Midrash
Kohelet Rabbah 7:6 קהלת רבה ז׳:ו׳
Part of: Chapter 7
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כִּי כְקוֹל הַסִּירִים תַּחַת הַסִּיר, רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי זְעֵירָא עֲבַד לָהּ נְטִילַת רְשׁוּת, כָּל הָעֵצִים כְּשֶׁהֵן דּוֹלְקִין אֵין קוֹלָן הוֹלֵךְ, בְּרַם הָלֵין סִרְיָיתָא כַּד אִינוּן דּוֹלְקִים קוֹלָן הוֹלֵךְ, מֵימַר אוֹף אֲנַן קֵיסִין.
“For like the crackling of brambles under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this, too, is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 7:6).
“For like the crackling of brambles under the pot” – Rabbi Levi son of Rabbi Ze’eira would state a request of permission:43He would do so at the beginning of his addresses, requesting the audience’s permission. All the trees, when they are ignited, their sound does not carry; however, these brambles when they are ignited, their sound carries. They are saying: We, too, are trees.44He was saying, in his humility: Even those who are not wise want to have their voices heard. Therefore, please grant me permission to speak.
“For like the crackling of brambles under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this, too, is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 7:6).
“For like the crackling of brambles under the pot” – Rabbi Levi son of Rabbi Ze’eira would state a request of permission:43He would do so at the beginning of his addresses, requesting the audience’s permission. All the trees, when they are ignited, their sound does not carry; however, these brambles when they are ignited, their sound carries. They are saying: We, too, are trees.44He was saying, in his humility: Even those who are not wise want to have their voices heard. Therefore, please grant me permission to speak.