The Lesson of Ecclesiastes

1.      Introduction

Ecclesiastes is a well-known book, but also a difficult one to understand. In Judaism, it is one of the so-called festival scrolls, one of the "megillot." There are five festival scrolls associated with five feasts:

-       Song of Songs: Read during Passover

-       Ruth: Read during the Feast of Weeks

-       Esther: Belongs to Purim

-       Lamentations: connected with Tisha b'Av, the day of lamentation over the fall of Jerusalem

-       Ecclesiastes: The Book of the Feast of Tabernacles

In the first four cases, the connection between the holiday and the corresponding book is clear. But why is the book of Ecclesiastes read during the Feast of Tabernacles? The answer to this question introduces the search for the answer to the question of what the lesson of this book is.
What is the most joyful holiday according to the Torah? We would expect it to be Passover, the festival of the Exodus from Egypt, the liberation from slavery. But it isn't. Nowhere in the Torah does Passover appear as a festival of joy ("simcha" in Hebrew). In relation to the Feast of Weeks, it only mentions "rejoicing" once (Deut. 16:11). But this concept of "joy" is used three times for the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Deut. 16:14, 15). The Feast of Tabernacles is a joyous festival par excellence. And that's striking when you consider that it commemorates the long and arduous journey through the desert.
Yet, reflecting on this brings us to the heart of Ecclesiastes' message. When the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land and settled in their homes in a land flowing with milk and honey, it's good to recall that period when sufficient food and drink were far from a given, and people had to sleep in tents. Life in Israel was much more comfortable than in the desert, but history shows how easily people then forgot God. In the desert period, people lived much more with the understanding that God provided for them daily. And as we will see, reflecting on Ecclesiastes can support this.

2.      Structure

The key to understanding Ecclesiastes is to recognize that there are essentially two people speaking: a critic, the Kohelet (meaning preacher), and a narrator. The passages in which the critic speaks are explicitly written in the first person singular ("I"), while the other passages are written in the second or third person.
This is strongly emphasized in the Hebrew language used in Ecclesiastes. Just as in Latin and Greek, the personal verb form in Hebrew is indicated by changing the verb's ending. In Dutch, we use a personal verb form (I, you, he, etc.) plus a verb form, while in these ancient languages, the verb form is followed by an ending indicating the personal verb form. Of course, Hebrew does have a word for "I," "you," "he," and the other personal verb forms. It is also possible to follow a verb with, for example, an ending indicating the first person singular with the word "I." In effect, this means "I" is used twice, and the word "I" is strongly emphasized. This linguistic construction is used 16 times in Ecclesiastes[i]. This stylistically emphasizes the difference between the passages in the first person and the other passages. In this article, we will refer to these other passages as the narrator's. Besides the critic's passages and the narrator's passages, the book clearly distinguishes a prologue and an epilogue. These two passages address the Preacher in the third person:

-       All vanity, says the Preacher, all vanity, all is vanity (Eccl. 1:2)

-       All vanity, says the Preacher, all is vanity (Eccl. 12:8)

Based on the personal forms used, the book of Ecclesiastes is structured as follows:

1:1-11 prologue

      1:12-2:26 critic

            3:1-11 narrator

     3:12-4:16 critic

            4:17-5:11 narrator

      5:12-6:12 critic

            7:1-22 narrator

      7:23-9:16 critic

            9:17-10:4 narrator

      10:5-7 critic

           10:8-12:7 narrator

12:8-14 epilogue

3.      Characteristics of the 'I' passages

If we look at the critic's passages, we see several distinguishing features.
It's striking that the critic frequently speaks of his heart. He uses expressions like:

-       I applied my heart (Eccl. 1:13; 8:16; NKJV: I applied myself with all my heart; NBV: I sought with all my heart)

-      I spoke in my heart (Eccl. 1:16; KJV: I reasoned in my heart; NBV: I said to myself)

-       I said in my heart (Eccl. 2:1; 3:17, 18 KJV; NBV: I said to myself)

-      I searched in my heart (Eccl. 2:3 KJV; in the NBV this sentence is translated more freely)

-       I turned my heart (Eccl. 7:25; KJV: I sought it with my whole heart; NBV: I sought it with my whole heart)

-       when I applied myself to it with all my heart (Eccl. 8:9 KJV; NBV: during the time that I looked intently)

-       I have taken all this to heart (Eccl. 9:1 KJV; NBV: I have taken all this to heart)

The frequent use of the word "heart" is striking.[ii] In Dutch, the heart is figuratively the place of our feelings. In Hebrew, however, this is not the case. There, the heart is figuratively the place of one's mind. The critic's writings thus contrast even more sharply with the narrator's. When the critic speaks, it's about "I, who have thought it through with my mind." The narrator, however, reveals a completely different side of reality. There is more than what we perceive with our minds.
The motto of Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 1:2) is well-known:

-       All is vanity, says the Preacher, all is vanity, all is vanity (HSV)

-       Air and emptiness, says the Preacher, air and emptiness, all is emptiness (NIV)

The word "haveel" is actually difficult to translate. It means something like "empty," "fleeting." I find the translation "elusive" rather appealing. In this text, it's used twice in a superlative (superlative). So it says something like: "Most fleeting," says the Preacher, "most fleeting, everything is fleeting." The critic uses this word three times in the prologue, 24 times in the text, and once in the epilogue. The narrator uses it only three times.
Furthermore, the critic speaks nine times about chasing after the wind, often in combination with fleetingness ('haveel').[iii] The narrator does not use this expression.
And there is another notable difference between the critic's argument and the narrator's response. The critic uses the expression 'under the sun' no fewer than 27 times. The narrator does not use it at all.
When we try to survey what is happening in the world, everything that exists 'under the sun,' we are overcome by a sense of elusiveness, fleetingness. The narrator does not address this, but focuses his response on what we can do ourselves. Enjoy, and realize that you are accountable to God. And that there will also be days of darkness. And that even then, God is there.
There are also themes that we encounter in both the critic and the narrator: wisdom, foolishness, joy, enjoyment, and awe of God.

4.      Structure

In summary, the message of Ecclesiastes is as follows:

1:1-11 introduction

All vanishing, says the Preacher, all vanishing, all is fleeting. What profit is there in toiling? Nothing changes, there's nothing new under the sun.

1:12-2:26 critic

I strove to find wisdom. I sought joy, and I became very rich. But in the end, it was all empty words and a chasing after wind. What's the point of being wise? Everything must be passed on to someone else, wise or foolish. And what benefit does wisdom bring? All life brings only sorrow. That, too, is empty words and a chasing after wind.

3:1-11 narrator

There's a time for everything. And every good thing God gives is a gift from God. And everything God does is meant to ensure we have awe for Him.

3:12-4:16 critic

People die, just like animals. So enjoy yourself, because once you're dead, you can't. There's a lot of injustice because of envy. That's empty air and chasing the wind.
I saw someone alone. That too is emptiness. It's better to be together.
Better to be young and wise than old and foolish. I saw an insignificant boy rebelling against an old king. That too is empty air and chasing the wind.

4:17-5:11 narrator

If you make a vow to God, you must fulfill it.
Don't be surprised when the poor are oppressed, because officials protect each other.

5:12-6:12 critic

You can never have enough money. That's emptiness. Wealth leads to worries. And wealth can be lost. Therefore, it's better to enjoy your wealth and possessions. And if someone has wealth but can't enjoy it, that's emptiness. What advantage does wisdom have over foolishness? It's better to enjoy something tangible than something unattainable. That too is air and chasing after wind.

7:1-22 narrator

The wise man prefers a house of mourning to one of joy. Enjoy the good, but on bad days, remember that God created them too. Respect God and don't be overly righteous.

7:23-9:16 critic

I have sought wisdom, but have not found it.
There is a proper time for everything. The righteous are not always rewarded, nor sinners always punished. Therefore, eat, drink, and be merry.
Both the righteous and the sinner die. So be merry and enjoy the woman you love. Do whatever your hand finds to do. The wise do not always have enough bread.
The wisdom of a lowly man is despised.

9:17-10:4 narrator

Wisdom is better than foolishness.
If the king lashes out at you, remain calm.

10:5-7 critic

It is a shame that fools are given high positions and the rich are given low positions.

10:8-12:7 narrator

Those who act wisely are more likely to succeed. Wise words earn respect.
The land is pitiable if the king cannot control himself in his feasting.
Idleness and drunkenness are detestable.
Do not curse the king or the rich man.
Do whatever your hand finds to do, and leave it to God to decide what will come of it.
Remember your Creator while you are still young, before the days come when you no longer have joy.

12:8-12 epilogue

Air and emptiness, says Ecclesiastes, everything is emptiness.
Ecclesiastes has composed many proverbs.
Respect God, for God will judge every deed.

5.      The Lesson of Ecclesiastes

The main thrust of the critic's argument is: enjoy everything in life. Wealth is meaningless if you can't enjoy it. And wisdom is useless. The narrator adds and corrects.
As mentioned earlier, the critic speaks a lot about his "heart." The narrator builds on this. The first text I want to mention is Ecclesiastes 7:3-4: "Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of rejoicing." We learn more about God in our moments of sorrow than on days when we are joyful and all too easily forget God. And if there is reason for joy, let us thank God for it. As it says in Ecclesiastes 11:9: "Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth." Walk in the ways of your heart and follow the eyes, but know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

Another striking word is "haveel." The narrator uses this word specifically to indicate that our time on earth is fleeting. And with that, he essentially corrects the critic. It's not what we do that is fleeting, as the critic claims. Let us do what our hand finds to do, because our time on earth is fleeting. We see this in Ecclesiastes 7:15: "All this I have seen in the days of my passing." And even more clearly in Ecclesiastes 11:8: "Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice all the while, but let him also remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is but a shadow." In short, our time on earth is fleeting, but what we do is not.
We also see the narrator pun on the concept of "wind" in Ecclesiastes 11:4-5: "Whoever observes the wind will not sow, and whoever observes the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know the direction of the wind or the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, you do not know the work of God who makes all things." The message is clear: We should not question the meaning of what we do. We should leave it to God, for we do not know how God carries out His work.
It's been mentioned before: the critic repeatedly uses the expression "under the sun." The narrator doesn't use this term at all. On the contrary, he admonishes in Ecclesiastes 11:1: "Cast your bread on the waters, for after many days you will find it." Or in other words: do whatever your hand finds to do and don't worry too much about the outcome. Don't worry about everything under the sun, but just do your part.
One term used by both the critic and the narrator is "enjoyment." The critic observes that it's best to enjoy as much as possible. The narrator doesn't deny this, but he does add to it. Realize that all good things are a gift from God. And, secondly, that everything God does is meant to ensure that we have awe for Him. Thirdly, we must realize that bad days will also come. And finally, when you enjoy yourself, keep God in mind.

6.      Once again: the Feast of Tabernacles

The use of the word "simcha" (joy) in the book of Ecclesiastes is striking. This is the word we began this article with. It is used eight times by the critic. The critic rejoices in all he has acquired and enjoys, realizing that it comes from God.[iv] The narrator, however, adds to this. He uses the word "simcha" twice. First, he indicates that joy will not be enjoyed every day, as there will also be days of darkness. He also urges us to keep in mind that we are accountable to God in everything we do (Ecclesiastes 11:8,9).
The Feast of Tabernacles is an excellent time to reflect on this.

Bas Krins

[i] Eccl. 1:16; 2:1, 11, 13, 15; 2:18, 20; 3:17, 18; 4:1, 4, 7; 5:17; 7:25; 8:15; 9:16

[ii] See also Eccl.. 1:17; 2:10, 20; 8:9, 16

[iii] Eccl. 1:14, 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9

[iv] Eccl. 2:10, 26; 3:12,22; 4:16; 5:18; 8:15 (2x)