Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:7

¹“All the rivers go to the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place that the rivers go, they go there again” (Ecclesiastes 1:7). “All the rivers go to the sea,” and from where does the earth drink? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Eliezer says: It drinks from the water of the ocean, as it is stated: “A mist went up from the earth [and watered the entire face of the ground]” (Genesis 2:6). Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: ‘Isn’t the water of the ocean salty?’ He said to him: ‘They are sweetened in the clouds, as it is written: “Which the skies pour down” (Job 36:28). Where do they become what pours down? It is in the skies.’ Rabbi Yehoshua says: [The earth] drinks from the upper waters, as it is stated: “From the rain of the heavens you drink water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). The clouds ascend from the earth to the heavens and receive [the water] as though from the mouth of a bottle, as it is written: “Which distill rain to His mist” (Job 36:27). They separate them like a sieve and one drop does not touch another, as it is written: “The amassing of water, thick clouds of the skies’ (II Samuel 22:12). Why does it call them skies [ sheḥakim ]? It is because they crush [ shoḥekin ] the water. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Like an omasum. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Like the intestines of an animal. It is as Rabbi Yehoshua said: A day of rainfall is great, as it is equivalent to the entire act of Creation. ). What is the reason? “Who performs great things beyond scrutiny and wonders beyond number” (Job 9:10); with what? “Who gives water on the face of the earth…” (Job 5:10). ²How did the earth drink? Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Simon, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: Like the Nile, which waters [the land] and then waters it again. Rabbi Simon said: It is like a box, like the Kavriel [River], whose [water] rises and is [then] absorbed into the ground. ). The Rabbis say: It is like the Tevaha . Why is it called Tevaha? It is because it waters once every forty years, ] that this was sufficient to water the land. and it is from it that the earth drank at the outset, as it is stated: “A mist went up from the earth [and watered the entire face of the ground]” (Genesis 2:6). But the Holy One blessed be He then instituted that the earth would drink only from above. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori, and some say Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: For four reasons the Holy One blessed be He instituted that the earth would drink only from above: Due to violent people; in order to wash away the harmful dews; so the highlands will drink like the lowlands; and so everyone will lift their eyes heavenward, as it is stated: “[Who gives rain upon the earth… to set the lowly on high…” (Job 5:10–11). ³Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” this is the ocean, “yet the sea is not full,” this is the ocean that is never full. There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua who were sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship entered a place where the water does not flow. Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Yehoshua: We came here only for the purposes of an ordeal. They filled a barrel full with water. When they arrived in Rome, Hadrian said to them: ‘What is the nature of ocean water?’ They said to him: ‘It is water that swallows water,’ and he said to them: ‘Is it possible that all the rivers flow there and they do not fill?’ They said to him: ‘They swallow all the water in the world.’ He said to them: ‘I do not believe you until you show it to me here.’ They took the water that they had drawn from the ocean and filled a bowl with water. They poured [more] water into it and [the ocean water] swallowed [it and did not overflow]. In the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, from there they draw. In the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua: “They go there again.” ⁴Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” all the wisdom of a person is only in his heart. “Yet the sea is not full” – but the heart is never full. You might say that from the moment that a person removes wisdom from his heart, it will never return to him; the verse [therefore] states: “They go there again.” ⁵Another matter, “all the rivers,” all the Torah that a person studies is only in the heart. “Yet the sea is not full” – but the heart is not full and the soul is never sated, as it is stated: “But the soul is not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). You might say that from the moment that a person expresses his learning to another, it will never return to him; the verse [therefore] states: “They go there again,” as it is written: “These matters that I am commanding you today shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). A certain noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta, she said to him: ‘What is that which is stated: “He granted wisdom to the wise [and knowledge to those with understanding” (Daniel 2:21)? The verse should have said: “He granted wisdom to the unwise, and knowledge to those without understanding.”’ He said to her a parable: ‘If two people come to you to borrow money from you, one of them wealthy and one of them poor, to which of them would you lend, to the wealthy one or the poor one?’ She said to him: ‘To the wealthy one.’ He said to her: ‘Why?’ She said to him: ‘Because if the wealthy man were to lose my money, he has [funds] with which to repay, but if the poor person were to lose my money, with what would he repay me?’ He said to her: ‘Don’t your ears hear what you utter with your mouth? Had the Holy One blessed be He granted wisdom to the foolish, they would be sitting and pontificating in its regard in bathrooms, theaters, and bathhouses. Rather, the Holy One blessed be He granted wisdom to the wise, and they sit and pontificate in its regard in synagogues and study halls. That is, “He granted wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those with understanding.”’ ⁶Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” all the converts enter only into Israel. “Yet the sea is not full,” and Israel’s number is never lacking, as it is stated: “Who has counted the dust of Jacob” (Numbers 23:10). Perhaps you will say that anyone who does not convert in this world will convert in the World to Come; the verse states: “Behold, they may gather together [ gor yagur ]” (Isaiah 54:15), ], who can gather together now, but not in the future. but from then on “but not by Me [ efes meoti ]” (Isaiah 54:15) – stop from being with Me [ hafsek me’iti ]. Who is with Me? He “who gathers to You” (Isaiah 54:15) in this world “will fall in with You” (Isaiah 54:15) in the World to Come. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Moreover, in the place where one converts, from there he takes his portion, as it is stated: “It will be that in the tribe where the stranger resides, [there you shall give him his inheritance, said the Lord God]” (Ezekiel 47:23). ⁷Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” – all the dead enter only the grave, but the grave is never filled, as it is stated: “The grave and oblivion are not sated…” (Proverbs 27:20). You might say that once they die in this world they do not live again in the World to Come; the verse [therefore] states: “To the place that the rivers go, they go there again” – to the place that the dead gather in the World to Come, there they return and are destined to recite songs in the messianic era. What is the reason? “From the ends of the earth we have heard songs” (Isaiah 24:16); “your dead will live, my corpses shall arise” (Isaiah 26:19). ⁸Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” all Israel assembles only in Jerusalem and ascends [there] at the times of the festivals each and every year. “Yet the sea is not full,” but Jerusalem is never full, as we learned: “They stand crowded, but prostrate themselves with ample space” ( Avot 5:5). Rabbi Shmuel bar Ḥova said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: There were four cubits of space between each and every one, and a cubit on every side, so that one would not hear the prayer of another and become confused. ). “To the place that the rivers go” – to the place that Israel assembles in this world, there they will assemble in the World to Come in the future, as it is stated: “It will be on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded; and the lost in the land of Assyria, and the dispersed in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 27:13). ⁹Another matter, “all the rivers go to the sea,” all property accumulates only to the kingdom of Edom, but the kingdom of Edom is never filled, as Rabbi Levi said: It is written: “The eyes of man [ ha’adam ] are never satiated” (Proverbs 27:20) – the eyes of Edom are never satiated. You might say that the property that enters Edom never returns to its owners; the verse [therefore] states: “To the place that the rivers go, they go there again” – the place where property is collected, the kingdom of Edom, in this world, from there it will be dispersed in the messianic era, as it is written: “Her merchandise and her fee will be consecrated to the Lord” (Isaiah 23:18). Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei raised a question before Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi], he said to him: ‘What is this that is written: “For the merchandise will be for those who dwell before the Lord” (Isaiah 23:18)?’ He said: ‘Like you, your counterparts, and two wrapped in linen sheets, like you, who are completely insignificant in your eyes.’ Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to restore the glow to the faces of the righteous in the future, as it is stated: “But those who love Him are like the sun emerging in its might” (Judges 5:31). Just as He restores their faces, so He restores their garments; today garments that are half silk, tomorrow garments completely of silk. He said to him: What is that which is written: “To eat to satiation and for fine garments” (Isaiah 23:18)? He said: ‘Today, cotton garments, tomorrow garments completely of silk.’