Letters

On the Book of Kohelet

The excellent commentary to the Ecclesiastes delivered by Rabbi Ezra Dangoor Z'L has been a significant work granted to the public domain, thanks to his grandson Mr. Naim Dangoor, after a suspense of about 80 years. The book proved to be containing major current of morals, Chassidic and Torah thought.
The depth and brilliance of these comments are giving us a beautifully written work that clarifies complex ideas and opens a window into the thought- world of one of Judaism's greatest figures, a King of Israel, nicknamed 'Kohelet', traditionally known as King Solomon in person.
In this connection, please allow me to quote a statement, by President Carter from his book, 'The Virtues Of Ageing' ISBN 0-345-42826-9 which is as follows:
"One Sunday I taught a Bible lesson that really perplexed me, in that it violated the basic philosophy of our farming community. It was from the Ecclesiastes: "WHOEVER WATCHES THE WIND WILL NOT PLANT; WHOEVER LOOKS AT THE CLOUD WILL NOT REAP".

President Carter exclaimed and said: " We had been taught to watch the wind and clouds, and always to accommodate the weather in planting, cultivating and harvesting! As I tried to explain the text to my class, I realised that the writer was saying: DON’T BE CAUTIOUS TAKE A CHANCE. If you wait for perfect conditions, you may end up living a timid and diminished life. The prospect of failure always exists, and it is painful and embarrassing when we do fail. But it is better to fail while striving for something adventurous and uncertain than to say 'I won't try because I may not succeed'. - President Carter went on and on in a poetic way, while Rabbi Ezra Dangoor Z'L in his interpretation went directly to the point and gave a cogent, complete, objective and practical way to the problem, saying that hesitant people who lost opportunities of sowing and harvesting should lose no time in trying further as they are not made up for a self employed job and suggested to them that they should quit immediately and look for jobs working for others: They can better be devoted to the service of others.
The person who is unable to take decisions cannot be a successful self- employed man. He can be much more beneficial to himself and to the society by serving companies, institutions, banks, etc. and be directed and supervised by them in their daily lives for the benefit of all the parties concerned, the employers and the employees in the same time.

Edward Yamen
Milan.

If you would like to make any comments or contribute to The Scribe please contact us.