After realizing that endless labor and the accumulation of material wealth often lead to emptiness, the focus shifts toward finding genuine value, satisfaction, and joy in the present moment and the fruits of one's hard work. However, experiencing this satisfaction is not a given. It relies entirely on God's providence and kindness. When considering what brings true benefit to a person, one perspective suggests that the most logical response to the futility of worldly toil is simply to enjoy the present. According to this view, there is nothing better for an individual than to eat, drink, and derive simple pleasure from their labor [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The primary approach among commentators challenges this literal reading by asking whether human existence truly offers nothing more than eating and drinking like an animal. Instead, this is understood as a moral instruction. A person should not settle for mere physical pleasure. Rather, they must direct their heart to pursue justice, kindness, and charity using the food, drink, and wealth they have gathered [רש"י, מצודת דוד, צאינה וראינה]. By using material success for charitable purposes, an individual effectively shows their own soul the eternal, lasting reward it will receive [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Viewing consumption through a purely material lens reduces a person to the level of an animal and ultimately leads to despair [תעלומות חכמה]. Building on this, eating and drinking can also be seen as a metaphor for studying Torah and performing good deeds. Just as physical food sustains the body, spiritual pursuits sustain the soul. These spiritual achievements are the only true assets that accompany a person after death, unlike physical sustenance [תורה תמימה].
Ultimately, any ability to find meaning or joy rests completely in the hands of God. This divine gift manifests in several ways. First, it grants the actual physical ability to enjoy one's wealth. A person might spend a lifetime hoarding riches, only to act as a mere guard over their fortune, entirely unable to enjoy it without God's permission [אבן עזרא]. Second, it provides the moral inclination to do good. Even though humans possess free will, the natural human tendency is to hoard wealth. Therefore, the desire to be generous and use one's resources for kindness and charity is considered a special gift from God [מצודת דוד]. Finally, this divine gift provides a deep recognition of God's active providence in the world. Life can often appear frustrating and unfair, such as when a wise person works diligently only for a wicked person to claim the rewards. In these moments, the understanding that all events are carefully guided by God is the only realization that protects a person from falling into despair [תעלומות חכמה].