ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף קהלת 1:18

אם הכהן המשיח יחטא, “if the High Priest becomes guilty of a sin, etc.” The list of sinners mentioned in this chapter proceeds in the following order: 1) High Priest, 2) High Court (collectively); 3) King; 4) the common people. The reason the Torah commences with the High Priest is that he is an outstanding individual (Joshua 14,15) comparable to an angel of the Lord (Malachi 2,7). When the people observe that even the High Priest has to bring a sin-offering they will be careful to return to G’d in repentance themselves. They will be encouraged when they see the High Priest bringing such an offering, reasoning that if G’d is willing to forgive the trespass of even such an highly placed individual as the High Priest, He would most certainly be willing to forgive ordinary people for their trespasses against Him. It was a well known fact that G’d relates more severely to people of distinction who become guilty of a sin than He does to ordinary individuals. This is why Solomon said in Kohelet 1,18 that “the amount of (G’d’s) anger is determined by the degree of wisdom (of the sinner).” The more wisdom one possesses the less forgivable is one’s sin. The best example in Scripture of the truth of this statement is Moses who was punished grievously for committing an error when striking the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20,12).

God endowed man with a rational faculty, which is also referred to as lev in order to actualize every soul's potential in due time. God also provided him with mitzvot to make it possible to maintain everything in proper proportion... Now although the three souls are alluded to by one all-embracing name, we shall distinguish the three different powers of the soul by three specific names: neshamah, ruach, nefesh. This will avoid undue elaboration on the various qualities associated with each of the three souls. Thus the term nefesh refers to man's desire to eat, to be merry, and indulge in sexual pleasures. The name ruach alludes to our sensations that stir feelings for mastery and self-glorification. Neshamah denotes our rational faculties. Saadia made a similar classification of the three souls. It is, moreover, apparent that when the nefesh increases in power, the neshamah becomes weaker and has no strength to resist the power of the nefesh, reintroduced as it is by all the other organs of the body. Hence one who overindulges in food and drink can never acquire wisdom. And when neshamah and ruach get together they overpower nefesh and pave the way for a partial opening of the "eyes" of the neshamah to comprehend the physical but not yet the metaphysical disciplines. The reason for this limitation is due to the power of ruach which strives for mastery and gives rise to the sensation of anger. This is then the implication of the verse: "Vexation is better than revelry, for though the face may be sad, the heart may be glad." (Ecclesiastes 7:3) Sadness of the face refers to vexations, and the "heart" alludes to our rational faculty. Subsequently, when neshamah finally prevails over nefesh with the help of ruach, it becomes necessary for neshamah to be preoccupied exclusively with wisdom in order that with the help of the latter, neshamah will be able to overcome ruach and render her subservient to neshamah. This is the meaning of the verse, "Don’t let your spirit be quickly vexed, for vexation abides in the breasts of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:9) "For as wisdom grows, vexation grows." (Ecclesiastes 1:18) "Don’t act the wise man to excess." (Ecclesiastes 7:16) For much wisdom increases indignation over the petty vanities of the world and its inhabitants...Thus the apparent contradictions that appear in the Book of Ecclesiastes where the author seems to say one thing in one instance and its opposite another time are only on the surface. The same applies to the Book of Proverbs where the author says: "Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly" (Proverbs 26:4) and in the following verse: "Answer a dullard in accord with his folly." (Proverbs 26:5) In the Prophets and the Torah, our principal source book, we find similar contradictions, e.g. "There shall be no needy among you" (Deuteronomy 15:4) and later, "For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land." (Deuteronomy 15:11) In reality they are similar provided we apply to them the proper philosophic notions.

relieve me of the pain...remove the worry -- this is the extra [pain] of the wise man over the fool. The fool is compared to an animal, without understanding, which was struck with some pain or illness. It has only the suffering of the sensation of feeling the pain or the illness. This is unlike the wise man, which besides the pain also has the worry of what will be the outcome of this pain or illness, and how much will it pain him before it leaves. This is the meaning of "more understanding more pain" (Eccles. 1:18). Therefore, he specified these two distinctions.