Musar su Ecclesiaste 5:12
יֵ֚שׁ רָעָ֣ה חוֹלָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֹ֛שֶׁר שָׁמ֥וּר לִבְעָלָ֖יו לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃
C'è un male terribile che ho visto sotto il sole, vale a dire, le ricchezze trattenute dal suo proprietario per le sue ferite;
Kav HaYashar
A man must not tell himself after sinning or engaging in frivolity that since he has the enjoyment of all the pleasures in the world as well as prosperity and good health, why should he be afraid? On the contrary, concerning him was it written, “There is wealth stored up for its owner to his detriment” (Koheles 5:12). For the Holy One Blessed is He waits until a person’s measure of sin is filled and then all at once pours out his wrath upon him. Then he is beset by enemies, and harsh afflictions come upon without grace and without pity, Heaven spare us.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Orchot Tzadikim
And the third is wealth acquired and held as an act of vengeance. And the sign of this is that the owner of the money harms others with his wealth and boasts of it, and does not give charity, and is fully occupied with enjoying it as it is written: "And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep" (Is. 22:13), and it says further: "And the harp and the psaltery, the tabret and the pipe, and wine are in their feasts" (Ibid. 5:12). And he does not pay of all his wealth that which is due to the Holy One, Blessed be He. On this it is said: "Riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt" (Eccl. 5:12). And thus it is with the wise when he schemes to do evil deeds and not good deeds with his wisdom, as it is said: "They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge" (Jer. 4:22). Then his wisdom is a stumbling block to him.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Iggeret HaGra
It is well-known that this world is all emptiness, that every amusement is worthless, and woe is anyone who pursues vanity, which is worthless. And don't envy the rich, for "riches are hoarded by their owner to his misfortune" (Koheles 5:12); "As he had come from his mother's womb, naked will he return...exactly as he came he must depart, and what did he gain by toiling for the wind?" (ibid. 14, 15); "Even if he should live a thousand years twice over, but find no contentment - do not all go to the same place?" (Ib. 6:6); "Even if man lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is futility" (ib. 11:8); "And of joy, what does it accomplish?" (ibid. 2:2). Tomorrow you will cry for having laughed today. Do not lust after imaginary honor, for it is worthless and time is a traitor: it is like scales, which lift the light and lower the weighty. The world is like one who drinks salty water: he thinks it quenches his thirst, but it only makes him thirstier. No one leaves the world with even half his cravings fulfilled (Koheles Rabbah 1). "What profit does one have from all his toils under the sun" (Koheles 1:3)? Remember our predecessors, all of whose love, desire and joy have ceased to exist (see Koheles 9:6), but who are being judged severely for them. And of what benefit is gratification to man - whose end is dust, maggots and worms, as he is bound to die - when all his enjoyments turn to bitterness in the grave? And what is this world, whose days are full of anguish and pain which prevent one from sleeping? Neither is death a mikveh. Man will be judged for everything he says; even the slightest expression is not overlooked.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy