전도서 2:15의 주석

And I said to myself, etc. I.e., since they will both die, perhaps I will think in my heart from now on that as it happens to the wicked man, so will it happen to me, so why should I be more righteous?

“I said in my heart: Like the fate of the fool, so will befall me; and why did I become wiser? I said in my heart, this too is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever; with the passage of the coming days everything is forgotten. How can the wise man die like the fool?” (Ecclesiastes 2:15–16).
“I said in my heart: Like the fate of the fool, so will befall me…” – I am called king⁴⁵This is presented from the perspective of Abraham. A midrash (Bereshit Rabba 42:5) asserts that after Abraham defeated the four kings in battle (see Genesis, chap. 14), the surrounding nations referred to Abraham as their king. and the wicked Nimrod is called king. This one dies and that one dies; if so, “why did I become wiser?” Why did I sacrifice my life for the sanctification of the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and I cautioned [others] and I said: There is no god like Him in the heavens and on the earth? I then retracted and said: “For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever…everything is forgotten.”⁴⁶Solomon counters that the similar fate of the wise man and the fool will be forgotten, because the wise man will be remembered on his own, whereas the fool will not be remembered. Why? It is because when the Israelites encounter times of trouble, they say: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob your servants…” (Exodus 32:13). Do the nations of the world say: Remember the action of Nimrod? That is what is written: “How can the wise man die like the fool?”⁴⁷It cannot be that the wise man’s death would be like that of the fool. They are not comparable, as demonstrated.

Then I said to myself. That if I will think so, that is vanity, for the remembrances of the wise man and the fool are not equal. After their deaths, both of them will not be remembered together, for this one will be remembered for good, and this one will be remembered for evil.

Another matter: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is Moses; “but the fool walks in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is the wicked Bilam. “I also know that one event will happen to them all, I said in my heart [like the fate of the fool, so will befall me]” (Ecclesiastes 2:14–15) – this one is called prophet and that one is called prophet; if so, “why did I become wiser?” Why did I give my life for the sake of the Torah?⁴⁸This sentence is stated from the perspective of Moses. Then I said: “For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever…everything is forgotten.” Tomorrow, the Israelites encounter trouble, and say: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, his people…” (Isaiah 63:11). Do the nations of the world say: He remembered the days of old, Bilam, his people? That is what is written: “How can the wise man die like the fool?”

Another matter: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is David, king of Israel; “but the fool walks in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. “I also know that one event will happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 2:14), and then, “I said in my heart…for there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever; with the passage of the coming days everything is forgotten.” This one [David] built the Temple⁴⁹David laid the foundations for the Temple and prepared materials for its construction (Etz Yosef). and ruled for forty years, and that one destroyed it and ruled for forty years. If so, “why did I become wiser?” Why did I devote my life to the construction of the Temple? Then I said: “For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever…everything is forgotten.” Tomorrow, Solomon will stand and build the Temple, and will say: “Remember the kindnesses of David, Your servant” (II Chronicles 6:42). Will Evil Merodakh⁵⁰Evil Merodakh was the son of Nebuchadnezzar. He is mentioned in II Kings 25:27. stand and say: Remember the kindnesses of Nebuchadnezzar, Your servant? That is what is written: “How can the wise man die like the fool?”

Another matter: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is one who purchased wheat for three years; “but the fool walks in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is one who purchased wheat for one year. “I also know…I said in my heart…” (Ecclesiastes 2:14–15); this one eats and that one eats. If so, “why did I become wiser?” Why did I pawn my vessels in the summer to acquire food? Then I said: “For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool forever…everything is forgotten.” Subsequently, a drought year may come, and this one will eat at a high price and that one will eat at a low price. That is what is written: “How can the wise man die like the fool?”

Another matter: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) – this is a Torah scholar, who is expert in his studies.⁵¹“But the fool walks in darkness” – this is one who studied Torah but did not invest the time and effort to reach that level of expertise. “I also know…” (Ecclesiastes 2:14), and then, “I said in my heart…”; this one is called rabbi and that one is called rabbi. This one is wise and that one is wise. This one wraps himself in his prayer shawl and that one wraps himself in his prayer shawl.⁵²It was common for Torah scholars to spend much of the day wrapped in their prayer shawl. If so, “why did I become wiser?” Why did I give my life for my Torah? Then I said: “For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool.” Tomorrow, they enter the assembly or another place, and they ask each other questions. This one is asked and responds, and that one is asked and does not respond; that is what is written: “How can the wise man die like the fool?”
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Neḥemya said: If a student would not be required to cite a lesson in the name of his teacher, tomorrow his Torah⁵³The teacher’s Torah. would be forgotten. How, then, can the teacher do anything but devote himself to his student?⁵⁴As it is the student who will perpetuate the teacher’s teachings.