What is the message of the book of Kohelet, and why is it read on Sukkot? A close examination of the book reveals that it is unlike most of the other books in Tanakh.  The reader of Kohelet is struck by the tone of despair that is prominent throughout the book. Its verses consistently voice the lack of meaning and purpose in life, and contradictory phrases abound. This stands in sharp contrast to all other books of Tanakh, where we are accustomed to an optimistic approach and life is infused with meaning through its connection to Torah values. However, there is a clear ideological shift from the beginning of the book to the end. This shift can help us answer the question why we read the book of kohelet on Sukkot - by teaching us that the type of life we live on this earth needs to be molded by permanence.

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion