Achieving Potential, Not Perfection

In this week's Megillot class, we discussed the final speech of the Amal. In the first section, Perek Hey-Pesukim 12-16, the Amal begins by saying he has witnessed injustice in the world. Some people hold onto their money and then lose it all, and don't have anything to give to their child. Man returns at death just like he was born, naked and penniless. On a side note, Kohelet has already said something similar to this with the Neheneh, when he stated that man comes and returns to dust. The Amal then questions the purpose of all his effort. He concludes that he is angry, frustrated, and sick, and proclaims that there is no motivation to work because he will lose it all, and didn't achieve anything as a result of his toil. He seems to be responding to the Yirei Elokim in this section, as the Yirei Elokim emphasized the effort, but Kohelet claims that he can't have it all, it's as though he had nothing.

In the next section, Perek Hey-Pesukim 17-19, the Amal ponders the thought of just enjoying what G-d gave him to "solve" his problem. This resembles the worldview of the Neheneh to an extent, but
the Amal's reason for enjoying is because he can't take anything with him.

In the third section, Perek Vav-Pesukim 1-6, Kohelet states that the fact that he can't perfect and take his money with him is worse that never having been born, and thus rejects his previous solution. If he can't solve his problems and have everything, he would rather have not been born to witness it all.

In the final section, Perek Vav, Pesukim 7-12, the Amal says that since his desires cannot be fulfilled, "Hakol Hevel U'Reut Ruach." If he can't have it all, it's not worth doing anything. Since he is going to eventually die, by definition he can't accomplish anything, and therefore doesn't want to live.
And with that lovely sentence, we bade adieu to the Amal. He started with the altruistic perspective, wanting to perfect the world, but found that not even a king can get rid of injustice. And he ended with the desire for material things, but couldn't, so he deemed it Hevel.

The Amal's transition from wanting to help others to wanting materialistic items for himself was staggering. How could he have dismissed the idea he had possessed only Perakim before? Kohelet wanted to find meaning in this world. He genuinely seemed like he wanted to get rid of injustice, but couldn't grasp the fact that he could not achieve perfection; it is not humanly possible. Once he saw this, he immediately jumped to the next option.

However, Kohelet doesn't seem to understand, time and time again, that man is flawed. We are imperfect. However, we continue to try to improve ourselves. That's the beauty of human life. We are given the opportunity to become better people. We cannot achieve perfection, but we can put in EFFORT to try and achieve a better world, something the Amal does not want to heed to. The Amal might have had an easier time trying to accomplish his goals, if he had realized that he can't achieve perfection, but he can achieve his potential.