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Week 138 - Thursday - 18 July 2002

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAP 6: INTRODUCTION

(The following lessons, too) the Sages taught in the language of the Mishnah, Blessed be He, who chose them and their Mishnah.

Kehati

This chapter contains baraitot (from the root bara’ah,"external," i.e., tannaitic statements not included in the Mishnah - tr.) in praise of the Torah and those who study it. Hence, the chapter is called Kinyan Torah (The Acquisition of Torah ), or Perek de Rabbi Meir (The Chapter of Rabbi Meir), since it opens with Rabbi Meir said. As mentioned in our introduction to this Tractate, the present chapter was added to Pirkei Avot at a later time, when it became customary to study a chapter of Avot on Shabbatot between Pesah and Shavuot, that it might be studied on the Shabbat before Shavuot which celebrates the Giving of the Torah. The introductory statement at the beginning of the chapter informs us that the following lessons, though baraitot, are couched in the style of the Mishnah. According to Midrash Sh’muel, the opening statement informs us that the baraitot have equal status with the Mishnayot, the difference being that the Mishnayot were taught in the academy of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, whereas the Baraitot were taught beyond its confines by his disciples, Rabbi Hiyya, Rabbi Oshayah, and Bar Kappara (Hul 141b). This chapter is found almost in its entirety in the Seder Eliyahu Zutta, Chapt. 17, and in Tractate Kallah Rabbati, Chapt. 8.

(The following lessons, too) the Sages taught in the language of the Mishnah – Shanu Hakhamim "The Sages taught is a Hebrew rendering of the Aramaic Tanu Rabbanan recurring throughout the Talmud seeing that the following teachings are couched in the (Neo-Hebrew ~ tr.) style of the Mishnah: Blessed be He who chose them - the Sages, and their Mishnah - the doctrines which they expounded, as it is written(Deut. 17:11): "According to the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, shall you do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto you, to the right or to the left." Our Sages (Av. Zar. 35a) said that the verse "for thy love (dodekha) is better than wine" (Cant. 1:2) signifies that the words of your beloved ones (the exponents of the Oral Torah) are more pleasant to God than the wine of the Torah (the written source of the Torah – Rashi). Tiferet Yisrael explains and their Mishnah - "that God approved also the teachings of the Sages, because they did not pursue scholarship for the sake of self-glorification; and we are herein admonished not to suspect the Rabbis of having extolled Torah study in this chapter solely because it happened to be their profession."

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 6: MISHNAH 1

Rabbi Meir said: He who occupies himself with Torah for its own sake, merits many things; moreover, he is deserving of the whole world - He is called: friend, beloved (of God), a lover of God, a lover of mankind, one who gladdens God, one who gladdens mankind; and it clothes him in humility and reverence, and trains him to be righteous and pious, upright and faithful. It keeps him far from sin, and draws him near to virtue. From him men enjoy good counsel and sound knowledge, understanding and fortitude, as it is written (Prov, 8:14) “Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge; I am understanding and power is mine." It gives him sovereignty and dominion and discernment in judgment. The mysteries of the Torah are revealed to him; he is made like an ever-increasing spring, and like a river that never fails. He becomes modest and forbearing, and forgiving of insults. It magnifies and elevates him above all things,

Kehati

Rabbi Meir said: He who occupies himself with the Torah for its own sake to learn its message and practice its tenets merits many things - which are specified below. (Mahzor Vitri). Alternatively, the many things are in addition to those enumerated below, and refer to the enjoyment of the advantages of this world, whereas the praises listed below denote spiritual attainments associated with the perfection of the soul (Midrash Sh'muel); moreover, he is deserving of the whole world - the world was created and is sustained for his sake, since the entire universe came into being for the sake of the Torah. Thus, our Sages (Bereshit Rabba, Chapt. 1), rendered the opening phrase of the Bible: "Be-reshit, for the sake of Reshit, bara Elokim, God created heaven and earth” and reshit – beginning, refers to the Torah, as in (Prov, 8:22): “The Lord has made me as the beginning (Reshit) of His way.” Accordingly, he who studies the Torah for its own sake fulfils the will of his Creator. The Talmud (Ber. 6b): comments on, the verse (Eccl. 12:13) “’The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man’ - all of creation has no other purpose but this."

And these are the things which he merits: He is called: friend-of God, as it is written (Ps. 139:17): "and to me, how valuable is Your friendship, O God." beloved (of God) - as it is written (Prov. 8:17): "I love them that love me” Tiferet Yisrael comments: He is called friend - "worthwhile to befriend and to be consulted on every matter; beloved - by all because of his superb qualities and noble character. Others comment that there are friends who are not beloved while there are friends who are also beloved; but he who is devoted to the Torah for its own sake is a beloved friend to all; i.e. to God and men alike (J. Yavetz); a lover of God - Who studies the Divine Torah out of love a lover of mankind - drawing them close to the Torah and guiding them on the right path, that they, too, might derive the maximum benefit. According to Tiferet Yisrael the lover of mankind loves even the depraved, who do not deserve to be loved except that they too are the creatures of God, one who gladdens God - by his intellect and conduct. Midrash Sh'muel explains that because of his qualities, God is favorable to the world, and this gladdens the Almighty, who desires to benefit His creatures, and He rejoices in the act; one who gladdens mankind – by his wise observations and exemplary deeds.

According to the Midrash Sh'muel it is through his merit that the whole world derives happiness and contentment; and it clothes him in humility and reverence - the Torah bestows upon him these qualities: humility and reverent fear of Heaven, as our Sages (Vayikra Rabba 37) noted on the verse: "'You did pluck up a vine out of Egypt' (Ps. 80:9) - just as the grapevine bears large and small clusters, and the larger cluster seems lower than the one next to it, so too Israel: the more a Jew labors in the Torah, and surpasses his neighbor in learning, the more humble he appears;" and it is written (Deut. 17:19): "that he may learn to fear the Lord his God" - this tells us that study leads to reverence of God (Sifrei, Shoftim); and trains him to be righteous - in his faith, and pious- in his deeds, which go beyond the letter of the law, upright - in his heart, and faithful - in his speech.

According to Tiferet Yisrael, a person is righteous in his relation to God, pious in his attitude towards his fellow-man, honest with himself, i.e., guarding his character against deterioration through indolence, gluttony, etc., and faithful - steadfast in his way of life, unyielding to his passions or random circumstances.

It keeps him far from sin - even in his thoughts and yearnings, because he masters his spirit and restrains his impulse, and draws him near to virtue – to the performance of mitzvot and charitable deeds. Alternatively, keeping far from sin means that others will not stumble into sin on his account, and drawing near to virtue means that others gain merit by his example. From him men enjoy good counsel and sound knowledge - contained in the Torah which men learn from him; understanding - the gateway to knowledge, and fortitude – of putting this knowledge into practice (Midrash Sh'muel). As it is written: "Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge (this statement is made by wisdom, i.e. the Torah), I am understanding, and power is mine" - he who devotes himself to the Torah for its own sake is graced with all of these qualities. It gives him sovereignty -- as they said (Git. 62a): "How do we know that the Sages are called kings? Because it is written (Prov. 8:15): "By me (wisdom - Torah) kings reign," and dominion – as the Gemara observes (Ber. 6b): "Whoever has fear of heaven, his words are heard," and discernment in judgment - the power of unraveling the intricacies of a case so as to dispense a fair verdict.

The mysteries of the Torah are revealed to him - as it is written (Ps.25:14): "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," he is made like an ever-increasing spring, and like a river that never fails - a variant version reverses the order: "like a spring that never ceases and like an overflowing river," i.e., his knowledge constantly grows, and whoever draws near to him may quench his thirst by the wellspring of his Torah and wisdom (Emunat Sh'muel), as it is written (Prov. 5:16): "Let your springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets." He becomes modest - though he gains fame for his intellect and personality, he retains his modest character, and forbearing - and tolerant; some commentators distinguish between 'forbearing' (erekh ruah) and 'long suffering' (erekh appayim); the latter, though susceptible to anger contains his wrath and delays his retribution, whereas the former is inaccessible to anger altogether, even when subject to objectionable treatment (Midrash Sh'muel), and forgiving of insults - he will rather be offended than hurt others and count among those who hear themselves abused, yet do not counter (Shab. 88b); moreover, he forgives those who have assailed him, that they should not incur punishment on his account.

It magnifies and elevates him above all things - having attained all these qualities, the Torah raises him above all the works of creation, as it is written (Ps. 8:7): "You have granted (man) dominion over the works of Your hands" (Minhat Shabbat). Alternatively, above all things (ma'asim) refers to ma'asei hamitzvot - the performance of the Divine precepts. Accordingly, such is the character attained by the person who devotes himself to the Torah for its own sake, that the mitzvot glory in him rather than him glorying in the mitzvot, as though he towered above them and his own rank transcended that of the mitzvot (Midrash Sh’muel).

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 6: MISHNAH 2

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Every day a heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Horev proclaiming and saying: 'Woe to mankind for their disdain of the Torah!' For he who does not occupy himself with the Torah is called "rebuked," as it is written (Prov. 11:22): "As a golden ring in the snout of a swine, so is a fair woman without discretion." And it says (Ex. 32:16): "And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets." Read not "graven" (harut), but "freedom" (herut

Kehati

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was a foremost scholar of the first generation of amoraim in Eretz Yisrael. He learned Torah from Bar Kappara, a disciple of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, but his specific teacher was Rabbi Yehudah ben P'dayah; the nephew of Bar Kappara (Bereshit Rabba 94:5). He resided and taught in the city of Lod, and in his ebbing years he moved to Tiberias. Involved in communal work, he complained that because of the ceaseless public calls, he had forgotten many of the halakhot he had learned from Rabbi Yehudah ben P'dayah (Tanhuma, Va'era). Renowned for his piety, he attained in his visions the privilege of meeting the prophet Elijah, He is also said to have entered Paradise while still alive (Ket. 77b). Spreading Torah was his ideal occupation, and he taught it even to those suffering from contagious diseases. He refused to part from them, even when they crowded around him, declaring that "the Torah protects those who study it" (ibid.). Moreover, he extolled the Torah as the best cure from illness, thus "he who suffers from headaches, let him study Torah;" and even "if one's whole body was ailing, let him study Torah" (Eruv. 54b).

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Every day a heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Horev - i.e., Mount Sinai, where the Torah was given, proclaiming and saying: Woe to mankind for their disdain of the Torah! - when they fail to study it; the Torah is greatly offended; hence, "Woe to mankind!" The term bat kol ("heavenly voice"), has several interpretations. According to Tosefot Yom Tov (Yev. 16:6): "the bat kol, frequently mentioned in Rabbinic literature, was the voice consulted once prophecy had ceased; it is a voice created by God for that very moment to impart His mysteries to those who revere Him." Midrash Sh'muel however, comments on our Mishnah: "It is worth noting, since this voice warns men to devote themselves to the study of the Torah regularly, it should be heard throughout the whole world. Hence, we may conclude that this statement should be understood metaphorically. The Torah was given on Mount Horev - Sinai, where all Israel swore to engage in its study day and night; when they fail to do so, they should imagine as if Mount Horev itself was proclaiming and declaring: "Woe to mankind for their disdain of the Torah"

For he who does not occupy himself with the Torah - as he should, is called rebuked - he deserves to be reprimanded for his objectionable conduct. According to Rashi, rebuked means excommunicated (a stage preceding that of the formal ban, the herem - tr.). Similarly, in Mahzor Vitri: "He is like one who is excommunicated by Heaven, as it is written (Deut. 27:26):'Cursed be he who does not establish the words of this Torah,' and if he does not study them, how can he establish them? Surely, 'the ignorant cannot be sin-fearing, nor can the unlettered be pious.' " Our Sages note (Shevu. 36a): "Arur (cursed) connotes both excommunication and curse; this proves that he is excommunicated by Heaven,” as it is written: "As a golden ring in the snout of a swine, so is a fair woman without discretion" - this alludes to a man who knows Torah, but neglects its study; he is like the swine which soils the golden ring hung on its snout, and like the woman whose lack of discernment mars her beauty and renders it loathsome. It is likewise pointed out that nazuf (rebuked) is an abbreviation (notarikon) of ring of gold in a snout (Nezem Zahav be-af).

And it - the Bible, says: "And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets." Read not "graven”(harut) but "freedom" (herut) for no man is free - from domination by his evil inclinations and passions, but he who occupies himself with the study of Torah – as noted in the previous Mishnah, that the Torah "clothes him in humility and reverence, and keeps him far from sin, and draws him near to virtue, and magnifies and elevates him above all things."

And he who devotes himself regularly to the study of Torah, shall be exalted - will rise to greatness by virtue of his Torah knowledge and the noble character traits which he thereby acquired, as it is written: "And from Mattanah - gift i.e., Torah to Nahaliel - Divine heritage and from Nahaliel to Bamot - high places." The opening words of this verse: "And from the wilderness to Mattanah," our Sages expounded thus (Eruv. 54a): "If a man renders himself as the wilderness upon which everyone treads, his learning is retained by him, and the Torah is given to him as a gift (Mattanah); once it is given to him as a gift, ‘his heritage is God (Nahalo El),' as it is written: 'And from Mattanah to Nahaliel…’ And once his heritage is God, he rises to greatness (Bamot - high places), as it is written: 'And from Nahaliel to Bamot."'

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