After the general introduction to the book, we read and discuss in the next four lessons the first chapter of the Book of Qohelet. Our topics will be: Meaning of the word קהלת, Keyword הבל, Keywords עמל, יתרון, Self-Presentation Formula in ANE, Keywords חכמה, עשה, רעיון רוח, רעות רוח, Qere Perpetuum, Prepositions ב,ל,כ before word that begins with י, Cantillation marks and their syntactic functions

In the next three lessons we will read and discuss chapter 2. We will encounter his take on pleasure and toil, as well as wisdom and folly. Topics of study are: difference between silluq and meteg, strong and weak dagesh, using the Hebrew Lexicon online, enhanced Semitic Language Family vs. Indo-European Languages, Persian loanword פַּרְדֵּס, the history of the biblical books, Difference between (shofar) yetiv and mahpach

Chapter three opens with the famous “Catalogue of Times.” We will use the grammar book to deal with a difficult verse

In the next four lessons we explore the relationship between the Book of Qohelet and the Epic of Gilgamesh, meet Qohelet’s take on Social Cycle Theory, and review ordinal and cardinal numbers in Biblical Hebrew.

In Lesson fourteen we continue our reading from chapter 4, because Qoh 4:17-5:6 create a thematic unit focusing on the importance of keeping vows according to the Bible. We will read in comparison what other biblical passages say about un-reflected speech and vows. Topics: Negative Jussive and Imperative. Because of the repeated exhortation to “eat and drink” throughout the book, we will explore the topic of food in the Bible and its source for pleasure in the Book of Qohelet

This is a short chapter in which Qohelet gives his opinion on wealth and pleasure. Amassing wealth is pointless if one doesn’t enjoy it. It is better to enjoy what one has and to appreciate it, as life ends at some point. Topics: range of meanings of the word נֶפֶשׁ , the word אִלוּ Qoh 6:6, Ketiv and Qere in the Masoretic text, marginal notes by the Masoretes in manuscripts

In the next two lessons we encounter the Hebrew comparative in a number of so-called “Better X than Y Proverbs.” Other topics: review Qere/ Ketiv Qoh 6:10, marginal notes by the Masoretes in the Westminster Leningrad Codex indicating the middle of the book, abbreviations I use in the footnotes, example of onomatopoeia and alliteration in v. 6, inflection of the root נתן (v. 7), discussion on patience and suffering in Hebrew and English (סבל), use of grammar book, alternative meanings of the root מרר based on Arabic, what is a wicked person according to Qohelet?

The first eight verses are difficult to understand. They speak about the power of the king and the duty of the subservient individual to obey his command. In v. 5 we read about a מצוה “commandment.” The Hebrew Bible uses this word equally for the commandment of a king as well as for a commandment decreed by G’d (see BDB, p. 846). It is likely that Qohelet refers by “king” to both the supremacy of a human ruler over the people as well as to the supremacy of G’d over humankind. Topics: Metathesis, Persian loanword, abbreviations in the BDB, chiastic parallelism, the Hebrew letter combination טו for 15 and טז for 16

More observations: Carpe Diem. Topics: pausal forms, web services, mobile phone application, pronunciation of the letter ח (according to Modern Hebrew Pronunciation), stress at accented syllables, division of v. 11 into syntactic units with the help of the cantillation marks

Some more observations: On wisdom and folly. Topics: Hapax Legomena, Energetic Nun, more examples for ketiv and qere, a re-interpretation of the word אשרי

Carpe Diem!

Conclusion of the Book in Qohelet’s words: Three possible readings: 1.Allegorical, 2.Literal, 3. Eschatological, הבל הבלים Inclusio