The Purpose of Life

         This week in Megillot we began looking into what Kohelet is really all about. We first learned that Shlomo (aka Kohelet) uses the phrase "הכל הבל" quite a lot, and therefore, it would make sense that we should be able to translate it properly. There seem to be three translations of the word הבל- the first being "worthless" or "pointless", the second "ephemeral", and the third "illogical". We each learned about a different translation and decided that the most appropriate translation for "הכל הבל" would be "pointless", as it fits in with the context of the rest of the content. After learning about the basic translation for one of the main points of Kohelet, we had to dig deeper to find out the true premise of the book.

        

         "הכל הבל" is a phrase that is connected with most of the book. Therefore it would make sense for it to pop up in the premise of the book. In Pasukim ג-יא, Shlomo makes interesting connections that help us understand the basics of what he talks about later on. We know that the basis of Kohelet is explaining the purpose/meaning of life. In Pasuk ג, we see that Shlomo adds a new phrase- תחת השמש. This, coupled with הכל הבל, really helps us understand what Shlomo is trying to say. By connecting the two phrases and what we already know the book is based on, we can see that Shlomo is really saying, "If everything man does under the sun is pointless, then what is the purpose of life?

         Continuing on from the first few Pasukim, Shlomo begins explaining an interesting idea about the elements of nature. In Pasukim ד-ז, Shlomo talks about each of the four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) and discusses their cycles in nature. Then, to connect with his basic ideas talked about earlier, he explains that there is a fifth element- man. Man is part of these cycles of nature, and just like these cycles, everything man does is pointless and doesn't make any progress. 

          As we continue down this deep, depressing hole of endless descriptions of how life is pointless, Shlomo continues the bright and cheerful tone by discussing how there is no possibility of anything new. In Pasukim ט-יא, he says that was done in the past will be done again in the future. In other words, there is nothing new "תחת השמש". Just to make sure that we understand what he is saying, he adds one final note- there is no memory of what came before and what will come will not leave a memory either. 

         So obviously, anyone reading this could tell that it's pretty heavy stuff. We had a discussion in class where we tried to figure out why we would read such a depressing story on a happy holiday like Succos. While we were having this discussion, I was thinking that it doesn't really seem like Shlomo means it. It almost seems as if he's putting the worst possible ideas into our heads as an introduction. He is asking the question, "If everything man does is pointless under the sun, then what is the purpose of life?" To me, this doesn't sound like Shlomo is saying "Everything man does is pointless and there is no purpose to life". It sounds more like he is asking an introductory question that he will answer during the course of Kohelet. His question may sound rhetorical, but to me it sounds sincere. He is truly searching for the purpose of life.