Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, wrestles with this very question. And it’s a question that hits at the heart of how we live our lives right now.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us, "Everything that you are capable of doing with your strength, do, as there is no action, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going.” But Rabbi Menaḥama, citing Rabbi Bon, flips it on its head. Knowing there's nothing "after," shouldn't that make us even MORE driven to act, to learn, to contribute now, with all our might? It's a powerful reframing, isn't it? It's like a cosmic call to action.
The text then launches into a series of fascinating stories, all orbiting this central idea. These stories highlight the importance of Torah study and the impact it has, not just on our earthly lives, but on our eternal standing. They also explore how we are remembered, and why.
One particularly poignant tale involves Rabbi Aḥa, who longed to see the face of Rabbi Alexandri after his passing. In a dream, Rabbi Alexandri reveals two things. First, he speaks of the martyrs of Lod. These were Jews who were executed by the Romans after a princess was murdered and the Jews were falsely blamed. Pappos and Luleyanus, though innocent, took the blame to save their community. The text emphasizes that they are now "closer than their partition," meaning they are in a particularly exalted place in heaven. "Blessed is He who removed the shame of Luleyanus and Pappos," the text declares, noting that the Roman official responsible was immediately executed afterwards as a divine sign of their innocence. This demonstrates the power of self-sacrifice and its lasting impact.
Second, Rabbi Alexandri says, "Happy is he who comes here [to heaven] with his studies in his possession." This idea of "studies in his possession" is key. It means remembering and internalizing the Torah you've learned.
Zavdi ben Levi also yearned for a glimpse of a deceased sage, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. In his dream, he saw some people with uplifted faces and others downcast. Rabbi Yehoshua explained that those with uplifted faces had their studies "in their possession," meaning they remembered and lived by what they had learned. Those with downcast faces… well, you get the picture.
Then there's the story of Reish Lakish (or, some say, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi) who desired to see Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great in a dream, but was initially deemed "not worthy." The Jerusalem Talmud elaborates that he had fasted repeatedly to try to see Rabbi Ḥiyya in a dream, but to no avail. Why? Because, while Reish Lakish toiled in Torah, he didn't teach it like Rabbi Ḥiyya, who traveled far and wide to share his knowledge. The emphasis shifts from simply learning to actively sharing and teaching Torah. Ultimately, after observing three hundred fasts, Rabbi Ḥiyya appeared to him, cautioning that even great Torah scholars shouldn’t be overly prideful.
The text continues with other anecdotes, like Rabbi Asi, who fasted to see Rabbi Ḥiyya but was warned it would be too overwhelming. He insisted, saw Rabbi Ḥiyya's platform, and his eyesight dimmed from the sheer brilliance. This underscores the immense spiritual stature of Rabbi Ḥiyya.
Then there's the story of Rabbi Huna, the Exilarch, who wanted to be buried next to Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great. But who was worthy to enter the burial cave? Rabbi Ḥagai, known for his exceptional purity and Torah knowledge since the age of eighteen, volunteered. The story is wild. They tied a rope around his legs, just in case! Inside, he witnessed a heavenly judgment scene and heard Rabbi Ḥiyya instructing his son to make room for Rabbi Huna. But Rabbi Huna humbly declined to be placed directly beside Rabbi Ḥiyya, and the text notes that because of his humility, his descendants will never cease. Rabbi Ḥagai emerged from the cave eighty years older, his years doubled. What a story!
What do these stories, these glimpses into the afterlife, tell us? They emphasize that what we do with our knowledge, how we share it, and the humility with which we carry ourselves, matters deeply. It shapes not only our earthly existence but also our eternal legacy.
The message of Kohelet Rabbah 10 is clear: seize the moment, learn with passion, teach with generosity, and act with humility. Because while there may be "no action, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave," the impact of our actions resonates far beyond. The choices we make today define who we become, and how we are remembered, for eternity.