Commentaire sur L’Ecclésiaste 1:5

The sun rises, etc. A generation passes on and a generation comes, as the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening,²⁶The connective vav in ‘וזרח’ demonstrates the connection with the previous verse of generations passing by. and it goes throughout the night, yearning to return to the place from where it rose yesterday, that it will rise from there also today.

“The sun rises and the sun sets, and it hastens to its place where it arises” (Ecclesiastes 1:5).
“The sun rises.” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: Don’t we know that “the sun rises and the sun sets”? Rather, to what is it [alluding]? Before the sun of one righteous individual sets, He causes the sun of another righteous individual to rise. The day that Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] was born, and they read this verse in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” The day that Rav Ada bar Ahava died, Rav Hamnuna his son was born, and they read in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” The day that Rav Hamnuna died, Rabbi Avin his son was born, and they read in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” The day that Rabbi Avin died, Abba Hoshaya of Teraya was born, and they read in his regard: “The sun rises and the sun sets.” Before the sun of Sarah set, the sun of Rebecca rose. That is what is written: “Betuel begot Rebecca” (Genesis 22:23), and then, “Sarah died in Kiryat Arba” (Genesis 23:2), and it is written: “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah” (Genesis 24:67).³⁰See Bereshit Rabba 60:16, where this verse is interpreted to mean that Rebecca was a worthy replacement for Sarah. Before the sun of Moses set, the sun of Joshua rose. Before the sun of Joshua set, the sun of Otniel, who is Yabetz, rose. So it is with all of them in each and every generation; that is, “the sun rises and the sun sets.”

It is taught in the name of Rabbi Natan: The sphere of the sun has a pouch; that is what is written: “He set a tent for the sun in them” (Psalms 19:5). There is a pool of water before it. When [the sun] seeks to emerge, it becomes enflamed, and the Holy One blessed be He weakens its strength with water so it will not incinerate the world. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will strip it from its pouch, expose it, and incinerate the wicked with it, as it is stated: “For, behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, [and all the criminals and all those who do evil will be straw; the day that is coming will burn them]” (Malachi 3:19). Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Yishmael, both of them say: There is no Gehenna in the future; rather, the sun will emerge. The righteous will benefit from it. From where [is this derived]? It is as it is stated: “It will rise for those who fear My name, a sun of righteousness with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3:20). And the wicked will be punished with it, as it is stated: “The day that is coming will incinerate them” (Malachi 3:19).