Torah Community Connections

Week 134 - Tuesday - 18 June 2002

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 4

Rabbi Hananyah ben Hakhinai said: He who stays awake at night, or walks the road alone, or turns his heart to idleness, transgresses against his own soul.

Kehati

Rabbi Hananyah ben Hakhinai was a foremost disciple of Rabbi Akiva, who taught him both the revealed and the hidden aspects of the Torah, i.e. ma'ase bereshit - the mysteries of Creation, and ma'ase merkava -the mysteries of the Divine Chariot (Hag. 14b). According to Midrash Eleh Ezkerah, he was one of the Ten Martyrs, and was ninety-five years old at the time of his execution by the Romans.

Rabbi Hananyah ben Hakhinai said: He who stays awake at night, or walks the road alone, or turns his heart to idleness. In another version, the latter two subject clauses are interconnected thus: if a man is awake at night, or is walking along a road alone, and at that time, turns his heart to idle things, rather than devote himself to Torah, transgresses against his own soul – because night is a time of peril, and he who journeys alone is in danger of robbery and other adversities; but, if he studies the Torah, the Torah protects him (Rashi. Bartenura). Moreover, night time is favorable to reflection and should thus be devoted to themes pleasing to God, i.e. the study of Torah, for at night man is free from labor and is not disturbed by others. When at such an opportune time a man exposes his heart to vanities, he sins against his very life, for he is wasting a precious chance to steep himself in the Torah (Rabbenu Yonah).

Rambam notes that (Hil. Talmud Torah 3:13): "Even though it is a mitzvah to learn by day as well as by night, most of man's intellectual assets are gained at night. Therefore, whoever aspires to the crown of the Torah should mind his nights, so as not to waste them on mere sleep, eating, drinking, chatter, and the like; but use it for the study of the Torah and the sciences." Other commentators consider the three subject clauses separately. Accordingly, Rabbi Hananyah is referring to three distinct situations: 1. He who stays awake the whole night, and thereby harms his health; 2. He who walks the road alone, and exposes himself to robbers and highwaymen, and 3. He who turns his heart to idleness, neglecting both Torah and worldly matters, and allowing his mind to become confused and desolate. In each of these three failings he transgresses against his own soul, by the self-inflicted harm to his personal welfare. Rabbi Hananyah warns us, that however great our faith in G-d's Providence, and our belief in His reward or punishment according to individual merit or failing, man is well advised not to transgress against himself, and to beware of courting danger (Hameiri).

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 5

Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakanah said: Whoever takes upon himself the yoke of Torah, from him are removed the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly care; but whoever casts off the yoke of the Torah, upon him are placed the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly care.

Kehati

Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakanah was a contemporary of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai and the teacher of Rabbi Yishmael. He attained long life, and when his disciples asked him how he had merited this, he said to them (Meg. 28a): "Throughout my whole life, I never sought honor at the expense of my fellow-man, nor has the curse of my fellow-man ever gone up with me upon my bed, and I was generous with my money." In Mishnah Berakhot 4:3, we learn: "Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakanah used to recite a short prayer upon entering and upon leaving the Bet Hamidrash. He was asked: What need is there for this prayer? He answered them: Upon entering I pray that no mishap should happen through me; and upon leaving, I give thanks for my lot" (that He has cast my lot with those who frequent the House of Study).

Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakanah said: whoever takes upon himself the yoke of Torah - by learning Torah diligently, from him are removed the yoke of government - e.g. taxation and other levies imposed upon the public for the expenditure of the state, and the yoke of worldly care - he earns a smooth living since his labors are blessed. Thus, in reward for having accepted the yoke of Torah, he is relieved of the current pressures and afflictions of life.

But whoever casts off the yoke of Torah - saying: The yoke of the Torah is too burdensome for me to bear (Bartenura) or he who dissipates his time on worldly affairs and does not allow his mind to contemplate the Torah and mitzvot (Hameiri), upon him are placed the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly care - as it is written (Job 5:7): "But man is born unto labor." Thus, if he does not devote himself to the Torah, he is exposed to the pressures of government and the yoke of earthly life, as the Talmud states: (Ber. 35b): "When Israel performs the work of G-d, their work is carried out by others, as it is written. (Is. 61:5-6): 'And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and aliens shall be your ploughmen and your vinedressers, and you shall be called the priests of the Lord...' But when Jews fail to perform the will of G-d, their work must be performed by themselves. Moreover, they are also burdened with the work of others, as it is written (Deut. 28:47-8): 'Because you did not serve the Lord your G-d with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; therefore, you shall serve your enemy."' Furthermore, it is said (Tanna de Bei Eliyahu Rabba 13): "He who wishes to labor in worldly affairs, is permitted to do so, and of him Scripture says.’But man is born unto labor.' To what may this be likened? To a goatskin filled with water, which is leaking; after a while nothing is left in the skin. Likewise he, who wishes to labor in the Torah, is permitted to do so, and of him Scripture says (Prov. 16:26): 'The person who labors, exerts himself for his own benefit, as his mouth compels him.' (When his mouth clamors for food, his labors stand him in good stead, and he is able to eat from his accumulated effort, Rashi). To what may this be likened? To the doorstep upon which all tread (thus all benefit from the enlightenment of the Torah scholar who proceeds to teach others), and to the plank over which all pass, and to the tree in whose shade all sit, and to the lamp which illuminates the eyes of so many."

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