Speaking of Solomon...(San 20)

Today's daf speaks to Dr. Gray's comment a while back about the duel characterization of Solomon. There she points out that the "wise Solomon" turns into the "oppressive Solomon" later in his life.  In today's daf we also learn that Solomon changed throughout this life. But instead of growing wicked with each passing day, the Talmud explains that Solomon grows powerless.

We read that initially Solomon reigned over the upper beings (the commentators debate whether this includes the angels or just other heavenly beings). Then he reigned over only humans. As time went on he only reigned over only Jews, then only over Jews living in Jerusalem. Finally he reigned over only himself and his own life. Ultimately he lost even this and reigned over his poverty (as symbolized in the Midrash by his walking stick).

I wonder in light of Dr. Gray's comment if this is a symbol for Solomon's decent. Maybe this Midrash is symbolizing the movement toward his spiritual and moral poverty that we see in 1 Kings 12-13. However, even if an interesting characterization of Solomon this explanation doesn't do it for me. What lesson can I really take from this that will be helpful in my life?

Maybe this Midrash is a symbol for something else.  We read in Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:14, "It has been taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: When a person enters the world, his hands are clenched as though to say, 'The whole world is mine. I shall inherit it.' But when he leaves, his hands are spread open as though to say, 'I have taken nothing from the world.'"

Solomon's story is like this. When he was young the world was open to him. The angels and all of humanity were open to him because of his wisdom. He was destined for greatness. As he aged, he (and the world) learned slowly that he would not live forever and eventually he could not touch heaven or humanity, or the Jews. Ultimately was only left in control of himself. And as often happens with aging, even his own health dropped off at the end.

Solomon is a great example of the struggle we all face; when we are young we seek to change the world only to find that while we can make little differences, even the "Solomons" among us never can make the kind of differences about which we dream.