58These sections are printed together in the Vilna edition of Midrash Rabba. “Then, Moses designated” – this is what the verse said: “One who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver [nor one who loves abundance with produce]” (Ecclesiastes 5:9). Do we not know that a person never satisfies himself? What is “with silver”?
The Rabbis say: These are Torah scholars who love matters of Torah, which were compared to silver, as it is stated: “The acquisition of understanding is choicer than silver” (Proverbs 16:16). Rav Naḥman said: One who loves Torah is never satisfied with Torah. What is “nor one who loves abundance with produce”? One who avidly longs for Torah, “nor…with produce” – but he does not produce students – “this, too, is futility” (Ecclesiastes 5:9).
Rav Aḥa said: One who studies Torah and does not teach, he has no futility greater than that. Another matter: “One who loves silver” (Ecclesiastes 5:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who loves mitzvot is never satisfied with mitzvot. How so? You find two greats of the world, David and Moses, who were not satisfied.
David, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “However, you will not build this House for Me” (see II Chronicles 6:9), David would say to himself: Just because the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “You will not build the House,” will I sit idle? What did he do? He hurried himself and prepared all its needs before he died.59He prepared the materials for the construction of the Temple. From where is this derived?
As it is stated: “Behold, in my affliction, I have prepared for the House of my Lord [one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million talents of silver…]” (see I Chronicles 22:14). Likewise, Moses, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), Moses said: Will I pass from the world and not designate cities of refuge? Immediately, “then Moses designated.”