Komentaryo sa Eclesiastes 7:1: Rashi, Kohelet Rabbah & Tze'enah Ure'enah

Better a good name than precious oil. A fine reputation for a person is better than precious oil,¹The Mishnah in Avos 4:13 states that there are three crowns, the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name [כתר שם טוב], i.e., fine reputation, surpasses them all. and on the day of [his] death that reputation is better than [it was] on the day he was born. For this reason, a good name is compared to oil in preference to other liquids, for [if] you put water into oil, it rises and floats, and is distinguishable, but other liquids, [if] you put water into them, it becomes absorbed.

“A good name is better than fine oil, and the day of death than the day of one's birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1).
“A good name is better than fine oil.” Fine oil descends,¹See Psalms 133:2. a good name ascends.²See Genesis 12:2. Fine oil is temporary, a good name is eternal. Fine oil is finite, a good name is infinite. Fine oil costs money, a good name is free. Fine oil is for the living, a good name is for the living and for the dead. Fine oil is for the wealthy, a good name is for the poor and the wealthy. Fine oil wafts from the inner chamber to the banquet hall, a good name carries from one end of the world to the other end. Fine oil falls on a corpse and putrefies, as it is stated: “Flies of death putrefy and ferment blended oil” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). A good name falls on the dead and does not putrefy, as it is stated: “He went up and stretched himself upon the boy […and the lad opened his eyes]” (II Kings 4:35).³Elisha’s righteousness, which earned him a good name, allowed him to revive the dead. Fine oil falls on water and disperses, a good name falls on water and does not disperse, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Jonah and it spewed Jonah out” (Jonah 2:11). Fine oil falls onto fire and burns, a good name falls on fire and does not burn, as it is written: “Then…they emerged [from within the fire]” (Daniel 3:26).⁴The reference is to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: We have found those with fine oil who entered a place of life and emerged burned, and those with a good name who entered a place of death and emerged alive. Nadav and Avihu⁵They had been anointed with the anointing oil. entered a place of life and died.⁶Nadav and Avihu, who had been anointed to the priesthood with the anointing oil, entered the Tabernacle and were killed (see Leviticus 10:1–2). Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya entered a fiery furnace and emerged alive. Therefore, it is stated: “A good name is better than fine oil…”

Better a good name than precious oil. Precious oil runs down, as it is stated, “as the precious oil (on the head) runs down upon the beard.”²Tehillim 133:2. But a good name rises to the top, as it is stated, “and I will make your name great.”³Bereishis 12:2. Precious oil is temporary, but a fine reputation is forever, as it is stated, “may his name endure forever.”⁴Tehillim 72:17. Precious oil [at best] flows from the flask to the palace, and no further, but a fine reputation [spreads] throughout the world.⁵The fragrance of good oil dissipates but a good name grows constantly stronger. (Metsudas Dovid) Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said, that we find that those who had good oil entered the place of life and emerged burnt up. These are Nadav and Avihu, who were anointed with the anointing oil. And we find those who possessed a fine reputation, who entered a place of death and emerged alive, [these are] Chananyah, Mishaeil, and Azaryah, who emerged [unscathed] from the fiery furnace.

And the day of death than the day birth. When Miriam was born, no one knew what she was. But when she died, the well ceased to exist, and similarly with Aharon with the pillar of cloud, and Moshe with the manna.⁶Alternatively, a fine reputation is better on the day of death than on the day of birth, because so long as one lives, his reputation is subject to possible future deterioration, whereas on the day of death there are no uncertainties. This thought is found in the Mishnah in Avos 2:4 wherein Hillel said, “do not believe in yourself until the day you die.” (Sforno) Or, it is good for one to consider his death [יום המות], beginning from the time that he is born [יום הולדו], and by doing so he will refrain from sinning. (Khilos Yaakov)