In 5027, in the days of Sukkot Ramban (Nachmanides) was about to leave Spain to settle permanently in the land of Israel. Saying goodbye to his disciples and followers, he uttered the famous sermon in which he urged them to become stronger in their faith in God, in spite of all persecution. The main theme of his preaching was the book of Kohelet. Explaining passages from it, Ramban pointed to three main themes of this book. According to his explanation and interpretation, the following topics.

aimless works

We are the clay, and mortal, but because we are born with inherent craving for pleasure and knowledge that our life is too short to experience them all. Our sages taught that the evil inclination is peculiar to man by birth, but a good start is born in it only to the age of bar mitzvah. In truth this is not metaphysics, it reflects the real nature of man. The child does not think about the needs of others, his only desire - to satisfy their needs, that is, the baby is absolutely selfish. Can a child of three to understand that you can not without a reason to wake up his mother or interfere with her when she's busy? For the child, it is in order. But it is precisely this innate selfishness and indifference to the interests of others is the source of evil in man throughout his life. With the help of the mind can be suppressed in himself the innate instincts. Maturity comes with acceptance of responsibility, when a person begins to put responsibility above their pleasures, a common cause - above personal gain, the aim of the far - above family benefits. To make that choice, you need maturity of heart and mind. But a good start as a belated guest, makes long in coming.

Mussar teachers point to the same idea in the lines of the book of Job: "Man is born like a wild ass's colt" (Job 11:12). When a person is born, he is no different from a wild colt. The challenge of life - to become a man - making slow and painful.

The first thing we learn from Kohelet, - to avoid the pursuit of worldly pleasures, because, despite the appeal, they are fleeting and insignificant. Solomon said that he understood this truth like no other.

In the second chapter, he says, that he had purchased in his life. Palaces, wealth, entertainment - all belonged to him, as well as the respect and worship of the rulers and the wisest people in the world. In spite of this, Solomon concludes that any desire for earthly goods inakopleniyu - vanity. The Ramban explains the word Hevel (vanity) as "the haze, barely visible to the eye a fog." This fog is like a pair of breath on a cold day or unclean stale air to the bottom of the pit. Pairs we can ^ o see stale air can be felt, but he and the other incorporeal and quickly disappear. Earthly pleasures like a giant fireworks display. Variety of colors and patterns dazzles them breath, but held a minute - and they are not.

However, in order that the reader Kohelet book did not come to the conclusion that everything in life - the fuss that nothing matters, and therefore, the world was not created with a purpose, and there is no reward nor punishment, Solomon recalls that in life there are eternal values and that the Creator took the man an important role in the universe. Transitory only what has been created by human hands. And houses that he builds, and trinkets, which he created, and his desire for material goods.

In the book of Kohelet arguments about the fairness of the Almighty everywhere. And Shlomo offers two solutions.

The first answer is to judge the validity of the G-to-hearth possible only when His judgment is completed. Righteous sometimes deserves to be punished, as well as the wicked sometimes deserves a reward; first transgressions for which he may have done, and the second for the virtue that it may possess. When will the last hour of reckoning in this life or in the future, the Court of the Lord will be just before the end.

In this regard, it recalls the Chazon Ish. When asked how Gd could prevent the carnage of World War II, he replied: "To condemn what happened - all the same that to say that the words Tosafot (commentary on the Gemara) do not make sense, and it does not even know Gemara. Only by studying and understanding the Talmud and the main comments to it, we can try to understand the complexity Tosafot. Similarly, in history. We stand too close to the events, to understand its causes and consequences caused by it. Nor do we know how this event is in contact with other events of history. At the end of days, we will all that destiny which is our G-c-hearth furnace. Then we will understand the value of all the individual tests. "

Kohelet gives another otvoet this question. It is largely similar to the basic idea of the book of Job (28: 20-28). The wisdom of the Lord is not available to us, and the ways of the Lord are inscrutable. Whatever wisdom we may possess, we can not understand these pathways.

"And the kingdom of God in all the earth Giez. In those days, the L-rd is One, and His name shall be one "(Zechariah 14: 9).

But is it right now Gd is not united? Rav Ashe Bar Ha Nina said that this world can not be compared with the world of the future. Now we can not comprehend that everything that Gd does, even what seems evil - is for our good. Now we can only give thanks to Gd when He does good, and bless Him for the righteous judgment when He sends us misfortunes. We can not understand a single plan his actions and therefore the different bless the different manifestations of His will. In the world to come it will become visible to the single purpose of his actions, and, regardless of whether they will carry us any good or suffering, we will bless him as "the incarnation of good, and good sources."

Rabbi Asch explains the third theme of the book Kohelet: Gd is merciful and kind. But only with the advent of the Messiah, when people reach the top of spiritual development, they will be able to see His mercy in each event. In the meantime, we are only able to realize their own shortcomings.

Rabbi Noson Sherman