Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Pengkhotbah 7:9

“A man who vows a vow to the Lord.” There are two types of vows, because one who vows in anger to prohibit something upon himself — such a vow is not for the Lord. Specifically, a man who vows — when he is a man settled in his mind, we read about him “the man with an oath” (Shevuot 26a), and he is one who vows to the Lord. But one who vows in anger, since anger rests in the bosom of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9), is therefore not considered a “man” and is comparable to an animal. Our Sages (Nedarim 22a) spoke disparagingly of one who vows, saying that one who vows is as if he built a private altar, and one who fulfills such a vow is as if he offered a sacrifice upon it. As a sort of proof for their words, Rashi explained: “It says here this is the matter, and it says regarding sacrifices outside the Temple this is the matter, etc.” And I say, derive from this connection: Just as there it refers to a private altar, so too here it refers to a private altar. For sacrifices outside the Temple means offering on a private altar, and this is the matter mentioned here regarding one who vows speaks of offering on a private altar, because one who vows is similar to one who built a private altar. The reason for this is that the Torah understood the mindset of one who vows, for he prohibits upon himself what the entire world treats as permitted. Presumably, his haughtiness led him to separate himself from the entire congregation and remove himself from the community.

God endowed man with a rational faculty, which is also referred to as lev in order to actualize every soul's potential in due time. God also provided him with mitzvot to make it possible to maintain everything in proper proportion... Now although the three souls are alluded to by one all-embracing name, we shall distinguish the three different powers of the soul by three specific names: neshamah, ruach, nefesh. This will avoid undue elaboration on the various qualities associated with each of the three souls. Thus the term nefesh refers to man's desire to eat, to be merry, and indulge in sexual pleasures. The name ruach alludes to our sensations that stir feelings for mastery and self-glorification. Neshamah denotes our rational faculties. Saadia made a similar classification of the three souls. It is, moreover, apparent that when the nefesh increases in power, the neshamah becomes weaker and has no strength to resist the power of the nefesh, reintroduced as it is by all the other organs of the body. Hence one who overindulges in food and drink can never acquire wisdom. And when neshamah and ruach get together they overpower nefesh and pave the way for a partial opening of the "eyes" of the neshamah to comprehend the physical but not yet the metaphysical disciplines. The reason for this limitation is due to the power of ruach which strives for mastery and gives rise to the sensation of anger. This is then the implication of the verse: "Vexation is better than revelry, for though the face may be sad, the heart may be glad." (Ecclesiastes 7:3) Sadness of the face refers to vexations, and the "heart" alludes to our rational faculty. Subsequently, when neshamah finally prevails over nefesh with the help of ruach, it becomes necessary for neshamah to be preoccupied exclusively with wisdom in order that with the help of the latter, neshamah will be able to overcome ruach and render her subservient to neshamah. This is the meaning of the verse, "Don’t let your spirit be quickly vexed, for vexation abides in the breasts of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:9) "For as wisdom grows, vexation grows." (Ecclesiastes 1:18) "Don’t act the wise man to excess." (Ecclesiastes 7:16) For much wisdom increases indignation over the petty vanities of the world and its inhabitants...Thus the apparent contradictions that appear in the Book of Ecclesiastes where the author seems to say one thing in one instance and its opposite another time are only on the surface. The same applies to the Book of Proverbs where the author says: "Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly" (Proverbs 26:4) and in the following verse: "Answer a dullard in accord with his folly." (Proverbs 26:5) In the Prophets and the Torah, our principal source book, we find similar contradictions, e.g. "There shall be no needy among you" (Deuteronomy 15:4) and later, "For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land." (Deuteronomy 15:11) In reality they are similar provided we apply to them the proper philosophic notions.

You should so be aware that the scientists are divided in their views about the nature of the soul. They have written innumerable volumes about this subject. Some of them [Maimonides in his introduction to Pirke Avot, chapter 1] claim that the soul is a single force which however has three sub-categories. 1) the category which houses our desires, something we have in common with all the animals. 2) the source of growth, something possessed both by animals and all manner of plants. 3) the ability to think coherently, the soul of wisdom. All these functions are part of a single soul. Other scientists-philosophers [Avraham Ibn Ezra in his commentary on Kohelet 7,3] claim that there are three distinct souls operating within man all of which are distinct from one another. The intelligent soul is an entity of its own, the potential to grow is an independent force. The animal kind of soul, which is the seat of all desires, i.e. the desire to eat, drink, procreate or simply indulge in sex, as well as the desire to sleep, are all part of the animalistic soul in man and constitute a separate soul. They are a part of what man has in common with the animal kingdom. The seat of that particular soul is the liver. This “soul” is called on occasion נפש, and on occasion רוח Its seat is in the liver. In Deut. 12,20 it is called נפש when the Torah writes כי תאוה נפשך לאכול בשר, “when your “soul” desires to eat meat, etc.” On the other hand, we find that Solomon writes in Kohelet 7,9 אל תבהל ברוחך לכעוס, “do not let your spirit be eager to become angry.” He also wrote in Proverbs 29,11 כל רוחו יוציא כסיל, “a fool vents all his feelings.”
The נפש הצומחת is the force that enables man to grow physically. He shares such a force with all the trees, etc. Just as trees possess such built-in powers, man too possesses such a growth potential. As distinct from the seat of all desire which is presumed to be in the liver, this force does not have a specific location but is present in all parts of man‘s body. It remains active until a certain point in is life. The soul of intelligence is something exclusive to man, something he shares with beings in the higher worlds, beings which live forever in their sacred domains The seat of this soul is in man’s brain, and it is generally referred to as נשמה. This is what the Torah described in our verse as the נשמת חיים which G-d “blew” into Adam’s nostrils. We also have a verse in Isaiah 42,5 נותן נשמה לעם עליה, “He gives a soul to the people on it (earth).” There are numerous similar verses throughout the Bible.
According to the view of the philosophers who believe that each person has three separate souls, we find support for our sages in Sanhedrin 65 who report that the famous teacher Rava created a human being. When he brought this creature before Rabbi Zeyra, Rabbi Zeyra spoke to him whereas the creature could not answer back. Thereupon Rabbi Zeyra said to that creature (Golem): “you are man-made; go back to the dust you have been made of.” This passage in the Talmud is proof that man has three distinct souls. Rava, who was familiar with Kabbalah, and had studied the Sefer Yetzirah, had infused this creature with the “soul” which governs motion. He was unable, however, to provide his creature with the power of speech. The power of speech stems from the soul called חכמה.