Midrash
Kohelet Rabbah 2:6 קהלת רבה ב׳:ו׳
Part of: Chapter 2
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עָשִׂיתִי לִי בְּרֵכוֹת מָיִם, פּוֹסְקִינוֹס, לְהַשְׁקוֹת מֵהֶם יַעַר צוֹמֵחַ עֵצִים, זוֹ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א י, יז): וַיִּתְּנֵם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבֵית יַעַר הַלְּבָנוֹן.
“I made myself pools of water to irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” (Ecclesiastes 2:6).
“I made myself pools of water” – an irrigation system; “to irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” – this is the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “[Three hundred shields of gold…] The king placed them in the house of the forest of Lebanon” (II Chronicles 9:16).16The shields were kept in the Land of Israel; hence, the Land of Israel is referred to as a forest.
“I made myself pools of water to irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” (Ecclesiastes 2:6).
“I made myself pools of water” – an irrigation system; “to irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” – this is the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “[Three hundred shields of gold…] The king placed them in the house of the forest of Lebanon” (II Chronicles 9:16).16The shields were kept in the Land of Israel; hence, the Land of Israel is referred to as a forest.