The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible grapples with these very feelings. There's a verse in chapter 9, verse 11, that really gets to the heart of it: "I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all."
It's a powerful statement, isn't it? It flies in the face of what we're often told: that hard work always pays off, that the best person always wins. But the reality, as Ecclesiastes points out, is often far more complicated. So, what do we make of this?
Well, Kohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on Ecclesiastes, dives deep into this verse, using stories from the Hebrew Bible to illustrate its point. It's a beautiful exploration of how even the most righteous and capable individuals face unexpected reversals and challenges.
Take Jacob, for example. The Rabbah highlights how quickly fortunes can change. One day, as we read in Genesis, he's striding purposefully towards the land of the East, "lifting his feet" with vigor (Genesis 29:1). He even rolls a massive stone off a well, and Rabbi Yoḥanan compares his strength to removing a stopper from a flask! The next, he's old and frail, being carried on a litter by his sons as he dies (Genesis 49:33). He even has to ask his sons to buy him food (Genesis 43:2). Yesterday, he was rich and prosperous (Genesis 30:43), almost a microcosm of the World to Come, with God breaking the laws of nature to bless him, as Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon, linking it to the verse in (Micah 2:13), "The one who breaks through will have ascended before them." Today, Joseph is sustaining him (Genesis 47:12). Yesterday, he had insight, as he says "I know my son, I know" about Judah and Tamar and Reuben and Bilha (Genesis 48:19). Today, he's pleading with Joseph for a proper burial (Genesis 47:29). The Rabbah shows us how Jacob’s life embodies the verse, “the race is not to the swift…”.
Kohelet Rabbah doesn't stop there. It brings up Asael, known for his incredible speed (II (Samuel 2:1)8) – so light on his feet that he could run over stalks without breaking them! Yet, he was ultimately killed by Avner (II (Samuel 2:2)3). Then there's Avner himself, a mighty warrior, so strong that, according to Rabbi Asi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, moving one of his legs was harder than moving a six-cubit-wide wall! Yet he met an ignominious end, tricked and murdered (II (Samuel 3:3)3).
Even Solomon, the wisest of all men, doesn’t escape this pattern. Once, his daily provision was immense, with thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour (I Kings 5:2) – a kor being a biblical measure of dry volume. Each of his wives prepared meals for him, hoping he would dine with her (I Kings 5:3). But in the end, all he was left with was, according to some interpretations, just his bowl, his walking stick, or his belt (Ecclesiastes 2:10). This alludes to a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and wandered as a commoner.
And what about Job, whose wealth was legendary (Job 1:3), and whose livestock "breached the boundaries of the world" (paratz in Hebrew), as Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina puts it. Yet, he was reduced to begging for pity from his friends (Job 19:21).
The Rabbah even touches on Joshua, who even though Moses recognised his greatness (Numbers 11:29), Moses didn't accept his views on Eldad and Medad (Numbers 11:28-29), or during the incident of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:17-18).
What does all this mean? Is life just random chaos? Is there no point in striving for excellence?
Not exactly. Kohelet Rabbah isn’t suggesting we give up. Instead, it offers a dose of humility and a reminder that we are not in complete control. It suggests that we need to accept the unexpected twists and turns of life. To appreciate the moments of success and resilience in the face of adversity. It’s a call to be present, to be grateful, and to recognize that even in the face of uncertainty, there is still meaning to be found. It’s a call to embrace the journey, even when the destination is unclear. Because sometimes, the greatest victories are not the ones we planned, but the ones we learn from along the way.
“I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the war is not to the valiant; also bread is not to the wise, and also wealth is not to the clever, and also favor is not to the knowledgeable, but rather, time and chance befalls them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). “That the race is not to the swift” – this is Jacob our patriarch; yesterday: “Jacob lifted his feet [and went to the land of the children of the east]” (Genesis 29:1), and today it is written: “He gathered his feet onto the bed [and expired]” (Genesis 49:33). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “he rolled the stone off the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:10), and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a person removing the stopper from the mouth of a flask,61This demonstrates Jacob’s great strength, as the stone was heavy enough that generally multiple people had to lift it together (see Genesis 29:8). and today, “the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father” (Genesis 46:5), his body, and he could not be carried even [sitting] in a litter.62Jacob was so weak that his sons had to carry him themselves as they traveled. “Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “Jacob sacrificed an offering on the mountain…[and called his brethren to eat bread] and they ate bread” (Genesis 31:54). Were they his brethren? He had one brother, and if only he had buried him.63His only brother, Esau, wanted to kill him; it would have been better for Jacob had Esau died. Were they not his sons? Rather, once they reached his shoulders he likened them to himself and called them brethren. Today, “Return and purchase a little food for us…” (Genesis 43:2).64Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to purchase food. Instead of him providing for them, he asked them to provide food for him. “And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Jacob; “the man became exceedingly prosperous [vayifrotz]” (Genesis 30:43). Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon that he had a microcosm of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [haporetz] will have ascended before them” (Micah 2:13).65Just as the Messiah, the subject of that verse, will break the laws of nature, God broke the laws of nature in causing Jacob’s flocks to multiply in order to grant him wealth. But today, “Joseph sustained his father and his brothers…” (Genesis 47:12). “And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Jacob. Yesterday, “I know my son, I know” (Genesis 48:19). I know about the incident of Judah and Tamar, the incident of Reuben and Bilha. If the matters that were not revealed to you, were revealed to me, the matters that were revealed to you, all the more so. But today, he said to him: “If I have found favor in your eyes…do not bury me in Egypt (Genesis 47:29).66Jacob was more knowledgeable than Joseph, as indicated in Genesis 48:19, yet he had to ask for Joseph’s favor so that he could be buried in the land of Israel. Another matter, “the race is not to the swift” – this is Asael, as it is stated: “Asael was light on his feet, like one of the antelopes…” (II Samuel 2:18). How was his lightness manifest? He would run over the awns of the stalks and they would not break. Yesterday, “Asael was light on his feet,” and today, “Avner struck him with the back of the spear” (II Samuel 2:23). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Avner, as it is written: “Are you not a man? Who is your equal in Israel…” (I Samuel 26:15). As Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is easier for a person to move a six-cubit-wide wall than one of Avner’s legs; but today, “shall Avner die the death of a scoundrel?” (II Samuel 3:33).67David said this after Yoav tricked Avner and killed him. “Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Solomon. Yesterday, “Solomon’s daily provision was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour” (I Kings 5:2), and it is written: “Ten fattened bulls…” (I Kings 5:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Likewise, each and every day, and likewise each and every one of his wives would prepare a meal for him, under the impression that he would dine with her. But today, “this was my portion from all my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). There is one who says: [All he had was] his bowl, there is one who says: [All he had was] his walking stick, and there is one who says: [All he had was] his belt.68This is an allusion to the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 2:10) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and made to wander as a commoner with almost nothing. “And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Job. Yesterday, “his livestock was seven thousand sheep…” (Job 1:3), “and his livestock spread [paratz] in the land” (Job 1:10). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He breached [paratz] the boundaries of the world. Everywhere, the way of the world is that wolves kill the goats; however, with Job, the goats would kill the wolves. But today, “pity me, pity me, you are my friends…” (Job 19:21). “And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Joshua. Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: There are two matters that Joshua spoke before Moses, but they did not find favor in his eyes, and these are: One regarding the appointment of the elders, and one in the incident of the [Golden] Calf. In the appointment of the elders, as it is written: “My lord Moses, incarcerate them [kela’em]” (Numbers 11:28); he said to him: Put an end to them [kalem] and remove them from the world. “Moses said to him: Are you zealous on my behalf?” (Numbers 11:29). [Moses] said to him: ‘Joshua, am I jealous of you?69According to rabbinic tradition, Joshua’s statement to Moses about two elders, Eldad and Medad, was made after the latter prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the nation in the land of Israel (Sanhedrin 17a). That is the backdrop of this midrash, in which Joshua demanded that these elders be punished for their lack of respect toward Moses, and Moses responded that he was not insulted by their prophecy (Rabbi David Luria). If only my son could be like you, if only all Israel could be like you, “would that all the people of the Lord would be prophets” (Numbers 11:29).’ And one regarding the [Golden] Calf, as it is stated: “Joshua heard the sound of the people in their uproar [and he said to Moses: There is a sound of war in the camp]” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: ‘A person who is destined to assert authority over six hundred thousand [men] does not know to distinguish between one sound and another sound? “It is not the sound of a cry of strength [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11); ‘“and it is not the sound of a cry of weakness” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13); ‘“the sound of a cry, I hear” (Exodus 32:18).’ Rabbi Asi said: It is the sound of praise of idol worship, I hear. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Asi: You do not have any generation that did not take one ounce of the calf.70The punishment for this sin is distributed over all the generations.
