Hebrew Word Study – The Fool – Hakesil  Hei, Kap, Samek, Yod, Lamed

Ecclesiastes 4:5: “The fool folded his hands together and eats his own flesh.”

I am not sure why my spirit was quickened when I read this passage. Do you ever feel like God is trying to tell you something, but you just can’t figure out what it is? So armed with my Hebrew Bible I am determined to figure out just what it is. 

Starting first at the literal interpretation of this passage, it seems most commentaries tend to agree that the writer is basically saying that there are people who feel the world owes them a living. They sit back in their laziness and “eat their own flesh” or are self tormentors, never really satisfied. I can see that in this verse, I guess, but surely there must be more to it than that. I mean I don’t think I really fall into that category of feeling the world owes me a living. After walking this earth for six scores and ten years I think I am pretty sure that the world does not owe me a living. 

Feeling certain there is a personal message here, I figure I will start to analyze each word.   The first word is a fool. This word is kasal in Hebrew and does mean to be foolish but this is foolishness which is bred from a refusal to look beyond your own understanding.  The word is spelled Kap, Samek, and Lamed. The Kap can represent arrogance, willfulness, and becoming a tyrant. The Samek could show a blocking off or shut down. The lamed could represent narrow-mindedness and bookishness. In other words, this fool is one who will not accept advice or counsel, he just shuts down and dwells on his own understanding of events.

He “folds his hands.” Commentators say that this is an expression of laziness. However, I tend to disagree. Within my own spirit, I am sort of getting a picture here of a person going through a difficult time and giving up. I know that feeling of getting so discouraged that you can no longer lift a hand to get yourself out of that situation.  I have published over 15 books. To be sure many are self-published. Those that are published by a traditional publisher sell adequately enough. However, the majority of my books are self-published and no matter what I do I cannot seem to sell any of them. I think to myself: “Oy, what good words I have written, the brethren will really eat this up.” But the brethren just don’t see it the way I do. I was hoping these books would provide some income during my retirement, and help me to afford a few little luxuries like an occasional Big Mac. So, I picture myself as this elderly man on a street corner with a McDonald’s paper cup (extra large) seeking spare change when I retire. 

Someone who gets discouraged to this point refuses to look on the positive side, he becomes totally pessimistic. He is convinced that disaster and tragedy lie ahead and will not raise a finger to do anything about it. In my case, I am beyond retirement years but will not retire for I fear I might end up on that street corner.  That is ridiculous of course. Looking on the positive side I live in a great country, not some third-world nation.  One thing that makes us great is that this country takes care of its poor and seniors.  My father help start a rescue mission in a run-down area of Chicago when I was a child. I went with him to this mission many times where he would walk the streets witnessing and preaching to the homeless encouraging them to seek shelter in the mission. I drive a disability bus through Chicago every day. So I am aware of the homeless problem. But I am also aware of the massive amount of help that is out there. I am also aware that many are on the streets because of mental problems and addiction problems. I am also aware that many just ignore the help that is offered.  What I know for a fact is that homelessness could be hundreds of times greater were it not for all the governmental safeguards and charitable organizations working tirelessly to help the homeless. 

My point is that I drive a disability bus where most of my passengers are senior citizens. I’ve driven some seniors whose only income is a social security check for around $800 a month, but then they have food stamps, Medicaid and Medicare, section 8 housing, food banks, second-hand clothing stores, and benefits galore. They live in a comfortable apartment, never go hungry, and never get cold in the winter because our government and numerous charitable agencies like the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities have many additional safety nets for us seniors. Homelessness, starvation, or freezing to death does not have to happen to our seniors in this country. Yeah, I know there are those who take advantage of all this but that is the price we pay to protect those who are truly in need. There are those who fit the commentator’s view of Ecclesiastes 4:5 who fold their hands and think the world owes them a living. But I think this verse also applies to those who fold their hands in hopelessness and are just too proud to ask for help.  If they are homeless, starving, or freezing it is only because they choose not to search out the options and are just too, here it is again, proud to admit they need help. Such people who will refuse such help when they really need it are either too proud or are just eating their own flesh, that is, self tormentors or both. 

Such people may say: “It is no use, I am too old or too feeble to work so I will just give up. I will not lower my pride and seek help from the sources that exist for someone in my situation.”  Such a person who gives up is called a “fool.”  

David said in Psalms 37:25: “I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread”  The context of this verse is David is making a reference to Hebraic laws.  His nation followed the laws of God. The laws of God, like our laws, provided many safety nets for widow, orphans, the disabled, and those who could not care for themselves. My only problem with the assistance programs that our nation offers is that this should really be the role of the church and not the government. But, maybe that is why this nation has not gone bankrupt because we are such a benevolent nation. I know, there are politics and those who abuse the system, which is also addressed in this verse. But still, if it reaches the point that I become too feeble or ill to drive a disability bus or earn a living and Christians just don’t care about the glorious words that I write and do not purchase my books, God has plopped me in the best nation in the world who cares for its disabled and elderly and if I do not seek the programs it provides because of pride, I would be a kasal, a fool. 

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