전도서 8:4의 주석
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃
왕의 말은 권능이 있나니 누가 이르기를 왕께서 무엇을 하시나이까 할 수 있으랴
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
For the King’s word is all powerful. Because the word of the Holy One, Blessed Is He is the Ruler, and who will say to Him, “What are You doing?” But if you “preserve the commandment,”7Below, verse 5. you will know no evil and it will not befall you.8Alternatively, verses 3-4 refer to a mortal king and are translated accordingly. (Metsudas Dovid)
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Kohelet Rabbah
“Since the king's word has power, and who will say to him: What are you doing” (Ecclesiastes 8:4).
“Since the king's word has power.” Rabbi Bon said: It is written: “Do not test [the Lord]” (Deuteronomy 6:16), “and God tested [Abraham]” (Genesis 22:1), “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18), “the Lord is a zealous and vengeful God” (Nahum 1:2). [This is analogous] to a rabbi who would command his disciple, and say to him: ‘Do not divert judgment,’ but he [the rabbi] diverts judgment; ‘do not give preferential treatment,’ but he gives preferential treatment.22A parallel midrash (Bereshit Rabba 55:3) adds the example: The rabbi tells him not to lend with interest, but he lends with interest. The disciple said to him: ‘Rabbi, for you it is permitted and for me it is prohibited?’ [The rabbi] said to him: ‘I am telling you only that you may not lend to an Israelite with interest, but lend to a gentile, as it is written: “You may take interest from a gentile” (Deuteronomy 23:21).’23Thus, the rabbi informs his disciple that he did not fully understand any of the rabbi’s actions. So too, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, did You not write in Your Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18)? But You take vengeance and bear a grudge.’ He said to them: ‘I will not bear a grudge against Israel, as it is written: “He will not contend to eternity or forever bear a grudge” (Psalms 103:9); however, for the nations of the world: “The Lord is vengeful to His foes and bears a grudge against His enemies” (Nahum 1:2). I dictated to you in My Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge against the members of your people” (Leviticus 19:18), but you may take vengeance against the nations of the world, as it is stated: “Avenge the children of Israel [on the Midianites]” (Numbers 31:2),’ to realize what is written: “Since the king's word has power, [and who will say to him: What are you doing].”
“Since the king's word has power.” Rabbi Bon said: It is written: “Do not test [the Lord]” (Deuteronomy 6:16), “and God tested [Abraham]” (Genesis 22:1), “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18), “the Lord is a zealous and vengeful God” (Nahum 1:2). [This is analogous] to a rabbi who would command his disciple, and say to him: ‘Do not divert judgment,’ but he [the rabbi] diverts judgment; ‘do not give preferential treatment,’ but he gives preferential treatment.22A parallel midrash (Bereshit Rabba 55:3) adds the example: The rabbi tells him not to lend with interest, but he lends with interest. The disciple said to him: ‘Rabbi, for you it is permitted and for me it is prohibited?’ [The rabbi] said to him: ‘I am telling you only that you may not lend to an Israelite with interest, but lend to a gentile, as it is written: “You may take interest from a gentile” (Deuteronomy 23:21).’23Thus, the rabbi informs his disciple that he did not fully understand any of the rabbi’s actions. So too, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, did You not write in Your Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18)? But You take vengeance and bear a grudge.’ He said to them: ‘I will not bear a grudge against Israel, as it is written: “He will not contend to eternity or forever bear a grudge” (Psalms 103:9); however, for the nations of the world: “The Lord is vengeful to His foes and bears a grudge against His enemies” (Nahum 1:2). I dictated to you in My Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge against the members of your people” (Leviticus 19:18), but you may take vengeance against the nations of the world, as it is stated: “Avenge the children of Israel [on the Midianites]” (Numbers 31:2),’ to realize what is written: “Since the king's word has power, [and who will say to him: What are you doing].”
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