Commentaire de citation sur L’Ecclésiaste 7:6

Another explanation: This hints at what is said: Indeed the matter is known — why are the Israelites dwelling in distress more than all other nations? Because there are informers among them who make their voice heard with insults and blasphemies against those who lie [in the grave] and are awake (Sanhedrin 29b). Like these thorns that make noise when burning in fire, so too Israel: even when the fire of troubles blazes around them, nevertheless each one is a painful thorn and a piercing brier to his fellow, as is the custom in these generations. They constantly make noise like the sound of a pot, as it is written: For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool (Ecclesiastes 7:6). This is the main reason for Israel to be in exile — due to the hatred and jealousy among them, more than among all other nations. And the slanderers caused all of Israel to not be innocent, for when the fire of dispute comes forth from the rock of dispute, the fathers kindle the fire and the children gather wood; therefore, the fire of God burned among them. Thus it is said, yet the bush was not consumed, because even though the fire of hardships burns in Jacob, nevertheless the existence of the thornbush remains intact in every generation and is not consumed, for the thorns will not be destroyed from the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, the house of Israel.

1. And it mentions the sounds of the men that the sounds are loud and powerful and they scare the people. They are like the "voice of chariots on the mountaintops" that the same voice that is heard from a distance because of the chariots and because of the mountains. And the Ibin Ezra writes that the chariots don't travel on high places but these are able to go on the mountaintops. And also like the sound of a flame. That flame is the one that consumes the straw and creates a loud sound when it burns the sticks, like the "cracklings of nettles under a kettle" (Koheles 7:6). that was the sound of the Babylonians. Meaning that they weren't a people that was shy and timid and not tested by war, but rather were powerful and were trained for war from youth.

ארמנותיה Over her palaces.²⁰A. V., In her palaces. The preposition על is to be supplied. ועלתה סירים And thorns shall come up. Lit., And each of the thorns shall come up.²¹Comp. Chapter ii. Note 18. סירים Thorns. Comp. Koh. 7:6. קמוש The same.