Menachem Mirski
Thoughts on Simchat Torah 5784
Why do we read the Book of Kohelet, the most ‘existentialist’ book of the Hebrew Bible, on Sukkot – the most joyous among the Jewish holidays? It seems to contradict the spirit of Sukkot! Did the rabbis want to put limits on our joy and happiness? Were they afraid that we might have become too happy? That’s exactly one of the (many) answers! Rabbi Azaryah Figo (1579-1647) in his Binah L’itim (published in Venice in 1648) connects the reading of Kohelet to the joy of Sukkot: “Too much joy causes lightheadedness and removes from the heart the humility needed to serve God from the heart. That is why they enacted that we should read the Book of Kohelet [on Sukkot since it] condemns the world and its joy. And it mentions death and all its details, and this will be for us a restraint and limitation that our joy should not be physical, but spiritual and Godly.
It seems that Kohelet created some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy at the conclusion of the first chapter of his book:
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Kohelet 1:18)
But what does it really mean? Does this verse suggest that it is better to be ignorant because it makes us happier? I don’t think so but before we answer this question let’s look at what a contemporary Bible commentator, Bruce Heitler, wrote about this verse:
The essence of wisdom and knowledge is the ability to predict and influence what will happen in various circumstances. However, if we focus merely on wisdom and knowledge, and not on uncertainty and the inherent limits to our power, then frustration, disappointment and pain result. We deceive ourselves into thinking that we have more influence than we really do. The only alternative to the pain of recognizing that we are not entirely in touch with the underlying nature of things is to cultivate an appreciation of the uncertainty itself. We are finite, God is infinite: what more could be expected of us?
What causes the vexation and pain is not knowledge and wisdom per se but either the fact that they are (always) limited – which is expressed in our uncertainty – or the fact that our power to implement our knowledge/wisdom is limited. However both statements can be overcome. These limitations are clearly expressed in another commentary to this verse that was written about 900 years ago:
A man that seeks knowledge and wisdom will see the things of the world through the prism of his wisdom and it will make him angry and hurt. Additionally, he won’t be able to enjoy his children because of his knowledge (of the world) he is leaving to them. And [especially if] he leaves them without wealth, but even if [he leaves them] with wealth – it may fly away like a bird. And neither will it save him or give him any benefit on the day of misfortune or when he faces, with both eyes, the day of his death. (Ibn Ezra on Kohelet 1:18, translated by M.Mirski)
Sounds familiar, right? Sounds pretty contemporary, I would say. Sounds pretty grim and that’s where philosophy can lead us to. But philosophy as such is about asking questions and there is no limit here. If, asking questions, we found ourselves in such a place, the solution may be to ask more questions. One of the fundamental questions at this point will be: why do we need wisdom and why was it given to us? Let’s go back another few hundred years where we will find the answer – let’s look further back to the Talmud (Nedarim 22b) where this verse of the Book of Kohelet is quoted
Rav Adda, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: Had Israel not sinned in earlier times they would have been given the five books of the Torah and the book of Joshua alone. They needed the book of Joshua because it includes the arrangement of Eretz Yisrael. […] What is the reason, i.e., what is the allusion to this idea? It is stated: “For in much wisdom is much vexation” (Kohelet 1:18).
The Talmud clearly suggests that all the wisdom that the Jews possess from the books of the Bible is the result of their angering God. It also clearly suggests that we needed more wisdom because of our errors. What vexed God was our errors, thus He decided to give us more wisdom. And this brings us back to our first commentary: it’s the limits of our knowledge/wisdom that makes ourselves frustrated and vexed, not the knowledge/wisdom itself. The same thing vexes us vexes God Himself!
The answer to the diagnosis contained in Kohelet’s verse is not to reject knowledge and wisdom as something useless and vexing. The answer is to gain more knowledge and wisdom, to never stop getting it, to never stop learning, no matter what happens, and to pass this ethos to our children. Reading Kohelet may challenge our happiness, by making us reflect on the darker side of our existence, but this too has a specific goal – it is to ultimately strengthen our faith in the Eternal and our joy of life. The key to obtain wisdom is to deepen our relationship with the world and it includes looking into things that may terrify us. The wisdom that is based on the totality of human existence will anchor us more solidly in it and will make our joy more deep, more unwavering and more long-lasting.
Chag Sameach!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Mirski
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