For the source text click/tap here: Yevamot 21
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Our daf explains how we learn the law of secondary relationships from the Torah as follows:
Rav Yehuda said from here: with regard to King Solomon:
ט וְיֹתֵר, שֶׁהָיָה קֹהֶלֶת חָכָם: עוֹד, לִמַּד-דַּעַת אֶת-הָעָם, וְאִזֵּן וְחִקֵּר, תִּקֵּן מְשָׁלִים הַרְבֵּה.
9 And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Eccl 12:9
“He weighed [izzen] and sought out, and set in order many proverbs” and Ulla said that Rabbi Elazar said: Before Solomon came, the Torah was like a basket [kefifa] without handles [oznayim], until Solomon came and made handles for it.
By means of his explanation and proverbs he enabled each person to understand and take hold of the Torah, fulfill its mitzvot, and distance himself from transgressions.
We examine the traditional midrashic material concerning Shlomo Hamelech’s wisdom and use of the parable as a tool to make lofty spiritual concepts accessible.