“A man will be a personal witness to seven worlds in his lifetime. A newborn is like a king with his adoring followers. They hug, kiss and vow to protect him. A toddler is like a pig delirious with power. He reaches out and grabs whatever comes within his grasp. An adolescent prances around like a goat. A twenty-year-old neighs like a horse. He dresses and puts on airs in order to find a mate. Then when he has found a wife the man behaves like a donkey. When he has children the man shambles from place to place with no shame like a dog wanting food. When he is old he acts like a monkey.” -Kohelet rabba
What does this midrash want to teach? It wants to teach us about the power of change. What are the “worlds” that it speaks of?
The “worlds” represent the different viewpoints that the person possesses throughout their years. At each stage of development the world seems to change completely because the personality of the person makes a significant transformation. The world does not actually change but appears to alter because the eyes of the viewer have changed.
The midrash tries to tell us what we already know: People invariably change as they age but it is not always a good one. With that knowledge we can choose another path. We always have a choice.
What does this midrash want to teach? It wants to teach us about the power of change. What are the “worlds” that it speaks of?
The “worlds” represent the different viewpoints that the person possesses throughout their years. At each stage of development the world seems to change completely because the personality of the person makes a significant transformation. The world does not actually change but appears to alter because the eyes of the viewer have changed.
The midrash tries to tell us what we already know: People invariably change as they age but it is not always a good one. With that knowledge we can choose another path. We always have a choice.
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