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.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:7
"He also saw a skull floating on the water, he said to it: 'Because you drowned others, they drowned you; and those who drowned you will be drowned eventually.'"
This perek is as difficult as it is short. The apparent message is that G-d makes perfect justice in the world. Hillel states without knowledge of the circumstances that the dead person whose skull floats on the water drowned others, and was drowned as punishment for the offense, and those who drowned him will be drowned eventually. This is very jarring. Surely, millions of people died, sometimes at the hands of others, who did not "drown" others. It is perhaps easier to accept the possibility that people who "drown" others will be drowned eventually. But what of the victims of the Holocaust? The babies who were thrown into the fires or went into the gas chambers in their mothers arms? Who did they "drown"?
The only way to understand this is not as a universal rule, but rather an observation about injustice on earth. Hillel is saying that ruthlessness creates enemies, who will exact their revenge, and that this imperfect human reaction is an instrument of Divine justice. Mussolini and Hitler made enemies through their ruthlessness, who worked for their undoing. Lesser malefactors also make enemies by their harmful acts, who lead to their undoing. As in Chad Gadya and the course of Jewish history, the slaughters and the slave drivers are brought low, and the Jewish people, with G-d's help, survive and continue long after the slaughterers and the slave drivers are forgotten. This does not mean that everyone who dies brought it on himself; in fact, the most holy people die. But we must be aware that Divine justice does not permit evil to go unpunished in the long run. Humans are the instruments of His justice.
"He also saw a skull floating on the water, he said to it: 'Because you drowned others, they drowned you; and those who drowned you will be drowned eventually.'"
This perek is as difficult as it is short. The apparent message is that G-d makes perfect justice in the world. Hillel states without knowledge of the circumstances that the dead person whose skull floats on the water drowned others, and was drowned as punishment for the offense, and those who drowned him will be drowned eventually. This is very jarring. Surely, millions of people died, sometimes at the hands of others, who did not "drown" others. It is perhaps easier to accept the possibility that people who "drown" others will be drowned eventually. But what of the victims of the Holocaust? The babies who were thrown into the fires or went into the gas chambers in their mothers arms? Who did they "drown"?
The only way to understand this is not as a universal rule, but rather an observation about injustice on earth. Hillel is saying that ruthlessness creates enemies, who will exact their revenge, and that this imperfect human reaction is an instrument of Divine justice. Mussolini and Hitler made enemies through their ruthlessness, who worked for their undoing. Lesser malefactors also make enemies by their harmful acts, who lead to their undoing. As in Chad Gadya and the course of Jewish history, the slaughters and the slave drivers are brought low, and the Jewish people, with G-d's help, survive and continue long after the slaughterers and the slave drivers are forgotten. This does not mean that everyone who dies brought it on himself; in fact, the most holy people die. But we must be aware that Divine justice does not permit evil to go unpunished in the long run. Humans are the instruments of His justice.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:6
"He used to say: A boor cannot be fearful of sin; an unlearned person cannot be scrupulously pious; the bashful person cannot learn, and the quick, impatient person cannot teach; anyone excessively occupied in business cannot become a scholar; and in a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader."
The previous mishnah, 2:5, deals with how to behave to others in the community, i.e., engage with the community, cultivate humility, do not be judgmental and communicate clearly. Even the admonition to make time for study presumes that the reader is occupied in this world. This mishnah, 2:6, explains the benefits of study, and then teaches the attitude that one must bring to it, and the actions that one must take for it to be effective. The first two verses teach that the study of Torah refines character; since a boor cannot be fearful of sin and an unlearned person cannot be scrupulously pious, learning gives the ability to be fearful of sin and to be pious, thereby improving our character. But the next two verses admonish that study does not automatically guarantee learning: the bashful cannot learn and the impatient cannot teach. Just as character is improved by learning, so certain character traits are necessary to learn and to teach (and in chevruta, teaching is a way of learning). Finally, in the last two verses, Hillel calls us to action, as he often does at the end of his mishnayot. We must carve out time from our occupations (which we learned in mishnah 2:2, are also meritorious) for study, and we must lead where others do not lead (from the context, this must be understood to refer to leading in study). Taken together, the message is powerful: learning builds character, but to learn, we must subordinate our timidity and impatience to the value of learning, and we must make time to study and obtain a leader in our study, or in the absence of one, become one.
"He used to say: A boor cannot be fearful of sin; an unlearned person cannot be scrupulously pious; the bashful person cannot learn, and the quick, impatient person cannot teach; anyone excessively occupied in business cannot become a scholar; and in a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader."
The previous mishnah, 2:5, deals with how to behave to others in the community, i.e., engage with the community, cultivate humility, do not be judgmental and communicate clearly. Even the admonition to make time for study presumes that the reader is occupied in this world. This mishnah, 2:6, explains the benefits of study, and then teaches the attitude that one must bring to it, and the actions that one must take for it to be effective. The first two verses teach that the study of Torah refines character; since a boor cannot be fearful of sin and an unlearned person cannot be scrupulously pious, learning gives the ability to be fearful of sin and to be pious, thereby improving our character. But the next two verses admonish that study does not automatically guarantee learning: the bashful cannot learn and the impatient cannot teach. Just as character is improved by learning, so certain character traits are necessary to learn and to teach (and in chevruta, teaching is a way of learning). Finally, in the last two verses, Hillel calls us to action, as he often does at the end of his mishnayot. We must carve out time from our occupations (which we learned in mishnah 2:2, are also meritorious) for study, and we must lead where others do not lead (from the context, this must be understood to refer to leading in study). Taken together, the message is powerful: learning builds character, but to learn, we must subordinate our timidity and impatience to the value of learning, and we must make time to study and obtain a leader in our study, or in the absence of one, become one.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Pirkei Avot 2:5
I am continuing the Pirkei Avot project after a respite of over a year and a half. I had discontinued it because I felt that I had no legitimacy in commenting on Pirkei Avot until I studied more Torah and Talmud, and because there were no comments. I thought I was writing in a vacuum. Then last week I got an e-mail from Jay Lavine, asking why I stopped. When I told him, he responded that although it is important to have insight from people who are learned in Torah into the texts, there is also a tradition of Torah Umadda, the admixture of Torah and secular insight. I have also been reading the parsha of the week, and studying Talmud with local rabbis, so I feel that I have learned some Torah since I discontinued the project. I also noticed that although there were no comments posted, there were many page views. So because of Jay's encouragement, I am picking up again where I left off.
Pirkei Avot 2:5
"Hillel said: Do not separate yourself from the community; do not believe in yourself until the day you die; do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place; do not make a statement that cannot be easily understood on the ground that it will be understood eventually; and do not say 'When I am free I will study,' for perhaps you will not become free."
Hillel's five statements demand separate attention before we think about what they have in common. The statement not to separate ourselves from the community reminds us of the essentially communal aspect of Judaism: we received the Law and became a people when we stood together at Sinai: all of us, not just the ones who were physically alive at the time. We experienced Jewish history together, from the exodus from Egypt, to the building of the mishkan, to the building, and destruction of the Temple, and the rebuilding of the Temple and the second destruction of the Temple, to the diaspora, the Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel. We pray in minyanim, and celebrate the holidays in congregations. The covenant is with the people of Israel, even though we are called upon to observe the mitzvot individually.
The second statement is confusing: why should we not believe in ourselves? One of the greatest sins in the Torah is the sin of the scouts, who did not believe that they could prevail against the inhabitants of the land to which G-d had brought them. We are told in the tradition that each man should carry two pieces of paper in his pockets: one that says "I am dust and ashes" and a second that says "For me the world was made." So what could Hillel mean? Although we are made in the image of G-d, unlike G-d, we are imperfect, intellectually and morally. If we believe in ourselves, we become inflexible, unable to examine our thoughts and actions, because we cannot imagine that our past thoughts and actions could be wrong or even improved on. Why are we allowed to believe in ourselves when we die? Because at that point we stand on the precipice of having no more thoughts and actions in this world that could be improved upon, and what we would be believing in is not the imperfect thoughts and actions of a living person in this world, but the perfect soul that is left.
The third statement, that we should not judge our fellow until we have reached his place, is also based in humility, but kindness as well. We are all limited by our experiences, and judging others who have had different experiences involves the kind of intellectual and moral arrogance against which we are warned in the second instruction. Elsewhere in Pirkei Avot we are told to judge on the side of merit. When we judge others, we take on the role of G-d, who has complete knowledge, or of judges, who must apply their experience in accordance with laws which are designed to balance the circumstances of the individual and the interests of the community. To do so without having shared their experiences is an offense against humility in ourselves and kindness to others.
The fourth statement, that we should not make a statement that cannot be easily understood on the ground that it will be understood eventually, resonates both of the first statement, that we should not separate ourselves from the community, the second statement, that we should not believe in ourselves until we die, and of the prohibition against placing a stumbling block in front of the blind. A statement that cannot be easily understood is a failed communication with the community; it separates the speaker, who understands it, from the community, which doesn't. It comes from the arrogance of believing in one's own superiority, since the speaker assumes that others are not capable of understanding it now, but someday someone will come along who will be smart enough to understand it. It also risks misleading others, who may misunderstand it.
The fifth statement, that we should not put off studying because we don't have time, at first seems out of place. What does it have to do with the themes of connecting ourselves to the community, personal humility and kindness? The answer is that study of Torah and Talmud is the meta-mitzvah, because it contains all the others, both literally, because the Torah contains all the mitzvot, and pedagogically, because we can learn how to internalize the mitzvot by studying. One who studies Torah and Talmud will internalize his connection to the community, personal humility and kindness.
Pirkei Avot 2:5
"Hillel said: Do not separate yourself from the community; do not believe in yourself until the day you die; do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place; do not make a statement that cannot be easily understood on the ground that it will be understood eventually; and do not say 'When I am free I will study,' for perhaps you will not become free."
Hillel's five statements demand separate attention before we think about what they have in common. The statement not to separate ourselves from the community reminds us of the essentially communal aspect of Judaism: we received the Law and became a people when we stood together at Sinai: all of us, not just the ones who were physically alive at the time. We experienced Jewish history together, from the exodus from Egypt, to the building of the mishkan, to the building, and destruction of the Temple, and the rebuilding of the Temple and the second destruction of the Temple, to the diaspora, the Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel. We pray in minyanim, and celebrate the holidays in congregations. The covenant is with the people of Israel, even though we are called upon to observe the mitzvot individually.
The second statement is confusing: why should we not believe in ourselves? One of the greatest sins in the Torah is the sin of the scouts, who did not believe that they could prevail against the inhabitants of the land to which G-d had brought them. We are told in the tradition that each man should carry two pieces of paper in his pockets: one that says "I am dust and ashes" and a second that says "For me the world was made." So what could Hillel mean? Although we are made in the image of G-d, unlike G-d, we are imperfect, intellectually and morally. If we believe in ourselves, we become inflexible, unable to examine our thoughts and actions, because we cannot imagine that our past thoughts and actions could be wrong or even improved on. Why are we allowed to believe in ourselves when we die? Because at that point we stand on the precipice of having no more thoughts and actions in this world that could be improved upon, and what we would be believing in is not the imperfect thoughts and actions of a living person in this world, but the perfect soul that is left.
The third statement, that we should not judge our fellow until we have reached his place, is also based in humility, but kindness as well. We are all limited by our experiences, and judging others who have had different experiences involves the kind of intellectual and moral arrogance against which we are warned in the second instruction. Elsewhere in Pirkei Avot we are told to judge on the side of merit. When we judge others, we take on the role of G-d, who has complete knowledge, or of judges, who must apply their experience in accordance with laws which are designed to balance the circumstances of the individual and the interests of the community. To do so without having shared their experiences is an offense against humility in ourselves and kindness to others.
The fourth statement, that we should not make a statement that cannot be easily understood on the ground that it will be understood eventually, resonates both of the first statement, that we should not separate ourselves from the community, the second statement, that we should not believe in ourselves until we die, and of the prohibition against placing a stumbling block in front of the blind. A statement that cannot be easily understood is a failed communication with the community; it separates the speaker, who understands it, from the community, which doesn't. It comes from the arrogance of believing in one's own superiority, since the speaker assumes that others are not capable of understanding it now, but someday someone will come along who will be smart enough to understand it. It also risks misleading others, who may misunderstand it.
The fifth statement, that we should not put off studying because we don't have time, at first seems out of place. What does it have to do with the themes of connecting ourselves to the community, personal humility and kindness? The answer is that study of Torah and Talmud is the meta-mitzvah, because it contains all the others, both literally, because the Torah contains all the mitzvot, and pedagogically, because we can learn how to internalize the mitzvot by studying. One who studies Torah and Talmud will internalize his connection to the community, personal humility and kindness.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Pirkei Avot 2:4
Pirkei Avot 2:4
"He [Rabban Gamliel] used to say: Do His will as your will in order that He do your will as His will. Annul your will before His will in order that He annul the will of others before your will."
A simplistic reading of this mishna would be that if we do what G-d wants, He will give us what we want, and if we subordinate what we want to His will, we will prevail over others. However this treats G-d as a mafia don or a feudal lord who will take care of us if we simply do what He wants. The problem with this interpretation is that it is amoral, which G-d cannot be. It views the world as a Nietschean power struggle. In this view, everything is about will. The more sophisticated reading of this mishna is that if you do G-d's will, you will be doing what is right, and if you annul your selfish will in favor of His ultimate moral law, you will also be doing what is right, and your will will therefore have the power of goodnes and Heaven behind it. Others will see the virtue of your position, and will therefore be drawn to it and treat it as having ultimate validity.
"He [Rabban Gamliel] used to say: Do His will as your will in order that He do your will as His will. Annul your will before His will in order that He annul the will of others before your will."
A simplistic reading of this mishna would be that if we do what G-d wants, He will give us what we want, and if we subordinate what we want to His will, we will prevail over others. However this treats G-d as a mafia don or a feudal lord who will take care of us if we simply do what He wants. The problem with this interpretation is that it is amoral, which G-d cannot be. It views the world as a Nietschean power struggle. In this view, everything is about will. The more sophisticated reading of this mishna is that if you do G-d's will, you will be doing what is right, and if you annul your selfish will in favor of His ultimate moral law, you will also be doing what is right, and your will will therefore have the power of goodnes and Heaven behind it. Others will see the virtue of your position, and will therefore be drawn to it and treat it as having ultimate validity.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Pirkei Avot 2:3
Pirkei Avot 2:3
"Be careful with authorities, for they do not befriend a person except for their own sake. They appear as friends when they benefit from it, but they do not stand by a person in his time of need."
This mishna reminds me of the Hebrew National commercial: "We answer to a higher authority." Political authorities are human. They are primarily motivated to preserve their power. Therefore they will do what preserves or increases their power, regardless of whether it is moral or right. This includes taking positions which are popular, regardless of whether they are just or right. Often an authority will take positions that are popular with their own supporters or likely supporters, so as to increase their popularity. This obviously detracts from the virtue of their positions. They are ultimately movitivated by whatever increases or solidifies their power, and they and we know it.
We are tempted to make friends with authorities, both because of the prestige and the influence it may bring us. However when we do so, we undermine our moral authority, because authorities are primarily motivate by another goal: the preservation of their own power. When we become overly attached to authorities, we lose our independence regarding morality, because we become drawn to another objective, i.e., the increase of our power and status. The truly moral man or woman must put nothing ahead of the commandments of G-d, including the cultivation of authorities.
"Be careful with authorities, for they do not befriend a person except for their own sake. They appear as friends when they benefit from it, but they do not stand by a person in his time of need."
This mishna reminds me of the Hebrew National commercial: "We answer to a higher authority." Political authorities are human. They are primarily motivated to preserve their power. Therefore they will do what preserves or increases their power, regardless of whether it is moral or right. This includes taking positions which are popular, regardless of whether they are just or right. Often an authority will take positions that are popular with their own supporters or likely supporters, so as to increase their popularity. This obviously detracts from the virtue of their positions. They are ultimately movitivated by whatever increases or solidifies their power, and they and we know it.
We are tempted to make friends with authorities, both because of the prestige and the influence it may bring us. However when we do so, we undermine our moral authority, because authorities are primarily motivate by another goal: the preservation of their own power. When we become overly attached to authorities, we lose our independence regarding morality, because we become drawn to another objective, i.e., the increase of our power and status. The truly moral man or woman must put nothing ahead of the commandments of G-d, including the cultivation of authorities.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Pirkei Avot 2:2
Pirkei Avot 2:2
"Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda the Prince said, good is Torah study together with a worldly occupation, for the exertion in both makes one forget sin. All Torah study without work will result in waste and will cause sinfulness. Anyone who works for the community should work for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their [the community members's] forefathers will help him, and their righteousness endures forever. And as for you, [says G-d], I will grant you much reward as if you accomplished it on your own."
This mishna contains a powerful insight about work in general and a more specific insight about work for the community in particular. The first tells us that Torah study together with a worldly occupation is good because exertion in both makes us us forget sin. Both are required, for exertion in a worldly occupation makes us tend to be materialistic and self centered, working only for money and what it can buy, and putting little value on the well being and dignity of others, whereas study of Torah teaches us that there are other, higher values than money and material things, and that the well being and dignity of others is an ultimate value in itself. This insight is perhaps self-evident to a religious person. However the converse is not so obvious, and seems not to be followed by religious persons who spend most or all of their working time learning Torah. It is almost counterintuitive for a religious person, in light of the traditional value placed on Torah study. One might wonder how Torah study could result in waste and cause sinfulness. Torah study without work wastes our capacity to be productive and to create order and sustenance for others. Torah study without work can cause sinfulness by causing us to be less ethical in our actions toward others by being less generous or even dishonest in our dealings with others in order to support ourselves and our families.
The more specific insight relates to people who work for the community. I understand this to include Jewish fundraising and service and defense organizations and synagogues, and organizations that support the State of Israel, and the State of Israel itself. The sentence "Anyone who works for the community should work for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their forefathers will help them, and their righteousness endures forever" is ambiguous: it could mean that anyone who works for the community is working for the sake of Heaven, or that anyone who works for the community ought to work for the sake of Heaven. Having spent much time working in community organizations, I subscribe to the latter interpretation. I have seen many people in community organizations that focus on the advancement of the organization to the detriment of the community as a whole or worse, on their own honor, and others who work for the organization, but keep the interests of the community as a whole at the forefront. The merit of our forefathers will help those who pur the interests of the community at forefront, but not those who are focused on preserving the organization's turf or on their own honor. The final sentence, that G-d will grant them much reward, as if they accomplished it on their own, is a beautiful thought that gives a sense of enhanced holiness to the work we do for the community, if it is done in the right spirit.
"Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda the Prince said, good is Torah study together with a worldly occupation, for the exertion in both makes one forget sin. All Torah study without work will result in waste and will cause sinfulness. Anyone who works for the community should work for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their [the community members's] forefathers will help him, and their righteousness endures forever. And as for you, [says G-d], I will grant you much reward as if you accomplished it on your own."
This mishna contains a powerful insight about work in general and a more specific insight about work for the community in particular. The first tells us that Torah study together with a worldly occupation is good because exertion in both makes us us forget sin. Both are required, for exertion in a worldly occupation makes us tend to be materialistic and self centered, working only for money and what it can buy, and putting little value on the well being and dignity of others, whereas study of Torah teaches us that there are other, higher values than money and material things, and that the well being and dignity of others is an ultimate value in itself. This insight is perhaps self-evident to a religious person. However the converse is not so obvious, and seems not to be followed by religious persons who spend most or all of their working time learning Torah. It is almost counterintuitive for a religious person, in light of the traditional value placed on Torah study. One might wonder how Torah study could result in waste and cause sinfulness. Torah study without work wastes our capacity to be productive and to create order and sustenance for others. Torah study without work can cause sinfulness by causing us to be less ethical in our actions toward others by being less generous or even dishonest in our dealings with others in order to support ourselves and our families.
The more specific insight relates to people who work for the community. I understand this to include Jewish fundraising and service and defense organizations and synagogues, and organizations that support the State of Israel, and the State of Israel itself. The sentence "Anyone who works for the community should work for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their forefathers will help them, and their righteousness endures forever" is ambiguous: it could mean that anyone who works for the community is working for the sake of Heaven, or that anyone who works for the community ought to work for the sake of Heaven. Having spent much time working in community organizations, I subscribe to the latter interpretation. I have seen many people in community organizations that focus on the advancement of the organization to the detriment of the community as a whole or worse, on their own honor, and others who work for the organization, but keep the interests of the community as a whole at the forefront. The merit of our forefathers will help those who pur the interests of the community at forefront, but not those who are focused on preserving the organization's turf or on their own honor. The final sentence, that G-d will grant them much reward, as if they accomplished it on their own, is a beautiful thought that gives a sense of enhanced holiness to the work we do for the community, if it is done in the right spirit.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Pirkei Avot 2:1
Pirkei Avot 2:1
"Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: What is the proper path a person should choose for himself? Whatever brings glory to himself [before G-d], and grants him glory before others. Be careful with a minor mitzvah (commandment) as with a major one, for you do not know the reward for the mitzvos. Consider the loss incurred for performing a mitzvah compared to its reward, and the 'reward' received for sinning compared to the loss. Consider three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are recorded in the Book."
The advice of Rabbi Yehuda haNasi in this mishna is dramatically different from the rule that governs the conduct of most people in the secular world. In the secular world, most people are guided by the pursuit of happiness, which to most people is either immediate gratification or advancement of some personal goal, such as wealth or success. The rule of conduct that Rabbi Yehuda haNasi advises is to act in such a way as to bring glory to himself before G-d and before others.
Bringing glory to oneself before G-d may at times seem to require different action than action which brings glory to oneself before others, but the two can be reconciled: we must find a way to follow G-d's commands that doesn't denigrate or separate ourselves from others, since G-d Himself wants us to live harmoniously in our community, as an example that makes others want to follow our lead. However what is most striking is the contrast between the self-centered rules of conduct of the modern secular world and the G-d centered rules of conduct advocated by Rabbi Yehuda haNasi. The secular person sees himself as the center of the world and a free agent, who chooses him own goals based on his personal objectives. To him, there is no objective rule of conduct, and it makes no difference to anyone other than himself what ultimate goal he chooses. To Rabbi Yehuda haNasi, and to the religious person, however, there is an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and a book in which all deeds are recorded. We are not atoms in a meaningless universe, but responsible actors in a universe that was created by and still judged by a G-d who judges and rewards or punishes us for our choices. Unlike the amoral universe of secular man, it is a profoundly moral universe, in which we are observed and judged in every detail by the Master of the universe, to whom our choices and actions matter.
"Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: What is the proper path a person should choose for himself? Whatever brings glory to himself [before G-d], and grants him glory before others. Be careful with a minor mitzvah (commandment) as with a major one, for you do not know the reward for the mitzvos. Consider the loss incurred for performing a mitzvah compared to its reward, and the 'reward' received for sinning compared to the loss. Consider three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are recorded in the Book."
The advice of Rabbi Yehuda haNasi in this mishna is dramatically different from the rule that governs the conduct of most people in the secular world. In the secular world, most people are guided by the pursuit of happiness, which to most people is either immediate gratification or advancement of some personal goal, such as wealth or success. The rule of conduct that Rabbi Yehuda haNasi advises is to act in such a way as to bring glory to himself before G-d and before others.
Bringing glory to oneself before G-d may at times seem to require different action than action which brings glory to oneself before others, but the two can be reconciled: we must find a way to follow G-d's commands that doesn't denigrate or separate ourselves from others, since G-d Himself wants us to live harmoniously in our community, as an example that makes others want to follow our lead. However what is most striking is the contrast between the self-centered rules of conduct of the modern secular world and the G-d centered rules of conduct advocated by Rabbi Yehuda haNasi. The secular person sees himself as the center of the world and a free agent, who chooses him own goals based on his personal objectives. To him, there is no objective rule of conduct, and it makes no difference to anyone other than himself what ultimate goal he chooses. To Rabbi Yehuda haNasi, and to the religious person, however, there is an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and a book in which all deeds are recorded. We are not atoms in a meaningless universe, but responsible actors in a universe that was created by and still judged by a G-d who judges and rewards or punishes us for our choices. Unlike the amoral universe of secular man, it is a profoundly moral universe, in which we are observed and judged in every detail by the Master of the universe, to whom our choices and actions matter.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:18
Pirkei Avot 1:18
"Rabbi Shimon ben (son of) Gamliel said: On three things does the world endure: justice, truth and peace, as the verse states, 'Truth and judgments of peace judge in your gates' (Zechariah 8:16)."
This verse from Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel invites comparison with the verse in Pirkei Avot 1:2 from Shimon the Righteous, "The world stands on three things-on Torah, on service to G-d and on acts of kindness". What are the differences between the two verses? Can they be reconciled?
There are two differences between the two verses. First, the verb in the earlier verse, "stands," implies that these are the purposes for which the world exists. Without them, the world would be accidental and without justification. The verb in the later verse, "endures," implies that these are the things that are necessary for the continuation of the world, not the purpose for which the world exists, but the conditions for its survival.
A comparison of the three things cited in each verse bears out this theme. The three things cited in the earlier verse upon which the world "stands," Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness, are things that give meaning to existence. The ultimate wisdom about life found in Torah, making ourselves instruments of G-d by service to Him through prayer or action and making ourselves instruments of his purpose through acts of kindness toward others provide purpose to our existence. They make the difference between existence as accident and purposeful existence. The three things cited in the later verse, upon which the world "endures," justice, truth and peace, are prerequisites for the existence of civilized society. Without them, there is fear and instability. However without them people can still find purpose for existence on an individual level. There can be study of Torah, prayer or service to G-d through action and acts of kindness that give meaning to existence even in an unjust or unstable society, although ultimately the lack of justice, truth and peace makes it difficult to find any ultimate purpose for existence, as it did in the Shoah, when the lack of justice, truth and peace led to a sense of despair that made it impossible for many to see any purpose in life at all.
Perfect justice, truth and peace have never existed in history, although they have existed to some degree in most times and places, so that it has been possible to find purpose for existence on an individual level through Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness. Both sets of prerequisites require the active involvement of men and women in pursuing G-d's purposes, whether at the public level, by pursuing justice, truth and peace, or at the individual level, by studying Torah, praying or serving G-d through action or performing acts of kindness. Both enable people to find and preserve the purpose for existence, one at a societal level and the other at an individual level.
"Rabbi Shimon ben (son of) Gamliel said: On three things does the world endure: justice, truth and peace, as the verse states, 'Truth and judgments of peace judge in your gates' (Zechariah 8:16)."
This verse from Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel invites comparison with the verse in Pirkei Avot 1:2 from Shimon the Righteous, "The world stands on three things-on Torah, on service to G-d and on acts of kindness". What are the differences between the two verses? Can they be reconciled?
There are two differences between the two verses. First, the verb in the earlier verse, "stands," implies that these are the purposes for which the world exists. Without them, the world would be accidental and without justification. The verb in the later verse, "endures," implies that these are the things that are necessary for the continuation of the world, not the purpose for which the world exists, but the conditions for its survival.
A comparison of the three things cited in each verse bears out this theme. The three things cited in the earlier verse upon which the world "stands," Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness, are things that give meaning to existence. The ultimate wisdom about life found in Torah, making ourselves instruments of G-d by service to Him through prayer or action and making ourselves instruments of his purpose through acts of kindness toward others provide purpose to our existence. They make the difference between existence as accident and purposeful existence. The three things cited in the later verse, upon which the world "endures," justice, truth and peace, are prerequisites for the existence of civilized society. Without them, there is fear and instability. However without them people can still find purpose for existence on an individual level. There can be study of Torah, prayer or service to G-d through action and acts of kindness that give meaning to existence even in an unjust or unstable society, although ultimately the lack of justice, truth and peace makes it difficult to find any ultimate purpose for existence, as it did in the Shoah, when the lack of justice, truth and peace led to a sense of despair that made it impossible for many to see any purpose in life at all.
Perfect justice, truth and peace have never existed in history, although they have existed to some degree in most times and places, so that it has been possible to find purpose for existence on an individual level through Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness. Both sets of prerequisites require the active involvement of men and women in pursuing G-d's purposes, whether at the public level, by pursuing justice, truth and peace, or at the individual level, by studying Torah, praying or serving G-d through action or performing acts of kindness. Both enable people to find and preserve the purpose for existence, one at a societal level and the other at an individual level.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:17
"Shimon his son [the son of Rabban Gamliel of the previous mishna] said: All my life I have been raised among the Sages, and I have not found anything better for oneself than silence. Study is not the primary thing but action. Whoever talks excessively brings about sin."
After all the mishnayos praising study of Torah, it must seem jarring to read one that says that silence is the best thing for oneself, and study is not the primary thing, but action is. How can this be? How can we make sense of this?
This mishna teaches us that the purpose of study of Torah is to guide our actions, to G-d and to man. When we talk excessively, we are publishing the noise from our minds. When we are silent, we could be thinking about the teachings of Torah and how they apply to action in the world surrounding us. Applying the teachings of Torah to the people and things around us takes concentration. It is the art of listening, which is really the art of hearing what is going on around us and the people around us, and applying what we have learned in our study to them. When we chatter, we can't listen and think about how we should act toward G-d and toward others. Toward G-d we owe appreciation for the miracles of daily life: our awakening in the morning, our functioning during the day, and our ability to rejuvenate ourselves at night. Toward others we owe the appreciation of their magnificent humanity, vision, striving and creation as other beings like ourselves. When we chatter, we shut that out. When we are silent, we can let it in, and then act with awareness of that appreciation.
After all the mishnayos praising study of Torah, it must seem jarring to read one that says that silence is the best thing for oneself, and study is not the primary thing, but action is. How can this be? How can we make sense of this?
This mishna teaches us that the purpose of study of Torah is to guide our actions, to G-d and to man. When we talk excessively, we are publishing the noise from our minds. When we are silent, we could be thinking about the teachings of Torah and how they apply to action in the world surrounding us. Applying the teachings of Torah to the people and things around us takes concentration. It is the art of listening, which is really the art of hearing what is going on around us and the people around us, and applying what we have learned in our study to them. When we chatter, we can't listen and think about how we should act toward G-d and toward others. Toward G-d we owe appreciation for the miracles of daily life: our awakening in the morning, our functioning during the day, and our ability to rejuvenate ourselves at night. Toward others we owe the appreciation of their magnificent humanity, vision, striving and creation as other beings like ourselves. When we chatter, we shut that out. When we are silent, we can let it in, and then act with awareness of that appreciation.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:16
Pirkei Avot 1:16
"Rabban Gamliel said, make for yourself a rabbi, remove yourself from doubt, and do not give extra tithes due to estimation."
At first blush, this seems like advice to be precise in one's observance: get a rabbi to make sure you get it right.
At one level, that explanation seems reasonable. But if that were the point of the mishna, what would be the point of telling us not to give extra tithes? If the point were simply to make sure that we perform the mitzvot, then giving extra tithes would be harmless. The way to make sense of the mishna is to see it as offering the opposite message: by reaching out for help in our observance, we can liberate ourselves from obessive observance. There is no extra credit for giving extra tithes. There is no merit to obsessive observance. G-d does not want us to becomes slaves to scrupulosity. Certainly, we are to perform the mitzvot as best we can. However by making ourselves a rabbi, we relieve ourselves from doubt, and free ourselves to live fully and with zest, not with religiosity. As the previous mishna advises us, we need the mental energy to do much and to receive everyone with a cheerful face.
"Rabban Gamliel said, make for yourself a rabbi, remove yourself from doubt, and do not give extra tithes due to estimation."
At first blush, this seems like advice to be precise in one's observance: get a rabbi to make sure you get it right.
At one level, that explanation seems reasonable. But if that were the point of the mishna, what would be the point of telling us not to give extra tithes? If the point were simply to make sure that we perform the mitzvot, then giving extra tithes would be harmless. The way to make sense of the mishna is to see it as offering the opposite message: by reaching out for help in our observance, we can liberate ourselves from obessive observance. There is no extra credit for giving extra tithes. There is no merit to obsessive observance. G-d does not want us to becomes slaves to scrupulosity. Certainly, we are to perform the mitzvot as best we can. However by making ourselves a rabbi, we relieve ourselves from doubt, and free ourselves to live fully and with zest, not with religiosity. As the previous mishna advises us, we need the mental energy to do much and to receive everyone with a cheerful face.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:15
Pirkei Avot, 1:15
"Shammai said: Make your Torah study fixed, say little and do much, and receive everyone with a cheerful countenance."
The juxtaposition of fixed Torah study and modesty, good deeds and the cheerful countenance with which we are to greet each other implies that the former leads to, and is fulfilled by the latter. As Torah is the word of G-d, study of Torah leads to action in accordance with G-d's wishes, which is modesty in speech, good works and benevolence toward others. The result of Torah study is not described as erudition or wisdom, but actions towards others. This is reminiscent of the instruction of Hillel to the skeptic that the essence of Torah is not to do unto others what is hateful to oneself. Although Shammai and Hillel represented differing schools of Talmudic thought, they both viewed the result of Torah study in terms of benevolent actions toward others. This does not diminish the value of study of Torah for its own sake; rather it enhances it, because it makes it manifest in one's actions in the world, in a constructive way toward others. Such actions must therefore be seen as what intends of us, as the fulfillment of our best potential.
It is also noteworthy that the mishna does not just say we should be modest, do good deeds and be benevolent to others, but rather it says that we should make a fixed practice of study of Torah, which will lead to such behavior. If we do not study Torah, we will not understand the reason for such behavior. The behavior becomes internalized only when we connect it to Torah. Good deeds are the result of study of Torah, but Torah is also the necessary route to understanding the reason to act justly.
"Shammai said: Make your Torah study fixed, say little and do much, and receive everyone with a cheerful countenance."
The juxtaposition of fixed Torah study and modesty, good deeds and the cheerful countenance with which we are to greet each other implies that the former leads to, and is fulfilled by the latter. As Torah is the word of G-d, study of Torah leads to action in accordance with G-d's wishes, which is modesty in speech, good works and benevolence toward others. The result of Torah study is not described as erudition or wisdom, but actions towards others. This is reminiscent of the instruction of Hillel to the skeptic that the essence of Torah is not to do unto others what is hateful to oneself. Although Shammai and Hillel represented differing schools of Talmudic thought, they both viewed the result of Torah study in terms of benevolent actions toward others. This does not diminish the value of study of Torah for its own sake; rather it enhances it, because it makes it manifest in one's actions in the world, in a constructive way toward others. Such actions must therefore be seen as what intends of us, as the fulfillment of our best potential.
It is also noteworthy that the mishna does not just say we should be modest, do good deeds and be benevolent to others, but rather it says that we should make a fixed practice of study of Torah, which will lead to such behavior. If we do not study Torah, we will not understand the reason for such behavior. The behavior becomes internalized only when we connect it to Torah. Good deeds are the result of study of Torah, but Torah is also the necessary route to understanding the reason to act justly.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:14
"He [Hillel] used to say, if I am not for me who is for me, if I am for myself what am I, and if not now when."
The traditional interpretation of this mishna is that we are permitted, even comanded to look out for our own interests, but we must also look out for the interests of others. However, the Mesorah Publications version of Pirkei Avot offers an astonishing interpretation of the first clause of this mishna: that it does not mean merely that one must look out for one's own well-being, but rather that one must be responsible for one's own spiritual development. This a a much more profound interpretation than the common one, that one must care for others to care oneself. The focus of all of Pirkei Avot is the importanct of spiritual development through Torah. If the Mesorah interpretation is correct, then the second clause, that looks to others, must also be read to mean that we are responsible for kiruv, for outreach to others. The last sentence requires that we not delay in our own spiritual development or the of others. If we do not start today, we will be delayed in remaking ourselves and other in a more spiritual path.
"He [Hillel] used to say, if I am not for me who is for me, if I am for myself what am I, and if not now when."
The traditional interpretation of this mishna is that we are permitted, even comanded to look out for our own interests, but we must also look out for the interests of others. However, the Mesorah Publications version of Pirkei Avot offers an astonishing interpretation of the first clause of this mishna: that it does not mean merely that one must look out for one's own well-being, but rather that one must be responsible for one's own spiritual development. This a a much more profound interpretation than the common one, that one must care for others to care oneself. The focus of all of Pirkei Avot is the importanct of spiritual development through Torah. If the Mesorah interpretation is correct, then the second clause, that looks to others, must also be read to mean that we are responsible for kiruv, for outreach to others. The last sentence requires that we not delay in our own spiritual development or the of others. If we do not start today, we will be delayed in remaking ourselves and other in a more spiritual path.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:13
Pirkei Avot 1:13
"[Hillel] used to say, one who seeks a name loses his name, one who does not increase [his knowledge] decreases it (or: will perish), one who does not study deserves death, and one who makes use of the crown [of Torah] will pass away."
This mishna contrasts the value of seeking recognition by others with the value of learning Torah for its own sake. Interestingly, it is not a criticism of the rewards of the secular world, as one might suspect from a Torah sage. It is much more profound than that. Even one who makes use of the crown of Torah will pass away. It is the placing of value on recognition by others, whether in the secular or religious world, that causes one to lose his name, perish, deserve death and pass away. Why would seeking recognition deserve death? All people seek to be recognized by others. The standard of studying Torah for its own sake, to the exclusion of seeking recognition, seems too high a standard for real men. Yet the mishna does not spurn recognition or satisfaction; it condemns seeking a name or making use of the crown of Torah for the sake of one's ego. One can still earn a name if one does not seek it. One can be alive spiritually by studying Torah for its own sake, if one does not use it for an ulterior purpose. This does not mean cutting oneself off from contact with others. On the contrary, it was Hillel who said to the skeptic that the essence of Judaism was not to do to others what is hateful to ourselves; now go and study! We are required to live justly with others, but Torah is the means by which we learn how to live justly with others, which incidentally then can earn us a reputation and spiritual life.
"[Hillel] used to say, one who seeks a name loses his name, one who does not increase [his knowledge] decreases it (or: will perish), one who does not study deserves death, and one who makes use of the crown [of Torah] will pass away."
This mishna contrasts the value of seeking recognition by others with the value of learning Torah for its own sake. Interestingly, it is not a criticism of the rewards of the secular world, as one might suspect from a Torah sage. It is much more profound than that. Even one who makes use of the crown of Torah will pass away. It is the placing of value on recognition by others, whether in the secular or religious world, that causes one to lose his name, perish, deserve death and pass away. Why would seeking recognition deserve death? All people seek to be recognized by others. The standard of studying Torah for its own sake, to the exclusion of seeking recognition, seems too high a standard for real men. Yet the mishna does not spurn recognition or satisfaction; it condemns seeking a name or making use of the crown of Torah for the sake of one's ego. One can still earn a name if one does not seek it. One can be alive spiritually by studying Torah for its own sake, if one does not use it for an ulterior purpose. This does not mean cutting oneself off from contact with others. On the contrary, it was Hillel who said to the skeptic that the essence of Judaism was not to do to others what is hateful to ourselves; now go and study! We are required to live justly with others, but Torah is the means by which we learn how to live justly with others, which incidentally then can earn us a reputation and spiritual life.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:12
Pirkei Avot 1:12
"Hillel and Shammai received the transmission from them [the previous generation of scholars, of Mishna 10]. Hillel said: Be of the students of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to Torah."
As so much of Pirkei Avot, this mishna resonates on two levels. On one level, we have the advice of Hillel, to be like Aaron, loving and pursuing peace and loving people and bringing them closer to Torah. This brings to mind the gentle, warm characteristic of Aaron, known as a peacemaker, and Hillel, who indulged the cynic who asked him to teach him Torah standing on one foot with the answer "do not do unto others what is hateful to you." This is the approach that is in vogue today, to bring Jews back to Judaism by being warm and welcoming, in the wake of the demographic studies predicting our demise to intermarriage and secularism.
But the mishna alludes to another approach. Why does it tell us that Shammai received the transmission from the same source as Hillel? Shammai was known for a more literal interpretation of the Torah. Hillel spoke to the skeptic, and sought to bring him into the fold. Shammai spoke to those already in the fold, and sought to transmit the content of the transmission. Hillel has fared better in the popular description of the two, but the pasuk reminds us that Shammai's approach came from the same source.
Pirkei Avot inclines to accessibility and to outreach, and thus repeats the teaching of Hillel, not Shammai. But the quotation from Hillel alludes to the other perspective. It urges us to be of the students of Aaron, yet the reader knows that Aaron, in his love of peace, allowed the Israelites to worship the golden calf, while his brother, Moses, immediately rejected the golden calf. The end of the quotation from Hillel points to Shammai: "bringing [people] closer to Torah" moves from loving them to bringing them closer to the text, where love alone is not enough. The purpose of loving them is to bring them closer to Torah, which they must study and take to heart.
"Hillel and Shammai received the transmission from them [the previous generation of scholars, of Mishna 10]. Hillel said: Be of the students of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to Torah."
As so much of Pirkei Avot, this mishna resonates on two levels. On one level, we have the advice of Hillel, to be like Aaron, loving and pursuing peace and loving people and bringing them closer to Torah. This brings to mind the gentle, warm characteristic of Aaron, known as a peacemaker, and Hillel, who indulged the cynic who asked him to teach him Torah standing on one foot with the answer "do not do unto others what is hateful to you." This is the approach that is in vogue today, to bring Jews back to Judaism by being warm and welcoming, in the wake of the demographic studies predicting our demise to intermarriage and secularism.
But the mishna alludes to another approach. Why does it tell us that Shammai received the transmission from the same source as Hillel? Shammai was known for a more literal interpretation of the Torah. Hillel spoke to the skeptic, and sought to bring him into the fold. Shammai spoke to those already in the fold, and sought to transmit the content of the transmission. Hillel has fared better in the popular description of the two, but the pasuk reminds us that Shammai's approach came from the same source.
Pirkei Avot inclines to accessibility and to outreach, and thus repeats the teaching of Hillel, not Shammai. But the quotation from Hillel alludes to the other perspective. It urges us to be of the students of Aaron, yet the reader knows that Aaron, in his love of peace, allowed the Israelites to worship the golden calf, while his brother, Moses, immediately rejected the golden calf. The end of the quotation from Hillel points to Shammai: "bringing [people] closer to Torah" moves from loving them to bringing them closer to the text, where love alone is not enough. The purpose of loving them is to bring them closer to Torah, which they must study and take to heart.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Pirkei Avot 1:11
Pirkei Avot 1:11
"Avtalyon said: Sages, be careful with your words lest you deserve to be exiled and are exiled to a place of bad waters. The students who come after you will drink of these waters and die, and G-d's Name will be desecrated."
This is a puzzling mishna. First we must unravel the metaphor: what is the "place of bad waters" to which the sages who "deserve to be exiled" because of their careless words are exiled? Since it is a place where the students who drink of these waters will die, and G-d's Name will be desecrated, it sounds like a place where doctrines that desecrate G-d's Name are taught. Although we can't tell what these teachings are, they are not teachings that are intentionally blasphemous; rather, it is a place to which sages are exiled when they are careless with their words. It is a place where false teachings are passed off as part of the transmitted tradition, and where students die metaphorically because they receive teachings that are not true to what has been passed down from Sinai, through the generations of prophets and scholars.
There is a great sense here that the teachings of Torah have a very specific, intentional meaning. Today we tend to see any interpretation of the text encouraged, as if Torah speaks to all in different ways, and what is to be taken from it is subjective. This mishna says that there is a true sense of the text, and it must be imparted by careful sages.
There is also a sense that the reason that careless words are so harmful is not just the words themselves, but rather the effect that they have in "exiling" sages from the community of faithful transmitters of the tradition. Separation from the community leaves the careless sages unmoored from the salutary effects of the community of sages who are more faithful to the tradition. This concept resonates with the earlier verses that urge us to find a good teacher and to sit at the feet of sages. The connectedness to other sages helps even the wise stay faithful to the true sense of the teachings, and avoid "bad waters".
"Avtalyon said: Sages, be careful with your words lest you deserve to be exiled and are exiled to a place of bad waters. The students who come after you will drink of these waters and die, and G-d's Name will be desecrated."
This is a puzzling mishna. First we must unravel the metaphor: what is the "place of bad waters" to which the sages who "deserve to be exiled" because of their careless words are exiled? Since it is a place where the students who drink of these waters will die, and G-d's Name will be desecrated, it sounds like a place where doctrines that desecrate G-d's Name are taught. Although we can't tell what these teachings are, they are not teachings that are intentionally blasphemous; rather, it is a place to which sages are exiled when they are careless with their words. It is a place where false teachings are passed off as part of the transmitted tradition, and where students die metaphorically because they receive teachings that are not true to what has been passed down from Sinai, through the generations of prophets and scholars.
There is a great sense here that the teachings of Torah have a very specific, intentional meaning. Today we tend to see any interpretation of the text encouraged, as if Torah speaks to all in different ways, and what is to be taken from it is subjective. This mishna says that there is a true sense of the text, and it must be imparted by careful sages.
There is also a sense that the reason that careless words are so harmful is not just the words themselves, but rather the effect that they have in "exiling" sages from the community of faithful transmitters of the tradition. Separation from the community leaves the careless sages unmoored from the salutary effects of the community of sages who are more faithful to the tradition. This concept resonates with the earlier verses that urge us to find a good teacher and to sit at the feet of sages. The connectedness to other sages helps even the wise stay faithful to the true sense of the teachings, and avoid "bad waters".
Sunday, November 11, 2012
"Shemaya and Avtalyon received the transmission from them [the previous generation of scholars, listed in Mishna 8]. Shemaya said: Love work, despise high position, and do not become too close to the authorities."
The central tenet of this mishna is the advice to "love work". The Hebrew word used for work is "melacha," the kind of creative work which is prohibited on Shabbat. In America there is a saying that some people live to work and others work to live, and it is usually used by people who count themselves among the latter, who think the former are obsessive. This mishna, and I would argue, traditional Judaism, rejects the dichotomy. This mishna suggests that we should love our creative work. This is at odds with the idea that there is something obsessive about placing a high priority on one's work, and also with the idea that work is just a means toward the end of living. Rather, the mishna suggests that there is something virtuous in work for it's own sake. If we reflect on the fact that "melacha" is what is prohibited to be done on Shabbat, and why it is prohibited-to mimic the Creator's rest after creating the universe, we get an inkling of why we should love "melacha": it is our equivalent to the act of creating the universe. Through our creative work, we imitate the act of the Creator in creating the universe in irreversibly reshaping the world. This view ennobles us as little creators and shapers of the world, as opposed to the view in the saying that reduces us to atoms whose only value is our personal pleasure.
The two remaining admonitions in this mishna follow logically from the first, and explain it. If our creative work is the source of our self-actualization, high position really distracts from it by placing emphasis on the recognition of those authorities who conferred the high position, presumably for their own selfish reasons. Similarly, one who becomes too close to the authorities becomes corrupted by them, to the extent that he diverts his talents to pleasing the authorities, instead of maximizing the quality of his creative work.
The central tenet of this mishna is the advice to "love work". The Hebrew word used for work is "melacha," the kind of creative work which is prohibited on Shabbat. In America there is a saying that some people live to work and others work to live, and it is usually used by people who count themselves among the latter, who think the former are obsessive. This mishna, and I would argue, traditional Judaism, rejects the dichotomy. This mishna suggests that we should love our creative work. This is at odds with the idea that there is something obsessive about placing a high priority on one's work, and also with the idea that work is just a means toward the end of living. Rather, the mishna suggests that there is something virtuous in work for it's own sake. If we reflect on the fact that "melacha" is what is prohibited to be done on Shabbat, and why it is prohibited-to mimic the Creator's rest after creating the universe, we get an inkling of why we should love "melacha": it is our equivalent to the act of creating the universe. Through our creative work, we imitate the act of the Creator in creating the universe in irreversibly reshaping the world. This view ennobles us as little creators and shapers of the world, as opposed to the view in the saying that reduces us to atoms whose only value is our personal pleasure.
The two remaining admonitions in this mishna follow logically from the first, and explain it. If our creative work is the source of our self-actualization, high position really distracts from it by placing emphasis on the recognition of those authorities who conferred the high position, presumably for their own selfish reasons. Similarly, one who becomes too close to the authorities becomes corrupted by them, to the extent that he diverts his talents to pleasing the authorities, instead of maximizing the quality of his creative work.
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