“If a man begets one hundred, and lives many years, and the days of his years are many, but his soul is not sated from the good, and he did not have a burial; I say, a stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3). “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23).
What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum].
Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef). Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons.
Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15).
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19).
“The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.