Questions tagged [kohelet]
The Book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon; traditionally read on the holiday of Sukkot.
9 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
4
votes
0
answers
109
views
There is no Shabbat Chol Hamoed for Sukkot this year. Why is Kohelet not read on the same day in both E"Y and chu"l?
I can understand why Kohelet is not read on Shmini Atzeret in E"Y, because it's already a long davening. However, why doesn't everyone read it on the first day of the chag, which is also Shabbat?
- 99
3
votes
0
answers
579
views
Why don't Sephardim read Kohelet on Sukkot?
It is the custom among Ashkenazim to read Kohelet on the Shabbat of Chol HaMoed Sukkot.
Is there any reason why Sephardim never took on (or stopped) this custom?
- 11.9k
2
votes
0
answers
114
views
What is the status of Koheles and Shir HaShirim in the bathroom?
Depending on the Tanna, Koheles and Shir HaShirim might not be considered a part of Tanach, but merely written from Shlomo HaMelech's wisdom. Therefore, unlike books of Tanach, one who touches these ...
- 34.7k
1
vote
0
answers
124
views
Were the Talmudic Sages fools according to R. Saadia Gaon?
In Emunot V’Deiot (7:5) R. Saadia Gaon writes the following, with regard to some verses in Chapter Nine of Ecclesiastes:
[An example,] again, of the third type [of verses presenting difficulty so far ...
- 50.3k
1
vote
0
answers
71
views
Bleak thoughts of Kohelet vs the Mitzvah of Simhah
This question is a follow up to "Why-do-we-read-kohelet-on-sukkos. The answers there failed to find any reliable source for a connection. I would like to emphasize one aspect of Kohelet - it's ...
- 28k
1
vote
0
answers
55
views
Why is 'לִבִּי' treated as a separate entity in Kohelet?
Kohelet is a chronicle of King Solomon's life journey to understand the 'meaning of it all'. In this short klaf the phrase לִבִּי (and variants on the word for 'heart') is used some 30 times (mainly ...
- 10.5k
1
vote
0
answers
218
views
Ibn Ezra vs. Hachamim in Regards to Piyyutim
In Kohelet 5:1 (Al Tibahel), Ibn Ezra has a lengthy, harsh critique of R. Eliezer HaKalir and other Paytanim for their poetry's components (in short: flowery language, the use of allegory/metaphor/...
- 946
0
votes
0
answers
41
views
Does the Midrash imply that one should give up his life for "smaller" mitzvos?
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:6) expounds the Pesukim in Koheles (8:2-3):
Based on several incidents, the Midrash interprets "ani" as indicating that one's awe should be over you. Thus, "Ani, the ...
- 34.7k
-2
votes
1
answer
187
views
What are the parameters of the “enjoyment/ שִׂמְחָ֗ה that the author of Kohelet did not deny himself?
Kohelet 2 (10) writes that he “denied myself no enjoyment”. Does that mean a mix of 'permitted' and 'no permitted enjoyment'?
Ecclesiastes 2:10
וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי ...
- 356