Comentario sobre Eclesiastés 6:10

Whatever has been has already been named. The stature and greatness that had been established during his lifetime, “has already been named,” i.e., it already was and passed, he already had attained fame, and now it has passed, and it was made known that he was a man¹¹According to the Midrash, this refers to Adam. Note that the gematria (numerical value) of ‘מה’ [=45] is equal to ‘אדם’ [=45], man. and not god, and his end was that he died, and he was unable to strive with the angel of death, who is more powerful than he.

“What was, its name was already called, and it is known that he is man, and neither can he contend with what is mightier than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:10).
“What was, its name was already called” – this is Adam the first man, as it is stated: “The Lord God took the man” (Genesis 2:15), “and it is known that he is man.” This is analogous to a king and a minister who were in a royal carriage and the countrymen sought to say to the king, ‘Sire,’ but they did not know which one he was. What did the king do? He shoved [the minister] out of the carriage and everyone knew that he was the minister. So too, when the Holy One blessed be He created Adam, the first man, the ministering angels were mistaken and sought to say before him: ‘Holy.’²⁷As they say in praise of God (see Isaiah 6:3). What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He brought sleep upon him and they knew that he was man, and He said to him: “For you are dust and you will return to dust” (Genesis 3:19).
Another matter, “what was, its name was already called” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “The Lord called to Moses” (Leviticus 1:1), and it became known to all that this Moses was a prophet when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Now, go, and I will send you to Pharaoh [and take My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt]” (Exodus 3:10). When it came to that incident,²⁸The sin of the Golden Calf. He said: “Go descend [as your people…has been corrupted]” (Exodus 32:7). [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, when they are good they are Yours, and when they are bad they are mine? Whether they are good or bad they are Yours.’ This is analogous to a king who has a vineyard and he entrusts it to a sharecropper to toil in it. When it produces superior wine, the king says: ‘How fine is the wine of my vineyard!’ When it produces inferior wine, the king says: ‘How poor is the wine of the vineyard of my sharecropper.’ The sharecropper weeps and cries and says before him: ‘My lord the king, when it produces superior wine it is yours, and when it produces inferior wine it is mine? Whether it is good or bad it is yours.’ So too, Moses said: ‘Whether they are good or bad, they are Yours.’
“And neither can he contend with what is mightier than he.” When he said to Him: “Please, let me cross and see the good land” (Deuteronomy 3:25), the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Let it suffice you, do not speak to Me anymore about this matter” (Deuteronomy 3:26).
Another matter, “what was” – this is Jeremiah, and it is known to all that he is a prophet, as it is stated: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5).