קהלת רבה ג׳Kohelet Rabbah 3

Verse 2 · 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֵת לָלֶדֶת, מֵעֵת לָלֶדֶת הִיא עֵת לָמוּת, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם נוֹלָד הוּא נִגְזַר עָלָיו כַּמָּה שָׁנִים יִחְיֶה, אִם זָכָה הוּא מַשְׁלִים אֶת שְׁנוֹתָיו אִם לָאו פּוֹחֲתִין לוֹ מֵהֶם, דִּכְתִיב (משלי י, כז): יִרְאַת ה' תּוֹסִיף יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת רְשָׁעִים תִּקְצֹרְנָה, כָּךְ דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין אִם זָכָה מוֹסִיפִין לוֹ עַל שְׁנוֹתָיו, אִם לָאו פּוֹחֲתִין לוֹ מִשְּׁנוֹתָיו, אִם זָכָה מוֹסִיפִין לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה לח, ה): הִנְנִי יוֹסִף עַל יָמֶיךָ חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ מוֹסִיפִין, תֵּדַע דְּהָא כְתִיב (מלכים א יג, ב): הִנֵּה בֵן נוֹלָד לְבֵית דָּוִד יֹאשִׁיָה שְׁמוֹ וגו', וַעֲדַיִן לֹא בָּא מְנַשֶּׁה לָעוֹלָם. אֲמַר לְהוֹן מִי כְּתִיב הִנֵּה בֵן נוֹלַד לְבֵית דָּוִד מִשֶּׁל חִזְקִיָּהוּ, לֹא נֶאֱמַר כֵּן אֶלָּא לְבֵית דָּוִד בֵּן, מִשְּׁאָר מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד. וְדָא מְסַיֵּעַ לְמַה דְּאָמְרִין חַכִּימַיָא רַבָּנָן, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד מִגְדוֹלֵי צִפּוֹרִי שֶׁבָּאתָה לוֹ מִילָה, וְעָלוּ אַנְשֵׁי עֵין תְּאֵנָה לְכַבְּדוֹ, וְעָלָה עִמָּהֶם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא. כַּד אֲתוֹן לְפִילָן אַשְׁכְּחוּן קָל טַלְיָיא קָיְימִין מַדְּחֲכִין קוֹמֵי חֲדָא דַרְתָּא, חָמָן לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא עוּלִין וְיָאֶה, אֲמָרוּן לֵית אַתְּ זָיַע מִן הָכָא עַד דְּאַתְּ מְרַקֵּיד לָן צִיבְחַר. אֲמַר לוֹן לֵית דָּא מִן דִּידִי, דַּאֲנָא גְּבַר סַב, וּזְעַף לוֹן וְלָא אִיזְדַּעְזְעוּ וְלָא אִיתְכַּנְעוּן. תְּלָה אַפּוֹי וַחֲמָא הֲדָא דַרְתָּא הֲפִיכָא, אֲמַר לוֹן אֲנִיבוּן אַבַּתְרָי, מַה דַּאֲנָא אֲמַר לְכוֹן, אִיזְלוּן אֲמַרֵי לְהָדֵין מָרָא דַּהֲדָא דַרְתָּא, אִין דָּמֵיךְ יִתְּעֵיר דְּרֵישֵׁיהּ דְּחֶטְיָיה חָלֵי וְסוֹפֵיהּ מָרִיר. מִן קָל מִילֵיהוֹן אִיתְעֵיר מָרָא דַּהֲדָא דַרְתָּא וְנָפַק לֵיהּ וּרְבַע לֵיהּ עַל רִיגְלֵיהּ. אֲמַר רַבִּי אֲנָא בָּעֵי מִינָךְ לָא תִסְתַּכֵּל לְמִילֵּיהוֹן, דְּאִינוּן טַלְיָין וְשַׁטְיָין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה נַּעֲבֵיד לָךְ וּגְזֵרְתָּא גְּזִירָא, בְּרַם תָּלֵי אֲנָא לָךְ עַד זְמַן דְּתַפֵּיק כָּל מַה דְּאִית לָךְ בְּדַרְתָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּאַפֵּיק כָּל מַה דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּדַרְתָּא, סְלֵיקַת הַהִיא דַרְתָּא וּנְחַתַת לַהּ. אָזְלִין לִמְקַיְימָה מִצְוָתָא דִּגְזֵירְתָּא, וַהֲוָה אֲבוּי דְּמַיְינוּקָא מַשְׁקֵי לוֹן חֲמַר עַתִּיק וַאֲמַר, שְׁתוֹן מִן הָדֵין חַמְרָא טָבָא דַּאֲנָא רָחִיץ בְּמָארֵיהּ דִּשְׁמַיָא מִינֵיהּ אֲנָא מַשְׁקֵי לְכוֹן בְּמִשְׁתּוֹתֵיהּ. וַעֲנוֹ בַּתְרֵיהּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִכְנַסְתּוֹ לַבְּרִית כָּךְ תַּכְנִיסֵהוּ לְתוֹרָה וּלְחֻפָּה. מִן קָל מִילֵּיהוֹן נְפַק רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא בַּחֲשֵׁיכָתָא וּפְגַע בֵּיהּ שְׁלִיחֲהוֹן דִּבְרִיָּיתָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן בְּגִין דְּאַתּוּן רָחֲצִין עַל עוֹבָדֵיכוֹן טָבְיָא אַתּוּן נָפְקִין עַל שָׁעָה דְּלָא שָׁעָה, אֲמַר לוֹ אַתְּ מָאן אַתְּ, אֲמַר לוֹ אֲנָא שְׁלִיחֲהוֹן דִּבְרִיָּיתָא. אֲמַר לוֹ וְלָמָּה אַפָּיךְ בִּישִׁין, אֲמַר מִן קָל מִילַּיָא קַשְׁיָאתָא דַּאֲנָא שָׁמַע מִן בְּרִיָּיתָא בְּכָל יוֹם. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמָה אִינוּן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָדֵין מַיְינוּקָא דִּגְזַרְתּוּן יוֹמָא דֵין פִּתְקֵיהּ גַּבִּי דְּאִינְסַב יָתֵיהּ מִן הָכָא לִתְלָתִין יוֹמִין, וַהֲוָה אֲבוּי מַשְׁקֵי לְכוֹן וַאֲמַר אִישְׁתּוּן חֲמַר טַב דַּאֲנָא רָחִיץ בְּמָארֵי דִשְׁמַיָא מִינֵיהּ אֲנָא מַשְׁקֵי לְכוֹן בְּמַשְׁתּוֹתֵיהּ, וּשְׁמָעִית וַעֲצָבִית, דִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן מְבַטְלָה יָתֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַיָּיךְ דְּאַתְּ מַחֲמֵי לִי פִּיתְקִי, אֲמַר לֵית אֲנָא שַׁלִּיט עַל דִּידָךְ וְלָא עַל דִּלְחַבְרָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה, אֲמַר דִּבְכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם אַתּוּן עֲמֵלִין בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת וְעוֹשִׂין צְדָקוֹת וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹסִיף יָמִים עַל יְמֵיכֶם. אֲמַר לֵיהּ יְהֵא רַעֲוָא מִקַּמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֵיךְ מַה דְּלֵית אַתְּ שַׁלִּיט עַל פִּיתְקִינַן כָּךְ לָא יְהֵא לָךְ רְשׁוּ לַעֲבוֹר עַל מִילָּנַן, וּבָעַיִן רַחֲמֵי מִן שְׁמַיָא וְחָיֵי מַיְנוּקָא. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מַה לָּנוּ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, אֵין לִי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֶלָּא מִקְרָא מָלֵא (שמות כג, כו): אֶת מִסְפַּר יָמֶיךָ אֲמַלֵּא, שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה כַּמָּה מִצְווֹת עָשָׂה, וְכַמָּה צְדָקוֹת, וּבַסּוֹף נֶאֱמַר לוֹ (דברים לא, יד): הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת, הֱוֵי עֵת לָלֶדֶת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת, מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד אָדָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצַפֶּה לוֹ שֶׁיִּשָֹּׂא אִשָּׁה עַד עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, הִגִּיעַ לְעֶשְׂרִים וְלֹא נָשָׂא אִשָּׁה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֵת לָלֶדֶת הוּא לְךָ וְלֹא רָצִיתָ, אֵין זוֹ אֶלָּא עֵת לָמוּת. אִית דְּאַמְרֵי מַה דְּיִקְלֵיהּ יִדְבֶה צִיבְחַר. עֵת לָטַעַת, בִּשְׁעַת שָׁלוֹם. וְעֵת לַעֲקוֹר נָטוּעַ, בִּשְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה.

Another matter, “a time to be born” – from the time to be born, it is the time to die. From the moment that a person is born, it is decreed upon him how many years he will live. If he merits, he will complete his years. If not, his life will be shortened, as it is written: “The fear of the Lord will increase days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened” (Proverbs 10:27). This is the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. The Rabbis say: If he merits, his life will be extended; if not, his life will be shortened. If he merits, his life will be extended, as it is stated: “Behold, I will add fifteen years to your days” (Isaiah 38:5). He said to them: From his own it is added to him. Know [that this is so,] as it is written: “Behold, a son is born to the house of David, Josiah is his name…” (I Kings 13:2), and Menashe had not yet entered the world. They said to him: Is it written: A son will be born to the house of David from Hezekiah? That is not stated, but rather “to the house of David,” [and it could have been] a son from a different [branch] of the royal house of David. This supports what the Sages, our rabbis said: There was an incident involving one of the prominent men of Tzippori, who had occasion to circumcise [his son], and the residents of Ein Te’ena came up to honor him and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta came up with them. When they came to the city gates, they came across the sound of lads standing and playing before one courtyard. They saw Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, who was distinguished and handsome. They said to him: ‘You will not move from here until you dance for us a bit.’ He said to them: ‘This is inappropriate for me, as I am an elderly man.’ He reprimanded them, but they were not daunted and did not submit. He lifted his glance and saw that the courtyard [was going to be] overturned. He said to them: ‘Repeat after me what I say: Go and say to this owner of this courtyard: “If you are sleeping, awaken, as the beginning of sin is sweet but its end is bitter.”’ From the sound of their words the owner of that courtyard awakened, and he emerged, and fell at [Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta’s] feet. He said: ‘Rabbi, I beg of you, do not pay attention to their words, as they are young and foolish.’ [Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta] said to him: ‘What can we do for you, the edict has already been issued. However, I will delay it for you [so you have enough] time to take out everything that you have in the courtyard.’ When he had taken out everything that he had in the courtyard, that courtyard was lifted up and then crashed down [and was destroyed]. They went to fulfill the mitzva of circumcision, and the father of the boy was giving them aged wine to drink, and saying: ‘Drink of this fine wine, as I trust in the Master of Heaven that I will [also] give you to drink of it at his wedding.’ They answered him: ‘Just as you brought him to circumcision, so may you bring him to Torah and to the wedding canopy.’ From the sound of their words, Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta emerged into the darkness, he was accosted by the emissary of the people. [The angel of death] said to him: ‘Is it because you rely on your good deeds that you are going out at a time that is not a time?’ [Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta] said to him: ‘You, who are you?’ He said to him: ‘I am the emissary of the people.’ He said to him: ‘Why do you look forlorn?’ He said: ‘It is from the sound of the harsh words that I hear from people every day.’ He said to him: ‘What are they?’ He said to him: ‘That baby that you circumcised today, I have the document of his [fate, which states] that I am to take him from here in thirty days. His father gave you to drink and said: “Drink this fine wine as I trust in the Master of Heaven that I will give you to drink of it at his wedding.” I heard and I was sad, because your prayer abrogates it.’ [Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta] said to him: ‘By your life, show me my fate.’ He said to him: ‘I have no control over yours and not over your colleagues.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said: ‘It is because each and every day you exert yourself in Torah and mitzvot and perform acts of righteousness, and the Holy One blessed be He adds years to your lifetimes.’ He said to him: ‘May it be the will of the Holy One blessed be He that just as you do not control our fates, so you will not have license to violate our words and our plea for mercy from Heaven.’ The baby lived. Rabbi Akiva said: What is [the significance of] this incident for us? I do not have an incident, but rather a verse: “I will fill the number of your days” (Exodus 23:26). Moses, how many mitzvot did he fulfill and how many acts of righteousness, and ultimately, it was stated to him: “Behold, your days are approaching to die” (Deuteronomy 31:14); that is: “A time to be born [and a time to die].” Another matter, “a time to be born and a time to die” – when a man is born, the Holy One blessed be He waits up to twenty years for him to marry a woman. If he reached the age of twenty and did not marry a woman, the Holy One blessed be He says to him: It is “a time to be born” for you, but you did not wish to do so; this is nothing other than “a time to die.” Some say: One waits only a bit before that which will burn him. “A time to plant,” in peacetime; “and a time to uproot that which is planted,” in wartime.

Verse 3 · 1א׳

עֵת לַהֲרוֹג, בִּשְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה. וְעֵת לִרְפּוֹא, בִּשְׁעַת שָׁלוֹם. עֵת לִפְרוֹץ, בִּשְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה. וְעֵת לִבְנוֹת, בִּשְׁעַת שָׁלוֹם.

“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to breach, and a time to build” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). “A time to kill,” in wartime, “and a time to heal,” in peacetime; “a time to breach,” in wartime, “and a time to build,” in peacetime.