From Judaism’s Holy Tanakh: Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) – Selection from Chapters 1-7, Part 1 of 2

The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, and the ancient writings of the Talmud, embody the beliefs and practices of Judaism. The Holy Tanakh’s Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) was written at around 450-200 BCE. The author is not clearly known but introduces himself as a son of King David. The Book of Kohelet emphasizes the importance of living in wisdom and righteousness by keeping God’s commandments, as the author relates his own experiences and the lessons from them. These sacred writings also remind us that earthly life is ephemeral, whereas the House of God is everlasting, and that no matter whether we are wise or foolish, rich or poor, we all are to be humble before God.