Kohelet Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, takes on this very question, diving deep into the meaning of the verse: "Wisdom will bolster the wise more than ten rulers who are in a city" (Ecclesiastes 7:19). But what does it mean?
The Rabbis, never ones for a simple answer, offer a couple of fascinating interpretations. First, "wisdom will bolster the wise" – this, they say, refers to none other than the Holy One, blessed be He! After all, as it says in Job 9:4, God is "Wise of heart, mighty of strength." But how is God "more than ten rulers"?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Kohelet Rabbah connects those "ten rulers" to the ten utterances, the ten divine statements, with which God created the world. Think about it: the very fabric of reality, brought into being through divine speech. Yet, the commentary suggests, people will be quicker to recognize God through Torah – through wisdom and understanding – than by simply appreciating the miracle of creation itself. As the Maharzu commentary points out, Torah study is a more direct path. Mind-blowing, right?
But wait, there's more! A second interpretation takes us in a completely different direction. This time, "wisdom" isn't God, but Adam, the first human. Remember Ezekiel 28:12, which describes Adam as "the culmination of perfection, full of wisdom"? Now, who are these "ten rulers" in this context?
They're not kings or divine utterances, but rather the ten organs within us that serve the neshama, the soul. We're talking about the esophagus, trachea, liver, gall bladder, lungs, stomach, spleen, kidneys, heart, and of course, the tongue. (Yes, your gall bladder and spleen are apparently rulers, too!) Each organ, according to this midrash, has a specific function, from processing food to expressing our thoughts. The liver embodies wrath, the gall bladder, envy. The kidneys offer counsel, the heart understands, and the tongue articulates.
The Midrash Rabbah seems to be telling us that wisdom, in this case embodied by Adam, is superior to even the most essential bodily functions and emotions. It’s a powerful statement about the importance of intellect, insight, and spiritual understanding in navigating the complexities of human existence.
So, what are we left with? Two compelling interpretations, both stemming from a single verse. Is wisdom divine, exceeding even the power of creation? Or is it a human capacity, surpassing the limitations of our physical and emotional selves?
Perhaps the answer is both. Perhaps the wisdom that bolsters us, the wise, is the very same wisdom that allows us to connect with the Divine and to understand ourselves on a deeper level. What do you think?