What is the meaning of "v'Nasati Es Libi Lidrosh?"?
Rav Sadya Gaon: I put to my heart and strove to seek? Seforno - with all my ability to attain Chachmah, I also toiled. If one says that he toiled [in Chachmah] and did not find (success), do not believe him (Megilah 6b).
Metzudas David: I investigated, not with my eyes, rather, with my Chachmah and intellect.
Metzudas Tziyon: "V'Nasati" is like Samti, like 'Nasan Bo Einav' (Shabbos 34a).
What is "Lasur"?
Metzudas Tziyon: It is to search and investigate, like "Lasur Es ha'Aretz" (Bamidbar 13:16).
What Chachmah did he seek?
Rashi: Torah.
Why does it say "Tachas ha'Shamayim"?
Ibn Ezra #1: This is like "Tachas ha'Shamesh" (14).
Ibn Ezra: This hints to the supreme Galgal, with all the Heavenly legions - the Chachmah of Mazalos (constellations). Then he looked to know the root of everything done under the power of Shamayim.
Rid: This refers to all acts of man.
R. Avigdor: It says so three times in Koheles (also 2:3, 3:1), for the world is a third sea, a third settled, and a third Midbar - "v'Chol ba'Shalish Afar ha'Aretz" (Yeshayah 40:12).
Seforno: Like all investigators, I began with [physical] matters that cease; from there, one goes to what is above them.
What is "Inyan [Ra]"?
Rav Sadya Gaon: It is a bad distraction.
Rashi #1: Hashem gave to man choice to choose life or death, good or evil.
Rashi #2: It is bad conduct. Rashbam - it is from the root Aneh (La'anos), just like Kinyan is from Kanah (Liknos).
Rashi #3: It is an expression of Ma'on (residence).
Rashi #4: It is Iyun (investigation and thought).
Ibn Ezra #1, Rid. It is engaging in something that does not help.
Ibn Ezra #2: It is a hard matter to know [the stars that cause what happens below]. There is no number to them; early Chachamim recognized only 1022 1 .
Seforno: I found that my heart and intellect are lacking. They are merely potential, but not actual.
Metzudas David: It is a bad matter, that Hashem left all deeds to people, to give to them choice to do like their desires 2 .
Magihah (in Toras Chayim): This is the number that the [naked] eye can see. ("U'Sfor ha'Kochavim Im Tuchal Lispor Osam" (Bereishis 15:5) implies that one cannot count the stars that the eye can see! And is it such a Brachah that a nation of 1022 will descend from him? The luminaries dimmed (Yo'el 2:10) due to punishments against Yisrael (Rashi). Perhaps nowadays one can see only 1022, but Avraham could see so many that it is impossible to count them - PF.)
Without choice, there is no reason for reward! Perhaps Metzudas David means that most people choose improperly; for them it is a bad matter. Likewise, Chazal concluded that it would have been better for man had he not been created (Eruvin 13b), i.e. for most people. (PF)
Why does it say "Nasan Elokim"?
Rashi: He left [choice] in front of them. Metzudas Tziyon - Nasan is abandoning, like "v'Lo Nasan Sichon" (Bamidbar 21:23).
What is the meaning of "La'anos Bo"?
Rashi: To conduct in it.
Ibn Ezra #1: This is like Inyan (to engage in it).
Ibn Ezra #2, Metzudas Tziyon: It is an expression of Inuy (affliction) - "Ani Anisi 1 Me'od" (Tehilim 116:10).
Ibn Ezra #3: It is [testifying,] like "Lo Sa'aneh v'Re'acha" (Shemos 20:13). This Perush is better.
Ri Kara: "La'anos" is like La'aniyos, like "Ad Masai Me'anta Le'anos Mipanai" (Shemos 10:3), i.e. to be humbled. Here it is to make humble. Hashem caused that all man's deeds are Hevel to humble man in front of Him.
Rid: To engage in this world.
Seforno (here and 3:10): It is to be humbled. When man realizes his lack, he will not be haughty to think that he acts, like his Maker, like Melech Tzor said "Kel Ani Moshav Elokim Yashavti" (Yechezkel 28:2). He will not rebel intentionally, like Adam ha'Rishon. Rather, he should try to resemble Hashem as much as he can.
Metzudas David (here and 3:10): It is to punish them for their [bad] choices. If not for choice, there would not be punishment! Also, they use choice to do things at improper times, and via this they are afflicted. If they would do them at the proper times, it would be good for them.
Ibn Ezra: It is better to say that "Anisi" is [beginning,] like "va'Ya'an Iyov" (Iyov 3:2). The verse after "Anisi" supports this - "Ani Amarti b'Chafzi" (Tehilim 116:11). (It says "Ani Anisi Me'od"! Perhaps he began to talk very much. - PF)
