Ecclesiastes 12

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Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Notes

Cross Reference

Concordance

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

<html>So remember your Creator. There¹Mishnayos Avos 3:1. we learned, Akavya the son of Mahalalel says, reflect upon three things, etc. And he expounded it from this verse, “so remember your Creator [=בּוֹרְאֶךָ,” that you will give an accounting and reckoning before Him; and remember your pit, your grave [=בּוֹרֶךָ, a place of earth, maggots, and worms; and remember your well [=בְּאֵרֶךָ, the well that flows from its source, that is, the putrid drop of semen and whiteness. The evil days. The days of old age and feebleness.²The days of old age are referred to as “evil days” because it is more difficult to serve God in those days than it is during one’s youth. (Metsudas Dovid) </html>

Verse 2

<html>Before the darkening of the sun. Our Rabbis said that this שֶׁמֶשׁ refers to the forehead, which gives light and shines on a young man,³See Rashi in Maseches Shabbos 151b. but as he grows older, it becomes wrinkled and does not shine.⁴Alternatively, before becoming ill and bedridden. (Metsudas Dovid) The light. This refers to the nose, which is the form of the face’s features. The moon. This refers to the soul, which provides a person with light, once it is taken away from him, his eyes cease to have light. And the stars. These refer to the cheeks, the pomegranates of the face, called pomels [in O.F.] of the cheeks, which shine. And the clouds return after the rain. The dimming of the light follow the tears of weeping for the many troubles that he experienced.⁵Alternatively, he returns to his weakness following a brief recovery. (Metsudas Dovid) </html>

Verse 3

<html>Trembling. Trembling. The preservers of the house. These refer to the ribs and flanks, that protect the entire body’s cavity.⁶Alternatively, these refer to the hands and arms. (Metsudas Dovid) Will be bent. Will be seized by cramps עִוּוּת, called crampe [in O.F.]. Will be seized with cramps [=וְהִתְעַוְּתוּ is encranpiront in O.F. The strong men. These refer to the legs, upon which the entire body is supported. And the grinders cease. These refer to the teeth. Because they are few. In old age, most of his teeth fall out. And the starers in the windows. These refer to the eyes.</html>

Verse 4

<html>And the doors [to the street] will be shut. These refer to his orifices. When the sound of the grinding is low. The sound of the mill grinding the food in his intestines, and that refers to the stomach. And when one will awaken at the sound of a bird. For even the voice of a bird awakens him from his sleep once he has become old. And muffled will be the daughters [sounds] of song. All the sounds of musical instruments seem to him like conversation. Its apparent meaning is its simple interpretation, ‘יִשַּׁחוּ’ is like יִשְׁפְּלוּ [=will be brought low]. All the singers and songstresses will be low in his eyes, and as Barzily of Gilad said to Dovid, “or can I still listen to the voice of singers and songstresses?”⁷II Shmuel 19:36. </html>

Verse 5

<html>Also when they will fear heights. From the mounds and bumps in the streets; [i.e.,] he is afraid to go outdoors because he might stumble on them.⁸Alternatively, they fear heights because they feel that they do not have the energy to climb them. (Ibn Ezra) And terrors on the road. The road’s many fears and terrors. Terrors. This is a word is of a doubled language, as in גַּלְגַּלִּים [=wheels], קַּשְׂקַּשִּׂים [=scales], זַלְזַלִּים [=tendrils]. [And the almond tree] will blossom. וְיָנֵאץ is] an expression of, “the pomegranates have blossomed הֵנֵצוּ,”⁹Shir Hashirim 7:13. for the ‘aleph’ in it is silent. Our Rabbis said, this is the haunch, hanche in O.F., into which the hip bone is thrust, and in his old age, the flesh becomes thin and the bone protrudes, like when a tree blossoms, it protrudes.¹⁰See Rashi in Maseches Shabbos 152a. The almond tree. An almond tree, i.e., old age will spring upon him just like this almond tree, which hastens to blossom before all the other trees. And the grasshopper will be a burden. These are the buttocks, for his buttocks will seem to him to be as one who bears a heavy burden.¹¹Alternatively, if a grasshopper alights upon him, he will feel it as a burden. (Metsudas Dovid) Will be a burden. Ed ert sorfeisiez in O.F. And the desire will fail. The desire for women; for he will have no need to be intimate with women. ‘אֲבִיּוֹנָה’ [means] desire,¹²Alternatively, and understanding [האביונה=בינה] will fail. (Metsudas Dovid) as in, “But you did not desire אֲבִיתֶם,”¹³Devarim 1:26. [and as in,] “I yearned תָּאַבְתִּי for Your salvation.”¹⁴Tehillim 119:174. </html>

Verse 6

<html>Before the snapping of the silver cord. This refers to the spinal cord, which is as white as silver, and when he dies, its marrow diminishes and empties out and dries, and it becomes crooked within the vertebrae, becoming like a chain. יֵרָתֵק is an expression of “silver chains”¹⁵Yeshayahu 40:19. רְתֻקוֹת. And the golden bowl is shattered. This is the male member, that emits a flow of water and flows like a fountain,¹⁶Alternatively, “the golden bowl” refers to the brain. (Metsudas Dovid) as in, “the upper springs גֻלוֹת.”¹⁷Yehoshua 15:19. ‘וְתָרֻץ’ is an expression of shattering.¹⁸As in “They broke and cursed [וירצצו],” in Shoftim 10:8. (Metsudas Dovid) And the pitcher is broken at the fountain. This refers to the stomach,¹⁹Alternatively, “the pitcher” refers to the gall bladder. (Metsudas Dovid) which is thick and cracks upon his death. And the wheel is shattered into the pit. The eyeball will be shattered within its socket. But according to its simple interpretation, this is a wheel with which they draw water from the cistern. So is this entire matter expounded in Maseches Shabbos.²⁰151b-152a. But Midrash Kinos interprets it [i.e., verses 1-6 above] as referring to all Yisroel [as follows]: So remember your Creator in the days of your youth. As long as your youthfulness still endures, as long as the priesthood still endures, as it is stated, “And [I did] choose him from among all the tribes of Yisroel to be a Kohen to Me,”²¹I Shmuel 2:28. as long as [the covenant with] the Levyim still endures, as it is stated, “For Adonoy your God has chosen him from among all your tribes,”²²Devarim 18:5. as long as the kingship of the House of Dovid still endures, as it is stated, “And He chose Dovid, His servant,”²³Tehillim 78:70. as long as Yerusholayim still endures, about which it is stated, “the city that I have chosen,”²⁴I Melochim 11:32. as long as the Beis [Hamikdosh] still endures, about which it is stated, “And now I have chosen and sanctified this House,”²⁵II Divrei Hayomim 7:16. [and] as long as you still endure, as it is stated, “and Adonoy has chosen you.”²⁶Devarim 14:2. Before the evil days come. These are the days of the exile. Before the darkening of the sun. This is the kingdom of the House of Dovid of which it is stated, “And his throne [shall be] like the sun before Me.”²⁷Tehillim 89:37. The light. This refers to the Torah, as it is stated, “For a commandment is a lamp, and the Torah is light.”²⁸Mishlei 6:23. The moon. This refers to the Sanhedrin, of which we learned, “[The seating of] the Sanhedrin was in the shape of a semi-circular threshing floor.”²⁹Mishnayos Sanhedrin 4:3. And the stars. These refers to the Rabbis, as it is stated, “and those who teach righteousness to the multitudes [will shine] like the stars.”³⁰Daniyeil 12:3. And the clouds return after the rain. One calamity after another. You find concerning all the harsh prophecies that Yirmiyahu prophesied, that they only befell them after the destruction of the Beis [Hamikdosh]. In the day when trembling prevails over the preservers of the house. These refer to the watches of the Kohanim and the Levyim. And the strong men will be bent. These refer to the Kohanim, who are mighty in strength. Rabbi Abba the son of Kahana said, that Aharon lifted twenty-two thousand Levyim in one day. Rabbi Chanina said, that the bird’s crop is a light thing, yet the priest would throw it more than thirty cubits.³¹A great deal of power is needed to throw a light thing more than thirty cubits. (Sifsei Chachomim) And the grinders cease. These refer to the great collections of Mishnah, [e.g.,] the Mishnah of Rabbi Akiva, the Mishnah of Rabbi Chiya, and the Mishnah of the son of Kappara. And the starers [in the windows] are dimmed. That the Talmud will be forgotten from the heart. And the doors to the street will be shut. For example, the doors of Nechushta the son³²It seems that Nechushta was the daughter of Elnasan. See II Melochim 24:8. The doors of her house were always open to offer hospitality. of Elnasan, which were wide open [for guests]. When the sound of the grinding is low. Because they did not engage in Torah study. Rabbi Shmuel said, that Yisroel is compared to the grinding of the millstones; just as the millstones are idle neither by day nor by night, here too, [it states,] “you shall meditate therein day and night.”³³Yehoshua 1:8. And one will awaken at the sound of a bird. This is the wicked Nevuchadnetzar. Rabbi Levi said, that for eighteen years a heavenly voice would go forth and scatter in Nevuchadnetzar’s palace and proclaim, “Wicked slave, go and destroy your Master’s House [i.e., the Beis Hamikdosh,] because His children disobey Him.” And muffled will be the daughters [sounds] of song. “They shall not drink wine with song.”³⁴Yeshayahu 24:9. Also when they will fear heights. Of He Who is Supreme in the universe, [Nevuchadnetzar] was afraid, and his heart was concerned lest He do to him as He did to his predecessors. And terrors on the road. Because of this, he will seek signs and omens [to determine if] he will succeed on the way that he will go, as the matter is stated, “For the king of Bavel stood at the crossroads … to divine; he shot the arrows, he inquired of the teraphim.”³⁵Yechezkeil 21:26. And the almond tree will blossom. Yirmiyahu’s prophecy will sprout, as it is stated, “I see a staff of an almond tree.”³⁶Yirmiyahu 1:11. Rabbi Eliezer said, this almond tree, from the time it blossoms until its fruits ripen, are twenty-one days. Likewise, from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of [Menachem] Av are twenty-one days. And the grasshopper will be a burden. This refers to Nevuchadnetzar’s graven image; “its height was sixty cubits [and] its width six cubits.”³⁷Daniyeil 3:1. Now, if its thickness is only six, it cannot stand, and you say that, “he set it up in the plain of Dura”?³⁸Ibid.. Rav Bibi said, they kept on setting it up and it kept on falling, until they brought all the gold of Yerusholayim and poured it out as a base on its feet, to fulfill what is stated, “and their gold will be repugnant.”³⁹Yechezkeil 7:19. And the desire will fail. This refers to ancestral merit; the support of your Patriarchs will fail; accordingly, ‘הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה’ is derived from ‘אָב’ [=father]. For [in this manner] man goes. [This refers to] Yisroel, who were called “the people, like sheep;”⁴⁰Ibid. 36:37. The beginning of the phrase is, “I will relate to the inquiries of the House of Yisrael, to act for them; I will multiply them, the people, like sheep.” [and] “you are Man.”⁴¹Ibid. 34:31. The beginning of the verse is, “Now, you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are Man.” To his eternal home. They came from Bavel, and they returned to Bavel. Terach, the father of Avrohom, was from the other side of the river. And the mourners go about the streets. The exile of Yechonyah preceded the exile of Tzidkiyah by eleven years. When Nevuchadnetzar exiled Tzidkiyahu[’s captives] in neck irons, the exiles of Yechonyah came out toward Nevuchadnetzar against their will, with the rest of the city’s citizens, to praise him, that he was a hero and a victor; and they would see the captives and each would inquire about his kinsman, what happened to him, they would answer them, “those who are [destined] for death, to death, and those who are [destined] for captivity, to captivity, and those who are [destined] for the sword, to the sword.”⁴²Yirmiyahu 15:2. The text in our editions have a different sequence than the one offered by Rashi. Our editions read “…those who are [destined] for death, to death; those who are [destined] for the sword, to the sword; those who are [destined] for hunger, to hunger; and those who are [destined] for captivity, to captivity.” They would praise with one hand, and with their other hand, they would clap and beat their sides in mourning for their brothers and their children. Before the snapping of the silver cord. This refers to the genealogical chain. And the golden bowl is shattered. These are the words of Torah, as it is stated, “They are to be desired more than gold.”⁴³Tehillim 19:11. And the pitcher is broken at the fountain. The pitcher of Baruch the son of Neiriyah⁴⁴I.e., pitcher [=כד] is referring to Baruch the son of Neiriyah. on the fountain of Yirmiyahu.⁴⁵I.e., fountain [=מבוע] is referring to Yirmiyahu. In the Midrash there is also an opposite view, that מבוע refers to Baruch the son of Neiriyah, and כד refers to Yirmiyahu. The difference of opinion hinges upon the question of who was exiled first. A pitcher is not broken unless the fountain has dried up first; מבוע therefore represents the one who was first to be exiled. (Torah Temimah) For they were both exiled to Bavel and interrupted their studies because of the journey’s hardship. At first, they were exiled to Egypt, for Yochanan the son of Kare’ach exiled them, but when Nevuchadnetzar destroyed Egypt, he exiled them to Bavel. And the wheel is shattered into the pit. This is Bavel, which is the world’s depository.⁴⁶Bavel serves as the world’s depository because it is situated lower than all its surrounding land. Probably on account of this, the Gemara in Maseches Zevachim 113b states that the dead of the Flood were shaken out there. Also, the Gemara in Maseches Ta’anis 10a states that Bavel does not require rain because it is swampy and never dries out being that its land is situated so low. </html>

Verse 7

<html>And the dust returns, etc. They came from Bavel and they returned to Bavel.⁴⁷Alternatively, referring to the body, for God created Adam from dust. The body will return to the earth and turn into dust as it was originally. (Metsudas Dovid) And the spirit returns. This is the Holy Spirit, for as soon as the Holy Spirit departed, they were exiled. </html>

Verse 8

<html>Vanity of vanities. I see in the world. Says Koheles. He who had a collection of wisdom within him.⁴⁸See Rashi above 7:27 for an explanation why “קהלת” which is a feminine noun is sometimes used in the masculine form. All is vanity. All that was created during the six days of creation.</html>

Verse 9

<html>And besides that Koheles was wise. More than what is written in this book”⁴⁹Alternatively, “In addition to his virtue of being a wise man, Koheles also taught others and made them wise.” (Metsudas Dovid) Koheles was more [=יוֹתֵר wise. He weighed. He made handles⁵⁰I.e., ears [אזן]. See Maseches Eruvin 21b. Alternatively, “ואזן” means, “he let them hear.” (Metsudas Dovid) for the Torah, like a basket which has no handles with which to grasp it, and he came along and made handles for it,⁵¹By applying “handles” to various mitzvos, he made it easier to grasp them, in the same manner as it is easier to grasp a utensil with handles than one that is without handles. (Sifsei Chachomim) for he instituted “eruvin” as a safeguard for the observance of the Shabbos, and the ritual washing of the hands as a safeguard for purity, and he instituted secondary forbidden marriages as a safeguard for the prohibitions against incest. </html>

Verse 10

<html>Koheles sought. He set his heart and sought the matter and found it. Words of delight. The law [as it was given] to Moshe at Sinai.⁵²The Gemara in Rosh Hashannah 21b expounds this verse, that Koheles sought to be like Moshe. A heavenly voice emerged and said, “and to write in a proper way [=וכתוב ישר] words of truth [דברי אמת];” and in Devarim 34:10 it states, “and no prophet has there arisen in Yisroel like Moshe.” Another name for Devarim is ספר הישר which is alluded to [וכתוב ישר] in this verse. (Maharsha) And to write in a proper way. This refers to the written Torah and the Prophets.</html>

Verse 11

<html>The words of the wise. They made a “fence” for the Torah with [various] decrees in order to distance a person from sin, e.g., eating hallowed things [is permitted] until dawn, but they declared “[only] until midnight,” and likewise, the evening recitation of Shema.⁵³See Mishnayos Berachos 1:1. Are like goads. Just as this goad directs the cow to its furrows, so do their words direct a person to the ways of life. Like well-fastened nails. Just as this nail is permanent, so are their words permanent, and just as a sapling is fruitful and multiplies, so are their words fruitful and multiply, to find a reason for them. Of the masters of [learned] assemblies. Nails that have a large and thick head, grose in O.F. So did Dunash the son of Labrat explain it. All were given from one Shepherd. All their words are the words of the living God, He said them; and one shepherd⁵⁴The acronym of משה רבנו עליו השלום is מרעה [=from one shepherd], and that is why מרעה is spelled without a vav. (Sifsei Chachomim) gave them, Moshe from the Almighty. Like [well fastened] nails. This is written with a sin, for the Torah, with its twenty-four books coincides with the number of the watches of the Kohanim and the Levyim. </html>

Verse 12

<html>And furthermore my son be admonished. More than the uprightness of the words of truth, the words written in the aforementioned books. My son be admonished. To observe the words of the Sages. Now if you ask, “If they are necessary, why were they not written down?” Of making many books there is no end. If we would attempt to write, we would be unable to do so.⁵⁵See Rashi in Maseches Eruvin 21b. The sages did not write in the books all that one should be observing, because “there is no end,” i.e., it would be impossible to write everything in books. And much study wears away the flesh. And if he attempts to meditate⁵⁶Rashi understands that ולהג is like ולהגות, i.e., to meditate, from the root הגה, and the lamed is not part of the root. (Sifsei Chachomim) in large amounts [of Torah study], more than the heart can grasp, that is weariness to mankind that is not attainable, but let one not say, “Since I cannot complete the work, why should I begin?” But — </html>

Verse 13

<html>In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God. Do what you can, and let your heart be [directed] toward Heaven.⁵⁷Alternatively, the Gemara in Maseches Berachos 6b expounds this verse, that if one is filled with fear of God [=את האלקים ירא], his words are listened to [הכל נשמע]. Or, everything a person does is heard before God [הכל נשמע] and nothing is concealed from Him, therefore fear God [=את האלקים ירא], and observe His commandments [ואת מצותיו שמור]. (Metsudas Dovid) And preserve His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. Because, for this purpose [only], the entire man was created. </html>

Verse 14

<html>For every deed. That a person performs, God will bring to judgment.⁵⁸Just as God does not allow any good deed, small as it may be, to go without reward, so too, He does not permit any bad deed, however small, to go without judgment. (Mesilas Yeshorim) Therefore, מַעֲשֶׂה is vowelized with a patach, and the cantillation sign is above,⁵⁹I.e., the cantillation sign indicates a slight pause, separating it from the word that follows. (Sifsei Chachomim) since it is not connected to “God.”⁶⁰For every deed, God will bring to the great Judgment Day, and He will publicize it to all mankind whether good or bad. (Targum) And every hidden thing. Even for the unintentional sin.⁶¹Alternatively, man’s intention which is hidden from others, God will bring into judgment. (Metsudas Dovid) Whether good or bad. Even if he stumbled in a commandment,⁶²Mesilas Yeshorim in Chapter 3 cites the Gemara in Maseches Eruvin 13b, that man should “examine” [יפשפש] his deeds; others say that he should “feel” [ימשמש] his deeds. He explains that the former [יפשפש] refers to examining actions which are not in accordance with God’s commandments and they should be eliminated. The latter [ימשמש] refers to investigating the good actions to determine any aspects of them which are not good and they should be removed. e.g., giving charity to the poor in public.⁶³The Gemara in Maseches Chagigah 5a criticizes one who gives charity to a poor person in public, because it is an act which may shame him. And that is the meaning why even a good deed, “God will bring into judgment.” (Sifsei Chachomim) ⁶⁴The numerical value [gematria] of the last four words of Koheles, אם טוב ואם רע [=whether good or bad], is equal to 375, the same gematria as its author שלמה [=375]. Also, Koheles begins with a daled and ends with an ayin, alluding to I Divrei Hayomim 28:9 where Dovid instructs his son Shlomo, “Know [דע] the God of your father and serve him.” In conclusion after all has been heard, fear God, etc.</html>

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Table of Contents

Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12

Notes

Cross Reference

Concordance

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14