In class we spoke about three different possible meanings for the word הבל. The first suggestion of the definition is ephemeral. Ephemeral means short lived. The others are worthless and incomprehensible/ illogical. After actually going through half of the text and experiencing it in context, I have come to a conclusion to what the best meaning for הבל is.
Personally I think that the definition of ephemeral is a very logical explanation for this word, and I find it being used occasionally. But in these specific cases the definition of worthless can also make sense in the same contexts, therefore, worthless would most likely be the best explanation for הבל.
Shlomo mentions the word הבל throughout his Megilla. Actually הבל is basically everything we have talked about in class. In perek א it says that everything is הבל because you can never make progress. Everything returns to its origin. In this case, just like all the others, הבל is seen as worthless. Shlomo views this as worthless because if you can never make progress or never make a mark on the world then what is the point in living? Everyone is going to die eventually, and you will not be able to take your progress with you to wherever you are going. Therefore what is the point?
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