Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, that sometimes-bleak but always-honest book of the Bible, wrestles with this feeling. Chapter 6, verse 2, hits hard: "A man to whom God gives wealth, assets, and honor, and he lacks nothing for his soul of everything that he desires, but God does not give him power to partake of it; rather a stranger partakes of it. This is vanity, and it is a grave disease.” Ouch.

But what does it really mean? Kohelet Rabbah, a Midrashic commentary on Ecclesiastes, dives deep into this verse. One story in particular, attributed to Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, beautifully unpacks its layers.

Imagine Rabbi Abba bar Kahana walking into a synagogue. He hears Rabbi Levi holding forth, expounding on this very verse. Rabbi Levi isn't talking about literal wealth, but something much deeper: knowledge.

“A man to whom God gives wealth… this is one well-versed in Bible (the Tanakh),” Rabbi Levi explains. “Assets… this is one well-versed in Mishna.” Now, the Mishna is a compilation of Jewish oral law, the foundation upon which the Talmud is built. It's serious stuff. “And honor… this is one well-versed in Tosefta,” another collection of early rabbinic teachings.

And then comes the kicker: “and he lacks nothing for his soul of everything that he desires… like the mishna of Rabbi Akiva, the mishna of Rabbi Ḥiyya, of Rabbi Hoshaya, and of bar Kappara.” These were all great sages, each with extensive collections of organized teachings. Imagine having access to all that wisdom! But then, “but God does not give him power to partake of it… as it is prohibited to issue halakhic rulings (legal decisions) on their basis.”

Wait, what?

He possesses all this incredible knowledge, but he can't actually use it to make legal rulings? It's like having a library full of cookbooks but being forbidden from cooking. Frustrating. Rabbi Levi continues: “rather a stranger partakes of it… this is one well-versed in Talmud, who impurifies and purifies, prohibits and permits.” The Talmud, a sprawling and complex collection of discussions and debates on the Mishna, does allow for the making of halakhic rulings. So, someone with less raw knowledge, but with the ability to apply it, benefits more.

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana is so moved by this interpretation that he rises and kisses Rabbi Levi on the head! He exclaims that hearing just this homily would have made the entire visit worthwhile.

There’s another layer too. Rabbi Yishmael adds his perspective, drawing on Proverbs 28:11: “The wealthy is wise in his eyes… this is one well-versed in Talmud; and the impoverished one who understands will examine him… this is one well-versed in Aggada.” Aggada refers to the stories, legends, and ethical teachings within the rabbinic literature. So, the one who is steeped in the more legalistic Talmud may appear wise, but the one who understands the deeper meaning, the moral of the story found in the Aggada, can see beyond the surface.

So, what does all this mean for us? It's not just about knowledge, but about access and application. It’s about understanding the why behind the what. It's a reminder that possessing information isn't the same as truly understanding and being able to use it, to let it shape our lives and the world around us. It’s a warning against hoarding knowledge and a call to engage with it, to wrestle with it, to let it transform us. Because, ultimately, what good is having everything if we can’t truly partake?