Ecclesiastes Rabbah

Nothing remains to indicate where one section ends and another begins, as there is no introductory remark to the commentary on 3:13.

The author - dated to between the 6th-8th centuries - confined himself chiefly to collecting and editing, and did not compose new introductions to the sections.

This, even in very early times, gave rise to an aggadic treatment of numerous passages in Ecclesiastes, which in turn furnished rich material for the compilation of Kohelet Rabbah.

At the same time, it may be assumed that various passages were taken directly from the Babylonian Talmud; and this assumption would prove the relatively later date of Kohelet Rabbah, though the end of the midrash (which is taken from Hagigah 5a) must be considered as an addition.

In the same commentary on 5:8, Kohelet Rabbah modifies a passage in a way which shows was written at a later time than the other midrashic works mentioned.

In Vayikra Rabbah the passage reads: "Even what is superfluous on the earth is a part of the whole; and also the things which you regard as superfluous to the revealed Torah, such as the laws of tzitzit, Tefillin, and mezuzah, they also belong to the idea of the revealed Torah.

"[6] In Kohelet Rabbah it reads: "The things which you regard as superfluous to the Torah, such as the tosafot of Rebbi's school and those of R. Nathan and the treatise on proselytes and slaves ["Hilkot Gerim va'Avadim"], they also were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and treatises like 'Hilkhot Tzitzit Tefillin u-Mezuzot' belong to the sum total of the Torah."

Verses 2:24, 3:13, 5:17, 8:15 receive the same explanation; and the Epicurean and hedonistic view expressed in them—that for all of man's troubles his only compensation is the gratification of the senses: eating, drinking, and taking pleasure—is interpreted allegorically and given a religious significance: Wherever eating and drinking are spoken of in this way, the pleasure is meant which the study of the Bible and the performance of good works afford; as it is written (ch.

8:15): 'it accompanies him בעמלו ["in his labor"], which must be interpreted as בעולמו ["in his world"]': not eating and drinking accompany man to the grave, but the Torah and the good works which he performs.The following passage[8] is an example of how in Kohelet Rabbah 1) the allegorical interpretation is connected with the simple literal interpretation; 2) the author, in order to explain a passage, has fused the material collected from different sources; 3) the author used stories and foreign words.

"[13] I had servants born in my house; as it is written, "and those officers provided victual for King Solomon .

R. Hama bar Hanina said: At Solomon's table there were carrots[15] in summer and cucumbers in winter; they were eaten throughout the year.

R. Hiyya bar Nehemiah said: Did Scripture intend to make us acquainted with Solomon's wealth?

[21] And in the Messianic time the nations shall be subject to Israel; as it is written in Isaiah 61:5, "And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks."

R. Joshua b. Levi interpreted the passage as referring to Israel on its entry into the country: I made me great works—"When ye be come into the land of your habitations... and will make a burnt offering... to the Lord".

[26] Hadrian the Accursed said to R. Joshua b. Hananiah: 'The Torah says: "A land wherein you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it".

He brought pepper from Nitzchanah, pheasants from Ẓaidan (Sidon), or, as another says, from Achbarin, and silk from Gush Halav.

To water therewith the wood that brings forth trees - R. Levi said: The land of Israel did not even lack cane for arrows.

It is noteworthy that the author of Yalkut Shimoni knew only this midrash to Ecclesiastes, but in a more complete form than it is found in the printed edition.