Commento su Ecclesiaste 2:9

Also my wisdom. Also,¹²Alternatively, אף means “anger” and the verse is translated as, “only the [Torah] wisdom that I acquired through exertion [אף] is what remained with me.” The Gemara in Maseches Berachos 63b and in Maseches Eiruvin 54a indicates that the study of Torah during trying times is most commendable and will result in great success and will not soon be forgotten. Or, unlike some preachers who do not practice what they preach, I, says Koheles, internalized and conducted my life [עמדה לי] according to what I preached. (Yismach Moshe) I did not forsake my wisdom because of all these affairs, and it remained with me and I did not forget it. Another explanation, it stood by me to aid me against all these.

Also my wisdom. Also,¹²Alternatively, אף means “anger” and the verse is translated as, “only the [Torah] wisdom that I acquired through exertion [אף] is what remained with me.” The Gemara in Maseches Berachos 63b and in Maseches Eiruvin 54a indicates that the study of Torah during trying times is most commendable and will result in great success and will not soon be forgotten. Or, unlike some preachers who do not practice what they preach, I, says Koheles, internalized and conducted my life [עמדה לי] according to what I preached. (Yismach Moshe) I did not forsake my wisdom because of all these affairs, and it remained with me and I did not forget it. Another explanation, it stood by me to aid me against all these.

“I grew great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom, too, was sustained in me” (Ecclesiastes 2:9).
“I grew great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem” – who was before him in Jerusalem? Was it not David his father? Four were called a maneh son of a half-maneh:²⁶A maneh is one hundred dinars. This is a metaphor for a great person whose father was unremarkable. On, son of Pelet; the son of Tzipor;²⁷Balak the son of Beor;²⁸Bilam and Hezekiah.²⁹Son of Aḥaz Two were a maneh son of a maneh: Son of Ikesh³⁰Ira, one of David’s warriors and Solomon. “My wisdom, too, was sustained in me” – Rabbi Aḥa said that Solomon said: All the Torah that I studied in my adulthood dissipated; [the Torah that I studied] in my youth was sustained in me.