Kohelet Rabbah, that rich collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, gives us a fascinating, almost unbelievable image of just that, using none other than Moses as the ultimate example.

The verse we're looking at, Ecclesiastes 7:19, says, "Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers who are in a city." So, what does that even mean?

Well, the Rabbis of the Midrash see in this verse a powerful statement about self-mastery. "Wisdom will bolster the wise – this is Moses," the text declares. Okay, makes sense. But then it gets wild. "More than ten rulers" isn’t about earthly kings or governors. Instead, it's interpreted as "more than the ten organs that serve the body, which Moses subdued."

Ten organs? What organs?

Here comes the really… detailed part. The Midrash lists a whole digestive process, from the mouth all the way down (and out!). Food travels, we're told, from the mouth to the esophagus, then the maw, the stomach, the lower stomach, the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, large intestine, colon, rectum, and finally, well, you know.

It’s quite a journey they paint, isn't it?

The point? All that complicated bodily function, all that need for sustenance and elimination… Moses, in his wisdom and closeness to God, transcended it. The proof text? Exodus 34:28, describing Moses on Mount Sinai: "He was there with the Lord forty days…bread he did not eat and water he did not drink."

Think about that for a moment. Forty days and forty nights. No food. No water.

Now, obviously, we're not meant to take this completely literally. The Midrash isn't a scientific textbook. It's using hyperbole to make a profound point. Moses, through his wisdom and devotion, achieved a level of control over his physical needs that’s almost unimaginable.

The implication? True wisdom isn't just about knowledge. It's about mastering yourself. It’s about rising above the constant demands of your physical being, even if just metaphorically, to connect with something higher. It's about understanding that you are more than just the sum of your bodily needs.

So, the next time you feel controlled by your cravings, your desires, or even just your basic need for food and water, remember Moses on Mount Sinai. Remember the ten "rulers" he overcame. And ask yourself: what can I subdue today, to move a little closer to true wisdom?