Book of Ecclesiastes-Kohelet Kohelet : a living dialogue

Kohn, Eli

Book of Ecclesiastes-Kohelet Kohelet : a living dialogue

Master Thesis

1997

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The book of Ecclesiastes or Kohelet, using its Hebrew title is one of the Five Megilloth (Scrolls). This Biblical book characterizes life as utter futility like "shepherding" or "chasing the wind". Throughout the book one encounters teachings that stand in considerable tension with each other. For example in 7:3 Kohelet states: "Anger is better than happiness" while later in 8: 15 he writes: "I praised Happiness: In 7: 1 he says: "Better the day of one's death than the day one is born'; while in 11: 7 he states: "Light is sweet and good for the eyes so as 'to see the sun". Contradictions such as these are found throughout the book. The following study of Kohelet will attempt to analyze.previous studies of the book which have offered ways of interpreting these contradictions. Several responses have commended themselves to interpreters. Some see the author of Kohelet as citing traditional wisdom and then refuting it. Others see the book as reflecting a single author's changing viewpoints over the years as well as life's ambiguities. Some understand Kohelet as a book written by one author while later editors added their viewpoints.

Description

Bibliography: pages 135-137.

Keywords

Hebrew Studies

Reference:

Collections

Masters

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