סַבּ֨וֹתִֽי אֲנִ֤י וְלִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת וְלָת֔וּר וּבַקֵּ֥שׁ חָכְמָ֖ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וְלָדַ֙עַת֙ רֶ֣שַׁע כֶּ֔סֶל וְהַסִּכְל֖וּת הוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃
איך האָב מיך אַרומגעדרײט, און מײַן האַרץ איז געװען אױף צו פֿאַרשטײן און צו פֿאָרשן און זוכן חכמה און אַ חשבון, און צו דערקענען אַז שלעכטיקײט איז טיפּשות, און נאַרישקײט איז משוגעת.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“I turned” [7:25]. I turned to understanding the reason for the red heifer and the calculation when the Messiah will come. I wanted to know the reasons for the commandments and I could not understand them.103Rashi, Ecclesiastes, 7:25.
Rashi
So I turned about. To know and to search out and to seek the wisdom [=meaning] of the section dealing with the Red Heifer58The numerical value [gematria] of “והיא רחוקה” equals 341, the same as “פרה אדומה.” 59The Gemara in Maseches Yoma 14a states, that verse 7:23 above “I said, ‘I will be wise but it proved far beyond [והיא רחוקה] me,’” is referring to the Red Heifer, whose ashes render ritually clean one who has become contaminated by contact with a corpse, and yet these same ashes contaminate one who is ritually clean. and the computation of the End [of exile] for Redemption.
Rashi
And to know that wickedness is folly. To foresee the ultimate end of heresy, and “foolishness is madness,” [i.e.,] the confusion and madness therein.