The ancient Rabbis, in their commentary called Kohelet Rabbah, dive deep into a specific verse that really makes you think: "What has been, already is, and what will be has already been; and God seeks the pursued" (Ecclesiastes 3:15).
So, what does it all mean?
The first part, "What has been, already is," gets a fascinating unpacking. Imagine someone questioning if the entire world could have once been water, all gathered into one place. It sounds impossible. But Rabbi Yehuda, in conversation with Rabbi Nehemya, says to tell that person, "It 'already is!'" Think of the ocean – water within water. Rivers flow into it, yet it never overflows. It’s a constant state of watery being. The Rabbis are pointing to the cyclical nature of existence.
And what about the future? "And what will be has already been…" If someone asks if God could turn the sea into dry land, the answer is the same: "It 'has already been!'" Remember Moses? The parting of the Red Sea? "The children of Israel went on dry land" (Exodus 14:29). These stories aren't just ancient history; they're blueprints, prototypes of what’s possible.
The commentary doesn't stop there. What if Adam hadn't sinned? Would he have lived forever? "It 'already is!'" says the text. Consider Elijah, who, according to tradition, never sinned and lives eternally. And the revival of the dead? Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel all performed such miracles. These moments aren’t isolated incidents but glimpses into the divine potential woven into the fabric of reality.
Rabbi Aḥa, quoting Rabbi Ḥalafta, sums it up beautifully: Everything God will do in the future, He's already done partially through a prophet in this world. Think of God saying, "I am destined to turn the sea into dry land; I have already done so..." It's a powerful statement of God’s consistent presence and pattern throughout history. God remembers the barren, as with Sarah (Genesis 21:1). God revives the dead, as with Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel. God causes kings to prostrate themselves, as with Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:46). And God opens the eyes of the blind, as with Elisha (II (Kings 6:1)7).
But there's more to this verse than just repeating patterns. The last part, "and God seeks the pursued," adds another layer of meaning. Rabbi Huna, quoting Rabbi Yosei, says God always seeks to save the pursued. Whether it's a righteous person pursued by another righteous person, a wicked person pursuing a righteous one, or even a wicked person pursuing another wicked person, God is on the side of the underdog, the one being chased.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, citing Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Nehorai, emphasizes that God seeks the blood of the pursued from the pursuers. There's accountability, a divine justice at play. The text then gives a powerful list of examples: Abel pursued by Cain, Noah pursued by his generation, Abraham pursued by Nimrod, Isaac pursued by the Philistines, Jacob pursued by Esau, Joseph pursued by his brothers, Moses pursued by Pharaoh, David pursued by Saul, Saul pursued by the Philistines, and Israel pursued by the nations. In each case, God chooses the pursued.
And Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra even brings it down to the level of offerings! A bull is pursued by a lion, a goat by a leopard, a sheep by a wolf. Don't sacrifice the pursuers, he says, but rather the pursued (Leviticus 22:27). It's a powerful image of divine preference for the vulnerable.
So, what's the takeaway? This passage from Kohelet Rabbah isn't just about repetition; it's about hope. It's about knowing that even in the darkest times, even when it feels like history is just repeating itself, God is there, seeking out the pursued, offering a path to redemption, a promise of a future that, in some ways, has already begun. And isn't that a comforting thought?
“What has been, already is, and what will be has already been; and God seeks the pursued” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). “What has been, already is” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: If a person says to you: Is it possible that the entire world was water [and the world’s water was gathered] into water?65God gathered the water that covered the land into the oceans (see Genesis 1:9); but how is that possible given that there was already water in the oceans? Say to him: ‘It “already is.”’ The ocean is entirely water in water.66Even though it is full of water, rivers stream into it and it does not overflow. “And what will be has already been…” – if a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to transform sea into dry land?’ Say to him: ‘It “has already been.”’ Did He did not do so by means of Moses, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land” (Exodus 14:29), and it is written: “Now raise your staff…” (Exodus 14:16), and it is written: “And the children of Israel will come into the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:16). If a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that had Adam, the first man, not sinned, he would have lived and endured forever?’ Say to him: ‘It “already is,”’ – Elijah, may he be remembered for good, who never sinned, lives and endures. “And what will be has already been” – if a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to revive the dead?’ Say to him: ‘It “has already been,”’ He already revived the dead by means of Elijah, by means of Elisha, and by means of Ezekiel. Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥalafta: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to perform and to innovate in His world in the future, He has already performed partially by means of a prophet in this world. It is I67This phrase, and the coming phrases, are stated from the perspective of God. who am destined to turn the sea into dry land; I have already done so in this world, [as it is stated]: “Now raise your staff…” (Exodus 14:16), It is I who am destined to remember the barren; I have already remembered by means of Abraham, as it is stated: “God remembered Sarah…” (Genesis 21:1).68God informed Sarah of this fact through a prophecy granted to Abraham (Maharzu). It is I who am destined to revive the dead; I have already revived by means of Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel. It is I who am destined to cause kings to prostrate themselves to you; I have already done it for you by means of Daniel, as Nebuchadnezzar prostrated himself to Daniel, as it is stated: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and he prostrated himself to Daniel” (Daniel 2:46). It is I who am destined to open the eyes of the blind in the future; I have already done so by means of Elisha, as it is stated: “The Lord opened the eyes of the lad” (II Kings 6:17). “And God seeks the pursued” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: God will always seek [to save] the pursued. You find a righteous man pursuing a righteous man; “and God seeks the pursued.” A wicked man pursuing a righteous man; “and God seeks the pursued.” A wicked man pursuing a wicked man; “and God seeks the pursued.” God seeks the pursued in any circumstance. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Nehorai: The Holy One blessed be He always seeks the blood of the pursued from the pursuers.69He holds the pursuers accountable for their actions, and He grants favor to the pursued. Know that it is so; Abel was pursued by Cain, and the Holy One blessed be He chose only Abel, as it is stated: “The Lord turned to Abel and to his offering” (Genesis 4:4). Noah was pursued by the members of his generation, and the Holy One blessed be He chose only Noah, as it is stated: “For you I have seen righteous before Me” (Genesis 7:1). Abraham was pursued by Nimrod, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Abraham, as it is stated: “You are the Lord God who chose Abram” (Nehemiah 9:7). Isaac was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Isaac, as it is stated: “They said: We have seen that the Lord has been with you” (Genesis 26:28). Jacob was pursued by Esau, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Jacob, as it is stated: “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His treasure” (Psalms 135:4). Joseph was pursued by his brothers, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Joseph, as it is stated: “He established it as testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6). Moses was pursued by Pharaoh, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Moses, as it is stated: “Were it not for Moses, His chosen, who stood in the breach before Him” (Psalms 106:23). David was pursued by Saul, and the Holy One blessed be He chose David, as it is stated: “He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds” (Psalms 78:70). Saul was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Saul, as it is stated: “Have you seen the one whom the Lord has chosen?” (I Samuel 10:24). Israel was pursued by the nations, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Israel, as it is stated: “[For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God] has chosen you as a treasured people” (Deuteronomy 7:6). Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra said: The same is true regarding offerings. The Holy One blessed be He said: A bull is pursued by a lion, a goat by a leopard, a sheep by a wolf; do not sacrifice the pursuers before Me, but rather the pursued, as it is stated: “A bull, a sheep, or a goat…[it shall be accepted as a fire offering before the Lord]” (Leviticus 22:27).
