should eat and drink, and think that by enjoying the fruit of his labours in that way, he can render his soul felicitous, because 11 Da 'this also (the soul) I saw was a (divine and spiritual) gift from the hand of God; therefore, it does not benefit itself by mundane material good, but only by what is more natural to it—the heavenly; and gives the following reason for it, 'Who is there that eats, and thinks of the day of judgment as I do? Or, like me, that remembers he is mortal?' Therefore, since that is the case, no man that eats and drinks like other animals, can be without feeling and care for future punishment, as his spiritual soul is different to theirs."

The verse also bears another meaning, which is, Man should attribute to Divine Providence, and not to his own industry and merit, every spiritual or earthly benefit. There is no good in man (he says), neither in eating nor drinking, aud for his soul afterwards to enjoy the fruit of his toils; all proceeds from the hand of God. Because, as he says in another part, the most learned and diligent often want bread, and salvation depends not alone on man, but principally by Divine Favour and Help, in proof of which he continues, “ Who can eat, that is, enjoy this world, and, at the same time, attend to knowledge and investigations more than I? No one: for in me it was a heavenly gift, and no part was acquired by my own merits and industry."

Or, otherwise, the welfare of man does not consist in eating and drinking, and shewing that his soul enjoys itself from his labour and riches; for felicity does not consist in those mundane things that the earth affords, but in the Divine, which proceed only from the hand of the Lord.

Other verses, where the Sage praises eating and drinking, may be explained in a similar way, as "I know that there is no good in them, but to rejoice himself, and do good in his life, and also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God."12 By this food must be understood the spiritual contemplation of the Law. Or, as in the preceding verses he treats on the vanity of riches, he says those who so anxiously amass them, derive therefrom no other benefit than to eat, drink, and, during life, do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, or charity for their soul; and he who attains this may be deemed fortunate and happy, for this is a gift and grace from God not granted to every one. If Solomon (as before stated) says that feasting should not pass the bounds of temperance, he may, with reason, say there is nothing better than that every one should be content with his lot, for, as the Sages say, ipbna nown wy "Who is rich? He who is satisfied with his lot;" eating and enjoying what he has, and making others partake of his welfare; for then it may be truly said, that he sees and enjoys the fruits of his labour; otherwise, what he elsewhere says, occurs, "A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, and all his soul desireth, yet God gives him not the power to eat thereof, but a stranger

eateth it."13

Nor is, where Solomon 14 speaks against those whose property is preserved for their injury, and whose avarice does not permit them to enjoy what they have toiled to acquire, opposed to this truth; for he considers it better to enjoy them, and see happiness from his labour.

Neither is the verse 15 opposed to it, where he praises the joy of the Law, and eating and drinking of his own labour, and not illbegotten by the sweat of others, as the Chaldee paraphrase expounds it, "I praise the joy of the Law, and that there is nothing better in this world under the sun than for man to eat, drink, and enjoy his labour, and the lot given him by heaven,

12 Eccle. 3:12, 13.

13 Eccle. 6:2.

14 Eccle. 5:12.

15 Eccle. 8:15.

without extending his hand to violence and robbery; this shall peaceably accompany him to the other world, where he will receive the full reward of his labour, that he has worked for with integrity, all the days of his life, in this world under the sun." So that Solomon praises the moderate and proper use of riches, without laying the hand on the property of others; therefore, none of these verses are opposed to that where he says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than where there is feasting."

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QUESTION 6.

Eccle. 3:17. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked.

Eccle. 9:10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor reckoning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

RECONCILIATION.

This Book proves the strict account God will take of souls in the next world, after its mortal covering has paid the debt of nature. He says, "Who keepeth the precepts, knoweth no evil thing; a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.' As if he had plainly said, "No harm happens to him who observeth the precepts; but the prudent heart considers the hour of death, and the judgment and account God takes of man, and regulates his conduct accordingly." He also says, "Rejoice, young man, in thy early days; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; and know that upon all these things God will bring you to judgment;"2 and again, "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, previous to the day of evil comiug,"3 that is, death, and ultimately, "for every action God will bring to judgment."4 Solomon, by these passages, proves there is a day of judgment.

It therefore is necessary to explain the verse of the question that seems to deny it; the exposition must commence a few verses previous (verse 7), “Go, eat thy bread with joy," where, according to Rashi, Aben Ezra, and R. Joseph Albo, Solomon states the ideas of the Epicureans, or the carnal desires of man, which generally war with reason, and lead man to total destruction, as the Lord himself says, "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth."5 Thus gradually, under the semblance of virtue, he conducts man to the precipice, for he first says, "Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God hath already accepted thy works." What occasion, then, is there for repentance and abstinence? You are already in God's grace. He then continues, "Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no oil," for, as adornment in dress is agreeable to every one, as well as dressing the hair or oiling it, as is the Oriental custom, making the pleasures of feasting and the vice of dress lawful by what is apparently reasonable. He continues, "See life with the wife that thou lovest," &c.; "live joyfully with the wife to whom thou hast given thy affection, enjoy thy flowery youth;" and it stops not until it has completely precipitated him, and led him to deny the immortality of the soul, making him believe there is neither judge nor justice hereafter, concluding by saying, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy

Eccle. 8:5. 2 Eccle. 11:9. 3 Eccle. 12: 1.

Eccle. 12:14.

5 Gen. 8:21.

might;" enjoy thyself as long as life and strength lasts, "for there is no work, nor reckoning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest;" and to support this opinion, he continues, "I returned and saw under the sun, that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to the skilful; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Then, as there is no Providence, what use is there in denying the body pleasures, and being abstemious, since they are fruitless? Thus does the Sage King shew the means which evil desires or Satan employ to lead man into sin, and to condemn himself; and, in the following verses, points out that nothing is more certain, nor more uncertain, than the positive hour of death; that when man least thinks of it, he is miserably caught, like fish in a net and birds in a snare; and, under a beautiful enigma, shews this body to be a city attacked by a great and powerful king (that is, evil inclination), in which is found a poor, wise man (which is reason, but, like the poor, is seldom listened to), who, by his knowledge, may sometimes save the city from this powerful tyrant; and therewith impugns the frivolous arguments and reasons of the evil inclination.

But the ancients understand that these verses strongly inculcate virtue, and therefore speaking to the pious man, say, "Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine cheerfully," using corporal pleasures temperately, not failing in what nature demands, nor usurping what belongs to others, but eat thy own bread: for such may be said to eat with pleasure, who do not like misers, bewail what they eat, and whose conscience does not accuse them of having usurped what was not their own.

Or allegorically (as before stated) food, as generally mentioned in this book, means the spirituality of the law, in that sense he says, "Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed," where the literal meaning signifies the bread-the mysterious, wine, and that cheerfully, as prophecy and study of the law require joy and a lively heart. Or, according to the Chaldee paraphrase, the Lord in Paradise tells the just to joyfully enjoy the fruit of his actions since he knew how to distribute to the poor a share of his bread and wine.

It follows, "Let thy garments be always white and let not thy head lack oil." Actions are in a manner the clothing of the soul, and ought ever to be white, symbolical of chastity and purity. The Chaldee explains it, "Always let your garments be free from the contamination of sin, and acquire a good reputation, which is compared to oil, that blessing come on thy head and thy welfare fail not." It may also be explained, "Let thy actions be clear of sin, and the oil of thy precepts and good deeds not be deficient;" in these two things consist the perfection of man according to the words of David, "Separate thyself from evil and do good."7 Or let actions be clean and thoughts chaste; he says, "Let that always be in every age and during the whole course of life, let there be no day, hour, nor minute in which this virtue does not shine in all your actions and transactions, because death being infallible, yet the time is unknown;" for, as he says in another passage, "No one knoweth his time."8 The ancients, to inculcate this doctrine, adduce the following parable :9 a king invited his servants to a feast without specifying the exact time for their attendance; those who were provident dressed and ornamented themselves and waited at the palace-gate. Because," said they, "the king's palace is not deficient of means for the speedy preparation of the feast." But those who were foolish said, " Every feast requires great preparation;" they in consequence went about their ordinary occupations. Suddenly the summons was

6 Pro. 9:5.

7 Psa. 34:15.

Eccle. 9: 12.

9 Guemara Sabat.

given to appear before the king; the provident were ushered in and took their appointed places; but when the others entered, their clothes were soiled as they had not time to get properly arrayed; the king rejoiced to see the former, and said, Ye who are fit to sit at my table partake of my feast," and the others he sent away, but revoking the order for their punishment he told them to stand and look on. This is what Isaiah says, "Behold, my servants shall eat, and ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, and ye shall be thirsty behold, my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be ashamed," &c.10 How admirably did our sages explain the verse, and by this example recommend the care man should take not to offend God; for, when least expected, he may be attacked by death; therefore R. Eleazar says, ' 0" 1 Repent one day before thy death;" as that is unknown it implies, live constantly in repentance, as if every rising sun were the precursor of that, terminating thy existence and closing thy mortal career.

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Rashi understands the third recommendation, "See life with the wife that thou lovest," allegorically beloved wife, to mean the Law, as he makes use of the same parable in Proverbs, "Rejoice with the wife of thy youth;" the first you received at Mount Sinai, in its love constantly occupy thyself, and in conformity explains, " See life with the wife thou lovest ;" learn some business by which you may be enabled to prosecute your studies without distress or want

The » יפה תלמוד תורה עם דרך ארץ of necessaries, according to the old maxim

study of the law, combined with a knowledge of the world and its customs, is beautiful."12 Others, by "beloved wife," understand the soul; it would then be endeavour to live with the soul according to reason all the days of thy vain and uncertain life.

Or taking it literally, as a wife is what should be most appreciated and esteemed in life, it says, attend or look to eternal life even in the company of the wife thou lovest all the days of thy vain life momentary compared to the everlasting one. Or live peaceably with her; for in domestic quarrels life is no longer life but continual death.

Finally the verse says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." That is, God requires not of man more than his strength and faculty allows; all then that you can do in alms and acts of charity do according to your means in time before the thread of life is cut; for in the grave whither thou goest, firstly there is no nwy "work or action," for there the past cannot be repaired nor new merit gained, as this is termed on by "the world of action," the next pan by "the world of retribution," and as the

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receive the reward," and in another part

to-day for performance (of * היום לעשותם ולמחר לקבל שכרס ancients say

He who works not on Friday * מי שלא טרח בערב שבת מה יאכל בשבת

the precepts) and to-morrow to

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what will he eat on Sabbath?" they say the same. "Who can straighten the crooked or count the deficient; for he who is bad, after death cannot amend, nor be counted with the righteous in Paradise," as the Chaldee says.

Secondly, there is no an "account or reckoning;" that is, there is no saying this man performed ten precepts and committed ten sins, then one will go for the other; for, as our sages observe on the words, "and taketh not reward,"13 God does not discount one by the other, but first punishes the sins and then rewards the good actions, so that no one can avoid punishment. Or thought," and means that there human art, subterfuge and ingenuity are useless, for there are no means to escape the danger. There is no wisdom nor knowledge, for the most learned and oratorical remains perturbated and cannot find words to excuse his errors, so that by his own words and doctrine the sage conciliates himself.

» מחשבה may be derived from חשבון

10 Isaiah, 65: 13.

11 Prov. 5:19.

12 Abot Perek, 2.

13 Deut. 10:17.

QUESTION 7.

Eccle. 3:19. For that which befalleth the sons of man befalleth the beast, one (the same) thing befalleth them, as one dieth so dieth the other; there is one (the same) breath to all, so that man hath no preeminence over the beast, for all is vanity.

Eccle. 12:7. And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

RECONCILIATION.

Among the many passages of the Holy Scripture that expressly state the immortality of the soul, this clearly proves the infallible truth. He says "I praise the dead more than the living, better than both, he who yet was not;" because, as the Chaldee says, "They are relieved from seeing and suffering the troubles that generally happen in the world." How then can Solomon praise the dead if they are already nothing, nor have any existence; and judge privation to be better than action unless the immortal soul of man remained after death? And how could he praise what was not, did he not mean souls? which being created at the beginning of the world, he judges them to be happier before they descend on earth to join the body. In the same chapter he says, "You will see a man who has not his second in riches, and is solitary, without wife, child, brother, or natural heir; whose wealth is immense, and yet his eyes are not satisfied with them; for whom do I toil and deprive myself of good ?" meaning, according to the Chaldee, he is so miserable and foolish that he does not say to himself, "Why or to what purpose do I fatigue myself and labour so hard to acquire riches, and defraud my own soul of future good? I wish to be charitable, enjoy myself in this world with mankind, and with the righteous in the next." In the following chapter, treating on the wealthy who spend their riches in vanities, he says, "This a most serious evil, to walk naked as he came from his mother's womb," and as that occurs to all mortals, and not the rich only, it follows that the Chaldee exposition is correct; that the sense consists in not being able to carry with him much wealth distributed in charity to serve a merit and grace, he is so unfortunate that he goes to the next world as naked as he came into this. goes," indicates immortality; for how can it be met with in a dead body and insensible corpse? Farther on he says, “That it is a heavenly gift for man,

so he * כן ילך This movement

to whom God hath given riches and power over them, 'to eat and carry his portion, and rejoice in his labour;' " that is to enjoy them in this world and carry his portion, which no one can deprive him of (that is charity) to the next, and rejoice himself in that world where all is joy.

Consequently verse 3 of chap. vi. is remarkable, where he says, that if a man beget one hundred children and lives innumerable years, without preparing himself in life for the grave and remembering death at the same time, not satisfying his soul with good by charity and alms, he judges an abortion to be better, "Because such as this came in vain, and to darkness goes, and in darkness will his name be covered;" that is, he goes to the darkness of hell, and the name or reputation he might have gained remains buried in oblivion. In the next chapter, "A good name is better than rich perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." How can dissolution be better than generation, and death than life? unless the soul when separated from the obstruction of the body did not acquire for itself glory and everlasting felicity? In conformity he continues, It is better to go to the house of mourning than

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