"The book of Ecclesiastes is a philosophical account of the attempt to find happiness by a man who has everything. ... Twelve chapters long, it is one of literature’s earliest encounters between faith and reason: The author struggles to believe that life is meaningful despite his experience of the world. The book’s inclusion in the Hebrew Bible is therefore remarkable, testifying to Judaism’s interest not only in divine revelation, but also in man’s exploration of the meaning of life and mortality. The search for meaning is an eternal one, but the use of Solomon’s voice carries special importance for the modern reader. ... As opposed to the quest of Job, Solomon’s search for wisdom did not arise from a desire to make sense of either personal misfortune or national catastrophe... Rather, Kohelet sets out on his inquiry from the perspective of a life replete with fortune and opportunity. He takes as his starting point not revelation, but man’s personal need for meaning." (Ethan Dor-Shav, Azure no. 18, Ecclesiastes: Fleeting and Timeless)
Why do we read from the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) on Sukkot?
All of the other books were already placed as being read in public:
- Esther = Purim
- Eikhah = Tisha B'av
- Shir Hashirim = Pesah
- Ruth = Shavuot
(ב) הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃
(2) Utter futility!—said Koheleth— Utter futility! All is futile!
Sometimes translated as:
- "It is all useless, Kohelet said, it is all useless. Everything is useless." -- Kravitz and Olitzky
- "Everything is impermanent, said Kohelet, it does not last. Nothing endures." -- Ibid.
"This statement, 'haveil havalim, hakol havel,' and its primary root word (hevel) have been translated numerous ways: vanity, nothingness, vapors. However it is to be translated, hevel is somewhat oxymoronic. It is somehow something that is nothing....While most translations use the phrase 'vanity of vanities,' the English connotations surrounding the word 'vapor' distract the reader from its denotation of 'empty.'..."
-- Kravitz, Leonard S. and Kerry M. Olitzky. Kohelet: A Modern Commentary on Ecclesiastes. UAHC Press, New York, New York. 2003. p.1,
-- Kravitz, Leonard S. and Kerry M. Olitzky. Kohelet: A Modern Commentary on Ecclesiastes. UAHC Press, New York, New York. 2003. p.1,
(ט) טוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן־הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃ (י) כִּ֣י אִם־יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃
(9) Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit from their earnings. (10) For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe betide him who is alone and falls with no companion to raise him!
Ushpizin connection: -- bringing people in for the joy of sukkot, but also so we are not alone and can understand the importance of being with others
This Chol Ha'Moed Sukkot, the Shabbat in the midst of Sukkot, let us remember that all of our material items are impermanent and do not make us who we are as people. Let us remember that emptiness does not equal loneliness and that we have the opportunity to be with other during this time of joy. Let us join together is recognizing the beauty of being together this Shabbat.