Eclesiastés 5:13 Midrash: Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah & Vayikra Rabbah

However, a rich man may destroy himself and his wealth in this world, as it is said: And those rights perish by evil adventure (Eccles. 5:13). Not all who are rich today will be rich tomorrow, nor will all who are poor today be poor tomorrow, as it is said: For God is judge; He putteth down one and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8).

Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” that is what is written: “There is a grave evil that I have seen under the sun: Wealth kept for its owner to his detriment. That wealth is lost in an ill-fated matter” (Ecclesiastes 5:12–13). Happy is the person who withstands his ordeal, as there is no person whom the Holy One blessed be He does not subject to an ordeal. He tests the wealthy as to whether he will be generous to the poor. He tests the poor as to whether he is able to withstand suffering without becoming angry, as it is stated: “And bring the wretched [merudim] poor to your home” (Isaiah 58:7).³The word merudim implies one who is lowly [yarud] in the sense of being contrite and humble (Matnot Kehuna). If the wealthy person withstands his ordeal and performs acts of charity, he will benefit from his wealth in this world, the principal remains intact for him in the World to Come, and the Holy One blessed be He rescues him from the sentence of Gehenna, as it is stated: “Happy is one who attends to the indigent; the Lord will deliver him in times of trouble” (Psalms 41:2). If the poor person withstands his ordeal and does not rebel, he will receive a double portion in the future, as it is stated: “The Lord added to Job double of everything that he had” (Job 42:10). But the wealthy man who is miserly, he and his wealth depart from this world, as it is stated: “That wealth is lost in an ill-fated matter” (Ecclesiastes 5:13), because he is miserly vis-à-vis the charity collectors. Why? Because there is a rotating wheel in the world; it is not the case that one who is wealthy today is wealthy tomorrow, and one who is poor today is poor tomorrow. Rather, He humbles this one and He elevates that one, as it is stated: “But it is God who is the Judge; He humbles this one and elevates that one” (Psalms 75:8).
Come and see: There is wealth that causes harm to its owner, and there is wealth that brings benefit to its owner. [Wealth that] causes harm to its owner, this is the wealth of Koraḥ, who was wealthier than all Israel, and it is written: “They, and everything that was theirs, descended alive into the abyss” (Numbers 16:33). Alternatively, it is the wealth of Haman the wicked, as it is stated: “Haman related to them the honor of his wealth,” (Esther 5:11), and it is written: “They hanged him and his sons on the gallows” (Esther 9:25). [Wealth] that brings benefit to its owner, this is the wealth of Yehoshafat, as it is stated: “Yehoshafat had abundant wealth and honor” (II Chronicles 18:1). What happened to him? “Yehoshafat cried out and the Lord aided him” (II Chronicles 18:31).
There is valor that benefits its possessor, and there is [valor] that is harmful for its possessor. [Valor that] benefits its possessor, this is David, as it is written: “Saul smote his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (I Samuel 18:7). As a result, all of Israel loved him, as it is stated: “All of Israel and Judah loved David” (I Samuel 18:16). [Valor that is] harmful for its possessor, this is the valor of Goliath, who would stand and blaspheme. What happened to him? He died like a dog, as it is stated: “The Philistines saw that their hero had died, and they fled” (I Samuel 17:51).
There is wisdom that benefits its possessor, and there is [wisdom] that is harmful for its possessor. [Wisdom that] benefits its possessor, this is Joshua, as it is stated: “Joshua, son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom” (Deuteronomy 34:9). To what was he comparable? To a pool that provides water for an entire city, and everyone praises it. One said to the others: ‘Praise the spring that feeds it.’ So too, they would praise Joshua, who would give all of Israel to drink from his wisdom. He said to them: ‘Praise Moses who produced this,’ as it is stated: “As Moses had placed his hands upon him” (Deuteronomy 34:9). [Wisdom that is] harmful for its possessor, this is Bilam, as it is stated: “The utterance of one who heard the sayings of God” (Numbers 24:16). What happened to him: “Bilam ben Beor, they killed by sword” (Numbers 31:8). That is why it is stated: “Wealth kept for its owner to his detriment.”

Another matter, “if your brother will become poor” – that is what is written: “The poor man and the deceitful man [ve’ish tekhakhim] meet” (Proverbs 29:13); “wealthy and poor meet; the Lord is the maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). “Poor,” this is one who is poor in Torah. Ve’ish tekhakhim, this is one who studies one or two orders.⁶Of the six orders of Mishna. Tekhakhim is from the word tavekh, meaning middling or mediocre. Thus, the phrase ve’ish tekhakhim is rendered, the middling man. If the poor man stands with the middling man and says to him: ‘Teach me one chapter,’ and he teaches him, then “the Lord enlightens the eyes of both of them” (Proverbs 29:13); they acquire this world and the World to Come.
“Wealthy and poor meet” – one who is wealthy in Torah and one who is poor in Torah. If that poor man said to the wealthy man: ‘Teach me one chapter,’ but he does not teach him, [but instead] he says to him: ‘What, am I supposed to sit and teach you in: One may irrigate,⁷These are the opening words of tractate Moed Katan. or: From when?⁸These are the opening words of tractates Berakhot and Ta’anit. Study Bible and study Mishna with those who are like you.’ “The Lord is the Maker of them all” – the One who made this one a wise man can make him a fool, and the One who made that one a fool can make him a wise man.
Another matter, “poor,” this is one who is poor in terms of property; “ish tekhakhim,” this is one who works for a living. If the poor man stands with the one who earns a living and says to him: ‘Give me a mitzva,’⁹Give me charity. and he gives him; “the Lord enlightens the eyes of both of them.” This one acquired life in this world, and this one acquired life in the World to Come.
“Wealthy and poor,” – “wealthy,” this is one who is wealthy in terms of property. “Poor,” – this is one who is poor in terms of property. If the poor man stands with the wealthy man and says to him: ‘Give me a mitzva,’ but he does not give to him, “the Lord is the Maker of them all,” the One who made this one a poor man can make him a wealthy man, and the One who made that one a wealthy man can make him a poor man. If the wealthy man says to that poor man: ‘Do you not go and toil and eat? Look at your thighs, look at your legs, look at your belly, look that you are corpulent.’¹⁰The wealthy man accuses the poor man of collecting charity but not really needing it. The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Is it not enough for you that you did not give him anything of yours, but regarding what I gave him, you are introducing an evil eye for him?’ Therefore, “he begets a son and he has nothing in his hand” (Ecclesiastes 5:13). From everything that he has, he will not leave anything to his son, and he brings a blemish upon himself. Therefore, Moses cautions them: “If your brother will become poor.”