„Apology of Ecclesiastes. The meaning of hewel”

Bielsko - Żywieckie Studia Teologiczne 4 (2003) 245-258.

It seems that the term hewel in Ecclesiastes does not bring about only negative connotations. Its semantic field apparently oscillates about neutral or sometimes even positive hues of meaning. Despite reviewers' repeating accusations of atheism, the author of the book perceives that world from the point of view of jahvistic religion which is understood as a factor that puts together Israel's traditions. These traditions (primitive, referring to cult, legislative) dates back to the history of Moses and then, however, they are included in the history of the Chosen People. Experiencing their deep meaning, Ecclesiastes attempts to pose basic questions about sense of life, suffering and death, beginnings of evil and human propensity towards sin. Even when he does not speak about God's direct acting in the history of Israel, he, actually, does not exclude it - on the contrary - he assumes it. He presumes, too, human propensity towards evil, which is reflected in his way of argumentation. The acceptance of the semantic subtitles which are present in the symbolic meaning of the term hewel allows the above conclusion. There are many bad or even absurd things in life but not all of them are like that. There are many limitations considering human being but some of them can be overcome. And this seems to be the aim which Ecclesiastes is driving at: to show that in spite of contradictions are contrasts surrounding human being, he or she is able to live well and wisely.

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