קהלת, פרק ט׳, פסוק ג׳

Human existence presents a profound challenge: a seemingly blind fate strikes everyone equally. The greatest hardship in life is the observation that the exact same events, especially death, happen to both the righteous and the wicked. To human eyes, there appears to be no connection between a person's moral choices and the outcomes they experience [שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא].

Because the world often shows no visible distinction between good and evil, people are easily misled and drawn away from the right path [תעלומות חכמה]. Young and short-sighted individuals struggle particularly with this complex reality [אבן עזרא]. Consequently, human hearts become filled with negativity and sin. Feeling that life is meaningless, people conclude that there is no divine providence, no heavenly judgment, and no ultimate justice [רש״י, מצודת דוד, צאינה וראינה]. Offering a distinct perspective, [אלשיך] notes that this inherent wickedness is rooted in the evil inclination, which dominates a person from youth, long before their intellect fully matures.

This denial of God's providence breeds a deep sense of madness, confusion, and mental turmoil that accompanies people throughout their lives [שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד]. Believing there is no afterlife and that the soul does not endure, they surrender entirely to worldly pleasures, seeking only to enjoy the fleeting moment [תעלומות חכמה]. Even as individuals mature and develop a good inclination alongside the evil one, they often still choose a life of pride and reckless indulgence, completely ignoring the need to repent [אלשיך].

This frantic pursuit of pleasure and state of confusion grips them until the day they die, at which point all worldly hope vanishes [מצודת דוד]. Sinners immerse themselves in temporary joys, willfully ignoring their inevitable descent into the grave [אלשיך]. They remain unaware that after their physical death, they are destined to face punishment in hell [רש״י, צאינה וראינה]. This tragic end stands in sharp contrast to the righteous, who live with such spiritual purpose that they are considered alive even after they pass away [אלשיך].