Halakhah zu Kohelet 4:12

If you see three generations or more, one after the other, all scholars, but then their children are illiterate, do not say that the words of the scholars are voided because they said, “‘Thy words shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed’ (Isa. 59:21), thereafter Torah will no longer cease from among them.” ¹Baba Metziah 85a. Behold they have become wedded to a family whose destiny is not to have scholars in its midst,²Midrash Rabbah, ed. Horeb, Ecclesiastes, Chapter IV, p. 91. and our rabbis said, “Most children resemble the mother’s brother therefore their sons are illiterate.” This likewise applies to the God-fearing and the pious, for it written, “and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12). And if you see that in the fourth generation the God-fearing and pious cease, it is then apparent that they intermarried with those to whom they were not suited, for instance he is not God-fearing or pious, therefore the generation is such. Therefore let a man seek favor each day for himself, his children and grandchildren, that they be joined to a partner who is God-fearing, possesses Torah and deeds of loving kindness,³These three virtues correspond to the “three fold chord” of the verse. for it is said concerning these three “and the threefold cord is not quickly broken.” For the three words, Torah, fearing and loving kindness are all equal numerically, (fear is equal to Torah, and Torah is equal to loving kindness)⁴Although found in the text it is repetitive, nevertheless we left it but in parenthesis. for concerning “fear” it is written “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do thereafter” (Ps. 111:10). It is not said “to all who study”⁵Berakoth 17b. but “all they that practice it,” as it is written, “Oh that they had had such a heart as this always, to fear Me” (Deut. 5:26), and it is written, “What doth the Lord, thy God, require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God” (Deut. 10:12). Behold “fear” is prior to “all they that do thereafter” i.e., “The fear” of God and “love …” “to walk in all His ways” (Deut. 10:12). “A good understanding have all they that do thereafter” (Ps. 111:10), “That ye may make all that ye do to prosper” (Deut. 29:8).

And know that even though this commandment is only obligated by the Torah when he has a four cornered garment (Mishneh Torah 3:18) - like there is no obligation for the commandment [to build a] parapet unless one has a roof - the Sages still warned much about this commandment and said (Menachot 41a) that it is fitting to pursue it. They also said (Shabbat 32b) that a person who is careful [in the fulfillment of this commandment] will merit to be waited upon by many servants, as the Torah equated it to and depended upon it the fulfillment of all the other commandments, as it is stated, "And you will see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord." And Rabbi Elazar said that one who is careful in this and tefillin and mezuzah is assured that he will never sin, as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 4:12), "The three fold thread will not easily break."