding one to another to find an accounting. All the commandments that the righteous perform, and the transgressions that the wicked commit, are counted before the Holy One, Blessed Is He, one [is placed next] to the other, and they combine to a large amount. So did our Rabbis explain it in Maseches Sotah.⁶³8b.

אָמְרָה קֹהֶלֶת. אָמְרָה קְבוּצַת הַחָכְמָה, וְאָמְרָה נַפְשׁוֹ הַמַּשְׂכֶּלֶת הַמְקַבֶּצֶת הַחָכְמָה:

Says Koheles. Said the collection of wisdom, [i.e.,] said his intellectual soul which collects [his] wisdom.

קֹהֶלֶת. לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה הִיא, וּכְשֶׁהוּא אוֹמְרוֹ בִלְשׁוֹן זָכָר, מוּסָב עַל הַקּוֹבְצָהּ, וְהוּא שְׁלֹמֹה. וּבַמִּדְרָשׁ מָצִינוּ: אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ פְּעָמִים מְשִׂיחָה בִלְשׁוֹן זָכָר, וּפְעָמִים מְשִׂיחָה בִלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה. כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר "עֶזְרִי וּמְפַלְטִי אַתָּה", וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר "עֶזְרָתִי וּמְפַלְטִי אַתָּה". כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר "מְבַשֵּׂר מַשְׁמִיעַ שָׁלוֹם", וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר "קוֹל מְבַשֶּׂרֶת צִיּוֹן":

Koheles. This קֹהֶלֶת is a feminine noun, and when it is used in the masculine form, it refers to the one who gathers it, i.e., Shlomo. We find in the Midrash, Rabbi Yirmiyah the son of Elazar said, that the Holy Spirit sometimes speaks in the masculine gender and sometimes it speaks in the feminine gender. One verse states, “you are my help עֶזְרִי and my rescuer,”⁶⁴Tehillim 70:6. and another verse states, “you are my help עֶזְרָתִי and my rescuer.”⁶⁵Ibid. 40:18. [Also,] one verse states, “a herald מְבַשֵּׂר proclaiming peace,”⁶⁶Nachum 2:1. and another verse states, (the voice of)⁶⁷The text in the parenthesis is not part of the verse. “the herald מְבַשֶּׂרֶת of Tzion.”⁶⁸Yeshayahu 40:9.

אֲשֶׁר עוֹד בִּקְשָׁה נַפְשִׁי. לְבַד אֵלֶּה הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה שֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתִּים וְלֹא מְצָאתִים, בִּקְשָׁה עוֹד נַפְשִׁי כְּשֵׁרָה בְנָשִׁים וְלֹא מָצָאתִי, כִּי כֻלָּן דַּעְתָּן קַלָּה עֲלֵיהֶן:

For which yet my soul searches. In addition to those [quests] mentioned above, which I sought and did not find, my soul sought a proper one among women, but I did not find one, because they are all lightheaded.

אָדָם אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף מָצָאתִי. בְּנוֹהֵג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֶלֶף נִכְנָסִים לְמִקְרָא, אֵין יוֹצְאִים מֵהֶם לְהַצְלִיחַ שֶׁרְאוּיִם לְמִשְׁנָה אֶלָּא מֵאָה, וְאוֹתָם מֵאָה שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְמִשְׁנָה, אֵין יוֹצְאִים מֵהֶם לִגְמָרָא אֶלָּא עֲשָׂרָה, וְאוֹתָן עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין לִגְמָרָא, אֵין מַצְלִיחַ מֵהֶם אֶלָּא אֶחָד לְהוֹרָאָה, הֲרֵי אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף:

One [worthy] man among a thousand I have found. It is customary in the world, [that out of] a thousand who enter [a school] to [learn] Scripture, emerge from them— successful and capable of [the study of] Mishnah— only one hundred. And of those hundred who enter [to study] Mishnah, only ten of them emerge for [the study of] Gemara, and of those ten who enter to [study] Gemara, only one emerges who is capable of rendering decisions [pertaining to religious matters], the result being one out of a thousand.

וְאִשָּׁה בְכָל אֵלֶּה. אֲפִלּוּ בְאֶלֶף, לְכַךְ אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר בָּהּ:

But a [worthy] woman among all of them. Even in a thousand; therefore, you must be cautious regarding her.

לְבַד רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי. שֶׁבָּאָה לְעוֹלָם תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדָהּ:

See, this only have I found. And which brought to the world a stumbling block through her.

אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן יָשָׁר:

That [God] made. The Holy One, Blessed Is He [created] Adam perfectly upright.⁶⁹As God stated in Bereishis 3:22 regarding Adam, “Behold, the man has become like one of us to know [what is] good and [what is] evil.”

וְהֵמָּה. מִּשֶּׁנִּזְדַּוְּגָה לוֹ חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וְנַעֲשׂוּ שְׁנַיִם וְנִקְרְאוּ "הֵמָּה":

But they. When his wife Chavah was paired up with him,⁷⁰Rashi is explaining the reason for the change to plural [“they”] when the subject is singular [“man”]. and they became two and were called “they.”

בִּקְשׁוּ חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת רַבִּים. מְזִמּוֹת וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל חֵטְא. כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ:

Sought out many stratagems. Plans and designs of sin. So is it expounded in the Midrash.

מִי כְּהֶחָכָם. מִי בָעוֹלָם חָשׁוּב כְּאָדָם חָכָם?

Who is like the wise person. Who in the world is as important as a wise man?

וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ פֵּשֶׁר דָּבָר. פִּשְׁרוֹן שֶׁל דָּבָר. כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְדָנִיֵּאל, מִתּוֹךְ חָכְמָתוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה חָכָם בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, נִתְגַּלּוּ לוֹ רָזֵי פִשְׁרִין. מִי כְמשֶׁה, עוֹשֶׂה פְשָׁרִים בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם?

And who knows how to interpret things. [I.e.,] the solution פִּשְׁרוֹן of things,¹Alternatively, and “who is like the one who knows how to interpret things.” (Metsudas Dovid) as we find regarding Daniyeil, because of his wisdom, for he was wise in the fear of Heaven, secret solutions פִּשְׁרוֹן were revealed to him. Who is like Moshe, who brought about compromises between Yisroel and their Father in Heaven?

וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא. מִשְּׁאָר הַבְּרִיּוֹת עַד כִּי יָרְאוּ "מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו" "כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו":

And the boldness of his face is changed. From that of other people, to the extent that they feared “to approach him” [Moshe], “because the skin of his face was radiant.”²Shemos 34:29, 30. ³Alternatively, wisdom begets humility and does away with anger and arrogance (Ibn Ezra). Or, because of his wisdom, everyone admires and obeys him, giving him a jubilant countenance. (Metsudas Dovid)

אֲנִי פִּי מֶלֶךְ שְׁמֹר. לְפִיכָךְ, אֲנִי צָרִיךְ וְנָכוֹן לִשְׁמֹר פִּי מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁהִיא הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן:

My [advice to you is] keep the King’s command. Therefore, I need to and I am prepared to observe the commandment of the King of the Universe, which is the best of them all.

וְעַל דִּבְרַת שְׁבוּעַת אֱלֹהִים. שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְנוּ לוֹ בְחוֹרֵב לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתָיו.

And do so because of the oath to God. Which we swore to Him at Choreiv, to keep His commandments.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֲנִי נָכוֹן לִשְׁמֹר פִּי מַלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת הַמּוֹשְׁלִים בָּנוּ בְּגֻלְגָלִיּוֹת וְאַרְנוּנִיּוֹת. וְעַל דִּבְרַת שְׁבוּעַת אֱלֹהִים. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבִירֵנוּ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְנוּ לַמָּקוֹם.

Another explanation: I am prepared to observe the command of the kings of the nations who rule over us with head taxes and property taxes. And do so because of the oath to God. Provided that they do not cause us to violate the oath [of allegiance] that we swore to the Omnipresent.

וְעַל דִּבְרַת. וְאֵצֶל דִּבְרַת שְׁבוּעַת אֱלֹהִים אֶשְׁמֹר פִּי הַמְּלָכִים. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בַחֲנַנְיָה, מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה, שֶׁאָמְרוּ לִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, "וְאָמְרִין לְמַלְכָּא, נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר לָא חַשְׁחִין אֲנַחְנָא עַל דְּנָּה פִּתְגָם לַהֲתָבוּתָךְ". אִם מַלְכָּא, לָמָה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר? וְאִם נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר, לָמָּה מַלְכָּא? אֶלָּא כַּךְ אָמְרוּ לוֹ: "לָךְ אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים דְּאַתְּ מַלְכָּא לָנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָה וּלְמִסִּים לְגֻלְגָּלִיּוֹת, אַךְ עַל דְּנָא שֶׁאַתְּ אוֹמֵר עֲלָנָא לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר אַתְּ, וְלֹא מֶלֶךְ":

And do so because of [the oath]. And alongside the oath of God, I will keep the command of the kings.⁴I.e., I will obey the command of kings as long as it does not conflict with the oath of allegiance that we swore to God. And similarly we find with Chananyah, Mishaeil, and Azaryah, who said to Nevuchadnetzar, “they said, ‘O King Nevuchadnetzar, we are not worried about replying to you about this matter.’”⁵Daniyeil 3:16. If he was king why [call him] “Nevuchadnetzar,” and if Nevuchadnetzar, why [call him] “king”? But, this is what they said to him, “We say to you that you are our ‘king’ regarding work and the head taxes, but regarding your ordering us to worship idols, you are ‘Nevuchadnetzar,’ and not king.”

אַל תִּבָּהֵל מִפָּנָיו תֵּלֵךְ. אַל תְּהִי נִבְהָל לוֹמַר שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ וְתִבְרַח מִפָּנָיו לְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שַׁלִּיט שָׁם, שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם הוּא שַׁלִּיט:

Do not hasten to leave His Presence. Do not be hasty and say that you intend to flee from His Presence to a place where He does not reign, for He reigns everywhere.

אַל תַּעֲמֹד בְּדָבָר רָע. אַל תַּעֲמִיד עַצְמְךָ עוֹסֵק בִּדְבָרִים רָעִים:

Do not persist in doing evil. Do not persist to engage in evil matters.⁶Alternatively, “do not pause at a bad thing,” i.e., an inauspicious verse. When reading from the Torah, the reader should begin and/or end at a good matter, e.g., he may stop in the middle of section dealing with blessings. However, he may not stop in the middle of the section dealing with curses, but he must read them all without interruption. (Midrash)

כִּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ. לְהִפָּרַע מִמְּךָ, רְשׁוּת וִיכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת:

For whatever pleases Him. To mete retribution upon you, He has the authority and ability to do so.

בַּאֲשֶׁר דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן. בִּשְׁבִיל אֲשֶׁר דְּבַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹשֵׁל הוּא, וּמִי יֹאמַר לוֹ מַה תַּעֲשֶׂה. וְאִם שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה אַתָּה, לֹא תֵדַע דָּבָר רָע וְלֹא תְבוֹאֶךָ:

For the King’s word is all powerful. Because the word of the Holy One, Blessed Is He is the Ruler, and who will say to Him, “What are You doing?” But if you “preserve the commandment,”⁷Below, verse 5. you will know no evil and it will not befall you.⁸Alternatively, verses 3-4 refer to a mortal king and are translated accordingly. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְעֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט יֵדַּע לֵב חָכָם. הֶחָכָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁיֵשׁ עֵת קָבוּעַ לִפְקוּדַּת רְשָׁעִים, וּמִשְׁפָּטִים יֵשׁ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִפָּרַע מֵהֶם. מִשְׁפָּט יוסטיצ"א בְּלַעַ"ז, וְהִיא הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:

And [the significance of] time and judgment is known by the wise man. The wise person perceives that there is a predetermined time for the visitation of punishment upon the wicked, and there are judgments before the Holy One, Blessed Is He, with which He will exact justice from them. Judgment is justice in O.F., and it refers to the punishment.

כִּי לְכָל חֵפֶץ. שֶׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה חֶפְצוֹ וְעוֹבֵר עַל דָּת, יֵשׁ עֵת לְהִפָּרַע, וּמִשְׁפָּט וּפֻרְעָנוּת מוּכֶנֶת:

For every matter. When a person satisfies his desire and transgresses the law, a time to exact retribution [is cast], and justice and punishment are ready.

כִּי רָעַת הָאָדָם רַבָּה עָלָיו. כַּאֲשֶׁר רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם וּסְאָתוֹ גְדוּשָׁה, אָז בָּאָה פְקֻדָּתוֹ, וְ"כִי" מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן "כַּאֲשֶׁר", כְּמוֹ, "כִּי יִהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא אֵלַי":

When the evil of man overwhelms him. When man’s evil becomes exceedingly overwhelming and his measure overflows, then his punishment arrives; ‘וְכִי’ is used as an expression of “when,” as in, “When כִּי they have a concern, it comes to me.”⁹Shemos 18:16.

כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ יֹדֵעַ מָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. כְּשֶׁהָרָשָׁע עוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה, אֵינֶנּוּ נוֹתֵן לִבּוֹ לְמַה שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַהֲבִיאוֹ בְמִשְׁפָּט, וְאוֹי לוֹ בְכַךְ:

For he knows not what will be. When the wicked man sins, he does not give thought that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, is destined to bring him to judgment, and woe is to him because of this.¹⁰Alternatively, man is unable to foresee specific future events. Ibn Ezra

כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה. הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ לְהִמָּלֵךְ בּוֹ וְלִטֹּל בּוֹ עֵצָה וְלִטֹּל רְשׁוּת, כִּי פֶתַע פִּתְאוֹם יְבוֹאֶנּוּ:

For when it comes to pass. The punishment, “who will tell him,” [i.e.,] to discuss [the matter] with him and to take advice and to ask permission, for it will suddenly befall him.¹¹Alternatively, when a person is about to sin, who will forewarn him of the consequences so that he will be more cautious. (Sforno)

אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ. בְּרוּחוֹ וְיִצְרוֹ שֶׁל שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, לִכְלוֹא וְלִמְנֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת הָרוּחַ שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִטְּלֶנּוּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת:

Man has no power over the spirit. [I.e., over] the spirit and inclination of the emissary¹²I.e., the angel of death. We find the term רוח [=spirit] referring to angels in Tehillim 104:4, “He makes the רוחות His messengers.” of the Omnipresent, to retain and withhold from him the spirit in his body, so that the angel of death should not take it.

וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן. שֶׁל שׁוּם מֶלֶךְ נִיכָּר בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אַתָּה מוֹצֵא "וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד", וּבְיוֹם מוֹתוֹ "וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי דָוִד לָמוּת", וְלֹא הֻזְכַּר הַמַּלְכוּת כַּאן:

He has no power. [The power] of any king [is not] discernable on the day of his death.¹³Alternatively, all the power of the ruler is thwarted on the day of his death, i.e., to save himself from death. Everywhere [in Scripture] you find [that Dovid is referred to as], “King Dovid,” but on the day of his death [it states], “And the days of Dovid drew near that he should die,”¹⁴I Melochim 2:1. and no kingship is mentioned here.¹⁵Though in Shemos 2:23 it states “the king of Egypt died,” that is speaking of a historic event that happened in the past, however, when Scripture speaks of the event as it is occurring, kingship is not mentioned. (Likutei Yehudah)

וְאֵין מִשְׁלַחַת בַּמִּלְחָמָה. זוּ לֵאמֹר: "אֶשְׁלַח בְּנִי אוֹ עַבְדִּי בִמְקוֹמִי:

Nor dispatch in battle. [In] this [battle by] saying, “I will send my son or my servant instead of me.”¹⁶Rashi interprets משחת as dispatch or send [שלוח]. Alternatively, משחת means weaponry, as in II Divrei Hayomim 32:5 and Nechemyah 4:11. Accordingly, this phrase means that weaponry [prepared for war] is of no avail to save one who is destined to die.

אֶת כָּל זֶה רָאִיתִי. הָאָמוּר לְמָעְלָה:

All this I have seen. What is mentioned above.

וְנָתוֹן אֶת לִבִּי לְכָל מַעֲשֶׂה. וְגַם לְכָל מַעֲשֵׂה בְנֵי אָדָם נָתַתִּי אֶת לִבִּי, וְרָאִיתִי עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט אָדָם בַּחֲבֵרוֹ וְגָבַר עָלָיו, וְסוֹפוֹ נֶהְפַּךְ לְרָעָתוֹ. עֲמָלֵק נִתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְסוֹפוֹ "וְאַחֲרִיתוֹ עֲדֵי אֹבֵד". וְכֵן פַּרְעֹה, וְכֵן נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר, וְכֵן סַנְחֵרִיב:

And I applied my heart to [understand] all the work. And also to all mankind’s work I applied my mind, and I saw the time that a man ruled over another and overpowered him, and ultimately it turned to his own detriment.¹⁷Because, “God seeks the pursued,” see above 3:15. [E.g.,] Amoleik overpowered Yisroel, and ultimately [it states about Amoleik], “and his end will be that he will be lost forever.”¹⁸Bamidbar 24:20. And the same happened to Pharaoh, and the same with Nevuchadnetzar, and the same with Sancheiriv.

וּבְכֵן. וְאָז:

And so. And then.

רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבֻרִים. בִּנְבוּאָה זוּ רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבוּרִים. שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִם לְהִטָּמֵן בֶּעָפָר, שֶׁהָיוּ נִבְזִים בֵּין שְׁאָר אֻמּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם "זֶה הָעָם לֹא הָיָה". וְשָׁלְטוּ בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא מָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ, וּבְלֶכְתָּם מִשָּׁם אֶל אַרְצָם, הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּבְּחִים בְּעִירָם אֲשֶׁר כַּךְ וְכַךְ עָשׂוּ בְּבֵיתוֹ מָקוֹם. אַל תִּקְרֵי "וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ", אֶלָּא "וְיִשְׁתַּבְּחוּ". כַּךְ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, וּלְעִנְיַן הַשִׁכְחָה כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ בָּאַגָּדָה: וְסוֹפָם שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּכַּח שְׁמָם וְזִכְרָם מִן הָעִיר עַצְמָהּ אֲשֶׁר כֵּן עָשׂוּ בָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְקִבַּצְּתִּי אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם. . . אֶל עֵמֶק יְהוֹשָׁפָט". בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁנִּאֲצוּ לְפָנָיו, יִפָּרַע מֵהֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "ה' בָּעִיר צַלְמָם תִּבְזֶה":

I have seen how the wicked were buried. In this prophecy, I saw wicked men buried, who were worthy of being buried in the dust, for they were held in contempt by the nations, about whom it is stated, “this people has never been,”¹⁹Yeshayahu 23:13. and they ruled over the Beis [Hamikdosh] of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, which is a holy place. And when they went from there to their land, they boasted in their city that they did such and such in the Beis [Hamikdosh] of the Omnipresent. Do not read ‘וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ’, [=and they will be forgotten,] but ‘וְיִשְׁתַּבְּחוּ’, [=and they will boast]. So did our Rabbis of blessed memory expound it.²⁰See Maseches Gittin 56b. Concerning the forgetting,²¹I.e., the wording of the written text [וישתכחו]. it is expounded as follows in the Aggadah: And ultimately, their name and their remembrance will be forgotten from that very city, that they did so therein, as it is stated, “I will gather all the nations [and I will take them down] to the Valley of Yehoshophot.”²²Yoel 4:2. In the place where they angered Him, He will mete out retribution upon them, and so it states, “O Adonoy, in the city, You will despise their form.”²³Tehillim 73:20.

גַּם זֶה. אֶחָד מִן הַהֲבָלִים שֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ לְעוֹלָם לְיַגֵּעַ אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְמַהֵר לְהִפָּרַע מֵעוֹשֵׂי הָרָעָה, וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת סוֹבְרִים, אֵין דִּין וְאֵין דַיָּן:

This too. Is one of the vanities that were given to the world to weary mankind, for the Holy One, Blessed Is He, does not rush to mete out retribution upon evildoers, and [therefore] mankind thinks that there is neither judgment nor Judge.

אֲשֶׁר אֵין נַעֲשָׂה פִתְגָם. מִשְׁפַּט מַעֲשֵׂה הָרָעָה מְהֵרָה, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְמַהֵר לְהִפָּרַע מֵעוֹשֵׂי הָרָעָה, וְעַל כֵּן הֵם סוֹבְרִים אֵין דִּין, וּמָלֵא לִבָּם בְּקִרְבָּם לַעֲשׂוֹת רָע:

Because the execution of sentence. Punishment for the evil deeds [is not done] quickly. For the Holy One, Blessed Is He, does not rush to mete out retribution upon the evildoers, and therefore, they think that there is no judgment, and they are encouraged to do evil.

אֲשֶׁר חֹטֶא וְגוֹ'. לְפִי שֶׁרוֹאִים שֶׁהַחוֹטֵא עוֹשֶׂה רָע מְאַת אֲלָפִים וְרִבּוֹאוֹת וּמַאֲרִיךְ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְרָע מִמֶּנּוּ:

Though a sinner, etc. Because they see that the sinner does evil a hundred thousand and myriads [of times], and the Holy One, Blessed Is He, grants him an extension without meting out retribution.²⁴As Iyov [24:12] complained, “From the city people groan, and the souls of the slain cry out; yet God does not impute it for unseemliness.” (Metsudas Dovid)

מְאַת. מִקְרָא קָצֵר, וְדָבוּק לְפָנָיו, לוֹמַר מְאַת יָמִים, מְאַת שָׁנִים, מְאַת אֶלֶף, וְכֵן "וּשְׁכֻרַת". מִקְרָא קָצֵר, וְחָסֵר שְׁכֻרַת כַּעַס, וְלֹא מִיָּיִן כִּשְׁאָר שִׁכְרוּת:

A hundred times. This is an ellipsis,²⁵I.e., the omission of a word or words necessary for complete construction but understood in the context. and it is connected to [the words] preceding it, meaning, a hundred days, a hundred years, a hundred thousand. And similarly, [what Scripture states], “and drunk וּשְׁכֻרַת,”²⁶Yeshayahu 51:21. is an ellipsis, and it is missing drunk “from wrath” but not from wine, like other drunkenness.

כִּי גַּם יוֹדֵעַ אָנִי. כִּי אַף בְּכָל זֹאת, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְמַהֵר לְהִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים וְלִהְיוֹת הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין צַדִּיקִים לִרְשָׁעִים, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁסוֹף כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לִטֹּל שְׂכָרוֹ, וְלִירֵאָיו יִהְיֶה טוֹב:

Nevertheless I know. For despite all this, that He does not rush to mete retribution upon the wicked to make a distinction, between the righteous and the wicked, I know that each one will ultimately receive his due, and that those who fear Him will fare well.

וְטוֹב לֹא יִהְיֶה לְרָשָׁע. לְפִי אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ יָרֵא לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים:

And it will not be well with the wicked. Because he does not fear God.²⁷Based on this verse, the Gemara in Kiddushin 33b states that any scholar who does not rise before his teacher is considered wicked, will not live long and will forget his learning.

יֵשׁ הֶבֶל. דָּבָר הַמַּהֲבִיל אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת:

There is a vanity. Something that confounds mankind.

אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים. שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם טוֹבָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִיקִים. אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁגַם זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַהֲבָלִים הַנּוֹהֲגִים בָּעוֹלָם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ לְצַד אַחֵר בְּמַסֶּכֶת הוֹרָיוֹת, וְאֵינוֹ מְיֻשָּׁב לִי עַל שִׁיטַת דִּבּוּר שֶׁסִיֵּם הֶחָכָם לוֹמַר שֶׁגַּם זֶה הָבֶל:

There are righteous men. To whom evil happens [as though] they acted wickedly, and there are wicked to whom good happens [as though] they acted righteously.²⁸Alternatively, there are righteous men who acquire a bad reputation as though they acted wickedly, is referring to a foolish righteous person who takes the practices of his piety to ridiculous levels (Sforno). Mesilas Yeshorim states that one must not decide upon the saintliness of a deed on the basis of its surface appearance alone, rather he should view the deed, including its consequence(s), from every angle of human intelligence, and then determine whether or not to perform the deed. I said that this too is one of the vanities that prevails in the world. However, our Rabbis expounded it in a different manner in Maseches Horiyos,²⁹10b. but it is not explained satisfactorily to me, according to the words that the wise man concludes by saying, “This too is vanity.”

אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה. שֶׁיְּהֵא שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְעוֹסֵק בִּפְקוּדִים יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב, וְלֹא יְהֵא שָׁטוּף אַחַר הַרְבּוֹת הוֹן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּית וְגָזֵל. כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְשָׁטוּף אַחַר הַמָּמוֹן, בָּא לִידֵי עֲבֵרוֹת גָּזֵל וְאוֹנָאָה וְרִבִּית, וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ לְעִנְיַן אַהֲבַת אִשְׁתּוֹ, שָׁטוּף אַחֲרֵי הַנָּשִׁים לְהַרְהֵר אַחַר אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ:

Rejoicing. That he should be happy with in his lot³⁰Alternatively, I extolled the virtuous trait of rejoicing, i.e., the trait of being able to accept every occurrence in life with happiness and joy. (Derech Hachayim) and engage in the “upright commands,” which “cause the heart to rejoice,”³¹Tehillim 19:9. and he should not be immersed in increasing his wealth by means of usury, interest and robbery.³²The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 30b sees an apparent contradiction between this verse which extolls the concept of rejoicing, and the verse above [2:2], which states, “and of joy, what does it accomplish.” The Gemara explains that the verse here is speaking of a celebration or rejoicing of a mitzvah, e.g., a marriage, therefore rejoicing is extolled, whereas verse 2:2 above speaks of rejoicing without purpose, and is therefore frowned upon. Whoever is not happy with his lot and is immersed in amassing wealth, eventually commits the sins of robbery, fraud, and usury. Also, one who is not happy with his lot concerning the love of his wife, is immersed in [a passionate lust for] women, and harbors sinful thoughts about married women.

לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת. מִמַּה שֶׁחָנַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלִשְׂמֹחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אֲגָדָה: כָּל אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שֶׁבְּקֹּהֶלֶת אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ וֶאֱכֹלוּ וְגוֹ'":

To eat and drink. From that which the Holy One, Blessed Is He, graciously granted him, and to be happy with his lot. And the Midrash Aggadah [states], that all mention of “eating and drinking” in Koheles, refers only to the study of Torah, as the matter is stated, “go, buy, and eat, etc.”³³Yeshayahu 55:1.

וְהוּא יִלְוֶנּוּ. יִתְחַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ":

And this will accompany him. Will join him, as the matter is stated, “and your righteousness shall go before you.”³⁴Ibid. 58:8.

יְמֵי חַיָּיו אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים. יַעֲשֶׂה כַּךְ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא מוּסָב עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וּמִקְרָא מְסֹרָס הוּא: אֵין טוֹב לָאָדָם יְמֵי חַיָּיו אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי אִם לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִשְׂמֹחַ, וְהוּא יִלְוֶנּוּ בַעֲמָלוֹ:

[All] the days of his life which God has given him. He shall do so, and the end of the verse is connected to its beginning, and it is a transposed verse [whose meaning is], “there is nothing better for man in [all] the days of his life that God has given him than to eat and drink and be joyful, and this will accompany him in his toil.”

כַּאֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי אֶת לִבִּי. אֵין "כַּאֲשֶׁר" זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן דֻּגְמָא, כְּמוֹ "כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כֵּן יֵעָשֶׂה", אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן זְמַן, כְּמוֹ "כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא יוֹסֵף", "כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ לֶאֱכֹל וְגוֹ'", אַף זֶה כֵן, כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי נוֹתֵן לִבִּי "לָדַעַת וְלָתוּר, וְגוֹ'," "אָז וְרָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים":

When I applied my heart. This “כַּאֲשֶׁר” is not used as an expression of an example, as in, “as כַּאֲשֶׁר he did, so shall it be done,”³⁵Vayikra 24:19. rather it is an expression of time, as in, “When כַּאֲשֶׁר Yoseif came,”³⁶Bereishis 37:23. [and as in,] “when כַּאֲשֶׁר they finished eating, etc.”³⁷Ibid. 43:2. This too is so, When כַּאֲשֶׁר I applied my heart “to know, to explore, etc.,”³⁸Above 7:25. then, “I saw all the works of God.”

שֵׁנָה בְּעֵינָיו אֵינֶנּוּ רֹאֶה. הַרָשָׁע הַשָּׁטוּף אַחַר הַמָּמוֹן וְהָעֲרָיוֹת:

[Neither] does he see sleep with his eyes. The wicked person³⁹According to Rashi, the subject of the phrase, “neither does he sleep...,” is the wicked person, who does not sleep because he is so engrossed in his activities. Alternatively, שנה [=sleep] can also be a reference to death, as in Daniyeil 12:2, “many of those who sleep [מישני] in the dusty earth [i.e., the dead] will awaken.” The wicked person never considers his death, and that ultimately, he will have to give a reckoning for his activities, and therefore he does not repent. who has a passionate lust for money and for forbidden women.⁴⁰Alternatively, the subject of this phrase is Koheles, who says that he was so engrossed in his study “to know wisdom and to observe etc.” that sleep eluded him. (Ibn Ezra)

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,⁴¹Even a wise man is unable to fathom the ways of God. (Metsudas Dovid) when he said, “please make Your way known to me.”⁴²Shemos 33:13.

וְלָבוּר. וּלְבָרֵר:

To make [all this] clear. And to clarify —

אֶת כָּל זֶה. בֵּרַרְתִּי וְהִבְחַנְתִּי:

All this. I clarified and tested.

אֲשֶׁר הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶם בְּיַד הָאֱלֹהִים. הוּא עוֹזְרָם וְהוּא שׁוֹפְטָם, כְּדֵי לְהֵיטִיבָם בְּאַחֲרִיתָם:

That the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. He helps them and He judges them in order to benefit them in their end.

וַעֲבָדֵיהֶם. הֵם תַּלְמִידֵיהֶם, מְשַׁמְּשֵׁיהֶם. הוֹלְכֵי אוֹרְחוֹתָם:

And their works. These are their students, their servants, who follow [in] their ways.

גַּם אַהֲבָה גַם שִׂנְאָה. אֵין יוֹדְעִין שְׁאָר הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְאֵין מַכִּירִין לָתֵת לִבָּם בַּמֶּה יֵאָהֲבוּ לַמָּקוֹם וּבַמֶּה הֵם שְׂנוּאִים:

Whether it be love or hate. The rest of mankind neither knows nor perceives what would make them become beloved by the Omnipresent and what causes them to become hated.¹Alternatively, man is unable to comprehend what inspires him to love or to hate. (Metsudas Dovid)

הַכֹּל לִפְנֵיהֶם. לִפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים:

All is before them. Before the righteous and the wise.²Alternatively, all preceded them, i.e., all was decreed before they were born. (Ibn Ezra)

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.

לַצַּדִּיק. כְּגוֹן נֹחַ:

The righteous. Such as No’ach.

וְלָרָשָׁע. פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה, זֶה נִצְלַע וְזֶה נִצְלַע:

And the wicked. [Such as] Pharaoh Necho. This one became crippled, and that one [No’ach] became lame.

לַטּוֹב. זֶה משֶׁה:

The good. This is Moshe.³Those who do good with others. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְלַטָּהוֹר. זֶה אַהֲרֹן:

And the pure. This is Aharon.⁴Those who have pure thoughts. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְלַטָּמֵא. אֵלּוּ הַמְרַגְלִים. אֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ גְנוּתָהּ. אֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, וְאֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. הֲרֵי מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לָהֶם:

And the impure. These are the spies;⁵Those who focus on impure thoughts and levity. (Metsudas Dovid) these spoke well in praise of the land of Yisroel, but those spoke derogatorily about it. Neither these entered the land, nor those entered the land, hence, they have the same fate.

וְלַזֹּבֵחַ. זֶה יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמֶר, "וַיִּזְבַּח יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ":

To him who brings offerings. This is Yoshiyahu, as it is stated, “And Yoshiyahu offered a sacrifice.”⁶II Divrei Hayomim 35:7. The reading of the text is, “And Yoshiyahu separated” [וירם יאשיהו] instead of “ויזבח יאשיהו.” Rashi apparently did not have our version of the text.

וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ. זֶה אַחְאָב שֶׁבִּטֵּל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּעֲלוֹת לְרֶגֶל. זֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים, וְזֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים:

And to him who does not bring offerings. This is Achav, who abolished [Bnei] Yisroel’s festival pilgrimages [to the Beis Hamikdosh]. and that one [Yoshiyahu] was killed by arrows.⁸See I Melochim 22:34-35.

כַּטּוֹב. זֶה דָוִד:

As is with the good man. This is Dovid.

כַּחֹטֶא. זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר. זֶה בָנָה בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְזֶה הֶחֱרִיבוֹ. זֶה מָלַךְ מ' שָׁנָה, וְזֶה מָלַךְ מ' שָׁנָה:

So is it with the sinner. This is Nevuchadnetzar. This one [Dovid] built the Beis Hamikdosh, and that one destroyed it; this one reigned forty years, and that one reigned forty years.

הַנִּשְׁבָּע. זֶה צִדְקִיָּהוּ שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לַשֶּׁקֶר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְגַם נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מָרָד אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ וְגוֹ':

As is with one who swears [easily]. This is Tzidkiyahu, who swore falsely, as it is stated, “And he also rebelled against King Nevuchadnetzar, who had made him swear, etc.”⁹See II Divrei Hayomim 35:23-24.

כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא. זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן, הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי פֶּן תִּפְגְעוּן בִּי אַתֶּם." לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׁבוּעָה חֲמוּרָה לוֹ. זֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם, וְזֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינָיִם. עַל כֵּן:

So is it with the one who fears an oath. This is Shimshon, as it is stated, “And Shimshon said to them, ‘Swear to me, that you, yourselves, will not strike me.’”¹⁰II Divrei Hayomim 36:13. We learn that he was strict in his observance of an oath. This one died after his eyes were gouged out,¹¹Shoftim 15:12. and that one [Tzidkiyahu] died after his eyes were gouged out.¹²See Shoftim 16:21. Therefore—

לֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם מָלֵא רָע. שֶׁאוֹמְרִים, אֵין דִּין פֻּרְעָנוּת לָרְשָׁעִים. אֵין הַכֹּל אֶלָּא לְפִי הַמִּקְרֶה, פְּעָמִים לַצַּדִיק, וּפְעָמִים לָרָשָׁע:

The hearts of men are filled with evil. For they say that there is no judgment of retribution for the wicked. Everything is attributed to chance, [benefitting] sometimes the righteous, and sometimes the wicked.

וְאַחֲרָיו אֶל הַמֵּתִים. וְסוֹפָן יוֹרְדִין לְגֵיהִנֹּם:

And afterwards they join the dead. And they ultimately descend to Gehinnom.

כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יְחֻבַּר אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים, יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן. כִּי בְעוֹדוֹ בַחַיִּים, אֲפִילּוּ הוּא רָשָׁע וְנִתְחַבֵּר לָרְשָׁעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶאֱמַר, "אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים" אֲפִילּוּ לָרְשָׁעִים, יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן, שֶׁמָּא יָשׁוּב לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ:

For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope. For as long as he lives, even if he is wicked and he associates with the wicked, as it is stated, “to all the living,” [including] even the wicked, there is hope that he will repent before his death.¹³See II Melochim 25:7. ¹⁴For the lowliest person, as long as he is alive, can grow spiritually, whereas the wisest and most righteous who are dead cannot. (Metsudas Dovid)

כִּי לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת. וּשְׁנֵיהֶם רְשָׁעִים. טוֹב הָיָה לוֹ לִנְבוּזַרְאֲדָּן, שֶׁהָיָה עֶבֶד רָשָׁע וְנִתְגַּיֵּר שֶׁלֹּא הִקְדִימַתּוֹ מִיתָה, מִנְּבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר רַבּוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרָא אַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ". וּמֵת בְּרִשְׁעוֹ בְגֵיהִנֹּם, וְעַבְדּוֹ בְגַן עֵדֶן. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ לְעִנְיַן מְּחַתְּכִין אֶת הַנְּבֵלָה לִפְנֵי הַכְּלָבִים בְּשַׁבָּת, וּמֵת הַמּוּטָל בַּחַמָּה, אָסוּר לְטַלְטְלוֹ אֶלָא אִם כֵּן הֵנִיחוּ עָלָיו תִּינוֹק אוֹ כִכָּר:

For a live dog is better than a dead lion. And they are both wicked. It was better for Nevuzaradan, who was a wicked slave and became a proselyte, that death did not overtake him sooner than Nevuchadnetzar, his master, who is called a “lion,” as it is stated, “A lion has come up from his thicket,”¹⁵The written text is יבחר [=will choose], to indicate that only those having the ability to choose have hope, but for the dead, being that they are unable to choose, all hope is lost. (Ibn Ezra) and who died in his wickedness, in Gehinnom, while his slave [Nevuzaradan] is in the Garden of Eden. Our Rabbis expounded upon this, that we may butcher a carcass for dogs on Shabbos, but a human corpse, lying in the sun, may not be moved unless one places a child or a loaf on it.

כִּי הַחַיִּים יוֹדְעִים שֶׁיָּמֻתוּ. וְאוּלַי יָשִׁיבוּ אֶל לִבָּם יוֹם הַמִּיתָה וְיָשׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁמֵּתוּ, אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה, וְאֵין עוֹד לָהֶם שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ מִן הַמִּיתָה וְאֵילֵךְ, אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁטָּרַח בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת יֹאכַל בְּשַׁבָּת:

For the living know that they will die. And perhaps they will be mindful of the day of death, and they will repent of their ways, but once they die, they do not know anything,¹⁶Yirmiyahu 4:7. and they no longer earn reward for the actions¹⁷And even if they were to have perception, it is too late for them to repent. (Metsudas Dovid) that they do from their death and onwards, for “whoever toils on the eve of Shabbos will [have what to] eat on Shabbos.”¹⁸Alternatively, ואין להם עוד שכר כי נשכח זכרם means “there is no reward for them, when [= כי] their memory is forgotten,” i.e., when those who die leave no legacy of good deeds for others to follow. However, for the righteous who leave a legacy of good deeds for others to follow [i.e., their memory is not forgotten], there is further reward. (Kehilas Shlomo)

גַּם אַהֲבָתָם. שֶׁאָהֲבוּ פֶתִי וְלָצוֹן:

Also their love. That they loved folly and scorn.

גַּם שִׂנְאָתָם. שֶׁשָּׂנְאוּ דָעַת:

[Also] their hate. That they hated knowledge.

גַּם קִנְאָתָם. שֶׁהִקְנִיאוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם:

[Also] their jealousy. That they provoked the Holy One, Blessed Is He, with their [evil] deeds. And a portion they will never again have, etc.,

וְחֵלֶק אֵין לָהֶם וְגוֹ' בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשֶׂה וְגוֹ'. לֹא הוֹעִיל לָהֶם זְכוּת בֵּן וּבַת לְאוֹתָן רְשָׁעִים שֶׁעָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְאֵין לָהֶם כַּפָּרָה לְאַחַר מִיתָה:

in anything that is done, etc. The merit of a son or a daughter did not avail those wicked men who worshiped idols, and they have no atonement after death.

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.”¹⁹See Maseches Avodah Zarah 3a.

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.²⁰Koheles addresses the righteous man to “go eat your bread in joy.” True happiness is achieved by eating “your own” bread that you have labored for, as indicated in Tehillim 128:2, “when you eat the labor of your hands you are praiseworthy and it is well with you.” Also, be satisfied with life’s basic necessities [represented by bread] without getting involved in life’s luxuries. Mesilas Yeshorim in Chapter 15 states, that once food has been swallowed, its memory is forgotten as if it had never existed, and therefore enough black bread will satiate one to the same extent as fattened swans. And similarly [he will do] tomorrow until such time that he will be summoned to the feast, all this time his garments are white²¹According to Targum, ושמן על ראשך refers to a good reputation, i.e., do not lack a good reputation. [=laundered] and he is bathed and anointed. So did our Rabbis expound it in Maseches Shabbos.²²White garments were worn on festive occasions and are symbolic of purity.

רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ. רְאֵה וְהָבֵן לִלְמֹד אוּמָנוּת לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס מִמֶּנּוּ, עִם תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר בְיָדֶךָ:

See [to enjoy] life with the wife you love. See and understand to learn a skill by which to earn a livelihood,²³153a. together with Torah study that you possess.²⁴See Maseches Kiddushin 30b.

כִּי הוּא חֶלְקְךָ בַּחַיִים. אִם עָשִׂיתָ כֵּן, יִהְיֶה חֶלְקְךָ, זֶה חַיִּים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הָאוּמָנוּת וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מַשְׁכַּחַת עָוֹן:

For that is your portion in life. If you have done so, your share will be life in this world, by earning a livelihood from the skill, and in the World to Come, because laboring in both [i.e., work and Torah study] causes sin to be forgotten.²⁵Alternatively, אשה refers to one’s soul [=נשמה]. (Alshich)

כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת. רְצוֹן קוֹנְךָ בְּעוֹד שֶׁאַתָּה בְכֹחֲךָ, עֲשֵׂה:

Whatever you are able to do. The will of your Maker— as long as you have your strength—do.²⁶See Mishnayos Avos 2:2.

כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְגוֹ' בִּשְׁאוֹל. לְזַכּוֹתְךָ מִשֶּׁתָּמוּת, וְאִם עָשִׂיתָ כֵּן, אֵין לְךָ שׁוּם חֶשְׁבּוֹן בִּשְׁאוֹל שֶׁתִּדְאַג מִמֶּנּוּ. וְכֵן הַמִּקְּרָא מְסוֹרָס, כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה בִּשְׁאוֹל לָרְשָׁעִים, וְלֹא חֶשְׁבּוֹן לַצַּדִּיקִים כְּשֶׁיִּתְּנוּ הַחוֹטְאִים דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְכַךְ נִדְרָשׁ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ. וְהַבָּא לְפָתְרוֹ בְלֹא סֵרוּס, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, פּוֹתֵר חֶשְׁבּוֹן לְשׁוֹן מַחֲשָָׁבָה, מַה יּוּכַל עוֹד לַעֲשׂוֹת לְהִפָּטֵר מִן הַדִּין:

For there is neither deed, etc., in the grave. For your merit after you die, and if you did so, you have no reckoning in the grave to worry about. The [text of the] verse is transposed [meaning], “for there is neither deed nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave for the wicked,²⁷Alternatively, whatever charity and good deeds you are able to do, do them with all your strength. (Targum) nor reckoning for the righteous, when the wicked give an accounting and reckoning, and so is it expounded in the Midrash. And one who interprets it without transposing it, but according to its apparent meaning, interprets ‘חֶשְׁבּוֹן’ as an expression of “thought,” what more can he still do²⁸For them to use as an excuse for their sins. to exempt himself from judgment.²⁹I.e., once one is in the grave, there is nothing more he can think of doing to exempt himself from judgment.

שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה. כְּמוֹ "זָכוֹר" וואדינ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז:

Again I saw. Like ‘זָכוֹר’[=remebering continually], wedant in O.F.

לֹא לַקַּלִים הַמֵּרוֹץ. לֹא עָמְדָה לַעֲשָׂהאֵל קַלּוּתוֹ מִשֶּׁהִגִּיעַ פְּקֻדָּתוֹ:

The race is not to the swift. Isohel’s swiftness³⁰See II Shmuel 2:18. did not avail him when his time [to die] arrived.³¹His swiftness allowed him to catch up with Avneir, who killed him. See II Shmuel 2:23.

וְלֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה. לֹא עָמְדָה לְאַבְנֵר גְבוּרָתוֹ מִשֶּׁהִגִיעַ יוֹמוֹ:

Nor the battle to the strong. Avner’s might did not avail him when his day [to die] arrived.

וְגַם לֹא לַחֲכָמִים לֶחֶם. כְּגוֹן אֲנִי, שֶׁהָיָה לַחְמִי לְיוֹם, "שְׁלשִׁים כּוֹר סוֹלֶת וְגוֹמֵר" וְעַכְשָׁיו "זֶה . . . חֶלְקִי מִכָּל עֲמָלִי", מַקְלִי וּמַקֵּידָה:

Nor does bread [come] to the wise. For example, I, whose daily bread was “thirty kor of fine flour, etc.,”³²I Melochim 5:2. and now, “this [was] my portion [reward] from all my labor,”³³Above 2:10. Being wise is no guarantee for having food. Metsudas Dovid) my staff and my cup.

וְגַם לֹא לַנְבוֹנִים עשֶׁר. כְּגוֹן אִיּוֹב, בַּתְּחִלָּה, "וַיְהִי מִקְנֵהוּ וְגוֹ'". כְּשֶׁבָּאָה שַׁעְתּוֹ, אָמַר, "חָנֻּנִי אַתֶּם רֵעָי":

Nor riches to men of understanding. Such as Iyov. In the beginning, “His livestock consisted of, etc.,”³⁴Iyov 1:3. But when his time came, he said, “Have pity on me, you, my friends.”³⁵Ibid. 19:21. Alternatively, this phrase is connected with the preceding one. The reason that bread does not come to the wise is because wealth is not bestowed upon men of understanding, for if it were, they would share their wealth and provide the wise with bread so they would not lack anything. (Hafla’ah)

וְגַם לֹא לַיֹּדְעִים חֵן. הֲרֵי משֶׁה, אֵין יוֹדֵעַ וְנָבוֹן מִמֶּנּוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא מָצָא חֵן בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ:

Nor favor to the learned. Referring to Moshe; there was no one more knowledgeable or wiser than he in Yisroel, and yet he did not find favor with his prayer to enter the land [of Yisroel].³⁶Alternatively, knowledge does not always earn only the acclaim of his fellow man.

כִּי עֵת וָפֶגַע. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי עֵת יִקְרֶה אוֹתָם, וְהַפְּגִיעָה וְהַתְּחִנָּה יִהְיוּ רְגִילִין בָּהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹאוּ לַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ:

For time and chance. [To be interpreted] as its apparent meaning.³⁷Alternatively, “for time and death [=פגע] happen to them all.” (Metsudas Tzion) Another explanation: “For time” will befall them, and to entreaty and supplication they should be accustomed, that these things should not befall them.

כַּדָּגִים שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִים בִּמְצוֹדָה. כְּדָגִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִים בִּמְצוֹדָה גְרוּעָה וַחֲלוּשָׁה וּפֵירְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: הִיא חַכָּה, שֶׁאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא כְמִין מַחַט, וְדָג גָּדוֹל נִלְכָּד בָּהּ:

As fish that are caught in a weak net. Like large fish that are caught in an inferior and weak net, and our Rabbis explained: This is a fishhook, which is no more than a type of needle, by which a large fish is caught.

כָּהֵם יוּקָשִׁים. בְּמִכְשׁוֹל קָטָן וְחַלָּשׁ כְּמוֹ הַמְּצוֹדָה הָרָעָה וְהַפַּח, נִכְשָׁלִים בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּעֵת פְּקֻדַת רָעָתָם, כְּשֶׁבָא עִתָּם לִפּוֹל הָרָעָה עֲלֵיהֶם פִּתְאוֹם בִּמְצוֹדָה רָעָה, מלאוויש"ה בְלַעַ"ז:

Like them, [men] are snared. With a small and weak trap, like the weak net and the snare. People stumble at the time of the visitation of their evil, when their time comes for evil to fall upon them suddenly, in an inferior trap, malweise in O.F.

כָּהֵם. כְּמוֹתָם:

Like them. Like them.

וְאָדָם לֹא זָכַר. לֹא הָיָה חוֹשְׁבוֹ לִכְלוּם:

Yet no person remembered. No one attributed any importance to him.

וְאָמַרְתִּי אָנִי. בִּרְאוֹתִי כֵן "טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִגְּבוּרָה". וַהֲרֵי חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בְּזוּיָה לְכֻלָּם, וְעַכְשָׁיו כֻּלָּם נִמְלְטוּ עַל יָדוֹ.

And [yet] I said. When I saw this, “Wisdom is better than might,” for this one’s wisdom was despised by all, but now, they were all rescued through him.

וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: עִיר קְטַנָּה. זֶה הַגּוּף.

The Midrash Aggadah [expounds as follows]: A small city. This is the body.³⁸See Maseches Nedarim 32b.

וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּה מְעָט. אֵלּוּ אֵבָרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם.

With few men within it. These are the limbs of a person.

מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל. זֶה יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁכָּל אֵבָרָיו מַרְגִּישִׁים בּוֹ.

A mighty king. This is the evil inclination, which all his limbs feel.

אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן. זֶה יֵצֶר טוֹב:

A poor [wise] man. This is the good inclination.

בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים. מְקֻבָּלִים הֵם לַבְּרִיּוֹת:

Are received with pleasure. They are accepted by mankind.³⁹Alternatively, the words of the wise [spoken] gently are heard, i.e., בנחת [gently] modifies דברי [the spoken words of the wise] as opposed to בנחת נשמעים [=are received with pleasure]. (Metsudas Dovid)

מִזַּעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים. משֶׁה נִפְטַר זֶה כַּמָּה שָׁנִים, וַעֲדַיִּין גְזֵרוֹתָיו מְקֻבָּלִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכַמָּה מַלְכֵי אֻמּוֹת גּוֹזְרִין גְזֵרוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵין דִּבְרֵיהֶם מִתְקַיְּמִין:

More than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Moshe passed away many years ago, yet his decrees are still accepted by Yisroel, and how many kings of the nations issue decrees over Yisroel, but their words do not endure.

טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִכְּלֵי קְרָב. חָכְמָתָהּ שֶׁל סֶרַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וַתָּבוֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֶל הָעָם בְּחָכְמָתָהּ", עָמְדָה לָהֶם יוֹתֵר מִכְּלֵי קְרָב, שֶׁהָיָה בְיָדָם לְהִלָּחֵם עִם יוֹאָב:

Wisdom is better than weapons of war. The wisdom of Serach, of whom it is stated, “And the woman then went to [all] the people, in her wisdom,”⁴⁰Rashi apparently did not have כל in his version of the text. availed them more than the weapons that were in their hands, to wage war with Yo’av.⁴¹II Shmuel 20:22.

וְחוֹטֶא אֶחָד יְאַבֵּד טוֹבָה הַרְבֵּה. אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁהָרְגָה לְשֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי, הָיוּ כֻלָּם אֲבוּדִים עַל יָדוֹ.

But one sinner destroys a multitude of good. Had she not slain Sheva the son of Bichri, they would all have been destroyed by him.⁴²Alternatively, the wisdom of Yaakov was more effective than Eisav’s weapons. (Midrash)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְחוֹטֶא אֶחָד יְאַבֵּד טוֹבָה הַרְבֵּה. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה צַדִּיקִים וּמֶחֱצָה רְשָׁעִים, וּבָא אֶחָד וְחָטָא וַעֲשָׂאָן מְרֻבִּים, נִמְצָא שֶׁהִכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם לְחוֹבָה:

Another explanation: But one sinner destroys a multitude of good. If Yisroel were half of righteous people and half of wicked ones, and one person came and sinned and made [the wicked] the majority, the result would be that he weighed them all down to be guilty.⁴³Alternatively, when a wise man becomes a sinner, many people will abandon their pursuit of wisdom by concluding that this person’s wisdom was of no avail. (Metsudas Dovid)

זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ וְגוֹ'. כְּגוֹן בִּימֵי הַחֹרֶף, שֶׁאֵין בִּזְבוּבִין כֹּחַ, וְהֵם קְרוֹבִים לָמוּת, גַּם אִם בָּא לְתוֹךְ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ וּמִתְעָרֵב בִּבְשָׂמִים, הוּא מַבְאִישׁוֹ, וְהוּא מַעֲלֶה קֶצֶף, שֶׁקּוֹרִין אשקו"א בְלַעַ"ז, וְנִרְאֶה בוֹ כְמִין אֲבַעְבּוּעוֹת, וְזֶהוּ מַשְׁמָעוֹ שֶׁל "יַבִּיעַ". הֲרֵי דָבָר קַל שֶׁהִפְסִיד דָּבָר חָשׁוּב. כַּךְ, יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה וּמִכָּבוֹד הַסִּכְלוּת מְעָט, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם זֶה שָׁקוּל בְּמֶחֱצָה עֲבֵרוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה זְכֻיּוֹת, וּבָא וְעָבַר עֲבֵרָה אַחַת וְהִכְרִיעַתּוּ לְכַף חוֹבָה, נִמְצֵאת סִכְלוּת זֶה שֶׁהוּא דָבָר מֻעָט, יָקָר וְשָׁקוּל וְכָבֵד יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הַחָכְמָה וְהַכָּבוֹד שֶׁהָיָה בוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם:

Dead flies decay and pollute, etc. E.g., in the winter season, flies have no strength, and are near death; nevertheless, if it falls into a perfumer’s oil and becomes mingled with the perfumes, it causes it to become putrid and it assumes a foam, which is called escume in O.F., and a sort of bubbles appears in it, and this is the meaning of ‘יַבִּיעַ.’ So an insignificant thing¹I.e., a fly. spoiled a precious thing.²I.e., the perfumer’s oil. So does a little foolishness outweigh wisdom and honor, for it outweighed them all. Suppose that a man was equally divided with transgressions and merits, and he came and committed one transgression, which tipped the scale [causing him] to be guilty. The result is that this foolishness which is small, is heavy and weighs, and is heavier than all the wisdom and honor that he possessed, for behold, it outweighed them all.

יָקָר. לְשׁוֹן כּוֹבֶד. הוּא כָבֵד וְשָׁקוּל יוֹתֵר מִן הַחָכְמָה שֶׁבּוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה מוֹשְׁלִים יֵצֶר הָרַע לִזְבוּבֵי מָוֶת:

[Are] outweighed. An expression of weight. It is heavy and weighs more than the wisdom that he possesses. The Midrash Aggadah [states], that [Scripture] compares the evil inclination to dying flies.

יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ. שֵׁם טוֹב, שֶׁהוּא עָרֵב מִשֶּׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ:

Decay and pollute. A good name, which is more pleasant than a perfumer’s oil.

לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ. חָכְמָתוֹ מְזֻמֶּנֶת לְהַטּוֹתוֹ אֶל דֶּרֶךְ הַמְּיֻמֶּנֶת לְטוֹבָתוֹ:

The heart [understanding] of a wise man is at his right hand. His wisdom will turn him onto the proper path for his benefit.³Alternatively, his intellect is always at hand when he needs it. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ. לְעַקְּשׁוֹ מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ הַמְּיֻמֶּנֶת שֶׁהִיא תִפְאֶרֶת וְנוֹחָה לוֹ:

But the heart of a fool is at his left. To drive him off the proper path, which is a glory and a comfort for him.⁴Alternatively, his intellect is not ready in time of need. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְאָמַר לַכֹּל סָכָל הוּא. בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ וּבְדִבּוּרוֹ, הַכֹּל מַכִּירִין שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹטֶה:

And proclaims to all that he is a fool. By his walk and with his speech, everyone recognizes that he is a fool.⁵His actions make it so obvious, that it is as if he proclaims to all that he is a fool. (Ibn Ezra)

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.

כִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁיֹּצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּיט. דּוֹמֶה הוּא לְשַׁלִּיט שֶׁהוֹצִיא דְבַר שְׁגָגָה מִפִּיו שׁוֹגֵג, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַחֲזוֹר, כַּךְ אוֹמֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאֵין לְהָשִׁיב:

Like an error emanating from the ruler. He is like a ruler who unintentionally let an error out of his mouth, and it is irrevocable. So does the Holy One, Blessed Is He, speak, and [His decrees] cannot be retracted.

נִתַּן הַסֶּכֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִים רַבִּים. זוּ הִיא הָרָעָה שֶׁהִיא כִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁיּוֹצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּיט, שֶׁנִּתַּן הַשְּׁטוּת וְהָרֶשַׁע בִּמְרוֹמֵי גֹבַהּ, שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶת הַכְּסִילִים וְאֶת הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה בְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁהֵם עֲתִידִים לִפְשֹׁט יָד בְּהֵיכָלוֹ וְלָשׂוּם אוֹתוֹתָם אוֹתוֹת:

Folly is set upon great heights. This is the evil that is like an error which goes forth from before the ruler, that foolishness and wickedness are placed on the loftiest heights, for the Holy One, Blessed Is He, elevated the fools and the wicked, for I see with the Holy Spirit, that they are destined to extend their hand upon His Temple and to make “their signs for signs.”⁶Tehillim 74:4. See also Maseches Gittin 56b.

וַעֲשִׁירִים בַּשֵּׁפֶל יֵשֵׁבוּ. יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּל הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַכָּבוֹד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם עַכְשָׁיו בְּיָמַי, עֲתִידִים לֵישֵׁב בַּשֵּׁפֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "יֵשְׁבוּ לָאָרֶץ יִדְּמוּ":

But the rich sit in low places. Yisroel, for despite all the greatness and honor that they have now in my days,⁷Alternatively, this verse describes the evil that Koheles observes in the previous verse. The rich who are deserving of honor are ignored, while fools and slaves are elevated to high positions that they do not deserve. (Metsudas Dovid) they are destined to sit in a low place, as it is stated, “they sit on the ground, they are silent.”⁸Eichah 2:10.

רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים עַל סוּסִים. הֵם כַּשְׂדִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם, "זֶה הָעָם לֹא הָיָה". יִתְעַלּוּ לִהְיוֹת עַל סוּסִים, מוֹלִיכִים אֶת שְׁבוּיֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲסוּרִים בְּקוֹלָרִין:

I have seen slaves on horses. These are the Chaldeans, about whom it is stated, “this nation never used to be,”⁹Yeshayahu 23:13. will be elevated [to ride] on horses, leading Yisroel’s captives, bound with neck irons.

הֹלְכִים כַּעֲבָדִים עַל הָאָרֶץ. לִפְנֵי קְרוֹנִין שֶׁל כַּשְׂדִּים:

Walking on foot like slaves on the ground. Before the Chaldean chariots.

חֹפֵר גּוּמָּץ. שׁוּחָה:

He who digs a pit. גּוּמָּץ is] a pit.

בּוֹ יִפּוֹל. פְּעָמִים שֶׁהוּא נוֹפֵל בּוֹ. כְּלוֹמַר, יֵשׁ לְךָ חוֹרֵשׁ רָעָה וְסוֹפוֹ לָשׁוּב עָלָיו בְּסוֹף, שֶׁכָּלָה זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר עַל יְדֵי כְלֵי בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְעַל מָרֵא שְׁמַיָּא הִתְרוֹמַמְתָּ":

Will fall into it. Sometimes he falls into it, i.e., sometimes you have a plotter of evil, and ultimately he is trapped by his own plot, for Nevuchadnetzar’s seed was destroyed through the vessels of the Beis Hamikdosh, as it is stated, “you exalted yourself against the Lord of Heaven.”¹⁰Daniyeil 5:23. The verse continues, “and the vessels of His House were brought before you, and you, your nobles, your consorts and your concubines drank wine from them, etc.”

וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר. סְיָג שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, לַעֲבֹר עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם:

He who breaks down a fence. The fence [established] by the Sages, to transgress their ordinances.¹¹The Gemara in Maseches Avodah Zarah 27b, applies this verse to those who break down the “fences” established via Rabbinic ordinances which serve to safeguard the Torah; such individuals “will be bitten by a snake,” i.e., death at the hands of Heaven. The destruction caused by such people comes gradually without it being sensed and continuously grows. Its effect is similar to a snake’s venom which continues to spread without realization until it results in death. See Mesilas Yeshorim Chapter 6.

יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ נָחָשׁ. מִיתָה בִידֵי שָׁמָיִם, וּלְפִי שֶׁדִּבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן פְּרִיצַת גָּדֵר, הִזְכִּיר בְּתַשְׁלוּמִין לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיכַת נָחָשׁ, שֶׁהוּא דָר בְּחוֹרֵי נִקְבֵי כָתְלֵי בָתִּים פְּרוּצִים:

Will be bitten by a snake. Death at the hands of Heaven, and because he spoke with an expression of breaking a fence, he mentions his recompense with an expression of the biting of a snake,¹²Alternatively, whoever breaks down a fence which acted as a barrier to protect others from being bitten, will himself be bitten. This theme is a repetition of the first phrase, “he who digs, etc,” and continues into the next verse, to stress that these occurrences happen often. (Metsudas Dovid) who nestles in the cracks and holes of the walls of dilapidated houses.

מַסִיעַ אֲבָנִים יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם. מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים מִמַּחְצַבְתָּם בֶּהָרִים מִתְיַגֵּעַ בָּהֶם:

He who removes stones will be hurt by them. One who quarries stones in the mountains will be fatigued by them.

יֵעָצֵב. לְשׁוֹן יְגִיעָה, כְּמוֹ, "בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכֲלֶנָּה". כְּלוֹמַר, כָּל אָדָם לְפִי מְלַאכְתּוֹ עִצְּבוֹנוֹ, אַף עוֹשֵׂה רָעָה, לְפִי זְרִיעָתוֹ יִקְצוֹר:

Will be hurt. ‘יֵעָצֵב’ is an expression of weariness, as in, “with toil בְּעִצָּבוֹן shall you eat it,”¹³Bereishis 3:17. Alternatively, whoever scatters rocks to trip others, will himself be tripped and hurt by them. (Alshich) i.e., every man, his weariness is according to his work, so will the doer of evil reap according to what he sows.

יִסָּכֶן בָּם. יִתְחַמֵּם בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ "וּתְהִי לוֹ סֹכֶנֶת". אַף הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת, סוֹפוֹ לֵהָנוֹת מֵהֶם:

Will be endangered by them. Shall be warmed by them, as in, “and she shall be to him a warmer סֹכֶנֶת.”¹⁴I Melochim 1:2. So will one who engages in [the study of] Torah and in [the performance of] commandments ultimately benefit from them.

אִם קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל. חַרְבוֹת צוּרִים, שֶׁקֵּהָה פִּיהֶם וְחִדּוּדָם:

If the axe is blunt. Sharp swords, whose sharp edges have become dull.¹⁵The Gemara in Maseches Ta’anis 7b, applies this verse to the type of student to whom studies are hard as iron [=ברזל]. It attributes the reason for this problem is that he did not organize his studies properly [= והוא לא פנים קלקל]. His remedy is to exert more energy in his studies [=וחילים יגבר] and to spend more time in Yeshiva [=ויתרון הכשר חכמה].

וְהוּא לֹא פָנִים קִלְקַל. וְאֵינָם לְטוּשִׁים וּמְרוּטִים: "לְמַעַן הֱיֵה לָה בָּרָק." אַף עַל פִּי כֵן "וַחֲיָלִים יְגַבֵּר". מַגְבִּיר הוּא בְמִלְחָמָה אֶת גִּבּוֹרֵי הַחֲיָלִים לְנַצֵּחַ:

And one has not sharpened its edge. And they are not sharpened and burnished,¹⁶קלקל is a double form of קלל, as in נחשת קלל [=burnished brass], in Yechezkeil 1:7. (Ibn Ezra) [as in,] “in order that they may glitter.”¹⁷Yechezkeil 21:15. The text in our editions reads למען היה לה ברק [=in order that it may glitter]. Nonetheless, it still strengthens the armies. It strengthens the mighty men of the armies in battle to be victorious.

וְיִתְרוֹן הַכְשֵׁיר חָכְמָה. וּמַעֲלַת כִּשְׁרוֹן יֵשׁ עוֹד לַחָכְמָה יוֹתֵר מִן הַבַּרְזֶל. אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם מַשְׁחִיר פָּנָיו בְּרָעָב, וְאַתָּה רוֹאֵהוּ מִסְכֵּן בֵּין הָעֲשִׁירִים, הַרְבֵּה חֲיָלִים מִתְגַּבְּרִים עַל יָדוֹ. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל וָי"ו "וַחֲיָלִים", כִּי הַרְבֵּה וָוִי"ן נוֹפְלִים כֵּן בְּלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִית, כְּמוֹ "אִם רָאִיתָ גַנָּב וַתִּרֶץ עִמּוֹ": "עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה", וְהַרְבֵּה מְפֹרָשִׁים כָּזֶה:

There is more profit in a skill of wisdom. Wisdom has an additional advantage over iron, for if a Torah scholar’s face is blackened by hunger, and you see him as a poor man among the rich, [realize that] many armies are strengthened by him. Do not wonder about the vav of ‘וַחֲיָלִים,’ for many vavin appear like that in the Hebrew language, as in, “If you saw a thief, you agreed וַתִּרֶץ with him,”¹⁸Tehillim 50:18. [and as in,] “The strength and the retribution of God was וַיְהִי to me a salvation,”¹⁹Shemos 15:2. Rashi there gives numerous examples of Scripture’s similar usage of the vav. and many [others] are similarly explained.

אִם יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ. אֶת אִישׁ:

If the snake bites. A person.

בְּלוֹא לָחַשׁ. מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא לָחְשׁוֹ הֶחָבֵר שֶׁלֹּא יִשֹּׁךְ:

Before it is charmed. Because the charmer did not charm it not to bite.

וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן. לֶחָבֵר הָרָשָׁע שֶׁהָיָה רָגִיל לְלָחְשׁוֹ, בְּלֹא לָחַשׁ, כַּךְ, אִם בְנֵי עִירְךָ נִכְשָׁלִים בְּאִסּוּרִין מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין חָכָם דּוֹרֵשׁ לָהֶם וּמְלַמְּדָם אֶת חֻקֵּי הַתּוֹרָה, אֵין יִתְרוֹן לוֹ בִשְׁתִיקָתוֹ, וְלֹא יִשְׂתַּכֵר:

There is no advantage. To the wicked charmer who was accustomed to charm it, if he did not charm it. So, if the people of your city [are unaware and] stumble over prohibitions because the wise man does not preach to them or teach them the statutes of the Torah, he has no advantage with his silence, and he will not benefit.²⁰Alternatively, Koheles is comparing a slanderer to a charmer. A person who allows his tongue to slander is as guilty as a charmer whose snake killed someone because he did not prevent it from doing so. One’s slander often causes havoc and destruction, and sometimes even death. (Alshich) ²¹See the Gemara in Maseches Arachin 15b, which applies this verse to a slanderer [=בעל לשון הרע].

דִּבְרֵי פִי חָכָם חֵן. עַל שׁוֹמְעֵיהֶם וְנִשְׁמָעִים לוֹ, וְטוֹב לוֹ שֶׁנּוֹטֵל גְּדֻלָּה עֲלֵיהֶם:

The words of a wise man find favor. In the eyes of their listeners, and they listen to him, and it is good for him that he assumes greatness over them.

וְשִׁפְתוֹת כְּסִיל תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ. זֶה הַמֵּסִית אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה, כְּגוֹן בִּלְעָם, שֶׁפָּרַץ גְּדֵרָן שֶׁל עַכּוּ"ם שֶׁגָּדְרוּ עַצְמָן מִן הָעֲרָיוֹת מִדּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וְאֵילֵךְ, וְהוּא יָעַץ לָהֶם לִהְיוֹת מַפְקִירִין בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם לִזְנוּת:

But lips of a fool devour him. This refers to someone who misleads his fellow man from the good way [to the bad way]; e.g., Bilam, who broke the restrictions that the nations had imposed, that they restricted themselves from immorality from the time of the generation of the flood and onwards, yet, he advised them to offer their daughters for prostitution.²²Alternatively, Targum renders, “the words of a wise man find favor,” i.e., by his prayer he finds favor before God, Who removes the retribution destined to befall the world; “but the lips of a fool,” are words of reproach and bring destruction to the world.

תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת. כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: "מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ"? הָיָה לוֹ לְהָשִׁיב "ה', אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ" וְהוּא אָמַר "בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח אֵלָי". כְּלוֹמַר: אִם בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲנִי נִבְזֶה, חָשׁוּב אֲנִי בְעֵינֵי מַלְכֵי הָאָרֶץ:

The beginning of his words is foolishness. When the Holy One, Blessed Is He, said to him [Bilam], “Who are these men with you?”²³Bamidbar 22:9. he should have replied, “Adonoy, You know,” but [instead] he said, “Balak son of Tzippor, king of Mo’av sent them to me,”²⁴Ibid., verse 10. i.e., though I may be despised in Your eyes, I am esteemed in the eyes of the earthly kings.

וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ הוֹלֵלוּת. שִׁעְמוּם וְעִרְבּוּב: "לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ" זִמַּת אִוֶּלֶת:

And the end of talk is [evil] madness. Madness and confusion [by advising], “Come I will counsel you” with foolish lewdness.²⁵Alternatively, from beginning [=תחלת] to end [=ואחרית], a fool’s statements are folly and madness. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְהַסָּכָל יַרְבֶּה דְּבָרִים. שֶׁהָיָה מִתְפָּאֵר בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן:

The fool multiplies words. For he [Bilam] was boasting that he, “knows the knowledge of the Most High.”²⁶Bamidbar 24:16.

לֹא יֵדַע הָאָדָם מַה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. לוֹ לְאַחַר זְמַן. שֶׁהֲרֵי הָלַךְ לִיטֹּל שְׂכָרוֹ בְמִדְיָן, וְלֹא יָדַע שֶׁיִּפּוֹל בֶּחָרֶב.

Man knows not what will be. To him in the future, for he went to take his pay in Midyan, but he did not know that he would be killed by the sword.

וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ: הַסָּכָל יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים. גּוֹזֵר וְאוֹמֵר: "מָחָר אֶעֱשֶׂה כֵן לִפְלוֹנִי", וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה יִּהְיֶה מָחָר:

But according to its simple meaning: The fool multiplies words. He declares and says, “Tomorrow I will do this to so-and-so,” without knowing what will be tomorrow.²⁷Alternatively, although the fool multiplies his words, the listener nonetheless knows neither their meaning nor his intention. (Metsudas Dovid)

וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מֵאַחֲרָיו, מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ. כְּלוֹמַר: לֹא סוֹף דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה יִּהְיֶה לְאַחַר זְמַן, אֶלָּא אַף הַהֹוֶה עַכְשָׁיו מֵאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁלֹּא כְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו אֶלָּא מֵאֲחוֹרֵי עָרְפּוֹ מֵרָחוֹק, צָרִיךְ הוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ:

And what will be after him who can tell him. I.e., not only does he not know what will be after a time, but even what is presently now behind him, but is not in front of his eyes, only behind his back at a distance, he needs someone to tell him.

עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ. כְּסִילוּתָם גּוֹרֵם לָהֶם עָמָל הַמְיַגְּעָן, אֲשֶׁר לֹא לָמְדוּ דַרְכֵי מְבוֹאוֹת הָעִיר וּמִתְיַגֵּעַ לִכְנוֹס דֶּרֶךְ פְּתָחִים וּבִצְעֵי הַמַּיִם, וְיָגֵעַ בִּטְבִיעוּת רַגְלָיו בַּבּוּץ. כְּלוֹמַר: עַצְלוּת שֶׁל עוֹזְבֵי הַתּוֹרָה גוֹרֵם לָהֶם יְגִיעַת עָמָל בְּגֵיהִנֹּם:

The labor of the fools exhausts them. Their foolishness causes them labor,²⁸Fools busy themselves to understand profound and mysterious matters, when they lack comprehension of even simple matters. They are compared to those who wish to enter a city but do not know the way. They stumble and grow weary without achieving their goal. (Ibn Ezra) which wearies them, because they did not learn the ways of the approaches to the city, and he becomes weary by entering by way of pits and marshes, and he is wearied by his feet sinking into the mire; i.e., the laziness of those who abandon the Torah causes them wearying labor in Gehinnom.

אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע לָלֶכֶת. אֶל נְתִיב אֱמֶת לִפְרוֹשׁ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא לָמַד תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "נֵר לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶיךָ":

For he does not know the way. To the path of truth, to part from transgression,²⁹Alternatively, this phrase refers to an ignorant person who does not go to the city and learn from its wise people. (Targum) because he did not study Torah, as it is stated, “Your word is a lamp for my feet.”³⁰Tehillim 119:105.

אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ. בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ וְדַּיָּנַיִךְ מִתְנַהֲגִים בְּנַעֲרוּת:

Woe to you, O land if your king. When your king and your judges behave childishly.

בִּגְבוּרָה וְלֹא בַשְּׁתִי. שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בִּגְבוּרַת הַחָכְמָה וְהַבִּינָה, וְלֹא בִשְׁתִיַּת יָיִן:

In strength and not in drunkenness. They engage in the power of wisdom and understanding and not in drinking wine.

בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה. כְּשֶׁאָדָם מִתְעַצֵּל וְאֵינוֹ מְתַקֵּן הַפְּרִיצָה קְטַנָּה שֶׁבְּתִקְרַת הַבָּיִת:

Where there is slothfulness the ceiling sags. When a person is lazy and does not repair a small breach in the ceiling of the house.

יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה. יִשְׁפַּל הַבִּנְיָן הַמְּקָרֶה אֶת הַבַּיִת וְהַמְּסַכֵּךְ עָלָיו:

The ceiling sags. The structure and beams of the house will sag— and its covering.

יִדְלֹף. יְטַפְטֵף דֶּלֶךְ גְּשָׁמִים, כְּלוֹמַר: כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַצְּלִים בַּתּוֹרָה, הֵם נְמַקִּים, וּבֵית גְּאוֹן עֻזָּם חָרֵב וּמָךְ:

Leaks. The dripping rain leaks, i.e., when [Bnei] Yisroel are lazy with [observance of] the Torah,³¹See Maseches Ta’anis 7b. they melt away, and the Beis [Hamikdosh], the pride of their strength, becomes destroyed and impoverished.

לִשְׂחוֹק עֹשִׂים לֶחֶם. לְחֶדְוַת מִזְמוּטֵי חֲתָנִים וְכַלּוֹת, עוֹשִׂים סְעוּדָה, וּסְתָם סְעוּדָה גְדוֹלָה קְרוּיָה לֶחֶם, כְּמוֹ דְאַתְּ אָמַר: "בֵּלְשַׁצַּר מַלְכָּא עֲבַד לֶחֶם רַב":

A feast is made for laughter. For the joy of the musical entertainment at a wedding, we make a feast, and an ordinary large feast is called ‘לֶחֶם,’ as it is stated, “King Belshatzar made a great feast לֶחֶם.”³²Daniyeil 5:1.

וְיַיִן. מַשְׁקִין בִּסְעוּדָה, אֲשֶׁר יְשַׂמַּח הַחַיִּים:

And wine. They give to drink at the feast, that which makes life joyful.

וְהַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת הַכֹּל. אִם אֵין כֶּסֶף, אֵין סְעוּדָה. לְפִיכָךְ, לֹא יִתְעַצֵּל אָדָם מִן הַמְלָאכָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא לוֹ מַה לְהוֹצִיא:

And money answers all things. Without money, there is no feast; therefore, a person should not neglect work, so that he will have what to spend.³³Alternatively, “money afflicts [=יענה] all,” i.e., either the abundance or lack of money causes affliction to mankind. Or, “money makes everyone respond [=יענה],” i.e., money causes people to readily listen and to obey.

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.

וּבַעַל כְּנָפַיִם. מַלְאָךְ הַמְלַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָךְ", וּלְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ, הָעוֹבְרִים וְהַשָּׁבִים. יֵשׁ לְךָ לִדְאֹג מִכָּל בִּרְיָה, שֶׁמָּא יֵשׁ שׁוֹמְעִין וְיַגִּידוּ לַאֲחֵרִים:

And that which has wings. The angel who escorts you, as the matter is stated, “For He will command His angels on your behalf,”³⁴Tehillim 91:11. and according to its apparent meaning, “those who go back and forth;” [i.e.,] you should worry about every person, perhaps there are listeners, who will tell [the matter] to others.³⁵The Gemara in Maseches Bava Basra 4a states, that when Bava the son of Butta met with Hordos he applied this verse.

שַׁלַּח לַחְמְךָ עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. עֲשֵׂה טוֹבָה וָחֶסֶד לְאָדָם שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְךָ לִבְּךָ עָלָיו, "אַל תִּרְאֶנּוּ עוֹד", כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּשְׁלִיךְ מְזוֹנוֹתָיו עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם:

Cast you your bread upon the waters. Do goodness and kindness to a person about whom your heart tells you that you will never see him again,¹Do kindness without anticipating reciprocity from the receiver. (Sforno) Or, when giving charity, needy Torah scholars should be given priority. The Gemara in Maseches Bava Kamma 17a states that Torah is symbolized by water. Thus, when you “cast your bread,” cast it first to the needy Torah Scholars. (Derech Hachayim) like a person who casts his food upon the water’s surface.²Alternatively, also give charity to people you do not know. (Ibn Ezra)

כִּי בְרֹב הַיָּמִים תִּמְצָאֶנּוּ. עוֹד יָמִים בָּאִים וּתְקַבֵּל תַּשְׁלוּמְךָ. רְאֵה מַה נֶאֱמַר בְּיִתְרוֹ: "קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָחֶם". וְסָבוּר שֶׁהוּא מִצְרִי, וְלֹא יִרְאֶנּוּ עוֹד. מֶה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ? נַעֲשָׂה חֲתָנוֹ וּמָלַךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִכְנִיסוֹ תַחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְזָכוּ בָנָיו וּבְנֵי בָנָיו לֵישֵׁב בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית:

For after many days you will find it. Days will yet come, and you will receive your recompense.³Alternatively, for you will find its reward in the World to Come. (Targum) Look what is stated about Yisro, “Call him and let him eat bread,”⁴Shemos 2:20. and he thought that he [Moshe] was an Egyptian and that he would never see him again. What was the end? He became his son-in-law and reigned over Yisroel and [Moshe] brought him under the wings of the Divine Presence, and his sons and grandsons merited to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.

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,⁵Alternatively, when giving charity, give priority to the needy who are Shabbos observers [=לשבעה], symbolized by the seventh day of the week, Shabbos, over the needy who do not observe Shabbos; and give priority to Jews [=לשבעה], symbolized by the eighth day of circumcision], over non-Jews. (Derech Hachayim) share further with eight more who come after them, and do not say, “Enough.”⁶The Rambam lists eight levels of charity, each higher than the other. The seventh [i.e., next to the highest level] is a person who gives charity to one whose identity he does not know, nor does the recipient know the identity of the donor. The highest [i.e., eighth] level, is supporting one by means of a gift, loan, partnership of providing work to an impoverished Jew. Alternatively, the verse means, “contribute on the seventh and eighth level [as prescribed by the Rambam].” (Alshich)

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?

וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ: תֶּן חֵלֶק וְגוֹ'. אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית. תֵּן אֶחָד מֵהֶן חֵלֶק לְיוֹצְרֶךָ לָנוּחַ בְּשַׁבָּת. וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה. אֵלּוּ שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הַמִּילָהּ.

Our Rabbis, however, said—Contribute to, etc. These are the seven days of creation. Give one of them as a portion to your Creator, by resting on Shabbos. And even to eight. These are the eight days preceding circumcision.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: תֶּן חֵלֶק לְשִׁבְעָה. קָרְבְּנוֹת צִבּוּר שֶׁל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי פֶסַח. וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה. שֶׁל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הֶחָג:

Another explanation: Contribute to seven. The communal sacrifices of the seven days of Pesach. And even to eight. The eight days of the Festival [=Succos].

כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יִהְיֶה רָעָה. אִם יֶחֱרַב הַבַּיִת, וְלֹא תַקְרִיבוּ עוֹד, וְיוֹעִילוּ קָרְבָּנוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, לְבַטֵּל גְּזֵרָה הָרָעָה:

For you never know what calamity will come. If the Beis [Hamikdosh] will be destroyed, and you will no longer bring sacrifices, and the first sacrifices will avail to annul the evil decree.

דָבָר אַחֵר: כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יִהְיֶה רָעָה. לֹא יָדַעְתָּ מַה נִגְזַר עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים בַּחַג. וְיוֹעִילוּ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וִיבַטְּלוּ גְזֵרוֹת רָעוֹת:

Another explanation: For you never know what [calamity] will come. You do not know what has been decreed on the Festival regarding the rains, and the sacrifices will avail to annul evil decrees.

אִם יִמָּלְאוּ הֶעָבִים גֶּשֶׁם. אִם רָאִיתָ עָבִים מְלֵאִים גֶּשֶׁם, יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁסּוֹפָן יָרִיקוּ גִשְׁמֵיהֶם עַל הָאָרֶץ; בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהַטּוֹבָה צוֹמַחַת וְנִכֶּרֶת, שָׁם סוֹפָהּ לָנוּחַ. אַף כֵּן דַּע שֶׁאִם יִפּוֹל עֵץ וְגוֹ', אִם יִשְׁכֹּן אָדָם חָכָם וְצַדִּיק בְּעִיר אוֹ בִמְדִינָה, מְקוֹם שֶׁיִּשְׁכֹּן, שָׁם יִהְיוּ נִכָּרִין מַעֲשָׂיו אַחֲרֵי מוֹתוֹ, וְחָכְמוֹתָיו וּמִדּוֹת תְּרוּמִיּוֹתָיו וְתַשְׁלוּם טוֹבָה לְיוֹשְׁבֵי הַמָּקוֹם עַל מִנְהָגוֹ הַטּוֹב שֶׁהִדְרִיכָם בְּדֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה:

When the clouds are filled with rain. If you have seen clouds full of rain, you know that they will ultimately empty their rains upon the earth. In the place where the benefit grows and is discernible, there it is destined [for the rains] to come to rest. Likewise, you should know that “if a tree falls, etc.,” [i.e.,] if a wise and righteous man⁷In Bamidbar 13:20, Rashi explains that a tree [עץ] is symbolizes a righteous man. See also the last Rashi on this verse below. resides in a city or in a province, the place where he resides, there his deeds will be discernible after his death, and his words of wisdom, exemplary traits and bestowal of goodness upon the inhabitants of that place by his good custom that he guided them on a straight road.⁸Alternatively, this verse is connected to the previous verse, i.e., a person blessed with wealth must share his fortune with the less fortunate in the same manner as clouds that are full of rain do not keep it for themselves but empty their rains upon the earth. (Metsudas Dovid)

יִפּוֹל. יִשְׁכֹּן, כְּמוֹ "עַל פְּנֵי כָל אֶחָיו נָפָל":

Falls. Will reside, as in, “over all his brothers did he reside נָפָל.”⁹Bereishis 25:18.

עֵץ. תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁמֵּגִין בִּזְכוּתוֹ כָּעֵץ הַמֵּסִיךְ עַל הָאָרֶץ:

A tree. [Symbolic of] a Torah scholar, who with his merit protects like a tree, which serves as a covering over the earth.

שֹׁמֵר רוּחַ. מַמְתִּין וּמְצַפֶּה עַד בֹּא הָרוּחַ:

He who watches [waits] for the wind. He who waits and looks forward for the wind to come.¹⁰שמר הרוח cannot means “watching” a wind, Rashi therefore explains that שומר הרוח means “waiting” for the wind. שומר is used in the same context in Bereishis 37:11, which states, “his father waited [שומר]” to see when Yoseif’s dream would be fulfilled. (Sifsei Chachomim)

לֹא יִזְרָע. פְּעָמִים מַמְתִּין וְאֵינוֹ בָא:

Will never sow. Sometimes he waits [for the wind], but it does not come.¹¹According to Rashi, the farmer is waiting for the wind to come in order to sow his field, because he wants the wind to scatter his seeds. Alternatively, the farmer is afraid of the wind and does not sow because the wind will blow the seeds away. (Sforno)

וְרֹאֶה בֶעָבִים. נוֹתֵן עֵינָיו בֶּעָבִים, וּכְשֶׁרוֹאֶה אוֹתָם קוֹדְרִים, יָרֵא לִקְצוֹר מִפְּנֵי הַגְּשָׁמִים, לְעוֹלָם לֹא יִקְצוֹר, לְפִי שֶׁיָּרֵא תָמִיד:

And he who looks to the clouds. He observes the clouds, and when he sees them darkening, he is afraid to harvest on account of the rains; he will never harvest because he is always fearful [of the rains].

כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ וְגוֹ'. כַּעֲצָמִים בְּבֶטֶן הַמְלֵאָה. דְּבָרִים הַנִּסְגָּרִים וְהַנֶּעֱצָרִים בְּבֶטֶן שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבּוֹלֶטֶת לְחוּץ. "כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ". הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסוֹרָס, נִדְרָשׁ מִסּוֹפוֹ לְרֹאשׁוֹ. "כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ . . . דֶּרֶךְ הָרוּחַ", כְּלוֹמַר: יְדִיעוֹת שְׁתֵּי אֵלּוּ שָׁווֹת. לֹא זוּ גְלוּיָה לְךָ, וְלֹא זוּ גְלוּיָה לְךָ. פְּעָמִים אַתָּה סָבוּר לְהַכִּיר בֶּעָבִים שֶׁיָּבֹא הָרוּחַ, וְאֵינוֹ בָא כַאן, כִּי עוֹבֵר וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ אֶל אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת. וַהֲרֵי לָשׁוֹן זֶה כְּמוֹ: "כְּגַן ה' כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם": "כַּשִּׁפְחָה כַּגְבִרְתָּהּ" "כַּקּוֹנֶה כַּמּוֹכֵר". וּפְעָמִים שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁוֶה מֻקְדָם לִמְאֻחָר, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁוֶה מְאֻחָר לְמֻקְדָּם, אַף כַּאן לָמַד יְדִיעַת הָרוּחַ מִידִיעַת הַבֶּטֶן, כְּלוֹמַר: אֵין לְךָ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת הָרוּחַ לִרְאוֹת בֶּעָבִים: (הַגַּהָ"ה: עִנְיָן זֶה הוּא מְסוֹרָס בְּדִבְרֵי רַשִׁ"י וּמְהֻפָּךְ, וּצְרִיכִים לְהַגִּיהַּ כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר הוּא בַּסְּפָרִים הַמְּדֻיָּקִים, וְאָז יוּבַן שַׁפִּיר. וְכַךְ הִיא הַנּוּסְחָא הָאֲמִתִּית:

Just as you do not know, etc., nor the nature of that which is hidden in the womb of her that is with child. Things closed in and confined in the womb which is full, and even though it protrudes outward, “just as you do not know [the way of the wind].” This is a transposed verse, expounded from its end to its beginning. “Just as you do not know the way of the wind,” i.e., the knowledge of both these things is equal, neither is one revealed to you, nor is the other revealed to you, for sometimes you think that you know by the clouds that the wind will come, and it does not come here, but it passes and goes away to another land. This expression is similar to, “like the garden of Adonoy, like the land of Egypt,”¹²Bereishis 13:10. [and] “as with the maidservant, so with her mistress,”¹³Yeshayahu 24:2. [and] “as with the buyer so with the seller.”¹⁴Ibid. Sometimes it [Scripture] compares the former to the latter, and sometimes it compares the latter to the former. Here too, it teaches the knowledge of the wind from the knowledge of the womb, i.e., you should not await the wind by looking at the clouds. (Gloss: This matter is transposed in Rashi’s words, and it is in the opposite order. We must therefore, emend it as it is in exact editions, and then it will be understood well, and the following is the authentic version:

כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסוֹרָס, נִדְרָשׁ מִסּוֹפוֹ לְרֹאשׁוֹ: "כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ עֲצָמִים בְּבֶטֶן הַמְּלֵאָה, דְּבָרִים הַנִּסְגָּרִים וְהַנֶּעֱצָמִים בְּבֶטֶן הַמְּלֵאָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבּוֹלֶטֶת לְחוּץ, אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ מַה בְּבִטְנָהּ, כַּךְ אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ דֶּרֶךְ הָרוּחַ. כְּלוֹמַר: יְדִיעוֹת שְׁתֵּי אֵלּוּ שָׁווֹת וְכוּ' מִסֵּפֶר שִׂפְתֵי חֲכָמִים):

Just as you do not know. This is a transposed verse, explained from its end to its beginning: Just as you do not know the skeletal structure that is enclosed in the full womb, things that are closed and confined in the full womb, and even though it protrudes outward, you cannot fathom what is in her womb,¹⁵Just as you do not know whether the fetus is male or female until it emerges, so do you not know the working of God Who does everything with wisdom. (Targum) so do you not know the way of the wind, i.e., the knowledge of both these things is equal, etc. From the book Sifsei Chachomim.)

כַּעֲצָמִים. אינקלשירי"ש בְּלַעַ"ז, כְּמוֹ "וְעוֹצֵם עֵינָיו":

Nor the nature of that which is hidden. Enclosiede in O.F., as in, “and closes וְעוֹצֵם his eyes.”¹⁶Yeshayahu 33:15.

כָּכָה לֹא תֵדַע וְגוֹ'. אַף גְּזֵרוֹתָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם לְעִנְיַן עֲנִיּוּת וַעֲשִׁירוּת כַּךְ עֲלוּמוֹת הֵם מִמֶּךָ וְלֹא תִמָּנַע מִן הַחֶסֶד לִדְאֹג שֶׁמָּא אֶחְסַר מִנְּכָסַי וְאֵעָנִי. לֹא אֶעֱסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֶתְבַּטֵּל מִמְּלַאכְתִּי וְאֵעָנִי, לֹא אֶשָּׂא אִשָּׁה וְיִהְיֶה לִי בָנִים וְאֶצְטָרֵךְ לְהוֹצִיא עֲלֵיהֶם:

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.”

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. If¹⁷See Maseches Yevamos 62a. your learned Torah in your youth, learn Torah in your old age.¹⁸Sow your field at all times and do not wait for the wind, “for you do not know which will prosper, and therefore if you learned etc.” (Metsudas Dovid) 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.

כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זֶה יִכְשַׁר. אִם תַּלְמִידִים וּבָנִים שֶׁבְּיַלְדּוּתְךָ יִתְקַיְּמוּ לְךָ, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא לֹא יִתְקַיְּמוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּזִקְנוּתְךָ. מָצִינוּ בְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ כ"ד אֶלֶף תַּלְמִידִים מִגַּבַּת וְעַד אַנְטִיפְרַס, וְכֻלָּן מֵתוּ מִפֶּסַח וְעַד עֲצֶרֶת, וּבָא אֵצֶל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם. וּשְׁנָאָהּ לָהֶם. וּלְעִנְיַן הַבָּנִים מָצִינוּ בְאִבְצָן: "וּשְׁלשִׁים בָּנוֹת שִׁלַּח הַחוּצָה וּשְׁלשִׁים בָּנוֹת הֵבִיא לְבָנָיו", וְכֻלָּם מֵתוּ בְחַיָּיו. וּבְזִקְנוּתוֹ הוֹלִיד אֶת עוֹבֵד וְנִתְקַיֵּם לוֹ:

For you do not know which will prosper. Whether the students and children of your youth will survive you, or perhaps only those of your old age will survive. We find¹⁹See Maseches Yevamos 62b. that Rabbi Akiva had twenty-four thousand students from Gabas to Antiparis, and they all died between Pesach and Shavuos, and he came to our Sages in the south and taught them. And concerning children, we find that Ivzan “sent thirty daughters abroad, and he brought in thirty daughters for his sons,”²⁰Shoftim 12:9. and they all died in his lifetime,²¹See Maseches Bava Basra 91a. but in his old age, he begot Oveid, who survived him.

וּמָתוֹק הָאוֹר. מָתוֹק הִיא אוֹרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה:

And the light is sweet. The light of Torah is sweet.²²In Tehillim 19:11, Dovid describes the Torah as “sweeter than honey and drippings from the combs.”

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.

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.

כִּי הַרְבֵּה יִהְיוּ. בְּאוֹתָן הַיָּמִים יוֹתֵר מִימֵי הַחַיִּים:

For they will be many. In those days, more than the days of life.²³I.e., the days of darkness, when he will be in his grave, will be many more than the days of his life. (Metsudas Dovid)

כָּל שֶׁבָּא. עָלָיו יִהְיֶה הֶבֶל וָחשֶׁךְ. יֵשׁ הֶבֶל שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן פֻּרְעָנוֹת וְצָרוֹת, כְּמוֹ: "כִּי בַהֶבֶל בָּא וּבַחשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ":

All that comes. Upon him will be punishment and darkness. “הֶבֶל” sometimes is an expression of punishment and troubles, as in, “for he [the stillborn child] comes with troubles הֶבֶל and departs in darkness.”²⁴Above 6:4.

שְׂמַח בָּחוּר בְּיַלְדוּתֶךָ. כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לְעַבְדּוֹ וְלִבְנוֹ: "חֲטָא, חֲטָא, כִּי פַעַם אַחַת תִּקְלֶה עַל הַכֹּל. אַף כַּאן הֶחָכָם אָמַר, "שְׂמַח בָּחוּר בְּיַלְדוּתֶךָ. . . וְהַלֵּךְ בְּדַרְכֵי לִבְּךָ", וּבָטוּחַ תִּהְיֶה "כִּי עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה יְבִיאֲךָ" הַשׁוֹפֵט "בַּמִּשְׁפָּט":

Rejoice young man in your youth. As a person who says to his servant or to his child, “Persist in your sinning, but [realize] you will be punished in one blow for all [your sins].” Here too, the wise man says, “Rejoice, young man in your youth ... follow the ways of your heart,” but be assured “that for all these things,” the Judge “will bring you to judgment.”²⁵Alternatively, the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 21b states that what is learned in the years of childhood is remembered more readily. This is the time period that one has no distractions or troubling thoughts. (Sforno)

וְהָסֵר כַּעַס. דְּבָרִים הַמַּכְעִיסִים אֶת הַמָּקוֹם:

Therefore banish anger. [Banish] anything that causes anger to the Omnipresent.

וְהַעֲבֵר רָעָה. יֵצֶר הָרָע:

And remove evil. The evil inclination.

מִבְּשָׂרֶךָ. שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְךָ לֵב בָּשָׂר:

From your flesh. That you should have a heart of flesh.²⁶Alternatively, if your flesh desires to indulge in anything that is evil, remove those desires from your flesh. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְהַשַּׁחֲרוּת. נַעֲרוּת, שֶׁרֹאשׁ אָדָם שָׁחוֹר בִּימֵי עֲלוּמָיו:

And youth. שַׁחֲרוּת refers to] youth, because [the hair on] a person’s head is black שָׁחוֹר in his youth.²⁷Alternatively, שחר [=dawn] refers to youth which is the dawn of one’s life.

וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ. תַּמָּן תְּנִינָן, עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר: הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְכוּ', וּמִמִּקְרָא זֶה דָּרֶשׁ: "וּזְכוֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶךָ", שֶׁתִּתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן לְפָנָיו. "וּזְכוֹר אֶת בּוֹרֶךָ" קִבְרְךָ, מְקוֹם עָפָר, רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה. "וּזְכוֹר בְּאֵרֶךָ", בְּאֵר שֶׁנָּבַעְתָּ מִמְּקוֹרָהּ, הִיא טִפָּה סְרוּחָה שֶׁל זֶרַע וְשֶׁל לוֹבֶן:

So remember your Creator. There¹Mishnayos Avos 3:1. 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.

יְמֵי הָרָעָה. יְמֵי הַזִּקְנָה וְהַחַלָּשׁוּת:

The evil days. The days of old age and feebleness.²The days of old age are referred to as “evil days” because it is more difficult to serve God in those days than it is during one’s youth. (Metsudas Dovid)

עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, זוּ פַדַּחַת, שֶׁהִיא מְאִירָה וּמַצְהֶבֶת בְּאָדָם בָּחוּר, וּכְשֶׁמַּזְקֶנֶת, הִיא מַעֲלַת מְמָטִין וְאֵין מַצְהֶבֶת:

Before the darkening of the sun. Our Rabbis said that this שֶׁמֶשׁ refers to the forehead, which gives light and shines on a young man,³See Rashi in Maseches Shabbos 151b. but as he grows older, it becomes wrinkled and does not shine.⁴Alternatively, before becoming ill and bedridden. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְהָאוֹר. זֶה הַחוֹטֶם שֶׁהוּא תוֹאַר קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים:

The light. This refers to the nose, which is the form of the face’s features.

וְהַיָּרֵחַ. זוּ נְשָׁמָה שֶׁמְּאִירָה לָאָדָם, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּטְּלָה הֵימֶנּוּ, אֵין לוֹ מְאוֹר הָעֵינָיִם:

The moon. This refers to the soul, which provides a person with light, once it is taken away from him, his eyes cease to have light.

וְהַכּוֹכָבִים. אֵלּוּ הַלְּסָתוֹת, רוּמָנֵי דְאַפֵּי, שֶׁקוֹרִין פומלי"ש שֶׁל לְחָיַיִם שֶׁמַּצְהִיבִים:

And the stars. These refer to the cheeks, the pomegranates of the face, called pomels [in O.F.] of the cheeks, which shine.

וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגָּשֶׁם. תָּבוֹא כְּהִיַּית הַמָּאוֹר אַחַר דִּמְעוֹת הַבֶּכִי מִכַּמָּה צָרוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עָלָיו:

And the clouds return after the rain. The dimming of the light follow the tears of weeping for the many troubles that he experienced.⁵Alternatively, he returns to his weakness following a brief recovery. (Metsudas Dovid)

שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ. יַרְתִּיתוּ:

Trembling. Trembling.

שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת. אֵלּוּ הַצְּלָעוֹת וְהַכְּסָלִים הַמְגִינִים עַל כָּל חֲלַל הַגּוּף:

The preservers of the house. These refer to the ribs and flanks, that protect the entire body’s cavity.⁶Alternatively, these refer to the hands and arms. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ. יֹאחֲזֵם עִוּוּת שֶׁקּוֹרִין קראנפ"ף. וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ, אנקרופירונ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז:

Will be bent. Will be seized by cramps עִוּוּת, called crampe [in O.F.]. Will be seized with cramps [=וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ is encranpiront in O.F.

אַנְשֵׁי הֶחָיִל. אֵלּוּ הַשּׁוֹקַיִם, שֶׁנִּשְׁעָן כָּל הַגּוּף עֲלֵיהֶם:

The strong men. These refer to the legs, upon which the entire body is supported.

וּבָטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֹת. אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁנַּיִם:

And the grinders cease. These refer to the teeth.

כִּי מִעֵטוּ. לְעֵת זִקְנָה רֹב שִׁנָּיו נוֹשְׁרוֹת:

Because they are few. In old age, most of his teeth fall out.

הָרֹאוֹת בָּאֲרֻבּוֹת. אֵלּוּ הָעֵינַיִם:

And the starers in the windows. These refer to the eyes.

וְסֻגְרוּ דְלָתַיִּם. אֵלּוּ נְקָבָיו:

And the doors [to the street] will be shut. These refer to his orifices.

בִּשְׁפַל קוֹל הַטַּחֲנָה. קוֹל רֵחַיִם הַטּוֹחֲנִים מַאֲכָל שֶׁבְּמֵעָיו, וְהוּא הַקֻרְקְבָן וְהַמְּסֵס:

When the sound of the grinding is low. The sound of the mill grinding the food in his intestines, and that refers to the stomach.

וְיָקוּם לְקוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר. שֶׁאֲפִילוּ קוֹל צִפּוֹר מְנַעַרְתּוֹ מִשֵּׁנָתוֹ מִשֶּׁהִזְקִין:

And when one will awaken at the sound of a bird. For even the voice of a bird awakens him from his sleep once he has become old.

וְיִשַּׁחוּ כָּל בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר. כָּל קוֹלוֹת שֶׁל כְּלֵי הַשִּׁיר דּוֹמוֹת עָלָיו כְּשִׂיחָה, וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ מַשְׁמָעוֹ. "יִשַּׁחוּ" כְּמוֹ "יִשְׁפְּלוּ". כָּל שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת יִהְיוּ שְׁפָלִים בְּעֵינָיו, וְכֵן בַּרְזִילַי הַגִּלְעָדִי אָמַר לְדָוִד: "אִם אֶשְׁמַע עוֹד בְּקוֹל שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת"?

And muffled will be the daughters [sounds] of song. All the sounds of musical instruments seem to him like conversation. Its apparent meaning is its simple interpretation, ‘יִשַּׁחוּ’ is like יִשְׁפְּלוּ [=will be brought low]. All the singers and songstresses will be low in his eyes, and as Barzily of Gilad said to Dovid, “or can I still listen to the voice of singers and songstresses?”⁷II Shmuel 19:36.

גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִירָאוּ. מְגַּבְשׁוּשִׁית וּתְלוּלִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּרְחוֹבוֹת, הוּא דוֹאֵג לָצֵאת לַשּׁוּק, פֶּן יִכָּשֵׁל בָּהֶם:

Also when they will fear heights. From the mounds and bumps in the streets; [i.e.,] he is afraid to go outdoors because he might stumble on them.⁸Alternatively, they fear heights because they feel that they do not have the energy to climb them. (Ibn Ezra)

וְחַתְחַתִּים בַּדֶּרֶךְ. אֵימוֹת וְחִתּוֹת הַרְבֵּה בַדְּרָכִים יֵשׁ לוֹ.

And terrors on the road. The road’s many fears and terrors.

חַתְחַתִּים. לָשׁוֹן כָּפוּל הוּא בַתֵּבָה, כְּמוֹ "גַּלְגַּלִּים", "קַּשְׂקַּשִּׂים", "זַלְזַלִּים":

Terrors. This is a word is of a doubled language, as in גַּלְגַּלִּים [=wheels], קַּשְׂקַּשִּׂים [=scales], זַלְזַלִּים [=tendrils].

וְיָנֵאץ. לְשׁוֹן "הֵנֵצוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים", שֶׁהֲרֵי הָא' לֹא נִקְרֵאת בָּהּ. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זוּ קְלִבוֹסֶת, הנק"א בְּלַעַ"ז, שֶׁעֶצֶם הָיָּרֵךְ תָּקוּעַ בָּהּ, וּבְזִקְנוּתוֹ, בְּשָׂרוֹ כָחוּשׁ וְהָעֶצֶם בּוֹלֵט כְּמוֹ נֵץ הָאִילָן, שֶׁהוּא בוֹלֵט:

[And the almond tree] will blossom. וְיָנֵאץ is] an expression of, “the pomegranates have blossomed הֵנֵצוּ,”⁹Shir Hashirim 7:13. for the ‘aleph’ in it is silent. Our Rabbis said, this is the haunch, hanche in O.F., into which the hip bone is thrust, and in his old age, the flesh becomes thin and the bone protrudes, like when a tree blossoms, it protrudes.¹⁰See Rashi in Maseches Shabbos 152a.

הַשָּׁקֵד. אִילָן שֶׁל שְׁקֵדִים, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁתִּקְפּוֹץ הַזִּקְנָה עָלָיו כְּשָׁקֵד זֶה הַמְמַהֵר לְהָנִיץ לִפְנֵי כָל הָאִילָנוֹת:

The almond tree. An almond tree, i.e., old age will spring upon him just like this almond tree, which hastens to blossom before all the other trees.

וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב. אֵלּוּ הָעֲגָבוֹת, שֶׁתִּהְיוּ עַגְבוֹתָיו דּוֹמוֹת עָלָיו כְּסוֹבֵל מַשָּׂא כָבֵד.

And the grasshopper will be a burden. These are the buttocks, for his buttocks will seem to him to be as one who bears a heavy burden.¹¹Alternatively, if a grasshopper alights upon him, he will feel it as a burden. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְיִסְתַּבֵּל. אישדריי"ד שורפיישי"ן בְּלַעַ"ז:

Will be a burden. Ed ert sorfeisiez in O.F.

וְתָפֵר הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה. חֶמְדַּת תַּאֲוַת נָשִׁים, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִזְקָק לְנָשִׁים לְתַשְׁמִישׁ. אֲבִיּוֹנָה תַּאֲוָה, כְּמוֹ "וְלֹא אֲבִיתֶם", "תָּאַבְתִּי לִישׁוּעָתְךָ":

And the desire will fail. The desire for women; for he will have no need to be intimate with women. ‘אֲבִיּוֹנָה’ [means] desire,¹²Alternatively, and understanding [האביונה=בינה] will fail. (Metsudas Dovid) as in, “But you did not desire אֲבִיתֶם,”¹³Devarim 1:26. [and as in,] “I yearned תָּאַבְתִּי for Your salvation.”¹⁴Tehillim 119:174.

עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵרָתֵק חֶבֶל הַכֶּסֶף. זֶה חוּט הַשֶּׁדְרָה שֶׁהוּא לָבָן כְּכֶסֶף, וּבְמוֹתוֹ חָסֵר מוֹחוֹ וּמִתְרוֹקֵן וְיָבֵשׁ וּמִתְעַקֵּם בְּתוֹךְ הַחֻלְיוֹת וְנַעֲשֶׂה כְשַׁלְשֶׁלֶת. "יֵרָתֵק" לְשׁוֹן "רְתֻקוֹת כֶּסֶף":

Before the snapping of the silver cord. This refers to the spinal cord, which is as white as silver, and when he dies, its marrow diminishes and empties out and dries, and it becomes crooked within the vertebrae, becoming like a chain. יֵרָתֵק is an expression of “silver chains”¹⁵Yeshayahu 40:19. רְתֻקוֹת.

וְתָרֻץ גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב. זֶה הָאַמָּה שֶׁהָיָה מְקַלַּחַת מַיִם וְנוֹבַעַת כְּמַעֲיָן, כְּמוֹ "גֻלוֹת עִלִּיּוֹת". "וְתָרֻץ" לְשׁוֹן רְצִיצָה:

And the golden bowl is shattered. This is the male member, that emits a flow of water and flows like a fountain,¹⁶Alternatively, “the golden bowl” refers to the brain. (Metsudas Dovid) as in, “the upper springs גֻלוֹת.”¹⁷Yehoshua 15:19. ‘וְתָרֻץ’ is an expression of shattering.¹⁸As in “They broke and cursed [וירצצו],” in Shoftim 10:8. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְתִשָּׁבֶר כַּד עַל הַמַּבּוּעַ. זֶה הַכֶּרֶס, שֶׁהִיא עָבָה וְנִבְקַעַת בְּמוֹתוֹ:

And the pitcher is broken at the fountain. This refers to the stomach,¹⁹Alternatively, “the pitcher” refers to the gall bladder. (Metsudas Dovid) which is thick and cracks upon his death.

וְנָרֹץ הַגַּלְגַּל אֶל הַבּוֹר. יִתְרוֹצֵץ גַּלְגַּל הָעַיִן בְּתוֹךְ גּוּמָא, וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ, גַּלְגַּל שֶׁדּוֹלִין בּוֹ מַיִם מִן הַבּוֹר. כַּךְ נִדְרָשׁ כָּל הָעִנְיָן בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת. וּמִדְרַשׁ קִינוֹת פּוֹתְרוֹ כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ. בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַבְּחוּרוֹת שֶׁבָּכֶם קַיֶּמֶת, בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַכְּהֻנָּה קַיֶּמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וּבָחֹר אֹתוֹ מִכָּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי לְכֹהֵן". בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַלְוִיָּה קַיֶּמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "כִּי בוֹ בָּחַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִכָּל שְׁבָטֶיךָ". בְּעוֹד שֶׁמַּלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד קַיֶּמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָּוִד עַבְדּוֹ". בְּעוֹד שֶׁיְּרוּשָׁלַיִם קַיֶּמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ "הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ". בְּעוֹד שֶׁבֵּית הַבְּחִירָה קַיֶּמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּה "וְעַתָּה בָּחַרְתִּי וְהִקְדַּשְׁתִּי. . . הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה". בְּעוֹד שֶׁאַתֶּם קַיָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וּבְךָ בָּחַר ה'".

And the wheel is shattered into the pit. The eyeball will be shattered within its socket. But according to its simple interpretation, this is a wheel with which they draw water from the cistern. So is this entire matter expounded in Maseches Shabbos.²⁰151b-152a. But Midrash Kinos interprets it [i.e., verses 1-6 above] as referring to all Yisroel [as follows]: So remember your Creator in the days of your youth. As long as your youthfulness still endures, as long as the priesthood still endures, as it is stated, “And [I did] choose him from among all the tribes of Yisroel to be a Kohen to Me,”²¹I Shmuel 2:28. as long as [the covenant with] the Levyim still endures, as it is stated, “For Adonoy your God has chosen him from among all your tribes,”²²Devarim 18:5. as long as the kingship of the House of Dovid still endures, as it is stated, “And He chose Dovid, His servant,”²³Tehillim 78:70. as long as Yerusholayim still endures, about which it is stated, “the city that I have chosen,”²⁴I Melochim 11:32. as long as the Beis [Hamikdosh] still endures, about which it is stated, “And now I have chosen and sanctified this House,”²⁵II Divrei Hayomim 7:16. [and] as long as you still endure, as it is stated, “and Adonoy has chosen you.”²⁶Devarim 14:2.

עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבֹאוּ יְמֵי הָרָעָה. אֵלּוּ יְמֵי הַגּוֹלָה.

Before the evil days come. These are the days of the exile.

עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. זוּ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְכִסְאוֹ כַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נֶגְדִּי":

Before the darkening of the sun. This is the kingdom of the House of Dovid of which it is stated, “And his throne [shall be] like the sun before Me.”²⁷Tehillim 89:37.

וְהָאוֹר. זוּ תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר".

The light. This refers to the Torah, as it is stated, “For a commandment is a lamp, and the Torah is light.”²⁸Mishlei 6:23.

וְהַיָּרֵחַ. זוּ סַנְהֶדְרִין, דִּתְנַן סַנְהֶדְרִין הָיְתָה כַּחֲצִי גֹרֶן עֲגוּלָּה:

The moon. This refers to the Sanhedrin, of which we learned, “[The seating of] the Sanhedrin was in the shape of a semi-circular threshing floor.”²⁹Mishnayos Sanhedrin 4:3.

וְהַכּוֹכָבִים. אֵלּוּ הָרַבָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים":

And the stars. These refers to the Rabbis, as it is stated, “and those who teach righteousness to the multitudes [will shine] like the stars.”³⁰Daniyeil 12:3.

וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגָּשֶׁם. צָרָה אַחַר צָרָה קָשָׁה. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְכָל הַנְּבוּאוֹת הַקָּשׁוֹת שֶׁנִּתְנַבֵּא עֲלֵיהֶם יִרְמְיָה, לֹא בָּאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶלָּא לְאַחַר חֻרְבַּן הַבָּיִת:

And the clouds return after the rain. One calamity after another. You find concerning all the harsh prophecies that Yirmiyahu prophesied, that they only befell them after the destruction of the Beis [Hamikdosh].

בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת. אֵלוּ מִשְׁמְרוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה:

In the day when trembling prevails over the preservers of the house. These refer to the watches of the Kohanim and the Levyim.

וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ אַנְשֵׁי הֶחָיִל. אֵלּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁהֵם גִּבּוֹרִים בְּכֹחַ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא: כ"ב אֶלֶף לְוִיִּם הֵנִיף אַהֲרֹן בְּיוֹם אֶחָד. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הַמֻּרְאָה הַזֶּה דָּבָר קַל הִיא, וְהַכֹּהֵן זוֹרְקָהּ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלשִׁים אַמָּה:

And the strong men will be bent. These refer to the Kohanim, who are mighty in strength. Rabbi Abba the son of Kahana said, that Aharon lifted twenty-two thousand Levyim in one day. Rabbi Chanina said, that the bird’s crop is a light thing, yet the priest would throw it more than thirty cubits.³¹A great deal of power is needed to throw a light thing more than thirty cubits. (Sifsei Chachomim)

וּבָטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֹת. אֵלּוּ הַמִּשְׁנַיּוֹת הַגְּדוֹלוֹת. מִשְׁנַת רַבִּי עַקִיבָא וּמִשְׁנַת רַבִּי חִיָּא וּמִשְׁנַת בַּר קַפָּרָא:

And the grinders cease. These refer to the great collections of Mishnah, [e.g.,] the Mishnah of Rabbi Akiva, the Mishnah of Rabbi Chiya, and the Mishnah of the son of Kappara.

וְחָשְׁכוּ הָרֹאוֹת. שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּכַּח הַגְּמָרָא מִן הַלֵּב:

And the starers [in the windows] are dimmed. That the Talmud will be forgotten from the heart.

וְסֻגְּרוּ דְלָתַיִם בַּשּׁוּק. כְּגוֹן דַּלְתֵי נְחוּשְׁתָּא בֶּן אֶלְנָתָן שֶׁהָיוּ פְּתוּחִים לָרְוָחָה:

And the doors to the street will be shut. For example, the doors of Nechushta the son³²It seems that Nechushta was the daughter of Elnasan. See II Melochim 24:8. The doors of her house were always open to offer hospitality. of Elnasan, which were wide open [for guests].

בִּשְׁפַל קוֹל הַטַּחֲנָה. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַסְּקוּ בַתּוֹרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל, נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִטְחִינַת הָרֵחַיִם, מָה רֵחַיִם אֵינָן בְּטֵלוֹת לֹא בַּיּוֹם וְלֹא בַלַּיְלָה, אַף כַּאן: "וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה":

When the sound of the grinding is low. Because they did not engage in Torah study. Rabbi Shmuel said, that Yisroel is compared to the grinding of the millstones; just as the millstones are idle neither by day nor by night, here too, [it states,] “you shall meditate therein day and night.”³³Yehoshua 1:8.

וְיָקוּם לְקוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר. זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר הָרָשָׁע. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי: י"ח שָׁנָה הָיְתָה בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת וּמְפוֹצֶצֶת בַּפַּלְטִין שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר: "עַבְדָּא בִישָׁא, זִיל אַחֲרִיב בֵּיתֵיהּ דְּמָרָךְ, דִּבְנֵי מָרָךְ לָא שָׁמְעִין לֵיהּ":

And one will awaken at the sound of a bird. This is the wicked Nevuchadnetzar. Rabbi Levi said, that for eighteen years a heavenly voice would go forth and scatter in Nevuchadnetzar’s palace and proclaim, “Wicked slave, go and destroy your Master’s House [i.e., the Beis Hamikdosh,] because His children disobey Him.”

וְיִשַּׁחוּ כָּל בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר. "בַּשִּׁיר לֹא יִשְׁתּוּ יָיִן:

And muffled will be the daughters [sounds] of song. “They shall not drink wine with song.”³⁴Yeshayahu 24:9.

גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִירָאוּ. מִגָּבֹהַּ שֶׁל עוֹלָם יִתְיָירֵא וְיִדְאַג לִבּוֹ, פֶּן יַעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בָרִאשׁוֹנִים:

Also when they will fear heights. Of He Who is Supreme in the universe, [Nevuchadnetzar] was afraid, and his heart was concerned lest He do to him as He did to his predecessors.

וְחַתְחַתִּים בַּדֶּרֶךְ. מִתּוֹךְ כַּךְ, יְבַקֵּשׁ לוֹ אוֹתוֹת וּרְמָזִים אִם יַצְלִיחַ בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי עָמַד מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל אֶל אֵם הַדֶּרֶךְ. . . לִקְסָם, קִלְקַל בַּחִצִּים, שָׁאַל בַּתְּרָפִים":

And terrors on the road. Because of this, he will seek signs and omens [to determine if] he will succeed on the way that he will go, as the matter is stated, “For the king of Bavel stood at the crossroads ... to divine; he shot the arrows, he inquired of the teraphim.”³⁵Yechezkeil 21:26.

וְיָנֵאץ הַשָׁקֵד. תִּצְמַח נְבוּאַת יִרְמְיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "מַקֵּל שָׁקֵד אֲנִי רֹאֶה". אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הַשָּׁקֵד הַזֶּה, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מֵצִיץ עַד גְּמַר פֵּרוֹתָיו כ"א יוֹם. כַּךְ, מִי"ז בְּתַמּוּז עַד תִּשְׁעָה בְאָב כ"א יוֹם:

And the almond tree will blossom. Yirmiyahu’s prophecy will sprout, as it is stated, “I see a staff of an almond tree.”³⁶Yirmiyahu 1:11. Rabbi Eliezer said, this almond tree, from the time it blossoms until its fruits ripen, are twenty-one days. Likewise, from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of [Menachem] Av are twenty-one days.

וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב. זֶה צַלְמוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר. "רוּמֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין פְּתָיֵּהּ אַמִּין שִׁית". וְאִם אֵין עָבְיוֹ אֶלָּא שֵׁשׁ, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד, וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ: "אַקִימֵהּ בְּבִקְעַת דוּרָא"? אָמַר רַב בִּיבִּי, מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ וְנוֹפֵל, עַד שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ כָל זָהָב שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם וְשָׁפְכוּ דִימוֹס עַל רַגְלָיו לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וּזְהָבָם לְנִדָּה וְלָמַס יִהְיֶה":

And the grasshopper will be a burden. This refers to Nevuchadnetzar’s graven image; “its height was sixty cubits [and] its width six cubits.”³⁷Daniyeil 3:1. Now, if its thickness is only six, it cannot stand, and you say that, “he set it up in the plain of Dura”?³⁸Ibid.. Rav Bibi said, they kept on setting it up and it kept on falling, until they brought all the gold of Yerusholayim and poured it out as a base on its feet, to fulfill what is stated, “and their gold will be repugnant.”³⁹Yechezkeil 7:19.

וְתָפֵר הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה. זוּ זְכוּת אָבוֹת. תּוּפַר מִשְׁעֶנֶת אָבוֹת שֶׁלָּכֶם, וְיִהְיֶה "הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה" מִלְּשׁוֹן "אָב":

And the desire will fail. This refers to ancestral merit; the support of your Patriarchs will fail; accordingly, ‘הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה’ is derived from ‘אָב’ [=father].

כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם. יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרָא "צֹאן אָדָם," "אָדָם אַתֶּם":

For [in this manner] man goes. [This refers to] Yisroel, who were called “the people, like sheep;”⁴⁰Ibid. 36:37. The beginning of the phrase is, “I will relate to the inquiries of the House of Yisrael, to act for them; I will multiply them, the people, like sheep.” [and] “you are Man.”⁴¹Ibid. 34:31. The beginning of the verse is, “Now, you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are Man.”

אֶל בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ. מִבָּבֶל בָּאוּ, לְבָבֶל חָזְרוּ. תֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר הָיָה:

To his eternal home. They came from Bavel, and they returned to Bavel. Terach, the father of Avrohom, was from the other side of the river.

וְסָבְבוּ בַשּׁוּק הַסּוֹפְדִים. גָּלוּת יְכָנְיָה קָדְמָה לְגָלוּת צִדְקִיָּה י"א שָׁנָה. כְּשֶׁהֶגְלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר אֶת גָּלוּת צִדְקִיָּהוּ בְּקוֹלָרִין, הָיוּ יוֹצְאִין גָּלוּת יְכָנְיָה לִקְרַאת נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר עַל כָּרְחָן עִם שְׁאָר בְּנֵי הָעִיר לְקַלְּסוֹ שֶׁהוּא גִבּוֹר וּמַצְלִיחַ, וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִם וְשׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתָם אִישׁ עַל קְרוֹבוֹ, מַה נַעֲשָׂה בוֹ, וְהָיוּ מְשִׁיבִין אוֹתָן: "אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת, וַאֲשֶׁר לַשֶּׁבִי לַשֶּׁבִי, וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב לַחֶרֶב", וְהָיוּ מְקַלְּסִּין בְּיָדָם אַחַת, וּבְיָדָם אַחֶרֶת מְסַפְּקִין וּמְטַפְּחִין הֶסְפֵּד עַל אֲחֵיהֶם וְעַל בְּנֵיהֶם:

And the mourners go about the streets. The exile of Yechonyah preceded the exile of Tzidkiyah by eleven years. When Nevuchadnetzar exiled Tzidkiyahu[’s captives] in neck irons, the exiles of Yechonyah came out toward Nevuchadnetzar against their will, with the rest of the city’s citizens, to praise him, that he was a hero and a victor; and they would see the captives and each would inquire about his kinsman, what happened to him, they would answer them, “those who are [destined] for death, to death, and those who are [destined] for captivity, to captivity, and those who are [destined] for the sword, to the sword.”⁴²Yirmiyahu 15:2. The text in our editions have a different sequence than the one offered by Rashi. Our editions read “...those who are [destined] for death, to death; those who are [destined] for the sword, to the sword; those who are [destined] for hunger, to hunger; and those who are [destined] for captivity, to captivity.” They would praise with one hand, and with their other hand, they would clap and beat their sides in mourning for their brothers and their children.

עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵרָתֵק חֶבֶל הַכֶּסֶף. זוּ שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת יוֹחֲסִין:

Before the snapping of the silver cord. This refers to the genealogical chain.

וְתָרֻץ גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב. אֵלוּ דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב":

And the golden bowl is shattered. These are the words of Torah, as it is stated, “They are to be desired more than gold.”⁴³Tehillim 19:11.

וְתִשָּׁבֶר כַּד עַל הַמַּבּוּע. כַּדּוֹ שֶׁל בָּרוּךְ בֶּן נֵרִיָּה עַל מַבּוּעוֹ שֶׁל יִרְמְיָהוּ, שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם גָּלוּ לְבָבֶל וּפָסְקוּ מִלִּמּוּדָם בְּעִנּוּי הַדֶּרֶךְ. תְּחִלָּה גָּלוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהֶגְלָם יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ, וּכְשֶׁהֶחֱרִיב נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר אֶת מִצְרַיִם, הֶגְלָם לְבָבֶל:

And the pitcher is broken at the fountain. The pitcher of Baruch the son of Neiriyah⁴⁴I.e., pitcher [=כד] is referring to Baruch the son of Neiriyah. on the fountain of Yirmiyahu.⁴⁵I.e., fountain [=מבוע] is referring to Yirmiyahu. In the Midrash there is also an opposite view, that מבוע refers to Baruch the son of Neiriyah, and כד refers to Yirmiyahu. The difference of opinion hinges upon the question of who was exiled first. A pitcher is not broken unless the fountain has dried up first; מבוע therefore represents the one who was first to be exiled. (Torah Temimah) For they were both exiled to Bavel and interrupted their studies because of the journey’s hardship. At first, they were exiled to Egypt, for Yochanan the son of Kare’ach exiled them, but when Nevuchadnetzar destroyed Egypt, he exiled them to Bavel.

וְנָרֹץ הַגַּלְגַּל אֶל הַבּוֹר. זוּ בָבֶל שֶׁהִיא זוּטָא שֶׁל עוֹלָם:

And the wheel is shattered into the pit. This is Bavel, which is the world’s depository.⁴⁶Bavel serves as the world’s depository because it is situated lower than all its surrounding land. Probably on account of this, the Gemara in Maseches Zevachim 113b states that the dead of the Flood were shaken out there. Also, the Gemara in Maseches Ta’anis 10a states that Bavel does not require rain because it is swampy and never dries out being that its land is situated so low.

וְיָשֹׁב הֶעָפָר וְגוֹ'. מִבָּבֶל בָּאוּ, לְבָבֶל חָזְרוּ:

And the dust returns, etc. They came from Bavel and they returned to Bavel.⁴⁷Alternatively, referring to the body, for God created Adam from dust. The body will return to the earth and turn into dust as it was originally. (Metsudas Dovid)

וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב. זוּ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, גָּלוּ:

And the spirit returns. This is the Holy Spirit, for as soon as the Holy Spirit departed, they were exiled.

הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים. אֲנִי רוֹאֶה בָּעוֹלָם:

Vanity of vanities. I see in the world.

אָמַר הַקּוֹהֶלֶת. מִי שֶׁבּוֹ קְבוּצַת הַחָכְמָה:

Says Koheles. He who had a collection of wisdom within him.⁴⁸See Rashi above 7:27 for an explanation why “קהלת” which is a feminine noun is sometimes used in the masculine form.

הַכֹּל הָבֶל. כָּל מַה שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית:

All is vanity. All that was created during the six days of creation.

וְיֹתֵר שֶׁהָיָה קֹהֶלֶת חָכָם. וְיוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִכְתַּב בְּסֵפֶר זֶה. הָיָה קֹהֶלֶת חָכָם:

And besides that Koheles was wise. More than what is written in this book”⁴⁹Alternatively, “In addition to his virtue of being a wise man, Koheles also taught others and made them wise.” (Metsudas Dovid) Koheles was more [=יוֹתֵר wise.

וְאִזֵּן. עָשָׂה אָזְנַיִם לַתּוֹרָה, כְּקֻפָּה זוּ שֶׁאֵין לָהּ אָזְנַיִם לֶאֱחוֹז בָּהּ, וּבָא וְעָשָׂה לָהּ אָזְנַיִם, שֶׁתִּקֵּן עֵירוּבִין לִסְיָג שְׁמִירַת שַׁבָּת, וּנְטִילַת יָדַיִם סְיָג לְטָהָרָה, וְגָזַר עַל הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת סְיָג לָעֲרָיוֹת:

He weighed. He made handles⁵⁰I.e., ears [אזן]. See Maseches Eruvin 21b. Alternatively, “ואזן” means, “he let them hear.” (Metsudas Dovid) for the Torah, like a basket which has no handles with which to grasp it, and he came along and made handles for it,⁵¹By applying “handles” to various mitzvos, he made it easier to grasp them, in the same manner as it is easier to grasp a utensil with handles than one that is without handles. (Sifsei Chachomim) for he instituted “eruvin” as a safeguard for the observance of the Shabbos, and the ritual washing of the hands as a safeguard for purity, and he instituted secondary forbidden marriages as a safeguard for the prohibitions against incest.

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.⁵²The Gemara in Rosh Hashannah 21b expounds this verse, that Koheles sought to be like Moshe. A heavenly voice emerged and said, “and to write in a proper way [=וכתוב ישר] words of truth [דברי אמת];” and in Devarim 34:10 it states, "and no prophet has there arisen in Yisroel like Moshe." Another name for Devarim is ספר הישר which is alluded to [וכתוב ישר] in this verse. (Maharsha)

וְכָתוּב ישֶׁר. זֶה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְהַנְּבִיאִים:

And to write in a proper way. This refers to the written Torah and the Prophets.

דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים. שֶׁעָשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה בִּגְזֵרוֹת לְהַרְחִיק אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵירָה, כְּגוֹן אֲכִילַת קָדָשִׁים עַד הַשַּׁחַר, וְהֵם אָמְרוּ עַד חֲצוֹת, וּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע דְּעַרְבִית כְּמוֹ כֵן:

The words of the wise. They made a “fence” for the Torah with [various] decrees in order to distance a person from sin, e.g., eating hallowed things [is permitted] until dawn, but they declared “[only] until midnight,” and likewise, the evening recitation of Shema.⁵³See Mishnayos Berachos 1:1.

כַּדָּרְבֹנוֹת. מַה דָּרְבָן זֶה מְכַוֵּן אֶת הַפָּרָה לִתְלָמֶיהָ, כַּךְ דִּבְרֵיהֶם מְכַוְּנִים אֶת הָאָדָם לְדַרְכֵי חַיִּים:

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.

בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפּוֹת. מַסְמְרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם גּוּלְגוֹלֶת אֲסִיפָה וְגַסָּה, גרוס"ה בְּלַעַ"ז. כֵּן פֵּרְשׁוֹ דּוּנָשׁ בֶּן לָבְרַט:

Of the masters of [learned] assemblies. Nails that have a large and thick head, grose in O.F. So did Dunash the son of Labrat explain it.

נִתְּנוּ מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד. כָּל דִּבְרֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים. הוּא אַמָרָן, וְרוֹעֶה אֶחָד נְתָנָן, משֶׁה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה.

All were given from one Shepherd. All their words are the words of the living God, He said them; and one shepherd⁵⁴The acronym of משה רבנו עליו השלום is מרעה [=from one shepherd], and that is why מרעה is spelled without a vav. (Sifsei Chachomim) gave them, Moshe from the Almighty.

וּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹת. כְּתִיב בְּשִׂי"ן, שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה בְעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה סְפָרִים, וּכְמִנְיַן מִשְׁמְרוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה:

Like [well fastened] nails. This is written with a sin, for the Torah, with its twenty-four books coincides with the number of the watches of the Kohanim and the Levyim.

וְיֹתֵר מֵהֵמָּה בְּנִי הִזָּהֵר. וְיוֹתֵר מִיּוֹשֶׁר דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת, דְּבָרִים הַכְּתוּבִים בַּסְּפָרִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמָעְלָה:

And furthermore my son be admonished. More than the uprightness of the words of truth, the words written in the aforementioned books.

בְּנִי הִזָּהֵר. לִשְׁמֹר דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים, וְאִם תֹּאמַר: "אִם יֵשׁ בָּהֶם צוֹרֶךְ, לָמָה לֹא נִכְתְּבוּ"?

My son be admonished. To observe the words of the Sages. Now if you ask, “If they are necessary, why were they not written down?”

עֲשׂוֹת סְפָרִים הַרְבֵּה אֵין קֵץ. אִם בָּאנוּ לִכְתֹּב, לֹא הִסְפַּקְנוּ:

Of making many books there is no end. If we would attempt to write, we would be unable to do so.⁵⁵See Rashi in Maseches Eruvin 21b. The sages did not write in the books all that one should be observing, because “there is no end,” i.e., it would be impossible to write everything in books.

וְלַהַג הַרְבֵּה יְגִעַת בָּשָׂר. וְאִם בָּא לָתֵת לֵב לְגִרְסָא חֲבִילוֹת יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁאֵין הַלֵּב מַשִּׂיג, יְגִיעָה הִיא לַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁאֵין לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ, וְלֹא יֹאמַר: "הוֹאִיל וְלֹא אוּכַל לִגְמֹר הַמְּלָאכָה, לָמָּה אַתְחִיל"? אַךְ —

And much study wears away the flesh. And if he attempts to meditate⁵⁶Rashi understands that ולהג is like ולהגות, i.e., to meditate, from the root הגה, and the lamed is not part of the root. (Sifsei Chachomim) in large amounts [of Torah study], more than the heart can grasp, that is weariness to mankind that is not attainable, but let one not say, “Since I cannot complete the work, why should I begin?” But —

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.⁵⁷Alternatively, the Gemara in Maseches Berachos 6b expounds this verse, that if one is filled with fear of God [=את האלקים ירא], his words are listened to [הכל נשמע]. Or, everything a person does is heard before God [הכל נשמע] and nothing is concealed from Him, therefore fear God [=את האלקים ירא], and observe His commandments [ואת מצותיו שמור]. (Metsudas Dovid)

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.

כִּי אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה. אֲשֶׁר אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה, יָבִיא הָאֱלֹהִים בְּמִשְׁפָּט. וּלְכַךְ נָקוּד "מַעֲשֶׂה" פַּתָּ"ח וְהַטַּעַם לְמַעְלָה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָבוּק לַשֵּׁם:

For every deed. That a person performs, God will bring to judgment.⁵⁸Just as God does not allow any good deed, small as it may be, to go without reward, so too, He does not permit any bad deed, however small, to go without judgment. (Mesilas Yeshorim) Therefore, מַעֲשֶׂה is vowelized with a patach, and the cantillation sign is above,⁵⁹I.e., the cantillation sign indicates a slight pause, separating it from the word that follows. (Sifsei Chachomim) since it is not connected to “God.”⁶⁰For every deed, God will bring to the great Judgment Day, and He will publicize it to all mankind whether good or bad. (Targum)

עַל כָּל נֶעְלָם. אֲפִילוּ עַל הַשּׁוֹגֵג:

And every hidden thing. Even for the unintentional sin.⁶¹Alternatively, man’s intention which is hidden from others, God will bring into judgment. (Metsudas Dovid)

אִם טוֹב וְאִם רָע. אֲפִילּוּ נִכְשַׁל בְּמִצְוָה, כְּגוֹן נוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לְעָנִי בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא: סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא וְגוֹ':

Whether good or bad. Even if he stumbled in a commandment,⁶²Mesilas Yeshorim in Chapter 3 cites the Gemara in Maseches Eruvin 13b, that man should “examine” [יפשפש] his deeds; others say that he should “feel” [ימשמש] his deeds. He explains that the former [יפשפש] refers to examining actions which are not in accordance with God’s commandments and they should be eliminated. The latter [ימשמש] refers to investigating the good actions to determine any aspects of them which are not good and they should be removed. e.g., giving charity to the poor in public.⁶³The Gemara in Maseches Chagigah 5a criticizes one who gives charity to a poor person in public, because it is an act which may shame him. And that is the meaning why even a good deed, “God will bring into judgment.” (Sifsei Chachomim) ⁶⁴The numerical value [gematria] of the last four words of Koheles, אם טוב ואם רע [=whether good or bad], is equal to 375, the same gematria as its author שלמה [=375]. Also, Koheles begins with a daled and ends with an ayin, alluding to I Divrei Hayomim 28:9 where Dovid instructs his son Shlomo, “Know [דע] the God of your father and serve him.” In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God, etc.