שְׁאוֹל֮ וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא־שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא־אָ֥מְרָה הֽוֹן׃
o Seol, a madre estéril, a terra que não se farta d`água, e o fogo que nunca diz: Basta.
Kohelet Rabbah
“A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot that which is planted” (Ecclesiastes 3:2).
“A time to be born, and a time to die” – Rabbi Berekhya said: Is all of Solomon’s wisdom that he said, “a time to be born, and a time to die”? What is [the meaning of this verse]? Happy is the person whose time of death is like the time of his birth; just as at the time of his birth he was clean [of sin], so, too, at the time of his death he is clean.
“A time to be born, and a time to die” – at the time when a woman sits on the birthing stool, they call her ḥaita. Why do they call her ḥaita? Because she is on the verge of dying, and she lives [ḥayya]. Why do they call her meḥabalta? It is because she is mortgaged in the hands of death, just as you say: “if you take as security [ḥavol taḥvol] your neighbor’s garment” (Exodus 22:25). Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Natan of Beit Guvrin said: “The grave and the barren womb” (Proverbs 30:16) – why is the grave juxtaposed to the womb? It is to say to you: Just as one is removed from the womb with loud cries, so too, one will be removed from the grave with loud cries.2Cries of thanksgiving to God when the dead are resurrected.
“A time to be born, and a time to die” – Rabbi Berekhya said: Is all of Solomon’s wisdom that he said, “a time to be born, and a time to die”? What is [the meaning of this verse]? Happy is the person whose time of death is like the time of his birth; just as at the time of his birth he was clean [of sin], so, too, at the time of his death he is clean.
“A time to be born, and a time to die” – at the time when a woman sits on the birthing stool, they call her ḥaita. Why do they call her ḥaita? Because she is on the verge of dying, and she lives [ḥayya]. Why do they call her meḥabalta? It is because she is mortgaged in the hands of death, just as you say: “if you take as security [ḥavol taḥvol] your neighbor’s garment” (Exodus 22:25). Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Natan of Beit Guvrin said: “The grave and the barren womb” (Proverbs 30:16) – why is the grave juxtaposed to the womb? It is to say to you: Just as one is removed from the womb with loud cries, so too, one will be removed from the grave with loud cries.2Cries of thanksgiving to God when the dead are resurrected.
Vayikra Rabbah
Another matter, “when a person [nefesh] will sin…” – that is what the verse said: “All the toil of man is for his mouth” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami said: As much as a person amasses mitzvot and good deeds, it is insufficient to counterbalance the hot air that emerges from his mouth.6It does not repay God for the very act of being able to breathe. Alternatively, it does not counterbalance the sins of improper speech that he commits (Rabbi David Luria).
“But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Kartzifa in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan say: Like ropes though a round hole.7Thick ropes that are pulled through a ring on a ship that is roughly the same size as the rope. This and the upcoming descriptions represent the process of removing the soul from a person at the time of death. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Like a nail that comes through the round hole. Shmuel said: Like a damp, inverted thorn that emerges from the trachea.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: All the mitzvot and good deeds that a person amasses are for his mouth, but not for the mouth of his son and not for the mouth of his daughter.8They benefits him but not his children. The Rabbis say: For his mouth and not for a foul odor.9It is for a good reputation and not for a bad reputation. Because the soul knows that all the exertion that it expends, it expends for itself; therefore, it is never satiated of mitzvot and good deeds. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a villager who was married to the daughter of kings; even if he feeds her all the delicacies in the world, he does not fulfill his obligation.10He does not satisfy her. Why? It is because she is exalted.
Three are ingrates: The earth, the woman, and the soul. The earth, as it is stated: “The earth is not sated with water” (Proverbs 30:16). The woman, from where is it derived? “[So is the way of an adulterous woman:] She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says: I did not do wrong” (Proverbs 30:20). The soul, from where is it derived? “But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Three take abundantly and give abundantly: the earth,11The earth takes rainwater and produces crops. the sea,12Water flows into the sea and evaporates from it to produce rain. and the government.13The government collects taxes and sees to the needs of the public.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Soul” is written here six times14The term soul [nefesh] is written six times in the Torah in the context of sin. corresponding to the six days of Creation. The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: ‘Everything that I created during the six days of Creation, I created only for your sake, and you emerge and sin? “When a person will sin.”’
“But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Kartzifa in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan say: Like ropes though a round hole.7Thick ropes that are pulled through a ring on a ship that is roughly the same size as the rope. This and the upcoming descriptions represent the process of removing the soul from a person at the time of death. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Like a nail that comes through the round hole. Shmuel said: Like a damp, inverted thorn that emerges from the trachea.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: All the mitzvot and good deeds that a person amasses are for his mouth, but not for the mouth of his son and not for the mouth of his daughter.8They benefits him but not his children. The Rabbis say: For his mouth and not for a foul odor.9It is for a good reputation and not for a bad reputation. Because the soul knows that all the exertion that it expends, it expends for itself; therefore, it is never satiated of mitzvot and good deeds. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a villager who was married to the daughter of kings; even if he feeds her all the delicacies in the world, he does not fulfill his obligation.10He does not satisfy her. Why? It is because she is exalted.
Three are ingrates: The earth, the woman, and the soul. The earth, as it is stated: “The earth is not sated with water” (Proverbs 30:16). The woman, from where is it derived? “[So is the way of an adulterous woman:] She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says: I did not do wrong” (Proverbs 30:20). The soul, from where is it derived? “But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Three take abundantly and give abundantly: the earth,11The earth takes rainwater and produces crops. the sea,12Water flows into the sea and evaporates from it to produce rain. and the government.13The government collects taxes and sees to the needs of the public.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Soul” is written here six times14The term soul [nefesh] is written six times in the Torah in the context of sin. corresponding to the six days of Creation. The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: ‘Everything that I created during the six days of Creation, I created only for your sake, and you emerge and sin? “When a person will sin.”’
Kohelet Rabbah
“Were he to live one thousand years twice, but did not see good, does everything not go to one place? All the toil of man is for his mouth, but the soul, too, is not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:6–7).
“Were he to live one thousand years…all the toil of man is for his mouth.” Rabbi Shmuel said: All a person’s toil to amass mitzvot and good deeds in this world does not suffice for the breath that emerges from his mouth.13All this toil is still insufficient to repay God for the ability He bestows on us to simply inhale and exhale. Alternatively, all this toil is insufficient to make up for the sin of even a single instance of improper speech (Rabbi David Luria). “But the soul, too, is not filled” – even its removal does not fill the hole.14Even the pain experienced at the time of death does not repair the damage caused by one’s sins (Midrash HaMevo’ar). How is the soul removed? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is like a rope [pulled] through a small hole.15Literally, like a rope pulled through the esophagus. Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is like a knotted rope [pulled] through a small hole. Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi said: It is like a moist, inverted thorn [pulled] from the esophagus.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Yitzḥak said: All a person’s toil [to amass] mitzvot and good deeds, it is for his mouth, and not for the mouth of his son and not for the mouth of his daughter.16One’s spiritual merit can benefit one’s descendants in this world, but not in the World to Come (Etz Yosef). “But the soul, too, is not filled” – as the soul knows that in everything that it toils, it toils for itself; therefore, it is never sated with Torah and good deeds. This is analogous to a villager who married a princess. Were he to bring her everything in the world, it would still be worthless to her. Why? It is because she is the king’s daughter.17Nothing the villager can bring her meets the standard she is used to as a princess. So, too, the soul, [even] if you were to bring it all the delicacies of the world, it is nothing to it. Why? Because it is from the heavens.
There are three who do not feel a sense of gratitude to their keepers: the soul, the earth, and the woman. From where is this derived [regarding] the soul? It is as it is stated: “But the soul, too, is not filled.”18It is never sated in this world from its desire for physical pleasure, or, in accordance with the homily above, from its desire for spiritual attainment (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Land, as it is written: “The earth that is not satisfied with water” (Proverbs 30:16). Woman, as it is stated: “She eats and wipes her mouth” (Proverbs 30:20).19She wants more. Three give bountifully and take bountifully, and they are: the sea,20The sea takes water from rivers which then evaporates and provides water for the clouds. the earth,21The earth takes rainwater and gives produce. and also the kingdom.22The kingdom takes taxes and gives services. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said: “Soul” is written in it six times,23The word soul [nefesh] is written six times in the Torah portion of Vayikra regarding sin (Leviticus 4:2, 4:27, 5:1, 5:15, 5:17, 5:21). corresponding to the six days of Creation. The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: Everything that I created during the six days of Creation, I created for you, yet you rob, sin, and commit acts of violence.
“Were he to live one thousand years…all the toil of man is for his mouth.” Rabbi Shmuel said: All a person’s toil to amass mitzvot and good deeds in this world does not suffice for the breath that emerges from his mouth.13All this toil is still insufficient to repay God for the ability He bestows on us to simply inhale and exhale. Alternatively, all this toil is insufficient to make up for the sin of even a single instance of improper speech (Rabbi David Luria). “But the soul, too, is not filled” – even its removal does not fill the hole.14Even the pain experienced at the time of death does not repair the damage caused by one’s sins (Midrash HaMevo’ar). How is the soul removed? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is like a rope [pulled] through a small hole.15Literally, like a rope pulled through the esophagus. Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is like a knotted rope [pulled] through a small hole. Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi said: It is like a moist, inverted thorn [pulled] from the esophagus.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Yitzḥak said: All a person’s toil [to amass] mitzvot and good deeds, it is for his mouth, and not for the mouth of his son and not for the mouth of his daughter.16One’s spiritual merit can benefit one’s descendants in this world, but not in the World to Come (Etz Yosef). “But the soul, too, is not filled” – as the soul knows that in everything that it toils, it toils for itself; therefore, it is never sated with Torah and good deeds. This is analogous to a villager who married a princess. Were he to bring her everything in the world, it would still be worthless to her. Why? It is because she is the king’s daughter.17Nothing the villager can bring her meets the standard she is used to as a princess. So, too, the soul, [even] if you were to bring it all the delicacies of the world, it is nothing to it. Why? Because it is from the heavens.
There are three who do not feel a sense of gratitude to their keepers: the soul, the earth, and the woman. From where is this derived [regarding] the soul? It is as it is stated: “But the soul, too, is not filled.”18It is never sated in this world from its desire for physical pleasure, or, in accordance with the homily above, from its desire for spiritual attainment (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Land, as it is written: “The earth that is not satisfied with water” (Proverbs 30:16). Woman, as it is stated: “She eats and wipes her mouth” (Proverbs 30:20).19She wants more. Three give bountifully and take bountifully, and they are: the sea,20The sea takes water from rivers which then evaporates and provides water for the clouds. the earth,21The earth takes rainwater and gives produce. and also the kingdom.22The kingdom takes taxes and gives services. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said: “Soul” is written in it six times,23The word soul [nefesh] is written six times in the Torah portion of Vayikra regarding sin (Leviticus 4:2, 4:27, 5:1, 5:15, 5:17, 5:21). corresponding to the six days of Creation. The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: Everything that I created during the six days of Creation, I created for you, yet you rob, sin, and commit acts of violence.