Chapter 8 of Kohelet addresses the profound questions of the Creator's governance of His world: who rules, who exacts retribution, and why we do not see judgment executed before our very eyes. In the section before us, we examine three verses - "For the word of a king has authority," "Whoever observes a commandment will know no harm," and "For every matter has a time and judgment" - three verses, each of which forms an entire foundation of faith: there is nowhere to flee from the King, there is no true harm to one who keeps the mitzvot, and nothing in this world is free from accountability or beyond an allotted time.
בַּאֲשֶׁר דְּבַר־מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן, וּמִי יֹאמַר־לוֹ מַה־תַּעֲשֶׂה׃ - For the word of a king has authority, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"
The Pesikta Zutarta explains: The Holy One, blessed be He, is King over the entire world and the ruler over His works, and His word endures forever. "And who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'" - He lowers one and elevates another, as it is stated, "Hashem impoverishes and makes rich; He brings low, He also lifts up." He established a covenant with Israel regarding His Torah, He exiled them across all lands, and He will gather them in the future - and who may say to Him, "What are you doing?"
These words align precisely with what was discussed earlier. A person may have a grievance: Why exile? Why this and why that? To this it is said, "The word of a king has authority." The sovereignty rests in the hand of Hashem, and His judgment is certainly just, and He surely desires only what is best for us. He made a covenant with us, He exiled us among the nations, and He will also redeem us. If so, who are you to criticize the governance of Hashem, and consequently cast off the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven?
Rashi explains: "For the word of a king has authority" - because the Holy One, blessed be He, is ruler, and who may say to Him, "What are you doing?" And if you are a keeper of a mitzvah, you will know no evil, and no harm will come upon you. That is, this is a continuation of "Do not rush to leave His presence": do not imagine that you can flee from Hashem, for He is the sovereign and the ruler, and whatever He desires He does. But if you observe the mitzvah, nothing will harm you. And if you truly contemplate denying Hashem and confronting Him with complaints, behold, "the word of a king has authority," and He will exact retribution from you as you deserve. Rashi here already explains the following verse as well.
The Gemara in Shabbat 63a expounds: Rabbi Chanina said, whoever performs a mitzvah according to its command - even if the Holy One, blessed be He, issues a decree, he nullifies it. And this is the meaning of "For the word of a king has authority, and who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'" - and who indeed may tell Him? "Whoever observes a commandment will know no harm." We see from here the power of one who observes a mitzvah strictly as commanded and fulfills it properly: as it were, he can tell the Holy One, blessed be He, what to do, and if Hashem issued a decree, it is within his power to annul it.
And Midrash Rabbah states: Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, You wrote in Your Torah, 'Do not take revenge and do not bear a grudge,' so how is it written, 'Hashem is a jealous and vengeful God'?" He said to them, "I take vengeance upon idolaters, as it is written, 'Avenge the vengeance of the children of Israel against the Midianites,' and similarly against Amalek - to fulfill that which is stated, 'For the word of a king has authority.'" That is to say, the prohibition of "Do not take revenge and do not bear a grudge" applies specifically toward members of your own nation, not toward the nations; and the attribute of "a jealous and vengeful God" is directed toward the nations, and of them it is said, "For the word of a king has authority."
The Imrei Shefer explains that King Solomon came here to teach us not to liken a master's control over his servant to a king's rule over his people. When a servant flees from his master, he feels reassured: the master is here, not in the other city; I will flee to the other end of the country, north or south - how much effort will the master really invest to track down his runaway servant? What resources does he have? But one who flees from the king's servants out of the royal capital will never escape his grasp.
An account is recorded from the period when the Berlin Wall stood and East Germany was communist. Escape was virtually impossible. The Stasi, the secret police, was ruthless, and woe to anyone who fell into their hands. A group of people once decided to escape in a hot-air balloon, for once one crossed the border into the West, he was safe. On their first attempt, the balloon landed prematurely, just one hundred and twenty meters shy of the wall. Immediately, planes and helicopters were scrambled - they saw a hot-air balloon, saw that someone had attempted to escape - and the entire state was put on alert. The escapees fled by the skin of their teeth and returned to their homes, hoping the matter would be forgotten.
Yet the state began investigating who manufactured the fabric and where it had been purchased. Investigators were dispatched to every fabric store across the country to ask who had bought such material, deploying police and detectives to uncover who had attempted the escape. Ultimately, it was not the fabric that gave them away: one of the escapees had dropped a box of medication he was taking. What did they do? They went to every pharmacy in the country, requested all prescriptions - who had purchased or used such pills - and began sifting through name after name, until they reached someone whose name raised suspicion, as he was already listed as having spoken against the regime in the past, where informing on one another was commonplace. They arrived at his home - and only by sheer fortune, the group had already built a second hot-air balloon and set out to attempt another escape, the police arriving at the house an hour or two after their departure. Realizing another escape attempt was underway, the authorities scrambled helicopters and launched a full pursuit, but at the very last moment, with helicopters already visible overhead, the balloon crossed into the West and their lives were saved.
This was a terrible humiliation for East Germany; it made newspaper headlines, and the story was published everywhere. What do we learn from this? What is "the king's word": a king who is searching for someone will find him. He will mobilize the entire secret police, and even a single pillbox will be enough for him to track you down. If a slave flees from his master to another city, how much effort will the master invest in chasing him? Eventually, it is no longer worth it for him. But a government has unlimited budgets, and ultimately it will reach you. One who flees from the king's servants or from an official to one of the cities in his realm will not escape his hand, even if he distances himself a thousand parsa'ot, for even there the reach of his government will overtake him - he is the ruler over the entire realm.
And all this applies to a flesh-and-blood king. What can be said of the King of kings? "Where can I go from Your spirit, and where can I flee from Your presence?" - is it even conceivable to flee from Hashem? Furthermore, a flesh-and-blood king is confined to the borders of his realm. As long as you are in the East, you are in his hands; once you cross into the West, nothing will avail him - you are in another jurisdiction. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not limited at all. His dominion is boundless, without end or measure, and wherever the King's word goes forth, His sovereignty is absolute: rule here and rule there, on the other side of the globe and throughout all the galaxies, even if one were to flee to the moon. "The word of a king has power" - you have nowhere to run from Him.
From here stems: "and who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'" - who can challenge the conduct of the Creator, blessed be He, with grievances and complaints against Heaven? One must realize that the Holy One, blessed be He, rules over all. If one contemplates rebelling against Him out of the thought, "If this is how Hashem treats me, then I am abandoning Him" - there is no abandoning Him; ultimately, you are in His hands.
שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע, וְעֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט יֵדַע לֵב חָכָם׃ - He who keeps a commandment will know no evil thing, and a wise heart knows time and judgment.
The Midrash says: "He who keeps a commandment will know no evil thing" - this refers to Esther, who was occupied with the mitzvah of removing chametz and did not know what was in Haman's mind. "And a wise heart knows time and judgment" - this refers to Mordechai, as it is stated, "And Mordechai knew." There is a fascinating point here: Why did Esther not know what was transpiring with Haman's plots? Because she was immersed in a mitzvah, and her mind was not occupied with what was happening around her. And what was she engaged in? In the removal of chametz - for the entire episode took place during Pesach, and the call to "fast for me" occurred over Pesach.
Mordechai, possessing "a wise heart," knew that this was the time of judgment; he knew Haman's decree and his schemes. He sent word to Esther, saying: There is a far more serious chametz that must be eradicated here, "a groise chametz," and far more urgent. Let us deal with this chametz in order to save the Jewish people.
And in the Gemara (Shabbat 63a): Rabbi Chanina bar Idi said, whoever performs a mitzvah according to its proper directive is not told bad tidings, as it is said, "He who keeps a commandment will know no evil thing." "According to its proper directive" is no simple matter: exactly as prescribed, with all its fine details and halachot. Such a person will not receive bad tidings.
The Pesikta Zutreta states: Had Israel observed the Torah of Hashem, they would not have gone into exile - "He who keeps a commandment will know no evil thing," you would not have encountered calamity had you kept the commandments of Hashem. "And a wise heart knows time and judgment" - for the Holy One, blessed be He, is wise of heart and mighty in strength, and He knows the time of Israel's redemption and when to favor her, for He will execute a day of vengeance and judgment upon the nations, as it is said, "to execute upon them the written judgment." Therefore, if you observe the mitzvot, do not fear the exile and what the nations may do, for Hashem will exact retribution from them; but if you do not keep the mitzvot, you are handed over into their power, and the nations will afflict you.
Rashi explains: "And a wise heart knows time and judgment" - the wise person knows that there is an appointed time for the reckoning of the wicked, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has judgments through which He will ultimately exact retribution from them. One of man's greatest struggles regarding the question of "the righteous person who suffers and the wicked person who prospers" is that he does not see justice being served: you see how corrupt the wicked person is, how many grave misdeeds he commits, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, does not seem to punish him. Regarding this, the verse says: one who possesses a wise heart knows that there is a time for judgment.
Examine history and see. This point has been discussed on more than one occasion: ultimately, it is good for the righteous and bad for the wicked. "The righteous suffers and the wicked prospers" is only apparent in the short term, from an immediate perspective; anyone who examines history sees that in the end, it is good for the righteous and bad for the wicked. Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov - how persecuted they were, what trials they endured, yet from them came the nation of Israel, who received the Torah, and their descendants endure forever. And the tyrannical rulers who dominated the world - where is Nimrod? Where is Nevuchadnezzar? Where are all those who proudly brandished the torch and were consumed by their own fire? Pharaoh, too, was mighty in his day, yet we overcame Pharaoh - and we will overcome all our troubles.
Therefore, a person with a wise heart does not look for "instant" results. He knows that the Holy One, blessed be He, has time. We discussed this once: when the Holy One, blessed be He, acts quickly, that means 850 years. So the Gemara says regarding "and you shall perish quickly from the good land" - after how much time did they perish? Eight hundred and fifty years. The "quickly" of the Holy One, blessed be He, is 850 years. If so, when Hashem exacts retribution from the wicked "quickly" - it can be within 850 years. Why are you in such a rush? Hashem has all the time in the world.
Furthermore, had He punished him immediately, there would be no free will. If at all times only the wicked suffered and the righteous prospered - where would free choice be? Therefore, this is the faith that Hashem will yet exact retribution from the wicked. Even when one sees a flourishing wicked person now, "and they sprout like grass," one knows that "the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree." A palm tree takes time to grow, but once it flourishes, it lasts for a very long time. In contrast, the wicked are like grass driven by the wind: they are the first to sprout after the rain, and they are also the first to wither when the sun comes out. The righteous person takes time, but when he grows, it is like a palm tree, and it endures for many long years. This is the meaning of "a wise heart knows time and judgment": he knows that there is a time for judgment and a time of retribution in which Hashem will punish the wicked.
The Ibn Ezra explains: whoever observes the mitzvot of Hashem with a whole heart, without ulterior motives, simply because it is the commandment of the King - "will know no evil thing." And what does "will know no" mean? "To know" (da'at) is always an expression of attachment and connection; that is, no evil thing attaches itself to him. This does not mean he is guaranteed that no misfortune will ever befall him - that is not guaranteed, and we have seen righteous people suffer. It is true that it is written, "I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread," meaning that even if he is forsaken he does not reach the point of begging for bread, but that pertains to livelihood. Regarding suffering itself, we have seen many righteous people who experienced hardship: Rabbi Akiva's flesh was combed with iron combs, and Rabbi Yishmael had the skin of his face flayed in terrible agony. There have certainly been righteous individuals who suffered.
The question is what happens to a person when misfortune strikes him, and this is a crucial point. There are people who, when misfortune strikes them, experience it through all their 248 limbs and 365 sinews, and as a result, become resentful and rebellious, uttering things that should never be said. But with the righteous person, with the wise man, he may experience misfortune - yet still "he will know no evil thing": the evil does not affect his core. It does not damage his faith, it does not impair his devotion, and it does not sever his bond with the Master of the Universe. It reaches him, but it does not connect to him.
In terms of the severity of the suffering, it is the exact same pain; the difference lies in how one receives it. Do you receive it in a way that undermines your entire faith - in which case you "know an evil thing," as it has connected to you - or do you say: everything happening to me is merely external; I remain with the Master of the Universe. While external problems and hardships undoubtedly exist, they do not sway me from the path. That is the essence of "will know no evil thing."
The Imrei Shefer explains that "a wise heart knows time and judgment" is actually an introduction to the next verse. There are two principles - "time" and "judgment" - and they are always before the eyes of the wise man; because he knows them, he is spared from all trouble.
כִּי לְכׇל־חֵפֶץ יֵשׁ עֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט, כִּי־רָעַת הָאָדָם רַבָּה עָלָיו׃ - For every matter has a time and judgment, for man's misery is great upon him.
The first principle: "For every matter [desire] has a time" - for anything a person desires, there is an allotted time during which it will be in his possession. Even when you receive something good, it does not mean it will remain with you forever: there is a designated time for when you receive it, and there is a designated time for when it will be taken from you. And the second principle: "and judgment" - in the sense of operating according to its proper order and nature, as in the expressions "he guides his affairs with judgment [order]" and "the palace shall stand on its proper site [al mishpato]" - according to its order and custom.
Consider this: with any object or property that a person acquires, in the end, he does not have total control to do with it as he pleases. Often you do work on an object, but regarding certain aspects, you are limited. For example, you bought an apartment and want to renovate. You already have plans drawn up: here I will build a balcony, here I will do this, here I will expand. But while knocking down a wall, you discover that a sewage pipe runs right through the middle of the living room. There is no getting around it; there is nowhere to move it; there must be a pillar or wall right there. You planned a fifty-meter living room - on the blueprints that looks wonderful, but not everything you plan can be realized. Even someone who bought something, assumed ownership of it, and thinks everything is in his hands - that is simply not the case.
Someone once recounted a story about an apartment renovation. Contractors, as is well known, are a group that does not always have receipts, nor always real experience - they practice on you, and all too often, God have mercy on the results. There was a load-bearing wall with a pillar, and the contractor was sure it could be removed: "It will be fine, no problem" - turning himself into half an engineer. He tore down the wall, shook the entire building's structure, and caused hundreds of thousands of shekels in damage. They had to pour a new pillar and install a support beam across the entire width of the apartment at enormous expense, around one hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand shekels. Naturally, the contractor vanished at that point - he did his damage and walked away. The homeowners did not know how they would ever finish the renovation, and suddenly an unsightly support beam was thrust into their home, a beam necessary to hold up the building, otherwise, God forbid, an engineer could condemn the building and evacuate all the tenants as unsafe. You bought an apartment - but are you truly the master to decide exactly what to do with it?
Sometimes it is decreed when something will come to you, and sometimes it is also decreed when it will be taken from you. People assumed they would always work, and suddenly they lost their jobs, were placed on unpaid leave, could not pay their mortgage, and were forced to sell their apartment. You thought you owned an apartment, you were given an apartment - and then comes a stage where it is gone. Quite a few people during that period - may trouble not arise twice - invested six months building an event hall, and for months the owner was left twiddling his thumbs: no one comes, weddings cannot be held, and he sees how much wealth he poured in while nothing remains, only paying off his debts and the renovations. And so forth, there are endless examples. Someone shared a joke during the Corona period: A father asks his son what he wants to be when he grows up. The son says, "A pilot." The father replies, "Are you out of your mind? Open a grocery store! What, do you want to be unemployed?" One must understand how much a person's plans are built on thin air; Hashem arranges other plans for you, not what you plan.
Furthermore, in every matter there is also mishpat (judgment), in the sense of reward and punishment, explains the Imrei Shefer. This is the continuation of the verse - "for man's misery is great upon him": there is no end to the troubles that come upon a person during his lifetime, and the greater his wealth, the greater his distress. One who reflects sees that often the very wealth you thought was for your benefit turns out to be to your detriment. Someone told a story about a Jew who once lived in a lawless area where bandits operated, and they knew he had money. They broke into his home to steal his safe, and he wrapped both arms around the safe, refusing to let go. They fired shots - and still he would not part with the safe, until he parted with his life. Poor man, he was likely no longer in control of his senses; but we see from here how impossible it is for man simply to indulge and do as he pleases, for everything is subject to judgment and held as collateral.
You think you bought something and it is for your good - yet it might well be to your detriment. A person buys a car: here is the good life, no more taking buses! Then suddenly it turns out - it is good that you have a car, so you have a way to drive to the mechanic; and sometimes you cannot even drive to the mechanic, but need a tow or a ride there. You thought this would make life pleasant, and behold, the very things you thought would grant you an easy life make your life much harder.
Therefore, everything is held on collateral: everything Hashem has granted you is like a deposit that He can take back from you or use to afflict you so that you mend your ways. This is what the wise man observes and takes to heart - "for to every purpose there is a time and a judgment": there is an appointed time for everything, with an orderly structure directed by Hashem, not according to your desires; and even the acquisition you rejoiced in so much may very well have come to your detriment. From this realization, when trouble befalls him, he will not panic excessively or react by claiming that Hashem is dealing with him arbitrarily. For he was informed in advance that things he assumed were for the best might prove harmful, that there is judgment over everything, and that all is held on collateral. When you view everything from the start as a temporary trust, you are not crushed when the trust is reclaimed.
Rashi explains: "For to every purpose there is a time and judgment" - meaning that a person acts according to his own desire (cheftzo) and violates the law, and there is a reckoning exacted from him. When you do something according to your personal desire, know that there is a judgment and Hashem exacts retribution; for every willful deed there is a time of reckoning. "For man's evil is great upon him" - when man's wickedness grows great and fills his measure of guilt, then comes his time of reckoning. Here, the word "ki" carries the meaning of "when," as in "When (ki) they have a matter, it comes to me": when a man's wickedness becomes great upon him, then arrives the time of judgment and the reckoning exacted from him.
And Ibn Ezra explains: "For man's misery is great upon him" - even though a person knows there is an appointed time for every matter, he does not know when that time will arrive, and that is a great misfortune. What is man's distress? Even though he knows that life here does not last forever, he does not know when he must return the equipment. Even if he knows that what he purchased will not remain his forever, he does not know when it will be taken from him. That uncertainty is part of why "man's misery is great upon him."
These three verses build a single cohesive progression. "For the word of a king has sovereign power" - the sovereignty of the Holy One, Blessed is He, is absolute; there is nowhere to flee, and no place to harbor grievances against His conduct of the world. "Whoever keeps a commandment will know no evil thing" - one who performs a mitzvah properly has the power to annul decrees, and even if misfortune befalls him, it will not cleave to him or undermine his faith; and "the heart of a wise man knows time and judgment" - the wise person knows there is a set time for the reckoning of the wicked, and does not look for instant results, for the righteous flourishes like a palm tree over a long time, while the wicked is like grass that quickly withers. And "for to every purpose there is a time and a judgment" - everything in this world is subject to an allocated time and to judgment; all is a trust and collateral, and sometimes the very things we thought were for our benefit turn out to be to our detriment. One who lives with these truths will not panic or break when trouble strikes, for he knows from Whom it all comes and for what purpose it all exists.