«Disse no meu coração»: a singularidade da reflexão dos sábios de Israel

Following in the footsteps of tradition, the sage of the book of Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes), like all the authors of the Old Testament, assumes an understanding of the term ‘heart’ that expresses in vivid imagery the language of the affections and emotions proper to every human being. While outlining the tradition, Qoheleth, like all the sages, differs in the way he is able to enlarge and probe the biblical tradition of the human and theological place of the heart. This process of continuity and deepening calls for a more careful and intelligent reflection on existence. Getting to the essence of the tradition, Qoheleth makes the heart a singular and determining place, where human and religious discourse happens. It is in and through the heart that the wise person experiences the challenges of will, of fear and courage, the pangs of conscience and the very awareness of intellectual questioning. The heart is a central place for thought, will and inner strength. In the book of Quoheleth, in singular and clear discontinuity, the center ceases to be the place (the heart) and becomes the self-thinking that develops within the human being; an intense activity of self-reflection by those who seek to understand life.