Midrash
Kohelet Rabbah 4:2 קהלת רבה ד׳:ב׳
Part of: Chapter 4
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by side
וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ, אֵלּוּ דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. מִן הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עֲדֶנָה. אֵלּוּ הַסְּדוֹמִיִּים וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים.
“I praise the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still alive” (Ecclesiastes 4:2).
“I praise the dead who are already dead” – these are the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood; “more than the living who are still alive” – these are the Sodomites and the Egyptians.6The generations of Enosh and the Flood were destroyed and will never come back to life. The Sodomites and Egyptians will come back to life in the World to Come, and will be punished and abhorred by all (Etz Yosef).
“I praise the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still alive” (Ecclesiastes 4:2).
“I praise the dead who are already dead” – these are the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood; “more than the living who are still alive” – these are the Sodomites and the Egyptians.6The generations of Enosh and the Flood were destroyed and will never come back to life. The Sodomites and Egyptians will come back to life in the World to Come, and will be punished and abhorred by all (Etz Yosef).