Eclesiastés 2:12 Midrash: Shemot Rabbah, Kohelet Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

“God spoke to Moses and said to him: I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name the Lord I did not make Myself known to them” (Exodus 6:2–3).
“God spoke to Moses and said to him: I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac...” That is what is written: “I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly; for who is the man who comes after the king to do what he already has done?” (Ecclesiastes 2:12). This verse is referring to Solomon and to Moses. How to Solomon? When the Holy One blessed be He gave the Torah to Israel, he gave positive mitzvot and prohibitions, and gave the king a few mitzvot, as it is stated: “Only he shall not accumulate horses for himself…and he shall not accumulate wives for himself, and his heart will not stray, and silver and gold he shall not greatly accumulate for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:16–17). Solomon rose and thought to outsmart the decree of the Holy One blessed be He. “He shall not accumulate [yarbe] wives for himself,” isn’t that so “his heart will not stray?” I will accumulate and my heart will not stray. At that moment, the yod that is in yarbe¹The letter yod in this form indicates the future tense. Solomon was confident that he would not stray, and thus thought the future “so that his heart will not stray” did not apply to him. went up and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, didn’t You say that there will never be a letter negated from the Torah? Behold, Solomon is revoking me. Perhaps today he will negate one and tomorrow another, until the entire Torah is negated.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Solomon and one thousand like him will be negated, and not one calligraphical embellishment will I negate.’ From where He negated it [the letter yod] from the Torah, and it returned to the Torah? It is as it is stated: “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her by the name Sarai, as Sarah²Sarai is spelled sin, resh, yod. God replaced the letter yod at the end of her name with the letter heh, rendering it Sarah. is her name” (Genesis 17:15). Where did it [the letter yod] return? “Moses called Hoshea bin Nun, Joshua” (Numbers 13:16).³The change from Hoshea to Joshua is made with the addition of the letter yod at the beginning of the name, so that it is spelled yod, heh, vav, shin, ayin.
Solomon, who considered negating a letter from the Torah, what is written about him? “The words of Agur ben Yakeh”⁴The book of Proverbs is attributed to Solomon. (Proverbs 30:1) – who collected [iger] matters of Torah and expelled them [hekian]. “The utterance of the man to Itiel” (Proverbs 30:1), this matter that the Holy One blessed be He said: “He shall not accumulate wives,” He said only so “his heart will not stray.” “To Itiel” – who said: God is with me [iti El] and I will prevail.⁵My numerous wives will not cause my heart to stray. What is written about him? “It was when Solomon grew old, his wives led his heart astray” (I Kings 11:4).
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It would have been preferable for Solomon to have been a sewer cleaner than to have this verse written about him. That is why Solomon said about himself: “I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly” (Ecclesiastes 2:12). Solomon said: ‘That which I [thought that I] have grown wise in matters of the Torah, and have shown myself that I know the wisdom of the Torah; that understanding and that knowledge were actually of madness and folly. Why? “For who is the man who comes after the king to do what he already has done?” (Ibid.). Who is it who has license to question the ways and the decrees of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He? Matters are shaped before Him; for everything that emerges from before Him, He has already consulted with the heavenly entourage, and has informed them of the matter, so that they all will know and attest that His ruling is a ruling of truth and His decrees are truth and everything of His is done wisely. Thus it says: “Every word of God is refined” (Proverbs 30:5); and it says: “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, [and the sentence by the word of the holy ones; to the extent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever He will, and raises over it the lowest of men]”⁶The heavenly entourage (the watchers and the holy ones) are informed by God of His decrees concerning the kingdom of men. (Daniel 4:14). Because I questioned His actions, I failed.’
How is it [the verse in Ecclesiastes 2:12] stated about Moses? The Holy One blessed be He had already informed Moses that Pharaoh would not allow them to go, as it is stated: “I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go” (Exodus 3:19), “and I will harden his heart” (Exodus 4:21). Moses did not keep this matter in mind, and thought to outsmart the decree of the Holy One blessed be He, and began saying: “Why have You harmed this people?” (Exodus 5:22); he began arguing before Him. About this it is stated that this wisdom and knowledge of Moses was of madness and folly, “For who is the man who comes after the king,” – how could he question the ways of the Holy One blessed be He “to do what he already has done?” – after He had already revealed to him that He is destined to harden his [Pharaoh’s] heart in order to punish him for his enslaving them with hard labor? For this thing, the attribute of justice sought to harm Moses. That is what is written: “God [Elohim]⁷Elohim is the divine name that represents the attribute of justice. spoke to Moses” (Exodus 6:2). Because the Holy One blessed be He observed that it was due to the suffering of Israel that he spoke in that manner, He reconsidered and treated him with the attribute of mercy. That is what is written: “He said to him: I am the Lord [Y-H-V-H] (Exodus 6:2).”⁸Y-H-V-H, pronounced Adonai, is the divine name that represents the attribute of mercy.

“I turned to behold wisdom, debauchery, and folly, as who is the person who would come after the king, to that which they have already done” (Ecclesiastes 2:12).
“I turned [ufaniti] to behold wisdom” – [the word] ufaniti [should be read] ufiniti, I emptied, like this bowl that is filled at times and spilled at times. So, Solomon studied Torah at times, and at times forgot it.
“To behold wisdom, debauchery, and folly” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: “Debauchery” – this is debauchery of the kingdom;³³This is a critique of the behavior of government officials. “folly” – this is heavy-handedness.³⁴They impose harsh taxes on the foolish masses. Rabbi Simon says: “Debauchery” – this is debauchery of heresy; “folly” – this is foolishness.
“As who is the person who would come after the king…” – if a person were to say to you: ‘I am able to ascertain the foundations of the world,’ say to him: ‘You are unable [to ascertain the considerations] of a king of flesh and blood, but [the considerations] of the King, king of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, you are able [to ascertain]?’ Rabbi Naḥman said two [parables]: This is analogous to a field of reeds into which a person is unable to enter. What did one clever person do? He cut and entered, cut and entered through the cut area and emerged through the cut area.³⁵Each wise person, in his area of expertise, paves the way for everyone else to follow. Rabbi Naḥman said [another parable]: This is analogous to a large palace with multiple entrances. Everyone who entered it would lose his way. There was one clever person who took a skein of reed grass and tied it opposite the entrance.³⁶He unraveled the skein as he continued into the palace and in that way, found his way out. Everyone entered by means of the skein and exited by means of the skein.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: To what is this matter analogous? It is to a king of flesh and blood who built a palace. All the passersby entered it and said: Were its columns higher, it would be beautiful. Were its walls higher, it would be beautiful. Were its ceiling higher, it would be beautiful.³⁷It is appropriate for people to critique a palace built by people. Shall a person come and say: If I had three hands, three eyes, three ears, or three feet I would be beautiful? The verse states: “[As who is the person who would come after the king,] to that which they have already done [asuhu].” It is not written here asahu,³⁸Singular but rather, asuhu.³⁹Plural It is, as it were, that the Holy One blessed be He and His court did it. They were counted on each and every one of your limbs and established you in accordance with what is best for you.⁴⁰God, as it were, consulted the members of His heavenly court and acted based on a vote of its members. If you say there are two authorities, is it not already stated: “He made you and established you” (Deuteronomy 32:6)?
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said: [When] a king of flesh and blood builds a palace, if he places its drainpipe at its entrance, it is neither beautiful nor worthy, but the Holy One blessed be He created man and placed his drainpipe at his entrance. What is it? It is his nose, and it is his beauty and his worth.⁴¹The nose contributes significantly to each person’s distinctive appearance. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: It is written: “The Lord God formed man” (Genesis 2:7); why does the verse state: “That He formed” (Genesis 2:8)? Rather, the Rock (haTzur) is a beautiful sculptor [tzayar]. As it were, He takes pride in His world and says: See the creation that I created and the sculpture that I sculpted.
And Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: “This is the chronology of the heavens and the earth when they were created [behibare’am]” (Genesis 2:4) – He created them [hu bera’am], He praises them; who denigrates them? If their Creator praises them, who finds fault with them? Rather, they are beautiful and praiseworthy, as it is stated: “This is the chronology of the heavens and the earth [when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens]” (Genesis 2:4). Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Behibare’am, He created them with the letter heh [beheh bera’am].⁴²The letter heh is the easiest to pronounce, indicating that there was no exertion on the part of the Creator.

“These are the outgrowths of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4).
“These are the outgrowths [toledot] of the heavens and of the earth when they were created” – it is written: “Behold, these are but the edges of His ways…” (Job 26:14). Rav Huna said: All the things that you see are just the edges of the ways of the Holy One blessed be He. “Behold, these are but the edges of His ways, and how a trace is heard about Him; who can investigate the thunder of His might?” (Job 26:14). Rav Huna said: Thunder, when it emerges in its full force, no creature can understand it. “Who has investigated?” is not written, but rather, “who can investigate?” Clever people may have vague knowledge or ideas about it, [but even they cannot understand it fully]. Rav Huna said: If you are unable to understand [even] the workings of thunder, is it not all the more so for the workings of the [whole] world? That is a rhetorical question.
If¹This paragraph is an exposition on the verse “What is man, that he should come along after the King, after they have already done something?” (Ecclesiastes 2:12). The Midrash will soon explain why the verse says ‘they.’ a person says to you: I can understand the workings of the world, say to him: ‘If you are unable to understand even a flesh-and-blood king, are you able to understand the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He? That is a rhetorical question.’
Rav Naḥman said: This²This paragraph is an exposition on the first half of the aforementioned verse: “I devoted myself to acquire wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 2:12). After Solomon acquired his wisdom, others were able to take advantage of it as well. is analogous to a thicket of reeds into which no person could enter, as anyone who entered into it would lose his way. What did one clever person do? He continuously cut down [reeds] and entered further and further into the thicket. He entered via the clearing and exited via the clearing. Everyone then began entering and exiting via the clearing. Rav Naḥman said differently: This is analogous to a great palace that had many entrances. Everyone who entered it would lose his way. What did one clever person do? He took a spool of string and tied it [on one end] opposite the entrance and he entered by means of the spool³Unwinding the string as he went along. and exited by means of the spool. Everyone then began entering and exiting by means of the spool.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: This is analogous to a flesh-and-blood king who built a palace. People entered into it and said: If the pillars were taller it would be nicer, if the walls were higher it would be nicer, if the ceiling were higher it would be nicer. But did a person ever come and say: If I had three eyes, if I had three legs, it would be better for me? That is a rhetorical question.
“After He has already done” is not written, but rather, “after they have already done” (Ecclesiastes 2:12). The King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, and His court conferred, as it were, over each and every limb of yours, and established it at its proper configuration, as it is stated: “Will you repay the Lord this, crude and unwise people? Is He not your father, your redeemer? He made you, and He established you” (Deuteronomy 32:6).
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said: When a flesh-and-blood king builds a palace, if he would place its drain pipe at its entrance it would not be becoming. But the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, created man and placed his drain pipe at his entrance,⁴This refers to the nose, which is right at the front of one’s face. and it is becoming, and it is [in fact] a person’s glory. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: It is written: “The Lord God formed the man” (Genesis 2:7). Why, then, does the verse state [again]: “Whom He had formed” (Genesis 2:8)? The Holy One blessed be He was taking pride in His world, as it were, saying: ‘See the creation that I created and the form that I formed.’
Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: It is written: “These are the outgrowths of the heavens and of the earth when they were created” – their Creator praises them, who can disparage them? Their Creator lauds them, who will find fault with them? Rather, they are beautiful and praiseworthy, as it is stated: “These are the outgrowths of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”