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Why does Koheles state the obvious — that there's a time for crying, eulogizing, and dancing? The shiur develops a yesod that "eis" (time) means a moment, not a life-defining event. Every experience — weddings, funerals, even slavery in Egypt — must be tasted and learned from, but never allowed to overwhelm or traumatize us. The first mitzvah (מצוה), shiluch avadim, teaches us to learn from slavery without becoming abusers ourselves.
Rabbi Zweig opens by citing the Gemara (גמרא) on Mishlei: "Dagas belev ish yashchena" — anxiety pushes a person down (depression). The Gemara's solution sounds simplistic: remove it from your heart. But how does one actually accomplish that? The shiur proposes that Koheles provides the formula. Koheles states, "A time to cry... a time to eulogize... a time to dance" — seemingly obvious observations about Tisha B'Av, funerals, and weddings. Yet nothing self-evident appears in Torah (תורה). The word "eis" (time) shares its root with "atah" (now), suggesting these are moments, not life-altering definitions. When experiencing loss, one must remember there will be weddings; when celebrating weddings, one must remember mortality. Each experience is a frame in time, not an identity.
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Koheles (Ecclesiastes) - "A time to cry, a time to eulogize, a time to dance"
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
