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.
“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” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). “Everything that you are capable of doing with your strength” – Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Bon transposes this verse: If you know that “there is no action, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going,” “everything that you are capable of doing with your strength, do.” Rabbi Aḥa desired to see the face of Rabbi Alexandri.31He had died, and Rabbi Aḥa sought to see him in a dream. He appeared to him in his dream, and showed him two matters: Those executed in Lod,32A princess was found killed. The Romans blamed the local Jews and the prefect decreed that they should all be killed. Pappos and Luleyanus, who were innocent, took the blame for the murder and were executed, thereby sparing the entire community (Rashi to Ta’anit 18b). there are none closer than their partition.33The area in which they are located in heaven is among those closest to God. Blessed is He who removed the shame of Luleyanus and Pappos.34The Roman official who executed them was himself executed immediately afterward, as a heavenly sign pointing to the innocence of Luleyanus and Pappos. See Kohelet Rabba 3:17. And happy is he who comes here [to heaven] with his studies in his possession.35One whose studies are in his possession is one who remembers the Torah he has studied. Zavdi ben Levi desired to see the face of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. He appeared to him in his dream and showed him people whose faces were uplifted and people whose faces were downcast. [Zavdi ben Levi] said to him: ‘Why is this so?’ He said to him: ‘Those whose faces are uplifted, their studies are in their possession; those whose faces are downcast, their studies are not in their possession.’ Reish Lakish, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, desired to see Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great [in a dream]. They said to him: ‘You are not worthy.’36The Jerusalem Talmud (Kilayim 9:3) explains that he had fasted many times in order to see Rabbi Ḥiyya in a dream, and it did not work, whereupon the other Sages said that he was not worthy to see Rabbi Ḥiyya (Etz Yosef). He said to them: ‘Why, have I not toiled in Torah study like him?’ They said to him: ‘You did not teach Torah like him. Moreover, he would travel from place to place.’37Rabbi Ḥiyya would travel in order to teach his Torah to a wider audience. He said to them: ‘Did I not travel?’ They said to him: ‘You traveled to learn, he traveled to teach.’ He observed three hundred fasts and [Rabbi Ḥiyya] appeared to him in his dream. [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said: ‘Someone who is something, who conducts himself as though he is something, it would be preferable for him had he not been created.’38Even if one is accomplished in his Torah studies, if he treats himself with honor, he has thereby abrogated the good he has accomplished (Rabbi David Luria). Rabbi Asi fasted thirty days in order to see Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great [in a dream] but did not see him. They said to him: ‘You are not worthy.’39And if you do see him, it will be an overpowering experience and you will be adversely affected. He said to them: ‘I will see him, and whatever will be will be.’ He saw his platform, and his eyesight became dim.40Rabbi Asi saw the platform on which Rabbi Ḥiyya’s chair rested in heaven and he was blinded by its glow. If you say that Rabbi Assi was not a great man, [the following incident proves that he was:] A certain weaver came before Rabbi Yoḥanan and said: ‘I saw in my dream the sky falling and one of your students supported it with his hand.’ He said: ‘Would you be able to identify him?’ He said: ‘Pass them before me, I will identify him.’ When he reached Rabbi Asi, he said: ‘This is he.’ Rabbi Huna, the Exilarch, said to them:41He said to the members of his household. ‘When I die, take me up [to be buried] next to Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great.’ When he died, they took him up to the Land of Israel. They said: ‘Rabbi Huna is worthy to be brought here for burial alongside Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great. Who will enter [the burial cave] and place him there?’42They were concerned that whoever would enter the cave might not be worthy to be in the presence of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, and might die. Rabbi Ḥagai said: ‘I will take him.’ They said [of Rabbi Ḥagai]: ‘When he was eighteen years old, he was expert in his studies, and he never experienced a seminal emission.’43This was a testament to Rabbi Ḥagai’s greatness. At the time of this incident, however, he was already an old man. They said to him: ‘You are seeking to enter because you are an old man, and if you die there, you do not care about losing your life.’44You are volunteering to enter the cave because you do not mind dying now and being interred in the cave alongside Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Huna. He said to them: ‘Do the following to me. Bring a rope and tie it around my legs. If I emerge, fine. If not, you will pull me out by my legs.’ It was done to him. He entered and found three sitting in judgment:45Rabbi Ḥiyya had been buried along with his sons, Ḥizkiya and Yehuda, who were also very righteous. Many commentaries interpret the phrase “three sitting in judgment” non-literally, to mean that the following sentence was written on the wall of the cave. ‘Yehuda, my son, there is no one your equivalent after you. Ḥizkiya, my son, there is no one your equivalent after you. Joseph, son of Israel,46This is a reference to the biblical Joseph. there is no one your equivalent after you.’ [Rabbi Ḥagai] lifted his eyes to look. [A voice] said to him: ‘Lower your face.’ He heard the voice of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great saying to Yehuda his son: ‘My son, make room for Rabbi Huna the Exilarch to be placed alongside me.’ He did not accept upon himself to be placed there; 47Rabbi Huna did not want to be buried in between Rabbi Ḥiyya and his son. therefore, his descendants will never cease. [Rabbi Ḥagai] emerged from there eighty years old, and his years were doubled.
