Kohelet 8 קהלת ח׳

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.