Midrash
Kohelet Rabbah 2:14 קהלת רבה ב׳:י״ד
Part of: Chapter 2
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הֶחָכָם עֵינָיו בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וגו'. הֶחָכָם עֵינָיו בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְהַכְּסִיל עֵינָיו בְּרַגְלָיו, אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁהֶחָכָם בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל עִנְיָן, הוּא יוֹדֵעַ מַה יֵּשׁ בְּסוֹפוֹ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר הֲוָה צָוַוח לְסוֹפֵיהּ דְּמִלָּה רֵישֵׁיהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הֶחָכָם עֵינָיו בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, זֶה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וְהַכְּסִיל בַּחשֶׁךְ הוֹלֵךְ, זֶה נִמְרוֹד. וְיָדַעְתִּי גַּם אָנִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶה אֶחָד יִקְרֶה אֶת כֻּלָּם.
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness. I also know that one event will happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 2:14).
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head…” – the wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fool, his eyes are in his legs? Rather, when the wise man is still at the beginning of a matter, he knows what will be at its end. Rabbi Meir would call the end of a matter its beginning.43Because one should begin something with the end in mind. Alternatively: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” – this is Abraham our patriarch; “but the fool walks in darkness” – this is Nimrod; “I also know that one event will happen to them all.”44Both the wise man and the fool eventually die.
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness. I also know that one event will happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 2:14).
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head…” – the wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fool, his eyes are in his legs? Rather, when the wise man is still at the beginning of a matter, he knows what will be at its end. Rabbi Meir would call the end of a matter its beginning.43Because one should begin something with the end in mind. Alternatively: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” – this is Abraham our patriarch; “but the fool walks in darkness” – this is Nimrod; “I also know that one event will happen to them all.”44Both the wise man and the fool eventually die.