הֶבֶל (n-m) heb
-
- n m
- vapour, breath
- breath, vapour
- vanity (fig.)
- adv
- vainly
Source: מקור: Open Scriptures on GitHub
Creator: יוצר: Based on the work of Larry Pierce at the Online Bible
הֶבֶל (n-pr-m) x-pn
-
- Abel = "breath"
- second son of Adam and Eve, killed by his brother Cain
I. הֶ֫בֶל
n.m. vapour, breath (NH id., Syriac ܗܰܒܳܠܴܐ id.) fig. vanity (so NH, Syriac ܗܶܒܠܴܐ )—הָ֑בֶל Ec 1:2 +; cstr. הֲבֵל †Ec 1:2(×2); 12:8, sf. הֶבְלִי etc. Ec 6:12; 7:15; 9:9(×2); pl. הֲבָלִים Je 10:8 +; cstr. הַבְלֵי Je 8:19 +, sf. הַבְלֵיהֶם Dt 32:21 +;—
1. lit. Is 57:13 all of them (the idols) יִשָּׂא־רוּחַ יִקַּח הָ֑בֶל a breath (𝔙 aura) will carry away, Pr 21:6, the getting of treasures by a lying tongue is הֶבֶל נִדָּף, a vapour driven away. Elsewhere always
2. fig. of what is evanescent, unsubstantial, worthless, vanity, as of idols Je 10:15 = 51:18; 16:19 הֶבֶל וְאֵין בָּם מוֹעִיל (‖ שֶׁקֶר), heathen observances 10:3, and in phr. הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי הַהֶבֶל..........
Source: מקור: BDB Dictionary
Creator: יוצר: F. Brown, S. Driver & C. Briggs
(4) A person is like a breath; their days are like a passing shadow.
(ו) אָדָם יְסוֹדוֹ מֵעָפָר וְסוֹפוֹ לֶעָפָר. בְּנַפְשׁוֹ יָבִיא לַחְמוֹ. מָשׁוּל כְּחֶרֶס הַנִּשְׁבָּר, כְּחָצִיר יָבֵשׁ, וּכְצִיץ נוֹבֵל, כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר, וּכְעָנָן כָּלָה, וּכְרוּחַ נוֹשָׁבֶת, וּכְאָבָק פּוֹרֵחַ, וְכַחֲלוֹם יָעוּף. וְאַתָּה הוּא מֶלֶךְ אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם.
(6) We come from dust, and return to dust. We labour by our lives for bread, we are like broken shards, like dry grass, and like a withered flower; like a passing shadow and a vanishing cloud, like a breeze that passes, like dust that scatters, like a fleeting dream. But You are the king who lives eternal.
Rather the secret of hevel is noble! It is the breath that exhales from the mouth, and the secret of this exhalation transforms into voice. And it has been taught: “the world endures only by the breath of children who have not transgressed”— that is, those who literally have not transgressed. Voice is composed of breath, air, and water; and everything that is made is constituted from breath. The secret of this breath of children becoming voice, extending through the world, they are the guardians of the world, guardians of the city, as is written: “Unless YHVH watches over the city, the watchman guards in vain” (Psalms 127:1).
The text challenges the reader to find a way to breathe with dignity and wisdom amid these asphyxiating times.
(ECCLESIASTES : A READING FROM THE PERIPHERY , ELSA TAMEZ)
(א) מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם, אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בִּקְשׁוּ חֲכָמִים לִגְנֹז סֵפֶר קֹהֶלֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמָּצְאוּ בוֹ דְּבָרִים מָטִין לְצַד מִינוּת, אָמְרוּ הֲרֵי כָּל חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁבָּא לוֹמַר מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכָל עֲמָלוֹ, יָכוֹל אַף בַּעֲמָלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, חָזְרוּ וְאָמְרוּ לֹא אָמַר בְּכָל עָמָל, אֶלָּא בַּעֲמָלוֹ, בַּעֲמָלוֹ אֵינוֹ עָמֵל אֲבָל עָמֵל הוּא בַּעֲמָלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
(1) “What profit is there for a person in all their toil that s/he toils under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3).
“What profit is there for a person?” Rabbi Binyamin said: The Sages sought to suppress the book of Kohelet because they found in it matters that tend toward heresy. They said: All of Solomon’s wisdom that he seeks to impart is: “What profit is there for man in all his toil,” but one might [think that he meant] even in the toil of Torah. They then said: He did not say “in all toil,” but rather in his toil; in his toil he does not profit, but he does profit in the toil of Torah.
(2) Beneath the sun. [Rashi takes 'beneath' to mean 'instead of'] - Instead of the Torah, which is called light, as it is stated, “and the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). All the labor which one does instead of engaging in Torah study, what reward does it yield?
(ג) ה' מָֽה־אָ֭דָם וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ וַתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ׃ (ד) אָ֭דָם לַהֶ֣בֶל דָּמָ֑ה יָ֝מָ֗יו כְּצֵ֣ל עוֹבֵֽר׃
(3) O LORD, what is man that You should care about him,
mortal man, that You should think of him? (4) Man is like a breath/hevel/הבל;
his days are like a passing shadow.
(יא) ה' יֹ֭דֵעַ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָדָ֑ם כִּי־הֵ֥מָּה הָֽבֶל׃
(11) The LORD knows the designs of men to be futile/hevel/הבל.
(ל) שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭חֵן וְהֶ֣בֶל הַיֹּ֑פִי אִשָּׁ֥ה יִרְאַת־ה' הִ֣יא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃
(30) Grace is deceptive,
Beauty is illusory/hevel/הבל;
It is for her fear of the LORD
That a woman is to be praised.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אָמַר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת וגו', הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר זֶה שֶׁלֹא קָנָה לוֹ שְׁתֵּי פְּרוּטוֹת מִיָּמָיו הוּא פִּירֵת בְּמָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְאוֹמֵר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים,
אֶלָּא זֶה, שְׁלֹמֹה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (מלכים א י, כז): וַיִּתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם כָּאֲבָנִים, וְלֹא הָיוּ נִגְנָבוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ אַבְנֵי עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וְאַבְנֵי שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת, וּמִשְׁקָלוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א י, כא): אֵין כֶּסֶף לֹא נֶחְשָׁב בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה לִמְאוּמָה, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים. לָמָּה אָמַר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, רָאָה הָעוֹלָם וְהֶעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת בְּסוֹפוֹ.
[ple(1) ...Had someone else [i.e., other than Solomon] said: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet…” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), I would have said: Someone who never acquired even two perutot worth [of property] in his life ridicules all the property in the world and says: “Vanity of vanities”?!
However, this one, Solomon, of whom it is written: “The king made the silver in Jerusalem as [plentiful as] stones…” (I Kings 10:27), but they were not stolen, as they were ten cubit stones and eight cubit stones. The weights during the reign of Solomon were made of gold, as it is stated: “None of silver, as it was not considered anything during the reign of Solomon” (I Kings 10:21), for him it is appropriate to say: “Vanity of vanities.” Why did he say: “Vanity of vanities”? He saw the world and what would ultimately occur.
(ד) הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי מַעֲשָׂ֑י בָּנִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בָּתִּ֔ים נָטַ֥עְתִּי לִ֖י כְּרָמִֽים׃ (ה) עָשִׂ֣יתִי לִ֔י גַּנּ֖וֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִ֑ים וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי בָהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ץ כׇּל־פֶּֽרִי׃ (ו) עָשִׂ֥יתִי לִ֖י בְּרֵכ֣וֹת מָ֑יִם לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת מֵהֶ֔ם יַ֖עַר צוֹמֵ֥חַ עֵצִֽים׃ (ז) קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ח) כָּנַ֤סְתִּי לִי֙ גַּם־כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת מְלָכִ֖ים וְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתִי לִ֜י שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֗וֹת וְתַעֲנֻג֛וֹת בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם שִׁדָּ֥ה וְשִׁדּֽוֹת׃ (ט) וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּי מִכֹּ֛ל שֶׁהָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם אַ֥ף חׇכְמָתִ֖י עָ֥מְדָה לִּֽי׃ (י) וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֜י מִכׇּל־שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙ מִכׇּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכׇּל־עֲמָלִֽי׃ (יא) וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכׇל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
(4) I multiplied my possessions. I built myself houses and I planted vineyards. (5) I laid out gardens and groves, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree. (6) I constructed pools of water, enough to irrigate a forest shooting up with trees. (7) I bought male and female slaves, and I acquired stewards. I also acquired more cattle, both herds and flocks, than all who were before me in Jerusalem. (8) I further amassed silver and gold and treasures of kings and provinces; and I got myself male and female singers, as well as the luxuries of commoners—coffers and coffers of them. (9) Thus, I gained more wealth than anyone before me in Jerusalem. In addition, my wisdom remained with me: (10) I withheld from my eyes nothing they asked for, and denied myself no enjoyment; rather, I got enjoyment out of all my wealth. And that was all I got out of my wealth. (11) Then my thoughts turned to all the fortune my hands had built up, to the wealth I had acquired and won—and oh, it was all futile and pursuit of wind; there was no real value under the sun!
(א) כִּי אָמְרוּ בְלִבָּם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם הֶחְלִיקוּ לְדַבֵּר. יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ קְצָרִים וּשְׂבֵעִים עָמָל. מִמָּוֶת לֹא יִמָּלֵט גֶּבֶר וְאִישׁ לֹא נוֹדָע אֲשֶׁר שָׁב מִנִּי שְׁאוֹל:
(ב) בְּמִקְרֶה נוֹלַדְנוּ וַנְּהִי כְּלֹא הָיִינוּ. כִּי רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ עָשָׁן וּמִדְבָּרֵנוּ כְּנִיצוֹץ עוֹלֶה מִלְּבָבֵנוּ:
(ג) כִּי יִכְבֶּה. הַבָּשָׂר אֶל עָפָר יָשׁוּב. וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ תֵּחָלֵק כְּרוּחַ קַל:
(1) For those who have slipped spoke in their hearts, and with their tongues, saying: "The days of our lives are short, and full of toil. A man is not saved from death, and there is known no man who has returned from it."
(2) "We were born in mishap, and we shall be as though we were not. For the spirit of our nostrils is smoke, and our words are as a spark rising from our hearts."
(3) "For it is extinguished. The flesh returns to dust, and the soul disperses like a light breeze."
Brene Brown, sociologist
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To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees—these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude, and grace. |
Kohelet: Radical Joy | Rabbi Sacks | הרב זקס
Published 18 September 2019
The meaning of Kohelet, the megillah that we read during Succot, hinges on one word: hevel. It occurs 38 times, more than half of all its occurrences in Tanach. No other book announces its theme more emphatically by using one word five times in a single sentence, the second sentence in the book: “Hevel of hevels“, says Kohelet, “hevel of hevels, all is hevel” (Kohelet 1:2). What does the word mean? It’s been translated as ‘pointless’, ‘meaningless’, ‘futile’, ’empty’, ‘vapour’, ‘smoke’, ‘insubstantial’, ‘absurd’, ‘vanity’, but the primary meaning is ‘breath’.
The Hebrew words for ‘soul’, among them nefesh, ru’ach and neshamah, all have to do with the act of breathing. Hevel specifically means ‘a shallow breath’. What obsesses Kohelet is that all that separates life from death is a shallow breath. He’s obsessed by the fragility and brevity of life as contrasted with the seeming eternity of the universe. The world endures forever, but we are, as we say in unetaneh tokef, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, “like a broken shard, like grass dried up, like a faded flower, a fleeting shadow, a passing cloud, a breath of wind, whirling dust, a dream that slips away, dust we are and to dust we return”.
Kohelet is a sustained meditation on mortality, one of the most profound in all literature. He is traumatised by the unbearable lightness of being. The fact that life is lived toward death, that our days are numbered. That like Moshe, for each of us there will be a Jordan we will not cross, a fulfilment we will not live to see. We don’t and can’t know how long we will live, but life will always seem too short. We now sense the drama of Succot seen through the eyes of Kohelet. For 10 days, beginning on Rosh Hashanah and reaching a climax on Yom Kippur, we’ve prayed zachreinu l’chaim, “Remember us for life, King who desires life, and write us in the book of life for Your sake, God of life.”
Now, having survived the trial, comes the deepest question of all. What actually is life? What is this gift that we’ve been granted? What gives life meaning, purpose, substance? What will redeem us from the shadow of death? Kohelet’s answer is, in a word, joy, simcha. What redeems life and etches it with the charisma of grace is joy in your work: “sweet is the sleep of the labouring man” (Kohelet 5:11); joy in your marriage: “see life with the woman you love” (Kohelet 9:9); and joy in the simple pleasures of life: “take joy in each day”. Simcha, joy, doesn’t involve, as does happiness, a judgement about life as a whole. Joy lives in the moment. It asks no questions about tomorrow; it celebrates the power of now.
The Talmud says that Hillel lived by the principle, “baruch Hashem yom yom“, “blessed be God day by day” (Beitza 16a). That’s what joy does, it blesses God day by day. It celebrates the mere fact of being here, now, existing, when we might not have done. Inhaling to the full this day, this hour, this eternity in a moment, that was not before and will not be again. Joy embraces the contingency of life. It knows that yesterday is gone and tomorrow is unknown. It doesn’t ask what was or will be. It makes no calculations. It’s a state of radical thankfulness for the gift of being. Even in an age too fraught for happiness, there can still be joy.
Rainer Maria Rilke wrote in one of his letters, “The reality of any joy in the world is indescribable, only in joy does creation happen (happiness, on the contrary, is only a promising and interpretable pattern of things already existing); joy, however, is a marvellous increasing of what already exists, a pure addition out of nothingness” (Letter to Ilse Erdmann, 31 January 1914). What saved Kohelet was his belated realisation that joy redeems life from the shadow of death. Joy doesn’t ask how long it will last, it discovers epiphany in the here and now. Yes, life is sometimes unfair and the world unjust, but the very brevity of life makes each moment precious.
Joy says stop thinking of tomorrow. Celebrate, sing, join the dance, however undignified it makes you look. Joy bathes life with light, and liberates the soul from the prison of the self.