קהלת, פרק ה׳, פסוק י״ד

The cycle of human life begins and ends at the exact same point of having absolutely nothing. The entry into this world and the departure from it share striking similarities, highlighting the temporary nature of material existence. A person arrives with a sound and leaves with a sound, whether it is the cry of a newborn and the cry of a dying person seeing the Angel of Death, or the cries of a mother giving birth and the wailing of mourning relatives. A human being enters existence amid tears and sighs, and departs surrounded by the tears and sighs of others. Just as an infant is born without mature understanding, a person often reaches the end of life with a fading mind, leaving the world without full awareness. Yet, at both of these extremes, an individual is enveloped in love. At birth, a child is cherished by parents, and at death, deep affection is awakened once again as people gather to mourn and offer praise [תורה תמימה].

In a practical sense, just as a person emerges from the womb empty-handed, they return to the grave in the exact same state [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The reality of death ensures that an individual cannot take anything along for the journey [מצודת ציון]. This does not mean a person is buried literally naked, but rather that it is impossible to carry away even a fraction of the physical wealth gathered throughout a lifetime of hard labor [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].

Beyond the physical reality, this absolute departure carries a profound moral weight. The inability to take anything from this world applies deeply to someone who fails to use their wealth properly during their lifetime. When such a person dies, they will carry no spiritual merit. Because they did not give charity with their money, they leave completely empty-handed, with no good deeds to accompany them into the World to Come [רש״י, צאינה וראינה].