Midrash
Kohelet Rabbah 12:3 קהלת רבה י״ב:ג׳
Part of: Chapter 12
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בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת, אֵלּוּ הַצְּלָעוֹת. וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ אַנְשֵׁי הֶחָיִל, אֵלּוּ זְרוֹעוֹתָיו. רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר אֵלּוּ צַלְעוֹתָיו. וּבָטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֹת, זוֹ הֶמְסֵס. כִּי מִעֵטוּ, אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁנַּיִם. וְחָשְׁכוּ הָרֹאוֹת בָּאֲרֻבּוֹת, אֵלּוּ הָעֵינַיִם. רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר אֵלּוּ כַּנְפֵי הָרֵאָה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת.
“on the day that the guards of the house will tremble, the men of valor will be bent, the grinders will cease because they have dwindled, and it will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” (Ecclesiastes 12:3);
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” – these are the ribs; “the men of valor will be bent” – these are one’s arms. Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Neḥemya says: These are one’s ribs. “The grinders will cease” – this is the stomach; “because they have dwindled” – these are the teeth; “and it will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” – Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Neḥemya says: These are the edges of the lungs, from which the sound of the voice emerges.
“on the day that the guards of the house will tremble, the men of valor will be bent, the grinders will cease because they have dwindled, and it will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” (Ecclesiastes 12:3);
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” – these are the ribs; “the men of valor will be bent” – these are one’s arms. Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Neḥemya says: These are one’s ribs. “The grinders will cease” – this is the stomach; “because they have dwindled” – these are the teeth; “and it will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” – Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Neḥemya says: These are the edges of the lungs, from which the sound of the voice emerges.