The Book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, grapples with this very feeling. It's a wisdom text, a philosophical exploration of life's meaning, or sometimes, its apparent lack thereof. And one particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 1:13), has been chewed over by generations of rabbis and scholars: "I applied my heart to seek and to search in wisdom, regarding everything that is performed beneath the heavens; it is an unfortunate matter that God has given to the sons of men in which to engage."
So what is this "unfortunate matter"? What are we all so busy doing? The Kohelet Rabbah, a classic rabbinic commentary on Ecclesiastes, dives deep into this question, offering a fascinating tapestry of interpretations.
The first interpretation focuses on the very act of searching itself. The verse says "to search" – latur in Hebrew. The rabbis cleverly connect this to the idea of setting aside a specific tur, a set time, for contemplating wisdom. It’s about diligently exploring all facets of wisdom, like the scouts (veyaturu) sent to explore the land in the Book of Numbers. It’s about seeking out different teachers, one skilled in Bible, another in Mishna – each a different facet of Torah.
But it doesn't stop there. The commentary goes on to suggest that King Solomon, the traditional author of Ecclesiastes, was a master of going above and beyond. Even in something like composing alphabetical acrostics, where a poet might sometimes finish or leave unfinished, Solomon would add five letters! As it says in I (Kings 5:12), “His songs (shiro) were one thousand (elef) and five." The Kohelet Rabbah playfully interprets this to mean that the remainder (shiyuro) of the parable was five beyond alef, beyond the alphabet itself. Solomon wasn't just wise in matters of Torah; he explored everything "performed under the heavens," from the best way to sweeten mustard and lupine to the ideal temperature and mixture for hot drinks. Talk about a renaissance man!
But here’s where it gets interesting. What about that "unfortunate matter?" Rabbi Bon suggests it's the pursuit of property. And Rabbi Yudan, quoting Rabbi Aivu, paints a stark picture: "A person does not leave the world having achieved even half of his desire; rather, if he has one hundred he wishes to turn them into two hundred. If he has two hundred, he wishes to turn them into four hundred." Sound familiar? This relentless pursuit of more, more, more… is that the unfortunate matter?
Rabbi Pinḥas, in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, takes it even further. He argues that robbery – taking what isn't rightfully yours – is the most severe sin, even worse than idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder! Strong words. Rabbi Yoḥanan uses a powerful image: a se’a measure filled with iniquities. Which one prosecutes first? Robbery. It's the ill-gotten gain that tips the scales. As it says in (Amos 9:1), "And shatter (uvtza’am) the head of all of them," where uvtza'am evokes the word betza, meaning ill-gotten gain.
But there's a flip side. Rabbi Yehuda, citing Rabbi Levi, reminds us that if we use our property for a mitzva, a good deed, our righteousness will bear witness for us, as it says in (Genesis 30:33), "My righteousness will bear witness (ve’anta) for me." The key is how we use what we have.
What about the pursuit of Torah itself? Rabbi Abbahu suggests that even studying Torah can be an "unfortunate matter" if we forget what we learn. But the Rabbis, quoting Rabbi Yitzḥak, offer a surprising twist: forgetting Torah is actually for our own good! Why? Because if we remembered everything perfectly, we might study for a short time and then move on, never truly engaging with its wisdom. The struggle to remember, the constant return to the text, keeps us connected.
The commentary concludes with a stark warning: generations that were steeped in robbery were wiped out by the flood. But the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who distanced themselves from robbery, were blessed with a land where there was no need to steal.
So, what's the takeaway? Maybe the "unfortunate matter" isn't any one thing, but rather the potential for any pursuit – wealth, knowledge, even religious devotion – to become distorted, to consume us, to lead us away from what truly matters. The key is to find balance, to use our resources wisely, and to never stop searching for meaning, even when the search itself feels frustrating. Maybe that's the wisdom of Kohelet, a reminder that the journey, with all its ups and downs, is what truly shapes us.
“I applied my heart to seek and to search in wisdom, regarding everything that is performed beneath the heavens; it is an unfortunate matter that God has given to the sons of men in which to engage” (Ecclesiastes 1:13). “I applied my heart to seek and to search in wisdom.” What is, “to search [latur] in wisdom”? [It is to establish] a set time [tur] for [contemplating all aspects of] wisdom. It is to ascertain the essence [to’ar] of wisdom, as it is stated: “Send men and they will scout [veyaturu] the land” (Numbers 13:2). One who taught Bible well, he would sit before him, one who taught Mishna well, he would sit before him. Another matter, “to seek and to search [latur]” – to do what’s required [latur],99Tur is interpreted to mean shura, meaning line, in the sense of “toeing the line.” and to go beyond [lehotir]. When a poet composes alphabetical acrostics, at times he completes it and at times he leaves it unfinished, but Solomon, when he would compose alphabetical acrostics, he would add five letters. That is what is written: “His songs [shiro] were one thousand [elef] and five” (I Kings 5:12); the remainder [shiyuro] of the parable was five beyond alef.100It was five beyond the alphabet. It was not only in matters of Torah that Solomon searched, but rather regarding everything that is performed under the heavens, for example, how one sweetens mustard and sweetens lupine and how one drinks hot drinks, [such as] wine, water, and peppers, in thirds.101If one prepares a drink that is one-third wine, one-third water, and one-third pepper and other spices, it will facilitate good health. “It is an unfortunate matter that God has given to the sons of men in which to engage.” Rabbi Bon says: This is the pursuit of property. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: A person does not leave the world having achieved even half of his desire; rather, if he has one hundred he wishes to turn them into two hundred. If he has two hundred, he wishes to turn them into four hundred. “In which to engage,” Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Although it is in the same category as idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder, the [sin] that is most severe is robbery. Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Levi: If a person was privileged and used his property for a mitzva, he prays and will be answered [vena’ana], as it is stated: “My righteousness will bear witness [ve’anta] for me” (Genesis 30:33). If not, it will bear witness against him and prosecute him, as it says: “To testify [la’anot] maliciously against him” (Deuteronomy 19:16). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is the pursuit of robbery, as Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: This is analogous to a se’a measure filled with iniquities; which is the first of them to prosecute? It is robbery, as Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is written: “And shatter [uvtza’am] the head of all of them” (Amos 9:1).102Uvtza’am evokes the word betza, which means ill-gotten gain. Rabbi Yaakov bar Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Ezekiel enumerated twenty-four sins, and he concluded with none other than robbery; that is what is written: “I have struck My hand because of the ill-gotten gain that you acquired…” (Ezekiel 22:13). Rabbi Ḥunya interpreted the verse regarding the Prophets and Writings, as had Israel merited, they would read only the five books of the Torah, just five books. The books of the Prophets and Writings were given to them only so they would exert themselves in their study and in the Torah, and perform mitzvot and acts of righteousness, in order to receive a proper reward.103Although these books, which are comprised primarily of rebuke to Israel for its sins, would not have been given had the people not sinned, once they were given, one who studies them receives reward. [As] the Rabbis say: Even so, “in which to engage,” they receive reward for them as they do for the five books of the Torah. Rabbi Abbahu said: This is the pursuit of Torah, for a person studies Torah and forgets it. The Rabbis there, in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from here,104The Rabbis of Babylonia said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from the land of Israel. and Rabbi Tovya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is for his own good that a person studies Torah and forgets, as were a person to study Torah and not forget it, one would engage in Torah study two or three years and would return to engage in his labor and never pay attention to it for the rest of his life. Rather, because a person studies Torah and forgets it, he does not move or remove himself from matters of Torah. The Rabbis say: This is the pursuit of robbery. Know that it is so, since the earlier generations, because they were engaged and steeped in robbery, as it is stated: “They trespass, and flocks they steal and graze” (Job 24:2), were eliminated from the world through water. But the tribes of Reuben and Gad distanced themselves from robbery; therefore, the Holy One blessed be He gave them their inheritance in a place where there is no robbery, as it is stated: “Behold, the place is a place of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). Likewise, from Mahir, where there was sixteen mil by sixteen mil.105An area large enough for animals to graze without approaching the fields of others.
