Pirkei Avot 2:14
"He said to them: Go out and discern which is the evil path from which a man should distance himself. Rabbi Eliezer says? An evil eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A wicked friend. Rabbi Yose says: A wicked neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who borrows and does not repay; one who borrows from man is like one who borrows from the Omnipresent, as it is said, 'The wicked one borrows and does not repay, but the Righteous One is gracious and gives' (Psalms 37:21). Rabbi Elazar said: A wicked heart. He [Rabban Yochanan be Zakkai] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar be Arach to your words for your words are included in his words."
A wicked friend, a wicked neighbor and one who borrows but does not repay are all other people. Other people can certainly have an influence on a person, but if a person has strong morals, he can resist their influence. But why is a wicked heart more to be avoided that a wicked eye? A wicked eye is a self centered way of viewing the world, seeing the actions of others as motivated by greed or jealousy, and being inclined to be motivated exclusively by one's self interest. Such a way of viewing the world is certainly likely to result in self-centered actions. However the heart, or the inclination to kindness or unkindness, is the more fundamental source of character, because it influences the person's way of viewing the world itself. If one has a good heart, he is more likely to view the actions of others in a charitable light, and be motivated to act kindly toward others because he has an appreciation of kindness. The inclination, be it good or evil, tends to lead the view of the world in the same direction.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:10-2:13
"Rabban Yochanan be Zakkai had five [primary] disciples. They were: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, Rabbi Yose the Kohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach.
"He used to enumerate their praises: Rabbi Elizer ben Hyrcanos is like a cemented cistern that loses not a drop; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, praiseworthy is she who bore him; Rabbi Yose the Kohen is a scrupulously pious person; Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel fears sin; and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach is like a spring flowing stronger and stronger.
"He used to say: If all the sages of Israel were on one pan of a balance-scale, and Eliezer ben Hyrcanos were on the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: If all the sages of Israel, with even Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos among them, were on one pan of the balance-scale, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach were on the other, he would outweigh them all.
"He said to them: Go out and discern which is the proper way to which a man should cling. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yose says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who considers the outcome of a deed. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He [Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach for your words, for your words are included in his words."
These pirkei must be read together because they build toward a comparison of virtues. A good eye enables the possessor to see the good in others. A good friend is a source of solace and refinement of judgment. A good neighbor is a source of solace and refinement of judgement that is nearby. Considering the outcome of a deed enables one to judge the rightness of one's deeds. A good heart is the aspiration to goodness itself, and therefore includes the others. One cannot see good in others, derive good from a friend or a neighbor or judge an outcome of a deed unless one has the aspiration to goodness itself.
"Rabban Yochanan be Zakkai had five [primary] disciples. They were: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, Rabbi Yose the Kohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach.
"He used to enumerate their praises: Rabbi Elizer ben Hyrcanos is like a cemented cistern that loses not a drop; Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, praiseworthy is she who bore him; Rabbi Yose the Kohen is a scrupulously pious person; Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel fears sin; and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach is like a spring flowing stronger and stronger.
"He used to say: If all the sages of Israel were on one pan of a balance-scale, and Eliezer ben Hyrcanos were on the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: If all the sages of Israel, with even Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos among them, were on one pan of the balance-scale, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach were on the other, he would outweigh them all.
"He said to them: Go out and discern which is the proper way to which a man should cling. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yose says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who considers the outcome of a deed. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He [Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach for your words, for your words are included in his words."
These pirkei must be read together because they build toward a comparison of virtues. A good eye enables the possessor to see the good in others. A good friend is a source of solace and refinement of judgment. A good neighbor is a source of solace and refinement of judgement that is nearby. Considering the outcome of a deed enables one to judge the rightness of one's deeds. A good heart is the aspiration to goodness itself, and therefore includes the others. One cannot see good in others, derive good from a friend or a neighbor or judge an outcome of a deed unless one has the aspiration to goodness itself.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:9
"Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received the tradition from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: 'If you have studied much Torah, do not take credit for yourself, because that is what you were created to do.'"
This perek, coming after the previous one from Hillel, is at first surprising. The previous perek says that study of Torah gives life, wisdom, and the life of the World to Come. If this is so, why should one who has studied much Torah not take credit for it? Freedom of choice is at the center of moral outlook of the Torah (in it, Hashem says "I set before you good and evil, life and death; choose good that you may live"; in last week's parsha, Er dies because he is evil, presumably based on his actions). If we choose to do good things, why should we not take credit for it?
If we think about how to reconcile the two pirkei, what becomes apparent is that smugness is inconsistent with the moral outlook of the Torah. It is unseemly and even illogical to take credit for doing what we are created and commanded to do. If we have studied well, we come away from study with the humility that comes from the sense that we are doing what we are meant and commanded to do. One is reminded of the difference between charity and tzedakah. Charity comes from the Latin "caritas," which is related to the heart; the sense is that is comes from good inclinations in the heart, and therefore reflects the existence of those inclinations in the giver. The motivation to give tzedakah comes from the commandment that we give tzedakah, and ultimately from love or awe of Hashem. As we are told in the previous perek from Hillel, performing the commandment to give tzedakah may give us the sense of peace that comes from honoring the mitzvah of tzedakah, but it should not give rise to smugness, because we are just doing what is expected of us.
In a larger sense, in a moral outlook based on mitzvot, there is no room for smugness. Smugness implies that we are better than others because we do more good things. However if we are created and commanded to live a certain way, living in that way is not merely an embellishment of our personality, but it enables us to actualize our purpose in this life and maybe the next. Failing to live that way, which we all do from time to time, is a failure to live up to our purpose.
"Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received the tradition from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: 'If you have studied much Torah, do not take credit for yourself, because that is what you were created to do.'"
This perek, coming after the previous one from Hillel, is at first surprising. The previous perek says that study of Torah gives life, wisdom, and the life of the World to Come. If this is so, why should one who has studied much Torah not take credit for it? Freedom of choice is at the center of moral outlook of the Torah (in it, Hashem says "I set before you good and evil, life and death; choose good that you may live"; in last week's parsha, Er dies because he is evil, presumably based on his actions). If we choose to do good things, why should we not take credit for it?
If we think about how to reconcile the two pirkei, what becomes apparent is that smugness is inconsistent with the moral outlook of the Torah. It is unseemly and even illogical to take credit for doing what we are created and commanded to do. If we have studied well, we come away from study with the humility that comes from the sense that we are doing what we are meant and commanded to do. One is reminded of the difference between charity and tzedakah. Charity comes from the Latin "caritas," which is related to the heart; the sense is that is comes from good inclinations in the heart, and therefore reflects the existence of those inclinations in the giver. The motivation to give tzedakah comes from the commandment that we give tzedakah, and ultimately from love or awe of Hashem. As we are told in the previous perek from Hillel, performing the commandment to give tzedakah may give us the sense of peace that comes from honoring the mitzvah of tzedakah, but it should not give rise to smugness, because we are just doing what is expected of us.
In a larger sense, in a moral outlook based on mitzvot, there is no room for smugness. Smugness implies that we are better than others because we do more good things. However if we are created and commanded to live a certain way, living in that way is not merely an embellishment of our personality, but it enables us to actualize our purpose in this life and maybe the next. Failing to live that way, which we all do from time to time, is a failure to live up to our purpose.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:8
"He used to say: The more flesh, the more worms; the more maidservants, the more worry; the more wives, the more witchcraft; the more maidservants, the more lewdness; the more manservants, the more thievery. [However] the more Torah, the more life; the more study, the more wisdom; the more counsel, the more understanding; the more charity, the more peace. One who has gained a good reputation has gained it for his own benefit; one who has gained himself Torah knowledge, has gained himself the life of the World to Come."
The first sentence lists ways in which excess consumption leads to worries and problems. None of these are surprising from the perspective of a spiritual leader. However the second and third sentences elucidate the benefits of study of Torah and charity. In some ways they are surprising. How can Torah increase our life? Torah is aytz chaim, the tree of life. As the song goes, it is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and all its adherents are happy. It is a guide to how to live, and therefore gives a meaningful life and happiness to those who cling to it. Where pursuit of material possessions brings problems, pursuit of Torah brings happiness.
How does charity bring peace? When we focus our attention on our career, as necessary as it is to do so, we are full of worry about how things will turn out, and ultimately, our worth. However when we give charity, we have an innate sense of worth because we have made the lives of others better, and that in turn gives us a sense of worth.
However the third sentence brings us to another level. We normally think that a good reputation has great value. A famous perek praises the virtue of keter shaym tov-the crown of a good name. Yet the third sentence implies that there is something incomplete about a good reputation; it is for one's own benefit alone, whereas Torah gives a person a place in the world to come. But it would seem that a place in the world to come is also for one's own benefit. What is the distinction that Hillel is getting at? The benefit for oneself that one gets from a good reputation is in this world alone, and the benefit accrues solely to the person whose reputation is enhanced. The implication is that a place in the world to come benefits others as well, by creating an influence from the world to come to this world. This concept is difficult in a world based on science and empirical proof. Yet it gives an ultimate sense of purpose to individuals in a world which has lost its way in material pursuits.
"He used to say: The more flesh, the more worms; the more maidservants, the more worry; the more wives, the more witchcraft; the more maidservants, the more lewdness; the more manservants, the more thievery. [However] the more Torah, the more life; the more study, the more wisdom; the more counsel, the more understanding; the more charity, the more peace. One who has gained a good reputation has gained it for his own benefit; one who has gained himself Torah knowledge, has gained himself the life of the World to Come."
The first sentence lists ways in which excess consumption leads to worries and problems. None of these are surprising from the perspective of a spiritual leader. However the second and third sentences elucidate the benefits of study of Torah and charity. In some ways they are surprising. How can Torah increase our life? Torah is aytz chaim, the tree of life. As the song goes, it is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and all its adherents are happy. It is a guide to how to live, and therefore gives a meaningful life and happiness to those who cling to it. Where pursuit of material possessions brings problems, pursuit of Torah brings happiness.
How does charity bring peace? When we focus our attention on our career, as necessary as it is to do so, we are full of worry about how things will turn out, and ultimately, our worth. However when we give charity, we have an innate sense of worth because we have made the lives of others better, and that in turn gives us a sense of worth.
However the third sentence brings us to another level. We normally think that a good reputation has great value. A famous perek praises the virtue of keter shaym tov-the crown of a good name. Yet the third sentence implies that there is something incomplete about a good reputation; it is for one's own benefit alone, whereas Torah gives a person a place in the world to come. But it would seem that a place in the world to come is also for one's own benefit. What is the distinction that Hillel is getting at? The benefit for oneself that one gets from a good reputation is in this world alone, and the benefit accrues solely to the person whose reputation is enhanced. The implication is that a place in the world to come benefits others as well, by creating an influence from the world to come to this world. This concept is difficult in a world based on science and empirical proof. Yet it gives an ultimate sense of purpose to individuals in a world which has lost its way in material pursuits.
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