Torah Community Connections

Week 136 - Monday - 1 July 2002

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 12

Rabbi Eleazar ben Shamua said: Let the honor of your disciple be as dear to you as your own; and the honor of your friend, as the reverence for your master; and the reverence for your master, as the reverence for Heaven.

Kehati

Throughout the Mishnah Rabbi Eleazar denotes Rabbi Eleazar ben Shamua, a disciple of Rabbi Akiva. The Gemara (Eruv. 53a) notes: "Rabbi (Yehudah HaNasi) said: When we learned Torah from Rabbi Eleazar ben Shamua, we used to sit six to the cubit," i.e., he had many students who sat crowded together. "He used to say: Great is peace, for it is naught else but peace that the prophets implanted in the mouths of all creatures" (Sifrei Naso). In our Mishnah, Rabbi Eleazar defines man's relationship to student, friend, and teacher.

Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said: Let the honor of your disciple be as dear to you as your own - thus we find Moses saying to Joshua: "Choose us men" (Ex. 17:9); he did not say, 'Choose me,’ but rather, 'Choose us,’ and this teaches us that he compared Joshua to himself, even though he was the master and Joshua the disciple (Avot de Rabbi Natan 27).

And the honor of your friend, as the reverence for your master - as Aaron said to Moses (Num. 12:11): "Oh, my lord." Even though Moses was his younger brother, Aaron addressed him as his master (ibid.). Furthermore (B.M. 33a): "The Torah scholars of Babylonia would rise before one another, and when in mourning rend their garments for one another” (as required from a student for his stricken master, since they constantly sat together in the Bet Hamidrash, engaging in discussions, and learning from one another, Rashi).

And the reverence for your master, as the reverence for Heaven - as Joshua said to Moses (Num. 11:28): "My Lord, Moses, k'la'em (arrest them -tr.), i.e. kalem, eliminate them from this world for, having rebelled against you, it is as if they had risen against the Lord (ibid.; Bartenura). Tosefot Yom Tov explains that this Mishnah does not place the above mentioned on the same level, an equal status being evidently out of the question; it teaches us to cherish, honor, and revere each of these according to his station, as indicated by the term haviv (dear) which is applied to all of them.

A variant version of the Mishnah reads: Let the honor of your disciple be as dear to you as the honor of your friend and the Midrash Sh'muel explains that in order to assure every person his due respect, one should place each individual one step higher than his actual rank. Hence: Let the honor of your disciple be as dear to you as the honor of your friend - treat him as an equal, and the honor of your friend as the reverence for your master - consider him as a superior; and the reverence for your master as the reverence for Heaven. Our Sages explained (Shemot Rabba 3): "'And you shall be to him in God's stead' (Ex. 4: 16); (God said to Moses): Although Aaron is your elder brother, he must revere you. From this our Sages concluded that the reverence of your teacher should be as the reverence for Heaven. God said to Moses: As you are bidden to revere Me, so is he (Aaron), bidden to revere you."

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 13

Rabbi Yehudah said: Be careful in study, for an error in study is accounted a deliberate transgression. Rabbi Shimon said: There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship; but the crown of a good name excels them all.

Kehati

Throughout the Talmud all reference to Rabbi Yehudah denotes R. Yehudah bar Ilai, a disciple of Rabbi Akiva. He learnt Torah from his father, who was a disciple of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus. In his youth, Rabbi Yehudah studied under Rabbi Tarfon in Lod. In all disputes where Rabbi Yehudah disagrees with Rabbi Meir or with Rabbi Shimon, the Halakhah follows Rabbi Yehudah (Eruv. 46b), According to the Gemara (B.K. 103b): Whenever we read: 'it happened that a certain pious man... the reference is either to Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava or to Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai. Furthermore, (Sanh. 86a): 'The author of an anonymous statement in the Sifra (halakhic Midrash on Leviticus), is Rabbi Yehudah," who compiled the Sifra (i.e. Torat Kohanim) according to the teachings of his master, Rabbi Akiva. In our Mishnah, Rabbi Yehudah demands scrupulous precision in Torah study to forestall the harmful consequences of misunderstanding.

Rabbi Yehudah said: Be careful in study - of the Torah, to examine matters in detail and to understand the reasons underlying each subject, so that you will be able to draw the necessary halakhic conclusions, for an error in study is accounted a deliberate transgression - mistakes resulting from faulty notions in the process of learning are regarded as willful offences, for had the student taken sufficient care, he would not have blundered. Bartenura explains: "If you dispense a defective ruling as a result of negligent learning, and permit that which is forbidden, God considers it as if you had trespassed wittingly." Hameiri writes: "Our Mishnah urges that one should rehearse his lessons until he is totally familiar with the words of the Torah and always be ready to give a ruling; otherwise, he may be asked a pressing question, and give an improper ruling, thereby misleading the public; and he cannot plead oversight, for an error in study is counted a deliberate transgression... The point of our Mishnah is, that when ill prepared, one must not precipitate a decision without proper investigation; and when studying, he should not close the subject until he has mastered it thoroughly, lest his slackness give rise to a faulty decision."

Rabbi Shimon - Bar Yohai, said: There are three crowns - which the Torah requires us to honor: the crown of Torah - of which it is written (Lev. 19:32): "and honor the face of the elder” i.e. one who has acquired learning; the crown of priesthood - of which it is written(Lev. 21:8): "You shall sanctify him... he shall be holy unto you," and the crown of kingship - as it is written (Deut. 17: 15): "'You shall surely set a king over you,' that he inspire you with awe" (Kid. 32b): but the crown of a good name - resting on noble deeds and impeccable reputation, though not explicitly mentioned in the Torah as a crown deserving honor, nevertheless excels them all - as all three crowns are conditional on a good name, for a Torah scholar, High Priest, or king, we need not respect him if his conduct is evil and his reputation is poor(Bartenura).

Rambam comments: "The following three distinctions were presented to Israel with the giving of the Torah, namely: The priesthood, the kingship, and the Torah. The priesthood went to Aaron, as it is written(Num. 25:13):'and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood'; kingship went to David, as it is written (Ps. 89:37):'His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me'; but the crown of Torah was set aside for whoever wishes to adorn himself with it. Our Rabbis taught (Yoma 72b): "Lest you say, that this crown is inferior to the others - it is not so, but rather it is superior to them, and both depend on it (for their honor), as it is written(Prov. 8:15):'By Me kings reign and princes decree justice'... but the crown of a good name flows from the Torah, i.e. from knowing it and from acting according to its precepts; for this is the true basis of a good name" (Rambam, SeferHama'or).

Other commentators associate this Mishnah with the three assets cherished by mankind: that of wealth, that of lineage, and that of learning. We are warned not to boast about a single one of them, nor even if we possess all three of them, for everything comes from God... Thus, our main concern should be with the service of God, with keeping the mitzvot, with acts of loving-kindness, and honest dealing, so as to gain the approval and sympathy of all who see and hear us; hence the statement: and the crown of a good name excels them all. Our Sages taught (Yoma 86a): "When a man devotes himself to Torah, speaks gently. and deals with people pleasantly, what do people say of him? Have you seen this person, who follows the Torah - how pleasant are his deeds, and how perfect his ways? Happy is he, and happy is his lot; happy is his father who raised him, happy is his teacher who taught him Torah…" and this is the real sanctification of God and His Torah. Thus, also in a Baraita: (Derekh Ererz Zutta 2): "Be humiliated by yourself and not by others: let not your lips shame you; let not your mouth bless you, nor your tongue curse you... if-you desire the love of man - take his benefit into account in your dealings; and if you wish to avoid sin - ponder its consequences" (Hameiri).

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