Torah Community Connections

Week 133 - Wednesday - 12 June 2002

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 2: MISHNAH 8

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received (Torah) from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have learned much Torah, do not claim merit for yourself, because for this purpose you were created. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai had the following five disciples: Rabbi Eleazer ben Hyrkanus, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananyah, Rabbi Yose Hacohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh. He used to recount their praises: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop; Rabbi Yehoshua - happy is she who gave birth to him; Rabbi Yose is a pious man; Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel is a sin-fearing man; and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh is an overflowing spring. He used to say: if all the Sages of Israel were on one side of the scale, and Eliezer ben Hyrkanus on the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: If all the Sages of Israel, including Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus, were on one side of the scale, and Rabbi Eleazar on the other, Rabbi Eleazar would outweigh them all.

Kehati

"Hillel the Elder had eighty disciples. Thirty of them deserved that the Divine Presence should rest upon them as it did upon Moses. Thirty of them merited that the sun should stand still for them as it did for Joshua bin Nun, and twenty of them were of ordinary stature. The greatest of them all was Yonatan ben Uziel; and the least of them was Yohanan ben Zakkai. It was said of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, that he had not left out a verse of Scriptures, Mishnah, Gemara, halakhot (law), and aggadot (lore), dikdukei Torah, and dikdukei sofrim, (the subtleties of Biblical and Rabbinic exegesis), kal vahomer (inferences a fortiori), and gezerot shavot (inferences from parallel expressions in disparate verses), tekufot (calendrical calculations) and gematriot (interpretations based on the numerical values of Hebrew letters), the conversations of ministering angels, and of demons and (the omens) of palm trees, the parables of washers, and foxes' fables, great and small matters alike" (Suk. 28a). Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai served as Nasi after the death of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder in the years preceding the destruction of the Second Temple, and for ten years thereafter, but the Mishnah first recorded the sayings of Sages who lived after Yohanan ben Zakkai so as not to interrupt the succession of Nesi'im from the House of Hillel. Now, our Mishnah emphasizes that Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received (Torah) from Hillel and Shammai although this point was not made concerning the Sages quoted thus far after Hillel and Shammai, in order to establish the true sequence of the development of the tradition. Yohanan ben Zakkai was granted the title Rabban, even though he did not descend from the House of Hillel. After the destruction of the Temple, he headed the great Yeshivah of Kerem b'Yavneh, which he transformed into a centre of Torah instruction throughout Israel. After Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, the office of Nasi reverted to Rabban Gamliel II, a descendant of Hillel.

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received (Torah) from Hillel and Shammai -as explained above. He used to say: If you have learned much Torah, do not claim merit for yourself - as if you had acted beyond your call of duty, because for this purpose you were created - you are under obligation to study Torah as it is written (Josh. 1:8): "This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall meditate in it day and night," and whoever fulfills his duty cannot he considered for special praise. Alternatively: because for this purpose you were created - the study of Torah is the very basis of your existence, as it is written (Gen. 1:31): "And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day," which our Sages interpreted that G-d created the world on condition that Israel would accept the Torah (given on Mt. Sinai on the sixth of Sivan); otherwise, the whole universe would revert to chaos. Hence, every Jew is duty bound to study Torah, and it cannot be considered an act of special merit (Rashi). Midrash Sh'muel explains: If you have learned much Torah, do not claim merit for yourself - alone, saying: "It is enough that I myself have learned, and I am not obliged to teach others," because for this purpose you were created - to learn in order to teach, as they said (R. H. 23a): "He who learns Torah and does not teach it, is like a myrtle in the wilderness, which no one enjoys."

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai had the following five disciples - being the most prominent of his numerous students. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus - is the Sage referred to in the Mishnah simply as Rabbi Eliezer; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananyah - generally referred to in the Mishnah simply as Rabbi Yehoshua, who opposed the views of Rabbi Eliezer; Rabbi Yose Hacohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh - these five outstanding scholars were the recipients of the tradition (Hameiri, Rashbatz). He - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, used to recount their praises - he emphasized the special quality of each scholar. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus is like a plastered cistern which loses not a drop - just as a cistern sealed with plaster fully retains the wine or water stored in it, so Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus forgets nothing of what he has learned; Rabbi Yehoshua - happy is she who gave birth to him - Rabbi Yehoshua was graced with noble characteristics, so that everybody praised the one who bore him saying: Happy is the mother who gave birth to such a son. Some explain, that his mother used to take his cradle to the Bet Hamidrash to accustom his ears to the sound of Torah (Yerushalmi, Yev. 1:6), and thus enabled him to absorb the Torah from early infancy, and this refined his soul; Rabbi Yose is a pious man - who acted beyond the letter of the law. In Avot de Rabbi Natan we read: Yose Hacohen was the most pious man of his generation unequalled by any other man; Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel is a sin-fearing man - he is strict with himself, and avoids doing even that which is permitted, when this might lead to sin; and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh is an overflowing spring - a man of keen intelligence and profound understanding, able to reason independently and adding to what he had learned from his teacher, like a gushing spring whose waters constantly renew themselves.

He - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, used to say: If all the Sages of Israel were on one side of the scale and Eliezer ben Hyrkanus on the other - if one should weigh the quality of Rabbi Eliezer by his phenomenal memory and mastery of all that he learned, against the qualities of the other Sages, he would outweigh them all - as they said (Ber. 64a): "Everyone needs the wheat owner" (i.e., the expert in all the departments of the Torah, whose learning is at his fingertips). Abba Shaul said in his - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai's - name, If all the Sages of Israel, including Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus were on one side of the scale, and Rabbi Eleazar on the other, Rabbi Eleazar would outweigh them all - his keen intelligence being superior to the mere mastery of the sources. Others comment: Abba Shaul does not dispute the previous statement, as both evaluations were made by Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, and both were true in their specific context. Thus, in regard to mastery and memory, it was Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus who outweighed all the other Sages, whereas Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh did so by his sharpness of mind, and adroitness in argument (Bartenura, Rabbenu Yonah).

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 2: MISHNAH 9

He said to them: Go forth and see which is the right path to which a man should adhere. Rabbi Eliezer said: A good eye, Rabbi Yehoshua said: A good companion. Rabbi Yose said: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon said: One who foresees what will be. Rabbi Eleazar said: A good heart. He said to them: I prefer the words of Eleazar ben Arakh, for your words are included in his. He said to them: Go forth and see what is the evil path that a man should shun. Rabbi Eliezer said: An evil eye. Rabbi Yehoshua said: An evil companion. Rabbi Yose said: An evil neighbor. Rabbi Shimon said: One who borrows and does not repay, whether he borrows from man or from God, as it is said (Ps. 37:21): "The wicked borrows and repays not; but the righteous deals graciously and gives." Rabbi Eleazar said: An evil heart. He said to them: I prefer the words of Eleazar ben Arakh, for your words are included in his.

Kehati

He said to them - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples, Go forth and see which is the right path to which a man should adhere - there are surely many positive qualities which one should cultivate; Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai asked his disciples for the fundamental quality which a man should fully appropriate, and through which he may attain all the other marks of excellence (Rabbenu Yonah). Rabbi Eliezer said: A good eye - a person should be contented with what he has, and rejoice in the blessings of others. Such a man gains the sympathy and love of others in remuneration for his own, the love of mankind being at the root of all morality (Hameiri) Rabbi Yehoshua said: A good companion - true friendship with one's companion breeds cordial relations with society in general (Midrash Sh'muel; Rabbenu Yonah). In the words of Rabbi Akiva: "Love your neighbor as yourself - this is a great Torah principle"; Rabbi Yose said: A good neighbor - let a man be on good terms with his neighbors, and thereby train himself to be kind to all who come in contact with him; as a result he will love mankind and be loved by them (ibid.). According to most commentators, however, Rabbi Yehoshua refers to the need of a good companion whose advice one could seek at all times, who can be relied on to reprove him for any wrong-doing, and encourage him in his good deeds. Similarly, Rabbi Yose points to the need for a good neighbor who constantly observes his doings and preoccupations. Rabbi Shimon said: One who foresees what will be - who weighs everything thoughtfully and anticipates the outcome of an action he is about to take. Such foresight restrains harmful ventures and encourages positive action. Rabbi Eleazar said: A good heart - the source of all human qualities is a noble heart, which ensures the total integrity of man. He said to them - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai pointed out to his disciples, I prefer the words of Eleazar ben Arakh, for your words are included in his - since all depends on the heart, and a good heart also induces a healthy outlook and positive behavior. Such a person is happy with his portion and rejoices in the welfare of others; he is a good companion and a good neighbor, who in turn attracts good friends and good neighbors; he strives to anticipate the result of his actions and avoids hurting his own person and others; and he finds favor in the sight of G-d and in the sight of man (Rabbenu Yonah, Rashbatz).

He said to them - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai further addressed his disciples: Go forth and see what is the evil path that a man should shun - this question was necessary, since the opposite of excellence is not necessarily evil. Thus, piety beyond the law is a virtue; but following the requirements of the law alone, is not sinful. Likewise, generosity is a positive trait, but stinginess is not vicious, since it does not entail oppression, theft or injury, but merely withholds benefit from others. Hence, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai's question: What is the evil path (Rabbenu Yonah). Rabbi Eliezer said: An evil eye - which generates jealousy, hatred, and the plotting of evil schemes; Rabbi Yehoshua said: An evil companion - for if a man wrongs his friend, his entire character suffers. Other commentators maintain that we are here advised to avoid bad company, since we are likely to be influenced by the harmful opinions and actions of friends; Rabbi Yose said: An evil neighbor - one who hurts his neighbors is likely to offend others as well." Other commentators, however, consider this to be a warning to keep away from a wicked neighbor (see above, Chap. 1, Mishnah 7) whose negative influence is on our doorstep; Rabbi Shimon said: One who borrows and does not repay - this man fails to see the result of his actions for since he fails to pay his debts, he will not find a lender when in distress. R. Shimon does not define the evil path as the failure to foresee what will be, because a man who does not anticipate the results of his actions is not necessarily sinful. Thus, a man who innocently follows the right path, or genuinely obeys the Torah for its own sake without regard for reward or punishment, actually shares in the most perfect worship of G-d. Therefore, Rabbi Shimon avoided a general definition of evil in terms of failure to anticipate the consequences of action, preferring instead the concrete example of the man who borrows and does not repay (Midrash Sh'muel). Whether he borrows from man or from G-d - a person who brings upon himself personal harm in business dealings, also sins against G-d, for one who borrows from man is as if he borrowed from God, as it is said: "The wicked borrows and repays not - one who fails to honor a debt is called wicked, but the righteous - i.e., G-d, the supremely Righteous One, deals graciously and gives" -restores to the creditor the outstanding debt, and, as a result, the debtor remains owing to G-d (Bartenura, Rambam).

Rabbi Eleazar said: An evil heart - for all human traits flow from the heart, as explained above. He said to them - Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples, I prefer the words of Eleazar ben Arakh, for your words are included in his - when a man's heart is malicious, so is his eye, and all his deeds are perverse and wicked, as it is written, (Num. 15:39) "that you go not astray after your own heart and your own eyes," which teaches us that the eyes follow the heart (Yalkut Shimoni).

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