Like everyone else is contributing, and you're just... there? Our sages grappled with this feeling, and their stories, preserved in texts like Kohelet Rabbah, offer surprising comfort.
We begin with the familiar opening of Ecclesiastes: "The words of Kohelet, son of David, king in Jerusalem" (Ecclesiastes 1:1). Kohelet, of course, is traditionally understood to be King Solomon. But why this introduction? Why highlight his lineage and status? The text immediately connects this to a verse in Proverbs (22:29): "Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings."
This brings us to the story of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa. Everyone in his town was bringing vow offerings, nedarim, and gift offerings, ndavot, to Jerusalem. He felt left out. He wanted to contribute, but he didn't have much. So, he found a stone, broke it, chiseled it, polished it, and declared his intention to bring it to Jerusalem.
He sought laborers, offering five sela (a unit of currency) for the task. But he didn't have the money! The laborers left. Now what? This is where the story takes a turn. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent five angels disguised as men. They agreed to carry the stone for five sela, but with a catch: Rabbi Ḥanina had to help, even if only with a finger. He agreed, and instantly, they were in Jerusalem.
He went to pay them, but they were gone. He inquired about them at the Chamber of the Hewn Stone, Lishkat ha-Gazit – the seat of the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish high court. They told him, "It appears that ministering angels took your stone up to Jerusalem." And then, crucially, they quoted the verse: "Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings [melakhim]." But they reinterpreted it: "Read, in his regard: 'He will stand before angels [malakhim].'" It wasn't about earthly kings; it was about divine recognition.
Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, offers an analogy. Imagine a royal advisor. The king says, "Ask for anything!" The advisor thinks, "If I ask for silver, gold, or fine gems, he will give them. But if I ask for his daughter, I get everything with her." It's about asking for the source of all blessings.
Similarly, in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream (I Kings 3:5), saying, "Ask, what shall I give you?" Solomon could have asked for wealth, but instead, he asked for wisdom, an understanding heart. As it says, "Grant your servant an understanding heart" (I Kings 3:9). God was pleased. Because Solomon sought wisdom above all else, he received not only wisdom and knowledge but also wealth, property, and glory.
Rabbi Yitzḥak adds that the dream was upheld. Solomon awoke and understood. He understood the language of birds and donkeys. He went to Jerusalem, sacrificed offerings, and made a feast. Rabbi Yitzḥak notes that this shows us we should make a feast when completing the Torah – because the Torah encompasses all wisdom. The Divine Spirit rested upon him, and he composed Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes – the very words of Kohelet we began with.
So, what's the connection? What does Rabbi Ḥanina's stone have to do with Solomon's wisdom? Both stories emphasize the power of sincere effort and the wisdom of seeking the highest good. Rabbi Ḥanina, though lacking material wealth, contributed what he could with diligence. Solomon, given the opportunity to ask for anything, chose wisdom, the source of all blessings.
The Kohelet Rabbah suggests that true value isn't measured in material possessions or earthly power, but in the sincere effort to contribute, to seek wisdom, and to connect with the divine. It's a comforting thought, isn't it? That even a simple stone, offered with a pure heart, can elevate us to stand before angels. What "stone" can we offer today?
“The words of Kohelet, son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). “The words of Kohelet, son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This is what the verse said, inspired by the Divine Spirit, [written] by Solomon, king of Israel: “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings” (Proverbs 22:29). There was an incident involving Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, who saw the residents of his city taking up vow offerings and gift offerings to Jerusalem. He said: Everyone is taking up vow offerings and gift offerings to Jerusalem; will I not take anything up? What did he do? He went out to the wilderness [outside] of his city and noticed a certain stone there. He broke it, he chiseled it, and he polished it. He said: I take it upon myself to bring it up to Jerusalem. He sought to hire laborers, and five people came before him. He said to them: ‘Will you take up this stone to Jerusalem for me?’ They said to him: ‘Give us five sela and we will take it up to Jerusalem.’ He sought to give it to them, but he did not have anything in his possession at that time. They left him and went on their way. The Holy One blessed be He arranged for five angels [to appear] to him in the guise of men. He said to them: ‘Will you take up this stone [to Jerusalem] for me?’ They said to him: ‘Give us five sela and we will take your stone up to Jerusalem for you, provided that you join us [in carrying the stone] with your hand and finger.’ He joined them with his hand and finger, and they found themselves standing in Jerusalem. He sought to give them their payment but he did not find them. He entered the Chamber of the Hewn Stone1The seat of the Sanhedrin. and asked after them. They said to him: ‘It appears that ministering angels took your stone up to Jerusalem,’ and they read this verse in his regard: “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings [melakhim].” Read, in his regard: “He will stand before angels [malakhim].” Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: This is analogous to an adviser who achieved prominence in the royal palace. The king said to him: ‘Ask for whatever [you want and] I will give it to you.’ That adviser said: If I request silver, gold, or fine gems, he will give it to me; garments, he will give me. But I will request his daughter, and everything will be given to me along with his daughter. So, “In Givon, God appeared to Solomon in a nocturnal dream. God said: Ask, what shall I give you?” (I Kings 3:5). Solomon said: If I request silver, gold, and gems, He will give them to me. But I will request wisdom, and everything will be included. That is what is written: “Grant your servant an understanding heart” (I Kings 3:9). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You requested wisdom and did not request wealth, glory, or the lives of your enemies; therefore, wisdom and knowledge are given to you, and thereby, I will grant you wealth, property, and glory as well.’ Immediately, “Solomon awoke and behold, a dream” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The dream was upheld:2The phrase “and behold, a dream” is interpreted to mean that when Solomon awoke he understood that the dream was real and was being fulfilled. A bird would tweet and he would know what it was tweeting about, a donkey would bray, and he would know what it was braying about. Immediately, “he came to Jerusalem and he stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and he sacrificed burnt offerings and he prepared peace offerings and he made a feast for all his servants” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From here [it is derived] that one makes a feast when completing the Torah.3The Torah includes all wisdom. Immediately, the Divine Spirit rested upon him and he composed these three books: Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes; that is what is written: “The words of Kohelet, son of David.”
