In this part of the chapter, King Solomon continues his rebuke of human folly: the boundless pursuit of physical desires, contrasted with the tangible achievement found in intellectual and spiritual truths; and the illusion that the fame and honor a person acquires in this world will be of any lasting value to him. We will examine the verses in sequence, accompanied by the explanations of the commentators and Midrashim.
Rabbi Yitzchak ibn Latif, cited by the Me'am Lo'ez, explains that the sense of sight has boundaries. There is a limit to how much a person can see and how far his vision can reach. There are stars that we cannot see themselves, but only their light; and there are places we cannot see at all due to their vast distance. The sense of sight is bounded. Desires and imaginations, however, have no limits, because their root lies in the mind, and the intellect is unbounded. Therefore, a person can imagine and crave something completely fictional, conceiving the most far-fetched scenarios in his mind, for the power of imagination is limitless.
(ח) כִּי מַה־יּוֹתֵר לֶחָכָם מִן־הַכְּסִיל מַה־לֶּעָנִי יוֹדֵעַ לַהֲלֹךְ נֶגֶד הַחַיִּים׃ - "For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living?"
(ט) טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ גַּם־זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ׃ - "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this too is futility and vexation of spirit."
This verse continues what was stated previously: "What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk against life." The poor man does not seek true eternal life; rather, he walks against it, meaning he is immersed in earthly and material matters. Scripture says to him: It would be better for you to occupy yourself with intellectual and spiritual pursuits - "the sight of the eyes," things that have defined limits - rather than with desires, which are "the wandering of desire," something that has no limit. A person never fulfills all his desires; as Chazal teach, no one leaves the world with even half of his desires fulfilled. Bodily desires are limitless, and therefore there is never a point where one can say: "I have achieved my goal." In intellectual and Torah pursuits, by contrast, there is true attainment: "I have completed another tractate, I have acquired another portion of Torah," and everything acquired is an eternal acquisition. With unbounded imaginations, however, one will always continue imagining more and craving more, never reaching the intended destination. This poor person, walking against life and failing to walk the path that leads to eternal life, is poor in understanding. Had he possessed wisdom, he would have pursued "the sight of the eyes" - the tangible achievement of intellectual and spiritual truth - rather than "the wandering of desire," the limitless cravings of the physical world.
(י) מַה־שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ וְנוֹדָע אֲשֶׁר־הוּא אָדָם וְלֹא־יוּכַל לָדִין עִם שֶׁתַּקִּיף מִמֶּנּוּ׃ - "Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known that he is man; and he cannot contend with one who is mightier than he."
As noted previously, when verses are obscure, interpretations proliferate. This verse is completely enigmatic: who is the one "mightier than he"? Let us examine several explanations.
The Midrash Zuta states: "'Whatever has come to be has already been named' - this refers to Adam HaRishon. And what is the meaning of 'and it is known that he is man'? Did it really need to be announced that he was a man? Rather, when the Holy One, Blessed be He, created Adam, the ministering angels sought to sing praises before him, marvelling at his power, greatness, and wisdom. What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do? He cast a deep sleep upon him in order to take his rib."
To what may this be compared? To a king and an eparch - meaning a minister or governor - who were aboard a ship. The citizens wished to recite a hymn and praise the king, but they could not distinguish between the king and the eparch: to whom should they recite the hymn? What did the king do? He took him and cast him out of the cabin, throwing him outside, and everyone immediately knew that he was the king. For when you see who is thrown out and who remains, you understand who is the ruler.
This recalls the story told about Napoleon. Once, Napoleon and his aide disguised themselves as common citizens and entered a city with which they were waging a bloody war, one they had failed to conquer. They went in to overhear the plans, and heard the enemy generals remarking that they were completely broken and would likely surrender the following day; Napoleon rejoiced at this intelligence like one finding great spoil. Suddenly, one of the generals looked over and said: 'Wait a moment, the one sitting over there in the tavern, isn't that Napoleon?' Immediately, the aide seized his glass of beer, threw it in Napoleon's face, slapped him twice, and shouted at him: 'Is this how you behave? Get out!' The onlookers said: 'What Napoleon... this is a master and his laborer, and he evidently did something wrong.' Later, Napoleon thanked him for saving his life. In other words, when you see one humiliated and one honored, the honored one is the king and the humiliated one is the servant. In that case it was reversed as a ruse, but normally that is how it works, and this is why the king threw the governor out of the cabin, and thereby everyone knew he was the king.
So too, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created man, the ministering angels mistook him and sought to recite 'Holy' before him, for they were awestruck by him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He cast a deep sleep upon him - and then they knew he was human. Does a king go to sleep? This is just as Eliyahu HaNavi mocked the prophets of Baal: perhaps he is asleep, perhaps taking an afternoon rest, call out with a loud voice and maybe you will awaken your idol - does a deity go to sleep? Once they saw man sleeping, they understood: 'and it is known that he is man' - after all, he is merely human, not a divine power.
The Pesikta Zutrata explains: 'That which has been is already named' - from the six days of Creation. Whatever has been has already been accomplished and cannot be undone, and things are like a decree predetermined from the start. And so it is with human beings: the Holy One, blessed be He, made them, 'and it is known to all that he is man' - he was created from the earth (adamah) and his end is to return to the earth. You cannot alter your nature and suddenly become an angel. Moreover, man's humble state is also evident in that 'he cannot contend with one mightier than he': a person cannot complain against his Creator, and for whatever comes upon him he must give thanks. As Iyov said: 'Shall we accept the good from God, and not accept the bad?' How could we bring complaints against the Holy One, blessed be He? A person must know that ultimately, everything Hashem does is for the best. And even if you resent it and raise objections, what good will it do you? Hashem, blessed be He, is far mightier than you, this is His will, and your cries and defiance will achieve nothing. 'He cannot contend with one mightier than he' - you cannot enter into judgment against One Who is mightier than you.
Rashi explains that the verse speaks of a person who pursues material matters in this world, who possessed great prominence during his lifetime - 'his name has already been called,' meaning he possessed fame and authority, is renowned in the world, and everyone knows and recognizes him. Yet despite all this, it all passes away: the person dies, 'and it is known that he is man,' for this is the end of every human being. It becomes known that he is merely a man and not a god. And ultimately, 'he cannot contend with one mightier than he' - this refers to the Angel of Death. Put simply: no matter how great a name you make for yourself in your world, it will not help you in the least. When the Angel of Death arrives and says, 'I have come to take your soul,' you must surrender the soul entrusted to you, and you cannot dispute with one who is mightier than you.
There is a story told that the Angel of Death once came to a man in the early dawn and said: 'My friend, I have come to take your neshama (soul).' Immediately, the man shook his wife awake and said to her: 'Neshama sheli (my soul / darling), they have come to take you...'
The Midrash further states: 'That which has been' - this refers to Moshe. By the way, it is interesting that in the verse, 'Mah shehayah hu sheyihyeh' (That which has been is what will be), the initial letters spell 'Moshe' (Mem, Shin, Heh), but here the Midrash expounds solely from the words 'that which has been.' 'And it is known that he is man' - here 'man' (adam) is an expression of supreme stature and greatness, indicating that he became known as a prophet. And when did this become known? When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh.' Yet despite all this, 'and he cannot contend with one mightier than he': when Moshe pleaded, 'Let me cross over, please, and see the good land,' the Holy One, blessed be He, replied, 'Let it suffice for you; speak no more to Me of this matter.' Moshe Rabbeinu, for all his greatness, could not contend with One mightier than he.
And so, when the time arrived for Moshe to surrender his soul, he too was compelled to yield it. Come and see: although it was known that Moshe was a man of the ultimate stature and a prophet, when the appointed time arrives, he cannot dispute it, and man must accept the decree of Heaven.
Some commentators explain that here King Solomon continues to protest the folly of human beings, whose eyes are plastered shut from seeing, and who do not see that "that which was has already been called by its name" - meaning that his name has been publicized in praise, as in the phrase "and his name shall be called in Israel." When an ordinary person from the masses, a simple man from the marketplace, passes away, it does not leave an impression on the hearts of the listeners the way an elevated person does; and this refers both to a truly elevated person and to a seemingly exalted one, for when they pass away, it leaves a profound impression.
As for a common man, who knows him? A few neighbors, relatives, people in his local surroundings. If he is very wealthy, he is known in a somewhat wider circle. But if he is of high status, one of the ministers and dignitaries, part of the elite - his existence is publicized to the ends of the earth, especially in the media age, where within a short time the entire world knows who he is. And not only in his own time, but also in future generations: there are singers, military commanders, and the like who left their mark and are considered cultural mainstays among the nations. Alexander the Great - who has not heard of him? Napoleon - who does not know him?
The same applies, and all the more so, on the side of holiness: Moshe Rabbeinu, King Solomon, the holy Patriarchs. And yet, the verse says: even a person of high stature, and it is "known" - publicized everywhere and at all times - "what a man is", that he is in reality an important and honorable man, despite all this, he too cannot contend with one mightier than he. "Mightier" means stronger than he: the wise man defeats the fool through his wisdom, for he is wiser than he; the rich man defeats the poor man through his wealth; the strong man defeats the weak through his strength. And the mightiest of all - as we explained - is death. Death defeats everyone: the wise man, the mighty warrior, and the rich man.
If you are wealthy, it does not guarantee that you will live longer than anyone else. Perhaps it guarantees that as long as you are alive, your life will be easier: another person may live a life of suffering, because if he falls ill, Heaven forbid, he lacks the money to buy a medication costing half a million shekels - and there are such pills for terminal illnesses - while the wealthy man can alleviate his illness. But will he pass away even a single moment later than what was decreed for him in Heaven? Nothing will help; at that very instant he will pass from this world, because so it was decreed. Did Alexander the Great's great renown avail him to keep him from dying in the prime of his life? Did a name and title ever grant anyone longevity? They yield nothing.
There is one who is mightier than he, and that is the Angel of Death, who is mightier than the wise man, the rich man, and the warrior - mightier than all of them. From this a person should understand that he has nothing to seek in this world in matters of fame, honor, and titles; what will they give you? They will not add life to you, and certainly not eternal life. Therefore, a person should not pursue honor and authority, for in the end everyone will gather at the same place, the house appointed for all the living. The Satan and the Angel of Death are mightier than all, so why amass the matters of this world, when you will leave everything behind, and when the time comes the Satan will take the person, and nothing will remain of him or of all that he amassed?
The Panim Yafot on Devarim explains: "Neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he" - a person who surrendered his authority to another cannot contend with that man, because he cannot take back from him the power he bestowed upon him. That is to say, "mightier than he" means that he is mighty, and his might was received from you.
For example: an administrator of an institution took a certain individual and appointed him Rosh Yeshiva, granting him authority and responsibilities. At a certain point, he no longer wants him - sometimes justly, sometimes not - and then he discovers that this is an indissoluble bond: he has no way to free himself from him. For in the eyes of the yeshiva students, he is the central figure, and if you remove him, he takes the entire yeshiva with him. In short: you gave him power, and you can no longer take that power back from him.
This is what the verse means: sometimes that person received his power from him, and now he can no longer contend with him, for he has become mightier through him. And to what does this apply? The Panim Yafot explains that this was said, as it were, even in reference to the Holy One, blessed be He. The spies said, "for they are stronger than we [or: than He]", and Chazal expounded: Even the Master of the house cannot remove His vessels from there - as though even Hashem, blessed be He, could not overpower the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. And this is astonishing: How could this be? Only fools could say such a thing - is anyone stronger than the Holy One, blessed be He? It is inconceivable that people who witnessed the Exodus from Egypt and the splitting of the Sea of Reeds could arrive at such folly.
Rather, explains the Panim Yafot, this is what they meant: as it were, after Hashem already gave the people of Canaan the land and their strength, He would no longer enter into litigation with them, because they received their strength from Him. "For he is strong" - if you see that they are strong, it is from Him, blessed be He; and since their might comes from Him, as it were, He will not take away their power. "Neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he" - one does not litigate with the one to whom you granted power. And as it were, Hashem would not wish to take away from them what He already gave them, so why would He take it from them and give it to us? That was the argument of the spies.
In these verses, we have learned two fundamental principles. The first: "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire" - intellectual, spiritual pursuits have defined limits and attainments; every tractate you finish is an eternal acquisition. By contrast, physical desires and imaginings have no limit, and one can never say of them, "I have attained my goal." And the second: "That which was has already been called by its name, and it is known what a man is" - whether the verse is expounded as referring to Adam the First Man, who was revealed in his sleep to be a mere mortal and not a god; or to every human being who was created from the earth and whose end is the earth; or to a person of renown and power whose end is to die - all stand before one who is mightier than they. Death defeats the wise man, the warrior, and the rich man, and even Moshe Rabbeinu could not contend with one mightier than he. Hence: a person should not pursue honor, authority, and the acquisitions of this world, for everything will remain behind. Rather, he should grasp onto that which death cannot take from him - the Torah and spiritual wisdom, which alone are an eternal possession.