Midrash su Genesi 30:33

“I have seen the matters that God has given to the sons of men, in which to engage” (Ecclesiastes 3:10).
“I have seen the matters” – this is the pursuit of property, as Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: A person does not leave the world having achieved even half of his desire; rather, if he has one hundred, he wishes to turn them into two hundred. If he has two hundred, he wishes to turn them into four [hundred]. “In which to engage” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: If a person was privileged and used his property for mitzvot, [when] he prays he will be answered [na’aneh]. That is what is said: “My righteousness [tzidkati] will bear witness [ve’anta] for me” (Genesis 30:33).³²My charity [tzedaka] will lead to my prayers being answered. If not, it will bear witness against him and prosecute him, as it is written: “To testify [la’anot] maliciously against him” (Deuteronomy 19:16).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is the pursuit of robbery, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: This is analogous to a se’a measure filled with iniquities; which is the first of them to prosecute? It is robbery, as Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “And shatter [uvtza’am]³³This evokes the word betza, which means ill-gotten gain. the head of them all” (Amos 9:1). Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Although they were involved with idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed, the most severe of them all is nothing other than robbery. Rabbi Yaakov [said] in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Ezekiel enumerated twenty-four sins, and he concluded with none other than robbery; that is what is written: “I have struck My hand because of the ill-gotten gain that you acquired…” (Ezekiel 22:13).
Rabbi Ḥunya interpreted the verse regarding the Prophets and Writings,³⁴Meaning, the ‘matters’ that are the subject of this verse, which God gave man to engage in, were the books of the Prophets and Writings. as had Israel merited, they would read only the five books of the Torah, just five books. The books of the Prophets and Writings were given to them only so they would exert themselves in their study and in the Torah, and perform mitzvot and acts of righteousness, in order to receive a proper reward. The Rabbis say: Even so, “in which to engage,” – they receive reward for them, as they do for the five books of the Torah.
Rabbi Abbahu said: This is the pursuit of Torah, for a person studies Torah and forgets it. The Rabbis there, in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from here,³⁵The Rabbis of Babylonia said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from the land of Israel. and Rabbi Tovya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is for his own good that a person studies Torah and forgets, as were a person to study Torah and not forget it, one would engage in Torah study two or three years and would return to engage in his labor and never pay attention to it [again] for the rest of his life. Rather, because a person studies Torah and forgets it, he does not move or remove himself from matters of Torah.
The Rabbis say: This is the pursuit of robbery. Know that it is so, as the earlier generations, because they were engaged and steeped in robbery, as it is stated: “They trespass, and flocks they steal and graze” (Job 24:2) – see that they were eliminated from the world through water. But the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who distanced themselves from robbery; therefore, the Holy One blessed be He gave them their inheritance in a place where there is no robbery, as it is stated: Behold, the place is a place of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). Likewise, from Mahir, where there was sixteen mil by sixteen mil.³⁶An area large enough for animals to graze without approaching the fields of others.

“I applied my heart to seek and to search in wisdom, regarding everything that is performed beneath the heavens; it is an unfortunate matter that God has given to the sons of men in which to engage” (Ecclesiastes 1:13).
“I applied my heart to seek and to search in wisdom.” What is, “to search [latur] in wisdom”? [It is to establish] a set time [tur] for [contemplating all aspects of] wisdom. It is to ascertain the essence [to’ar] of wisdom, as it is stated: “Send men and they will scout [veyaturu] the land” (Numbers 13:2). One who taught Bible well, he would sit before him, one who taught Mishna well, he would sit before him.
Another matter, “to seek and to search [latur]” – to do what’s required [latur],⁹⁹Tur is interpreted to mean shura, meaning line, in the sense of “toeing the line.” and to go beyond [lehotir]. When a poet composes alphabetical acrostics, at times he completes it and at times he leaves it unfinished, but Solomon, when he would compose alphabetical acrostics, he would add five letters. That is what is written: “His songs [shiro] were one thousand [elef] and five” (I Kings 5:12); the remainder [shiyuro] of the parable was five beyond alef.¹⁰⁰It was five beyond the alphabet. It was not only in matters of Torah that Solomon searched, but rather regarding everything that is performed under the heavens, for example, how one sweetens mustard and sweetens lupine and how one drinks hot drinks, [such as] wine, water, and peppers, in thirds.¹⁰¹If one prepares a drink that is one-third wine, one-third water, and one-third pepper and other spices, it will facilitate good health.
“It is an unfortunate matter that God has given to the sons of men in which to engage.” Rabbi Bon says: This is the pursuit of property. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: A person does not leave the world having achieved even half of his desire; rather, if he has one hundred he wishes to turn them into two hundred. If he has two hundred, he wishes to turn them into four hundred. “In which to engage,” Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Although it is in the same category as idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder, the [sin] that is most severe is robbery. Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Levi: If a person was privileged and used his property for a mitzva, he prays and will be answered [vena’ana], as it is stated: “My righteousness will bear witness [ve’anta] for me” (Genesis 30:33). If not, it will bear witness against him and prosecute him, as it says: “To testify [la’anot] maliciously against him” (Deuteronomy 19:16).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is the pursuit of robbery, as Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: This is analogous to a se’a measure filled with iniquities; which is the first of them to prosecute? It is robbery, as Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is written: “And shatter [uvtza’am] the head of all of them” (Amos 9:1).¹⁰²Uvtza’am evokes the word betza, which means ill-gotten gain. Rabbi Yaakov bar Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Ezekiel enumerated twenty-four sins, and he concluded with none other than robbery; that is what is written: “I have struck My hand because of the ill-gotten gain that you acquired…” (Ezekiel 22:13).
Rabbi Ḥunya interpreted the verse regarding the Prophets and Writings, as had Israel merited, they would read only the five books of the Torah, just five books. The books of the Prophets and Writings were given to them only so they would exert themselves in their study and in the Torah, and perform mitzvot and acts of righteousness, in order to receive a proper reward.¹⁰³Although these books, which are comprised primarily of rebuke to Israel for its sins, would not have been given had the people not sinned, once they were given, one who studies them receives reward. [As] the Rabbis say: Even so, “in which to engage,” they receive reward for them as they do for the five books of the Torah.
Rabbi Abbahu said: This is the pursuit of Torah, for a person studies Torah and forgets it. The Rabbis there, in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from here,¹⁰⁴The Rabbis of Babylonia said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from the land of Israel. and Rabbi Tovya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is for his own good that a person studies Torah and forgets, as were a person to study Torah and not forget it, one would engage in Torah study two or three years and would return to engage in his labor and never pay attention to it for the rest of his life. Rather, because a person studies Torah and forgets it, he does not move or remove himself from matters of Torah.
The Rabbis say: This is the pursuit of robbery. Know that it is so, since the earlier generations, because they were engaged and steeped in robbery, as it is stated: “They trespass, and flocks they steal and graze” (Job 24:2), were eliminated from the world through water. But the tribes of Reuben and Gad distanced themselves from robbery; therefore, the Holy One blessed be He gave them their inheritance in a place where there is no robbery, as it is stated: “Behold, the place is a place of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). Likewise, from Mahir, where there was sixteen mil by sixteen mil.¹⁰⁵An area large enough for animals to graze without approaching the fields of others.

“A feast is made for laughter, wine cheers the living, and money answers everything” (Ecclesiastes 10:18).
“A feast is made for laughter” – for revelry of idol worship one makes a feast. “Wine cheers the living” – this is the Torah, as it is stated: “The precepts of the Lord are upright, cheering the heart” (Psalms 19:9).⁸⁵In contrast to idolatry, for which one must make a feast in order to stimulate joy, Torah itself brings happiness without external stimuli (Rabbi David Luria).
“Money answers everything” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: At times one is answered and at times one is not answered. At times, when one performs with it [money] acts of righteousness, he is answered, as it is stated: “My righteousness will speak on my behalf” (Genesis 30:33). At times, when one does not perform with it acts of righteousness, it denounces him; this is what you say: “To give false testimony against him” (Deuteronomy 19:16).
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, a certain neighbor called him. He saw people standing, dancing, and clapping, and [the hosts] gave them food and drink. He said: This is good. I, too, will stand, dance, and sing. He stood, danced, and sang, and they gave him a wineskin of aged wine. He read in his regard: “A feast is made for laughter.”