Ecclesiastes · Chapter 11

Cast you your bread upon the waters. Do goodness and kindness to a person about whom your heart tells you that you will never see him again, like a person who casts his food upon the water’s surface. — Notes: (1) Do kindness without anticipating reciprocity from the receiver. (Sforno) Or, when giving charity, needy Torah scholars should be given priority. The Gemara in Maseches Bava Kamma 17a states that Torah is symbolized by water. Thus, when you “cast your bread,” cast it first to the needy Torah Scholars. (Derech Hachayim) (2) Alternatively, also give charity to people you do not know. (Ibn Ezra) For after many days you will find it. Days will yet come, and you will receive your recompense. Look what is stated about Yisro, “Call him and let him eat bread,” and he thought that he [Moshe] was an Egyptian and that he would never see him again. What was the end? He became his son-in-law and reigned over Yisroel and [Moshe] brought him under the wings of the Divine Presence, and his sons and grandsons merited to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. — Notes: (3) Alternatively, for you will find its reward in the World to Come. (Targum) (4) Shemos 2:20.

"Cast/send" — he exhorts one who has [the means] to be generous, so that his hands should be open to one he knows and to one he does not know. And some say that these "waters" are the waters of a pond, in which there are fish — but we have no need of this interpretation.

Behold, Rambam (Maimonides), of blessed memory, in Hilchot Matnot Aniyim (Laws of Gifts to the Poor), enumerates seven levels of charity, one higher than the other, and the highest of all of them is when the giver does not know to whom he gives, and the recipient does not know who gave to him. And above these is an eighth level, which is the loan. Solomon comes here and advises man to cling to the seventh level, in which giver and recipient do not know each other, and he compared it to one who casts his bread upon the waters. And this is [the meaning]: for if a man sends a loaf of bread to float upon the water of a river in the course of its flow, and after some distance another man finds it and puts out his hand and takes it, it turns out that the sender does not know who took it, and the one who took it does not know whose it was. So too in this matter: if a man gives from his money and his food into the hand of a [charity] treasurer, and the treasurer gives it to one of the poor who does not know who gave it, and the giver too does not know who receives it — for the hand of the treasurer is like flowing water. And concerning this he raised his parable and said, 'Cast your bread upon the waters' — the meaning being that the giver should not see the recipient, nor the recipient the giver. And what will you gain? Is it not that 'after many days,' etc.? And this is [explained]: for behold, we find that through charity a man becomes wealthy, as our Sages of blessed memory said, 'Tithe (aser) so that you may become wealthy (titasher).' And we also find that it grants life to those who perform it, as in the story of the daughter of Rabbi Akiva, and as in the story of Shmuel and Avlat. But to find both of these together — life and wealth as one — we do not find. And it is possible that he means by this that giving in secret, such that neither knows the other, will bring both of them together. And this is [the meaning of] 'Cast,' etc.: for after many days, when you will have [merited both] through charity, you will also find your bread — that is, the money that you gave — in such a way that you will have both of them. And lest you say, 'If charity of this sort does not present itself to me, I will not do it' — do not do so. Rather, 'give a portion to seven' — these are the seven categories of charity that Rambam enumerated — 'and also to eight,' which is the loan, the eighth category. For even though Rambam [later] mentioned them, their existence was not lacking already in the days of Solomon. And he said, 'for you do not know,' etc. And this is [explained]: for behold, in the days of David there were clouds and wind but no rain, and he thought that perhaps there were those who pledged charity publicly and did not give, etc. And this is what is meant by 'through your giving a portion to seven,' etc.: since you do not know what harm will befall the land, that it will not sprout — that is, if the clouds fill with rain (for the harm is not in the heavens, since there are clouds and wind), but rather upon the earth, in that [the rain] was not poured down to the earth — that is, there were clouds and wind but no rain — then, through your giving a portion to seven, they will pour down upon the earth. And should you say: but in David's time it was not so, for he thought it was because of those who pledged charity publicly and did not give, and he searched but did not find this, but rather it was because of Saul, who was not eulogized/mourned according to law — therefore he says: even though what I said is true, nevertheless it is not precluded that 'if a tree falls' — a fruit tree, which is an allegory for a king or a great sage, in whose shade people take shelter and live, as in the matter of 'and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth,' etc. (Daniel 4:7) — and this is [the meaning of] 'if a tree falls,' that a great tree dies, whether it be a great sage, who is associated with the south, as it is said, 'One who wishes to become wise should incline southward,' or 'if in the north' — that is, a king falls, as in the matter of Saul, who is associated with the north, as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'for the table is in the north,' and on it a golden rim, alluding to the crown of kingship — then there it will be the cause of harm being upon the land, even though it is not [always] because of those who pledge charity and do not give, etc., as it was in the days of David. But I only said [this] for a case when this other possibility does not exist there.

"cast your bread upon the waters" — And do not think that the water will carry it far away to a place where you will not find it, for after many days you will find it. And this is a matter of a parable, meaning: give of your bread even to one about whom you think you will not see him again to receive from him repayment, for after many days you will receive from him repayment of the reward.

Contribute to seven and even eight. If you shared your food and your drink with seven who need kindness, share further with eight more who come after them, and do not say, “Enough.” — Notes: (5) Alternatively, when giving charity, give priority to the needy who are Shabbos observers [=לשבעה], symbolized by the seventh day of the week, Shabbos, over the needy who do not observe Shabbos; and give priority to Jews [=לשבעה], symbolized by the eighth day of circumcision], over non-Jews. (Derech Hachayim) (6) The Rambam lists eight levels of charity, each higher than the other. The seventh [i.e., next to the highest level] is a person who gives charity to one whose identity he does not know, nor does the recipient know the identity of the donor. The highest [i.e., eighth] level, is supporting one by means of a gift, loan, partnership of providing work to an impoverished Jew. Alternatively, the verse means, “contribute on the seventh and eighth level [as prescribed by the Rambam].” (Alshich) For you never know what calamity will come. Perhaps days will yet come and you will need [support from] them all. Then you will be saved from the evil by this charity, and if not now, when? Our Rabbis, however, said—Contribute to, etc. These are the seven days of creation. Give one of them as a portion to your Creator, by resting on Shabbos. And even to eight. These are the eight days preceding circumcision. Another explanation: Contribute to seven. The communal sacrifices of the seven days of Pesach. And even to eight. The eight days of the Festival [=Succos]. For you never know what calamity will come. If the Beis [Hamikdosh] will be destroyed, and you will no longer bring sacrifices, and the first sacrifices will avail to annul the evil decree. Another explanation: For you never know what [calamity] will come. You do not know what has been decreed on the Festival regarding the rains, and the sacrifices will avail to annul evil decrees.

"Give a portion" — the essential [significance] of "seven" in Scripture is what the author of Sefer Yetzirah stated: that the Holy Palace is situated in the middle. And he said "to eight" corresponding to the days of the week, for the eighth day is like the day on which it began, and the meaning is: continually, without interruption. And the meaning of "what" [evil] is that evil will come which leads to poverty; and it pairs the [masculine] form "yihyeh" with the [feminine] word "ra'ah," just as "yihyeh na'arah betulah" [there shall be a young woman, a virgin] (Deuteronomy 22:23) likewise pairs the masculine "yihyeh" with the feminine "na'arah."

"give a portion" — Divide your gift among seven people, and even to eight; that is to say, give to everyone, and let them not seem too numerous in your eyes. And he took the number seven because it is a round/general number, and he said "eight" as if to say: even if you have already given to the round number, give still more. "what shall be" — For perhaps calamity will come upon your land and you will need to wander among other lands, and perhaps you will need [help from] all of them.

When the clouds are filled with rain. If you have seen clouds full of rain, you know that they will ultimately empty their rains upon the earth. In the place where the benefit grows and is discernible, there it is destined [for the rains] to come to rest. Likewise, you should know that “if a tree falls, etc.,” [i.e.,] if a wise and righteous man resides in a city or in a province, the place where he resides, there his deeds will be discernible after his death, and his words of wisdom, exemplary traits and bestowal of goodness upon the inhabitants of that place by his good custom that he guided them on a straight road. — Notes: (7) In Bamidbar 13:20, Rashi explains that a tree [עץ] is symbolizes a righteous man. See also the last Rashi on this verse below. (8) Alternatively, this verse is connected to the previous verse, i.e., a person blessed with wealth must share his fortune with the less fortunate in the same manner as clouds that are full of rain do not keep it for themselves but empty their rains upon the earth. (Metsudas Dovid) Falls. Will reside, as in, “over all his brothers did he reside נָפָל.” — Notes: (9) Bereishis 25:18. A tree. [Symbolic of] a Torah scholar, who with his merit protects like a tree, which serves as a covering over the earth.

"If the clouds are full" — by way of a parable for wealth, which is not given to the rich man except to do good to all who are in need of it. "And the word yehu" — it is plural, and the aleph is added, like the aleph in "hehalkhu ito" [those who went with him] (Joshua 10:24) and "lo avu shemoa" [they would not consent to listen] (Isaiah 28:12); for originally it would be "yehi" in the singular, and it has no parallel in its grammatical pattern in Scripture. And the meaning is: to the place where the fruit of the tree falls, whether in the north or in the south, there the gatherers shall be — and the meaning concerns the rich man. And some say that it speaks of the tree itself, and this half of the verse corresponds to the first half of the [preceding] verse, and its latter half corresponds to [the preceding verse's] latter half. And this commentator says that the yod of "yehu" is a future-tense [marker] from the word "hu" (he/it), and it is singular; and the meaning is that the tree, because it gives fruit, they water it and cultivate it, and at the time when it falls they know that it will never give fruit again, and they abandon it in the place where it fell. And one commentator said that this "tree" (etz) is from [the word] "eitzah" (counsel) — and whoever says such a thing has not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge.

"if the clouds, etc." — If the clouds become full of rain, behold, they do not hold it for themselves, but rather empty and pour it out upon the face of the earth. And this refers back to what precedes, to say that it is proper to divide one's gift to others: just as the clouds do not hold the rain for themselves but empty it upon the earth, and by this the earth sends up vapors above and [the clouds] are filled again and again with rain — so too, one who has become full with wealth, it is not proper for him to keep it for himself alone, but rather he should bestow and give to others, and then, when he himself is in need, he will be provided for by others. "and if a tree falls" — A fruit tree, while it is still planted and fixed in the ground, is watered and tended so that it will give fruit; but at the time the tree falls, in whatever place it is — whether in the southern direction or the northern direction — wherever it falls, there it will remain, for from then on they abandon it in its place and no one tends to it any longer, since it no longer gives fruit. As if to say: so too, one who does not bestow upon others — when the time comes that he himself needs others, they will not turn to him.

"he'avim" (the clouds) — clouds (ananim). "yariku" (empty themselves) — an expression of pouring and spilling, as in "your name is oil poured forth (turak)" (Song of Songs 1:3). "yehu" (it shall be) — like "yihyeh" (it will be); or the letter yud indicates the future tense, as if it said "yihyeh hu" (it will be it).

He who watches [waits] for the wind. He who waits and looks forward for the wind to come. ) — Notes: (10) שמר הרוח cannot means “watching” a wind, Rashi therefore explains that שומר הרוח means “waiting” for the wind. שומר is used in the same context in Bereishis 37:11, which states, “his father waited [שומר]” to see when Yoseif’s dream would be fulfilled. (Sifsei Chachomim Will never sow. Sometimes he waits [for the wind], but it does not come. — Notes: (11) According to Rashi, the farmer is waiting for the wind to come in order to sow his field, because he wants the wind to scatter his seeds. Alternatively, the farmer is afraid of the wind and does not sow because the wind will blow the seeds away. (Sforno) And he who looks to the clouds. He observes the clouds, and when he sees them darkening, he is afraid to harvest on account of the rains; he will never harvest because he is always fearful [of the rains].

"He who observes" — this too is a parable about the generous person, for the lazy, stingy sower will say: "This wind indicates that rain will not come down in the days ahead, so why should I take what I have — namely, the seed — and bury it in the ground?" And some say that it is a command in its plain sense addressed to the sower, for Solomon has already mentioned that there is no occupation like the working of the land; therefore let him not rely on his own opinion nor on everything he has experienced, for the times change.

'He who observes [the wind],' etc. — Behold, in our commentary on Proverbs we wrote, concerning the verse 'he who gathers in summer,' etc., that man in this world sows mitzvot in the world, as our Sages of blessed memory taught concerning 'the path of life, lest you level it out,' etc.; and after the majority of his days he reaps — that is, he uproots and removes all his good deeds from every material bias — like a reaper who uproots his produce from the ground of the earth. He said: there is one who says, 'What do I gain by profiting through mitzvot in childhood and young manhood, which is a time of material biases? Better that I wait until the majority of my days [have passed], the time when the ruach (higher spiritual faculty) comes upon a person, after the nefesh (the lower, vital soul), which [governs him] in his youth — for then I will sow without material intentions.' And there is another who sows mitzvot immediately, all his days, but is occupied and makes primary the coarseness of the affairs of this world. And he said that neither of these two is good. For behold, one who watches and waits for the ruach in order to sow mitzvot, and not from now — one who possesses only the nefesh — will never sow. For behold, the ruach comes only through engagement in Torah and mitzvot, and these he lacks. And likewise, one who looks at the clouds — which are the affairs of this world — will never reap so as to strip away earthly biases, ever, for the coarseness of the world's affairs will not allow him to. 'As,' etc. — Have I not told you [that] 'he who observes the wind shall not sow' — meaning, do not refrain from sowing mitzvot until the ruach comes, which is a great level, for perhaps it will not come to you? Now I say further to you: even if the ruach does come to you, you will not know the time of its coming. And here is a proof for you from an external matter, by a kal vachomer (a fortiori inference): for behold, before you is a thing whose sound you hear with your ear, yet you do not know its way and its existence — for behold, you hear a wind that is stormy and tempestuous, for you hear its voice but do not understand its way. And likewise a thing that you touch with your hands, yet do not know what it is — like the bones in the full womb, which you touch upon her belly and sense the infant within, yet do not know what it is, whether male or female, nor when the ruach entered it, nor how so small [a space] holds the whole body of the fetus. So too you do not know the work of God — even though it appears to your eyes that you sense and touch these things, you do not know the matter at all. So how could it occur to your mind that you would sense the time your own spirit comes to you?

"he who observes the wind" — One who waits in the sowing of his field until the wind comes, for then it is good to sow, since the wind will scatter [the seed] everywhere. "shall not sow" — For sometimes he waits and it [the wind] does not come. "and he who regards the clouds" — One who fixes his eyes on the clouds, and when he sees them darkened/gathering, he fears to reap because of the rains — this one will never reap, since he is always afraid.

"shomer" (observes) — waits, as in "and his father watched (shamar) the matter" (Genesis 37:11).

Just as you do not know, etc., nor the nature of that which is hidden in the womb of her that is with child. Things closed in and confined in the womb which is full, and even though it protrudes outward, “just as you do not know [the way of the wind].” This is a transposed verse, expounded from its end to its beginning. “Just as you do not know the way of the wind,” i.e., the knowledge of both these things is equal, neither is one revealed to you, nor is the other revealed to you, for sometimes you think that you know by the clouds that the wind will come, and it does not come here, but it passes and goes away to another land. This expression is similar to, “like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt,” [and] “as with the maidservant, so with her mistress,” [and] “as with the buyer so with the seller.” Sometimes it [Scripture] compares the former to the latter, and sometimes it compares the latter to the former. Here too, it teaches the knowledge of the wind from the knowledge of the womb, i.e., you should not await the wind by looking at the clouds. (Gloss: This matter is transposed in Rashi’s words, and it is in the opposite order. We must therefore, emend it as it is in exact editions, and then it will be understood well, and the following is the authentic version: — Notes: (12) Bereishis 13:10. (13) Yeshayahu 24:2. (14) Ibid. Just as you do not know. This is a transposed verse, explained from its end to its beginning: Just as you do not know the skeletal structure that is enclosed in the full womb, things that are closed and confined in the full womb, and even though it protrudes outward, you cannot fathom what is in her womb, so do you not know the way of the wind, i.e., the knowledge of both these things is equal, etc. From the book Sifsei Chachomim.) — Notes: (15) Just as you do not know whether the fetus is male or female until it emerges, so do you not know the working of God Who does everything with wisdom. (Targum) Nor the nature of that which is hidden. Enclosiede in O.F., as in, “and closes וְעוֹצֵם his eyes.” — Notes: (16) Yeshayahu 33:15. So you will never know, etc. Also the decrees of the Omnipresent in dealing with poverty and wealth are hidden from you, and you should not refrain from [doing] kindness because you are worried, “perhaps my wealth will diminish and I will become impoverished; I will [therefore] not engage in Torah [study] and neglect my work and become poor; I will not wed and have children, because I will have to spend money to support them.”

"As" — commentators have said that "ka'atzamim" (like the bones) is like "ke'otzem" (like a sealing/closing), and this is hevel (a hidden thing); and its meaning is the body of the one born, before he is born. And they regarded "atzamim" (bones) as the foundations of the body, for the flesh and skin are like a garment. And "ha-mele'ah" (she who is full) refers to the pregnant woman; and it is possible that "ha-mele'ah" is a description of the woman, with the word "beten" (womb) in construct with it; and it is also possible that it is a description of "beten" itself, for all of them are feminine in the Holy Tongue. And it would have been proper for the first bet to have a patach and the second to have a dagesh, and likewise with "le-ish he-ashir" (to the rich man).

"as you know not" — Just as you do not know by which way the wind travels, even though you hear its sound, and just as [you do not know about] the infant enclosed within the full womb — you do not know whether it is male or female, even though you see the bulge of the belly — so too you do not know [the work of God], etc. "all things" — That is to say, you do not know any matter of Hashem's work. And this refers back to what precedes, to say: you have no [reason] to wait for the wind or to fear the rains, for you cannot know when they will come.

"einach" (you do not) — "you are not" (ein atah). "ke'atzamim" (as the bones) — an expression of closing and sealing, as in "and shuts (otzem) his eyes" (Isaiah 33:15).

Therefore in the morning sow your seed, etc. If your learned Torah in your youth, learn Torah in your old age. If you had students in your youth, you should have students in your old age. If you married a childbearing woman in your youth, you should marry a childbearing woman in your old age. If you performed charitable acts in your youth, perform charitable acts in your old age. — Notes: (17) See Maseches Yevamos 62a. (18) Sow your field at all times and do not wait for the wind, “for you do not know which will prosper, and therefore if you learned etc.” (Metsudas Dovid) For you do not know which will prosper. Whether the students and children of your youth will survive you, or perhaps only those of your old age will survive. We find that Rabbi Akiva had twenty-four thousand students from Gabas to Antiparis, and they all died between Pesach and Shavuos, and he came to our Sages in the south and taught them. And concerning children, we find that Ivzan “sent thirty daughters abroad, and he brought in thirty daughters for his sons,” and they all died in his lifetime, but in his old age, he begot Oveid, who survived him. — Notes: (19) See Maseches Yevamos 62b. (20) Shoftim 12:9. (21) See Maseches Bava Basra 91a.

"In the morning" — its meaning is "continually," according to both interpretations. And the tav of "tanach" [withhold] is feminine on account of the yod; and the meaning is: do not withhold your hand from the seed, for we find the word "hanach" (to withhold/rest) used with two different verbs [i.e., two distinct meanings].

"In the morning," etc. — our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded this in reference to children, but it is possible that, according to our own approach, the first part [of the verse] refers to the sowing of mitzvot and good deeds (ma'asim tovim). And he says, "in the morning" — that is, in your youth (bechurot) — "sow your seed" of mitzvot and good deeds, and do not say that in the time of old age your deeds will be more fit/improved. And if you occupied yourself [with mitzvot] in youth, do not rest your hand in the evening of old age, saying that what you have already toiled is enough for you; for you do not know which will be more acceptable — whether that of youth, for then you subdue the force of your yetzer (inclination), or whether what is done in old age is better, since those are deeds more pure from the defilement of self-interest, or whether both together — meaning their combination, one with the other, together — are better than either group by itself. And furthermore, even if the deeds of old age are indeed better than those of youth, is it not still good that you accustom yourself from youth, so that it serve as a preparation for the days of old age? For even though the light of the deeds of youth does not shine in its essence like the light of the deeds of old age, it cannot fail to be a preparation. And I will give you a parable for this: it is like the light of morning, which is between the break of dawn and the rising of the sun. For why is it that near the break of dawn the sun does not yet shine forth? Rather, it is so as to prepare the eyes of man, that he be able to bear the light of the sun, and that his eyes not be dimmed from seeing the light of the sun right after the darkness. And this is what we say in the order of our prayers, "who lights the earth and those who dwell upon it in mercy" — that is, He gives light in a manner of mercy, by gradual stages, and does not cause the sun to rise immediately after the break of dawn. And this is the meaning of "and the light is sweet" — this is the light of morning, which is pleasant and acceptable and good for the eyes, so that they not be dimmed, being a preparation to see the sun; for they would not be able to see the sun at all, were it not by means of that [morning] light. So too, behold: the mitzvot that come before the days of old age, before the ru'ach (spirit) arrives — even though the shining of their light is not great — they are a preparation for the great light, like the sun, of the mitzvot performed in the days of old age.

"in the morning" — Therefore, in the morning sow your field, and also in the evening do not withhold your hand from sowing; that is to say, at every time sow your field and do not wait for the wind. "for you know not" — And you cannot know which sowing will be fit and good, whether that of the morning or that of the evening; and it is possible that both together will be equally good, one like the other.

"yichsher" (shall prosper) — from the language of kasher (fit) and good.

And the light is sweet. The light of Torah is sweet. — Notes: (22) In Tehillim 19:11, Dovid describes the Torah as “sweeter than honey and drippings from the combs.” And it is good [pleasant] for the eyes to behold the sun. And fortunate are the students whose eyes see a legal opinion whitened and clarified thoroughly. So is it expounded in Aggadas Tehillim.

"And sweet" — this verse is connected with the one that follows it, and it speaks of the light as "sweet," even though it is not something one eats. And the essence of this is on account of the joining together of the senses in the place that is upon the forehead; and that is a place [where] they apply a term that is known [to belong] to one sense, to another sense — and similarly, "see, the smell of my son" (Genesis 27:27), and "all the people saw the voices" (Exodus 20:15). And the meaning of the connection of this verse to the first is that one should occupy himself always in doing good, and not occupy himself with any other pleasure.

Or, the sense of the matter is: do not refrain from sowing mitzvot in youth until the ru'ach (spirit) comes to you as you advance in years. For behold, just as the light is sweet and good for the eyes so that they not be dimmed, so too the preparation of the light of the mitzvot of youth is sweet, pleasant, and good for your physical being (chomer), in order to merit seeing the sun — the ru'ach that will shine within you. For were it not for the light of the preparation of the mitzvot of youth, you would not be prepared to receive the ru'ach; for by what path would the shining of its sun come to you, if not by means of the mitzvot of youth? For through them you advance toward its resting upon you — more so than if you were to refrain from them until the time of old age. And there is a further, second argument: "for if a man live many years" — will he rejoice in all of them? And this is because there are two paths for a person: he may sin in his youth and correct [it] in old age, and then rejoice in old age and say, 'Happy is my old age, which atoned for my childhood'; it turns out that he does not rejoice over the days of his youth, for they were wicked and sinful, but only over the days of old age, which corrected them. But one who did not sin from his youth rejoices all his days, and says, 'Happy is my childhood, which did not shame my old age'; it turns out that he rejoices in all his days, and not merely in part of them. And this is to say: behold, in my counsel that from the very morning of childhood you sow mitzvot and good deeds — is this not a great benefit, that you will rejoice in all your days, and not merely in part of them? And this is [the meaning of] "for if... many years," etc., "let him rejoice in them all." And one should note precisely in this that it says "yichyeh" (he shall live) — to exclude one who sins in his youth and repents in old age, who is not called "living" except from the time he repented; but one of whom it is said "many years," who is called "living" [throughout], is one who is righteous from his childhood — he rejoices in all of them, and not merely in the few years that follow repentance.

"and the light is sweet" — Light is pleasant; this is stated in a borrowed/figurative usage, for light is not something edible that can become sweet. Rather, it means: pleasant is a person's life while he still enjoys the light of day. "and [a pleasant thing]" — It is a good thing for the eyes while they are still able to see the sun; and this is a repetition of the matter in different words.

Let him rejoice in all of them. Let him be happy with his lot, provided that he remembers the days of darkness and improve his deeds so that he be saved from them; and these are the days of eternal death, they are the days of the wicked. For they will be many. In those days, more than the days of life. — Notes: (23) I.e., the days of darkness, when he will be in his grave, will be many more than the days of his life. (Metsudas Dovid) All that comes. Upon him will be punishment and darkness. “הֶבֶל” sometimes is an expression of punishment and troubles, as in, “for he [the stillborn child] comes with troubles הֶבֶל and departs in darkness.” — Notes: (24) Above 6:4.

"For if" — even if a man knew that he would live many years and rejoice in them all, when he remembers the days of darkness — which are the days of the grave, for they shall be many — the aforementioned light will grow bitter to him. And "[all] that comes is hevel" — its meaning: he should understand that everything that comes to everyone — "one generation goes and another generation comes" (Ecclesiastes 1:4) — is hevel.

Or the argument may run in another way, and this is as known from the book of the Zohar, that the days of the righteous live and endure forever, for they draw near before Him, blessed be He, becoming spiritual through the mitzvot performed by means of them; and therefore, one who does good only in old age does not rejoice in all of them. Therefore it is better for you [to begin] from the morning of youth to sow mitzvot, so that you rejoice in them all. A further, third argument, to quiet the contention of your yetzer (inclination), so that you not weary yourself with mitzvot in your youth: this is [the meaning of] "and let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many" — for if he does not occupy himself with good deeds all his days in order to indulge himself here [in this world], let him remember that the days of darkness — which is his permanence in death there — are greater in number than the days of his life. And why should he constrict a long period of time for the sake of a short period, rather than turn instead to toil a short period for the sake of the long one? A further, fourth argument, and it is: "all that comes is hevel (vanity)" — for the good things of this world are fleeting, and there is no advantage or pleasantness for a person in any good that has passed once its time has gone; and as soon as it comes, it is [already] hevel. But not so is the portion of those who do good, for theirs is an eternal and enduring good.

"For if, etc." — For even if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, and not even one day should he grow weary of life, despite their abundance. "And let him remember" — But during his life he should remember the days of darkness when he will lie in the grave, which will be more numerous than the days of life, and through this he will take care to improve his deeds. "All that comes is vanity" — All the suffering that comes there [in the grave] is hevel (vanity/futility), without benefit, for while a man is alive benefit comes from suffering, because through it he examines his deeds; but after death there is no place for examining one's deeds. Therefore he should remember them [the days of darkness] so that he may improve his deeds while he is still alive.

Rejoice young man in your youth. As a person who says to his servant or to his child, “Persist in your sinning, but [realize] you will be punished in one blow for all [your sins].” Here too, the wise man says, “Rejoice, young man in your youth ... follow the ways of your heart,” but be assured “that for all these things,” the Judge “will bring you to judgment.” — Notes: (25) Alternatively, the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 21b states that what is learned in the years of childhood is remembered more readily. This is the time period that one has no distractions or troubling thoughts. (Sforno)

"Rejoice" — Since everything is hevel (vanity/futility), [Kohelet says] rejoice now, young man, in your youth; and its sense is like saying, "do evil, and see what will come upon you" — similar to "Philistia, cry aloud over me" (Psalm 60:8), which appears elsewhere as "over Philistia do I cry aloud" (Psalm 108:9); and the matter concerns Edom — "[upon Edom] I have cast My shoe" — which is mighty and strong: [meaning,] "cry aloud over me, Philistia, now, and you will see what I will do to you." And likewise, "rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwells in the land of Uz" (Lamentations 4:21) [is said in the same ironic sense]. And so the verse [before us] concludes, "but know that concerning all these" — which refers back to the rejoicing, the gladdening of the heart, and the walking in the way of the heart and the sight of the eyes. And the sense of "the good of the heart" in our language has three aspects: the first, that it becomes good of itself, as in "and his heart was merry" (Ruth 3:7); the second, that the heart does good for the owner of the heart, as in "your heart shall do good for you"; and the third, that the person does good to his own heart, as in "they were making their hearts merry" (Judges 19:22). And the sense of this verse is like "you shall not go about after your own heart and after your own eyes" (Numbers 15:39).

Behold, the great difficulty that the great ones of the world have wrestled with is this: the beginning of his words appears to loosen the strap [permit free rein], while at the end of the verse he says, "but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment" — so much so that Rav Huna, in the chapter "Bameh Ishah" [tractate Shabbat], found it necessary to say: up to here are the words of the evil inclination (yetzer hara); from here on are the words of the good inclination (yetzer tov). And the reasoning behind these expositions is [found] in the midrashim. But behold, it is written by us in our commentary on the Torah that the types of people, regarding the matter of repentance (teshuvah), divide into five categories: The first category is people who are perfectly righteous, who never tasted the taste of sin in all their days, and who subdued their inclination from following the desires of this world, but rather kept their watch. The second category is people who tasted the taste of sin and returned in repentance immediately, in their youth (bacharut) — and this is an excellent repentance. The third category is people who do not repent until the time of old age, for they see that their time is drawing near to come, and they do repentance before the time to die, lest they die in their wickedness — for even though their repentance is [genuine] repentance, they are not of the same rank as the preceding category before Him, may He be blessed. The fourth category is people who do not repent until the time of death, for they see that the strength of their life in this world has ebbed away, and they repent out of fear of death — for their repentance does not carry the same worth as that of the preceding category. The fifth category is people who are sunk in this world in the depths of their desires, following the stubbornness of their evil heart, and who never took it to heart to repent, until they died in their wickedness; and they go to perdition and turmoil, and the good of this world is turned for them into worm and maggot — their flesh is eaten and their soul is burned. Now let us come to the matter, paying attention to his saying "in your youth [yaldut]" and not saying "in your bachurut [young manhood]." Now, in the Gemara, those who do the will of Him, may He be blessed, divide into two: there are those who repent and repair in old age (zikna) what they perverted in their bachurut, and of themselves they say, "Happy is our old age, which atoned for our childhood [yaldut]"; and there are those who did not sin from their childhood, and of themselves they say, "Happy is our childhood, which did not shame our old age." Thus we find that this [second] group rejoices in old age over its childhood. Now Solomon said that the best of all these divisions is for one to rejoice, in the days of his bachurut — which is from thirteen years and on — over his childhood [yaldut], which lasts until the thirteenth year; that is, he should say, in his bachurut, "Happy is my childhood, which did not shame my bachurut." Thus we find that in bachurut he rejoices over the childhood [that preceded it] — and this is [the meaning of] "Rejoice, young man, in your youth." And lest you say: if so, then what does the good inclination add to you from thirteen and onward, if — before its arrival — you are already righteous, for until then it is not yet with you? [The answer] is: "and let your heart do good to you [va-yetivcha libecha]," etc. — that is, one who acts beyond the letter of the law [lifnim mishurat ha-din] is called "good," as in the verse (Deuteronomy 6:18), "and you shall do what is right and good," which our sages of blessed memory expounded as referring to [acting] beyond the letter of the law. And likewise, in the Gemara, on the verse "that you may walk in the way of good men" (Proverbs 2:20) — as in the incident of those porters of Rabbah bar bar Chanah, etc. Now let us come to the matter: he says that what your good inclination adds to you after thirteen is that it makes you "good" — one who acts beyond the letter of the law. This is [the meaning of] "and let your heart do good to you" — that is, your heart shall make you good in the days of your bachurut, which extends from the age of thirteen onward. And why does it say "your bachurut-times" [bechurotecha] in the plural? Because bachurut divides into two [periods]: the first, from thirteen to twenty; the second, from then until the greater part of one's days. And afterward, of your own accord, you will continue on such that you will not "walk in the ways of your heart" in its general sense — which includes both inclinations, now this one and now that one — but rather always; and "walk in the ways of your heart" mentioned [here] refers to the one that is the good inclination. And still more is given to you, and after this comes "and in the sight of your eyes." This means that the evil inclination will not have taken hold of you — that you never sinned, by your acting beyond the letter of the law and continuing always in the ways of the good inclination — so that from now on, the sight of your eyes will not harm you by bringing you to transgression, even though the eyes are the first among the "brokers of transgression." This is like the saying of Rabbi Acha to his disciples — he who used to carry the bride on his shoulders and dance with her; and the rabbis said to him, "May we do the same?" He replied, "If she appears to you like a wooden beam [kashora] — [do so]; if not, do not." Behold, the sight of his eyes did not harm Rabbi Acha, for [women] appeared to him like wooden beams; and likewise Rabbi Yochanan, who said that they appeared in his eyes like white geese — and therefore he was not afraid of the evil inclination. This is [the meaning of] "and in the sight of your eyes" — that you shall not fear the evil inclination in following the sight of your eyes, for it will not appear to you as anything bad, but only good, as has been said. And let it not seem in your eyes that Hashem will not call you to account in judgment for your not conducting yourself in these ways, on the grounds that this is merely [supererogatory] piety and Torah-learning — for know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Or, it may be said: let your heart not seduce you into thinking that, if you conduct yourself with all this piety, there is no longer any opening at all for Heaven to have a claim against you — for behold, know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. And how much more so, according to what our sages of blessed memory said in tractate Kiddushin: one who fulfills the Torah from aleph to tav is given his reward in this world, as if he had burned the Torah from aleph to tav. And do not fall into anger if, despite all this piety of yours, afflictions [yissurin] come upon you; rather, on the contrary, "remove anger from your heart" upon seeing afflictions come upon you — "and now, God is holy" — for behold, this is [the meaning of] "and put away evil from your flesh." This is because there is no flesh and blood without some trace of the ailment of the serpent's filth [zuhamat nachash] within it, and it is this that causes the dead to be [afflicted by] the worm — which is not so with the righteous, and how much more so with those who purify their [bodily] substance through afflictions, like Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon — his wife wondered, upon seeing a single worm [on his body], and he had to tell her in a dream at night that this occurred because he had not shown due honor to a certain man as he should have. This is [the meaning of] "remove anger from your heart" — that is, do not say, "neither they nor their reward [matter]" — but rather, "and put away evil from your flesh," that is, the filth of the serpent. And also, do not be troubled by my warning from childhood, [asking] "why should I subdue myself so early?" — for know that childhood and dark-haired youth [shacharut] are hevel [vanity/fleeting breath], so why should you be drawn after them to indulge in them, when they are [but] hevel? Behold, I have warned you to be of the first category, so that you never sin — that from childhood you should be righteous. If you did not merit this, then, [still] from your youth, be of the second category — that is, "remember your Creator in the days of your bachurut" — these being the three periods of bachurut: from thirteen to twenty; from twenty to the greater part of your days — that you should repent as [the first category], or at least as the second, before the evil days come — that is, before you are gathered to your people in the midst of your days, for you do not know your time. For then, because you did not repent, the "evil days" will gather and come — these being days in which evil was done — drawing near to recount your deeds, in order to chastise you — the opposite of the righteous, for whom, when the time comes for death to be found, their days draw near to testify, each one for all the Torah and mitzvot performed in them, as our sages of blessed memory said in the Zohar [Sefer HaZohar] regarding the verse "and the days of Israel drew near" (Genesis 47:29) and "and the days of David drew near" (1 Kings 2:1). And if it should happen that you live in goodness before the years arrive of which you will say, "I have no delight in them" — these being the days of old age [zikna] and hoary age [seivah], in which you will no longer taste the sweetness of pleasure — this is [the meaning of] "of which you will say, I have none [delight in them]" — that is, [by then] there is no longer desire or craving for its pleasure; and what benefit is there in having distanced yourself from the pleasurable transgressions of this world, in years when your body no longer enjoys them anyway? For then it would not be an excellent repentance. Or, in the manner of our sages of blessed memory, who said that the "evil days" are the days of old age — one might say that "before the evil days come" refers to sixty years, [the age] of old age; and if you have not yet repented, then repent before the years arrive of which you will say, etc. — and seventy years, [the age] of hoary age, as stated explicitly [Pirkei Avot 5:21]. And if even by these you will not heed me, then at least [heed this]: "before the sun and the light and the stars are darkened," etc. — as our sages of blessed memory mention in the Zohar, Parashat Vayechi: that thirty days before a person's death, [the light of his soul] darkens from him, for every night it departs from him, and they lead it and show it its place above — as in the incident of Rabbi Yitzchak, who told Rabbi Yosi that he saw that his soul no longer shone for him at night as it had before, and that his image [tzelem] and reflection had darkened from him, and he no longer saw it at the time of "He who hears prayer" [Shomea Tefillah]. And the matter is that the soul [neshamah] gradually separates from him, little by little, from thirty days before [death]; and there is no doubt that the neshamah begins to divest itself from the body, then the ruach, then the nefesh — and these are like something lent to the body. Now let us come to the verse: there are five levels in a person — the neshamah, the ruach, the nefesh, the five senses, and the coarse, physical limbs. Now, first the neshamah divests itself, then the ruach, and after it the nefesh — these darken from the person thirty days before his death, while he still walks on his feet; and afterward the senses shatter and break, and he falls onto his sickbed. This is [the meaning of] "before the sun ... is darkened," etc. For while the sun is upon the earth there is great light; and when the sun departs, there is still light in the world from its afterglow, which is lesser than the sun's own light but purer than the moon's light — and the moon's light is purer than the light of the stars. Therefore the analogy is: the sun corresponds to the neshamah, the [afterglow] light to the ruach, the moon to the nefesh, and the stars to the senses. For at the beginning of the thirty days, the neshamah — which is furthest from matter — darkens from him first; then the ruach; then the nefesh; and then the stars, that is, the senses, shatter, and he falls onto his sickbed. And then, when the spiritual powers are as though stripped away from the corporeality of the limbs, [the limbs] turn to dryness, and all their desire and craving is to drink water continually, with no desire for food. This is [the meaning of] "and the clouds return after the rain" — as he was when he was [mere] dust, before the breath of the soul was breathed into the dust. And the matter of "before ... is darkened," etc., is: return to Hashem. And if you have not repented by these [signs] — for you think that even though you are ill and lying on your sickbed, you still hope to recover, so why open your mouth to the Accuser [Satan] by confessing, as though signaling that you are about to die? — this is the way of the hasty-hearted relatives of the sick and the compassionate women: when they hear that a man has come to visit the sick person, and he is about to open for him the gates of repentance by saying to him, "Please give honor to Hashem your God (Joshua 7:19); may He accept you; give Him confession and thanksgiving, and remember your Creator, against whom you have sinned, and 'return, O Israel, to Hashem your God' (Hosea 14:2), before you come and see the face of God — for why should you see His face angry on account of your many sins? And how will you be able [to bear it] when you see the evil that will find you, lest the great fire consume you? Woe for that fitting shame, before which you will be terrified! Therefore hasten, make haste, stand up for your soul, fulfill [your duty], cry out to your God" — and words of this kind — behold, as soon as [these] women and his acquaintances hear this, they rise up like a lioness against whoever comes to speak such things, and grow bitter against him with all their strength to fight him, saying to him: "Who asked this of you, to trample our courtyard, to shed the blood of man within man? Why would you put a soul of Israel to death? For behold, when he hears you telling him to confess, [implying] that his day of death is near, he will become distraught and faint, and will not have the strength to hold himself together, and he will die into the pit, and his blood will be on your head." And the man, upon hearing this imprecation, will leap like a deer out of their hands and flee in haste; and they, like those who have found abundant spoil, will rejoice with gladness and speak to the heart of the sick person, saying: "Did you see? A madman came to terrify you, telling you to confess your guilt, as though your reckoning were near, when [in fact] you are healthy! But have no fear, for you will get up, rest, and stand, and live far longer than he, and you will bury him." And meanwhile, that person continues on toward his eternal home, going from bad to worse, his illness growing heavier, until the signs of death appear in him — while the members of his household still cling to their folly, refusing to let him repent of his wickedness and confess to his Maker. Therefore Solomon, in his wisdom, comes and says: let him not be so foolish as to listen to their voice — why should he die before his time, with his bundles of guilt bound up in the folds of their garments upon their shoulders? [The verse tells him:] "My son, have I not commanded you not to wait until you fall upon your sickbed? Behold, I have set out for you an order of times before this. But if you have not [yet] repented, then when your illness grows heavy, at least repent then, for you will see signs of death." That is: "on the day when the keepers of the house tremble" — these are the hands, the keepers of the body — for as the day of death draws near, when he raises his hands and arms, they will tremble and shake; and there is still strength to confess and repent before you die and weaken — for soon "the men of valor will be bent" — for until now the fingers were straight, and afterward they will bend and cramp: the fingers being "the men of valor," the servants of the limbs, all directed toward the hand — and they will be as though bewildered, groping in vain over the garment that covers him; for this indicates the nearness of the time of death more than the preceding sign. And after this, "the grinders will cease" from chewing and eating anything at all. And lest you say: but was it not already so, from when "the clouds returned after the rain," that he did not eat — so what is new for him now? The answer is that [there] "they diminished" — that is, what happened at first, when the clouds returned after the rain, was that the grinders diminished [their work], for the rain — that is, drinking — was primary, and food was only a very small, light matter; but now they cease entirely. And it is still possible to confess and repent to some extent; and you should not go on hoping, for soon "those who look through the windows will be darkened" — the eyes of flesh, etc. — his eyes will darken from seeing, meaning only his physical eyes, which no longer [look] through windows; for the spiritual sense will then see all the more his relatives who already died, coming to welcome him, as is explained in the Zohar — and there is still strength to repent and give confession to Him, may He be blessed. For after this there is no remedy, for soon, swiftly, "the doors will be shut in the street" — these are the lips, the doors of the mouth — for his lips will become mute, with no way to respond in confession. And there is still some rattling at the top of the stomach that grinds food, and this is [the meaning of] "when the sound of the grinding is low" — this is what they call "the pot" [ha-kedeirah], whose copper bindings loosen — and this rattling and quivering begins in a low voice; this is "when the sound of the grinding is low," for the doors have already shut against speech; when it grows faint and the words of confession dwindle from him, it is still possible, to some degree, through an internal movement. And lest you say: but will he not, after all this, arouse himself and move with strength, as though health were returning to him? Do not be concerned — it is only that "he will rise at the voice of the bird" — this is the herald that proclaims at the moment of the soul's departure; then he rises as one aroused for help, and opens his mouth — and that is the departure of the soul. And then, "all the daughters of song will be bowed low" — for the movements of song and speech are made by the throat, palate, teeth, lips, and nose, as is known, since there are guttural letters, palatal letters, dental letters, and labial letters. And behold, until now, from when the doors were shut, most of the daughters of song had already ceased, but the throat still rattled; but after "he rises at the voice of the bird," all of them bow down, for the throat too is silenced. And lest you say: behold, after this the dead will rest, and then it will be better for him than to see what frightens him — to this [Solomon] answers: behold, even from on high, by the judgment from Above, the powers of the soul mentioned — the sun, the light, and the moon — will fear, as the Zohar says regarding "and the Accuser [Satan] stood at his right hand to accuse him, and the angel of Hashem stood" (Zechariah 3:1). This is [the meaning of] "if they carry it up to the height of the heavens" — for even from there they will tremble and fear. And how much more so now: "who will bring it up to the heavens" — for behold, as the soul journeys to ascend, like a heavy burden, several forces of impurity, like locusts, weigh upon it, and they drag it this way and that, like a stone in a sling — these being the destructive forces that the person created through his own evil deeds. This is [the meaning of] "and terrors are in the way" — for just as the almond tree [shaked] — which, as Rashi comments, is like [the phrase] "the pomegranates blossomed" — that is, when a blossom rises from it, the almond, [named from the word for] "hastening," hastens and is quicker to blossom [than other trees] — so too the soul hastens to ascend at once to its source. And then "the grasshopper drags itself along" — riding upon it are the aforementioned powers — and then "the caper-berry fails" — that is, desire [ta'avah] — from ascending upward; and this is the matter of "and the soul of your enemy, He will sling out from the hollow of a sling" (1 Samuel 25:29). And in view of all this, the living should take it to heart, when he sees the death of his fellow, that the same cup will pass over him too — for woe, who can live and never see death? And who is the man whose heart is so steadfast and confident as to be secure from "the terrors in the way" and the judgment of Gehinnom? Only, no one takes it to heart — therefore [Solomon writes this] to arouse them from their slumber. Is it not fitting that, when a person goes to his eternal home, one should not weep for the dead? For what benefit would it be to save him, since he is [in any case] going to his eternal home, whether for good or the reverse? Rather, "the mourners go about in the street" — not at the cemetery, to the dead, but to the living who are in the street — so that they may know that they too will die, and turn back from their evil way, and cry out to God with intensity — for this will prolong their tranquility. This is [the meaning of]: "for he goes...," "and the mourners go about in the street," etc. Or, one might explain [this] by the teaching of our sages of blessed memory in Midrash Chazit [Shir HaShirim Rabbah], whose language is: "When a person is born, all rejoice; when he dies, all weep. It should not be so; rather, when he is born... they should not rejoice for him, since they do not know in what condition and with what deeds he will end up standing — whether he will be righteous or wicked, good or bad; when he dies, they should rejoice, that he has departed with a good name and left the world with a good name. This may be compared to two ships setting out on the great sea, one leaving the harbor and one entering it: for the one leaving, all rejoice; for the one entering the harbor, they did not rejoice. A wise man was there, and he said to them: 'The matter is the reverse! I see that the one leaving the harbor — they should not have rejoiced over it, for they do not know what condition it will encounter, how many days of struggle will befall it, and how many storms will befall it; but the one that has entered the harbor — over this all should rejoice, that it has entered safely.' So too, when a person dies, all should rejoice and give praise that he has departed with a good name and in peace from the world." This is what Solomon meant [elsewhere]: "A good name... and the day of death [is better] than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1), etc. And this is the true understanding: for when a man is born, and it is not known whether he will be righteous or wicked, what does this joy accomplish? Compared to when he departs in peace to holiness from the world, going "from world to world," and light — for behold, that is "the joy of his way," and "a time to laugh and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:4), for then it is good for him — therefore it is regarded as something foreign [zar]. For this reason, every child that is born immediately gives voice in weeping, because his soul grieves, for it has come from the palace-halls of the King of the world to a place destined to bring it down to Sheol — the opposite of the righteous person, who dies amid laughter, for he sees that it is then good for him, as our sages of blessed memory said regarding "and she laughs at the last day" (Proverbs 31:25). The gist of the matter is that, for the three parts of the soul, their descent into this world is reckoned as distress; therefore the neshamah, which is superior to all of them, does not come until it is confident of the worthiness of its possessor, and not before — for this reason the joy of Rashbi [Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai] was great on the day a neshamah was given to his son, Rabbi Elazar. And even the ruach does not come when a man is born, but only when he reaches thirteen years of age, for [its full] powers; and this is what he means by his statement about the three parts of the soul mentioned, in the parable of the sun, the light, and the moon: even from on high they fear, since, being on high, they are afraid to come into this world before their time comes. For behold, "terrors are in the way" of this world, which is the path to the World to Come, for there are indeed several stumbling-blocks by which to stumble and sin therein; and on account of this, "the almond tree is spurned" — this is the nefesh, which is ever watchful [shokdah] here, even after death, for "his soul mourns over him" (Job 14:22), and grieves from then on. And also "the grasshopper drags itself along" — this is the ruach that comes afterward, likened to the leaping grasshopper, for the ruach ascends and descends, as is known; for even when its time to come arrives, it comes and conducts itself heavily, not willingly and readily. This is [the meaning of] "and the grasshopper drags itself along" — from the same root as "one who bears a burden" — for it fears, out of worry, [being] surrounded by matters of sin. And "the caper-berry fails" — this is the neshamah, which every man desires, [but] it refuses to come here unless [the person] acts wondrously in doing what is good and upright, with great piety. And nonetheless, see now the deficiency of people's understanding: for when a person is worthy and goes to his eternal home — that is, his portion in Gan Eden, according to the exposition of our sages of blessed memory on the words "for man goes to his eternal home," said concerning the righteous, that each one has his own dwelling-place — it would have been fitting that they rejoice and exult that he goes straight to the World to Come without the stumbling-block of sin. But instead, on the contrary, "the mourners go about in the street," etc.

"Rejoice, O young man" — You, who are now a young man, rejoice in the good that was yours in the days of your childhood, for then you certainly did not sin, because of the abundance of good [given to a child], since you were then a child. And also now, in the days of your youth, do good for your heart and be joyful, and walk in the ways of your heart to do what your heart considers and what your eyes show you, and desire them. But know that for all these deeds God will bring you into judgment, and if any matter of sin or iniquity is found among them, then He will punish you. Therefore examine them very carefully, so that no trace of iniquity be found in them — like a man who says to his servant or his son, 'Sin, sin' [i.e., go ahead and sin], for when the measure (se'ah) becomes full, he will be struck down for all of it. Here too [the verse] speaks with exaggeration, saying 'Rejoice, O young man' in the time of your childhood, a time when the yetzer (inclination) prevails, so that you should not worry about the recompense for your deeds. And the matter is repeated in different words, saying 'and let your heart cheer you, etc.' — do what your heart desires and be confident — for concerning all these, God will bring you into judgment.

Therefore banish anger. [Banish] anything that causes anger to the Omnipresent. And remove evil. The evil inclination. From your flesh. That you should have a heart of flesh. — Notes: (26) Alternatively, if your flesh desires to indulge in anything that is evil, remove those desires from your flesh. (Metsudas Dovid) And youth. שַׁחֲרוּת refers to] youth, because [the hair on] a person’s head is black שָׁחוֹר in his youth. — Notes: (27) Alternatively, שחר [=dawn] refers to youth which is the dawn of one’s life.

"And remove" — I explained it above. And the word "shacharut" (dawn-time, i.e. youthful prime) — from "ki alah ha-shachar" (for the dawn has risen) (Genesis 32:26), for he likened the days of shacharut to the dawn when it breaks forth, in the sense of "az yibaka ka-shachar orekha" (then shall your light break forth as the dawn) (Isaiah 58:8); or shacharut may allude to black hair (se'ar shachor), in the sense of "shechorah ani ve-navah" (I am black, but comely) (Song of Songs 1:5).

"Therefore remove, etc." — If your heart incites you to do something that angers the Omnipresent, blessed be He, remove this thing from your heart and do not do it. "And put away, etc." — If your flesh desires to take pleasure in something that is evil in the eyes of the Omnipresent, put away this evil thing from your flesh and do not take pleasure in it. "For childhood and youth are vanity" — The desire that a person has in the days of childhood and youth is without benefit; therefore be very, very careful.

"vehashacharut" (and youth) — thus are called the days of youth (ne'urim), which are the beginning of a person's days, just as "hashachar" (the dawn) is the beginning of the day.