Tractate Kallah Rabbati 8

ברייתא ר׳ מאיר אומר כל העוסק בתורה לשמה זוכה לדברים הרבה ולא עוד אלא שכל העולם כלו כדאי הוא לו. נקרא ריע [אהוב] אוהב את המקום אוהב אה הבריות. משמח את המקום משמח את הבריות מלבשתו ענוה ויראה. מכשרתו להיות צדיק חסיד ישר ונאמן. מרחקתו מן החטא ומקרבתו לזכות. (ונותנת) [ונהנים] ממנו עצה ותושיה בינה וגבורה שנאמר לי עצה ותושיה אני בינה לי גבורה נותנת לו מלכות וממשלה גדולה חוקר דין ומגלין לו מן השמים רזי תורה נעשה כמעין שאינו נפסק וכנהר המתגבר והולך לו. הוי צנוע וארך רוח ומוחל על עלבונו ומגדלתו ומרוממתו על כל המעשים כלם. ¹This chapter, known as Pereḳ Ḳinyan Torah, ‘The Chapter on the Acquisition of the Torah’, or as Pereḳ R. Meir, ‘The Chapter of R. Meir’, is an appendix to the tractate Aboth. Cf. Aboth, Sonc. ed., p. 78, n. 2. It is printed in P.B., pp. 208ff.BARAITHA. R. Meir said: Whoever occupies himself with the Torah for its own sake merits many things; nay more, the whole world is beholden to him. He is called friend,²Cf. Isa. 41, 8, where it is used of Abraham. beloved,³Cf. Prov. 8, 17, I love them that love me. a lover of the All-present and a lover of his fellow-creatures, one who gladdens⁴Cf. Judg. 9, 13, [wine] which cheereth God and man. The Torah is compared by the Rabbis to wine. the All-present and his fellow-creatures. It clothes him⁵Cf. Isa. 61, 10, He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. with meekness and reverence [of God]; it fits him to be righteous, pious, upright and faithful; it keeps him far from sin and brings him near to merit. From him men enjoy counsel, sound knowledge, understanding and strength; as it is stated, Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.⁶Prov. 8, 14. It gives him sovereignty,⁷A regal appearance. dominion,⁸An impressive personality. greatness and [the ability to be] searching in judgment, and to him are revealed the secret [meanings] of the Torah.⁹Cf. Ps. 25, 14; Amos 3, 7. He becomes like a well that never fails and like a stream which gathers strength as it flows on. He is modest, patient and forgiving of insults directed at him It makes him great and exalts him above all things.

א״ר יהושע ב״ל בכל יום ויום בת קול יוצאת מהר חורב מכרזת ואומרת אוי להם לבריות מעלבונה של תורה שכל מי שאינו תדיר בתלמוד תורה נקרא נזוף שנאמר נזם זהב באף חזיר אשה יפה וסרת טעם ואומר והלוחות מעשה אלהים המה והמכתב מכתב אלהים הוא חרות אל תקרי חרות אלא חירות שאין לך בן חורין אלא מי שעוסק בתורה וכל הלמד בתלמוד תורה הרי זה מתעלה שנאמר וממתנה נחליאל ומנחליאל במות. R. Joshua b. Levi said: Every day a Bath Ḳol¹⁰lit. ‘a daughter of a voice’, used of a heavenly proclamation. goes forth from Mount Ḥoreb¹¹Another name for Sinai. and proclaims, ‘Woe to mankind for the contempt which they display¹²By neglect to study and observe its laws. towards the Torah! For whoever is not constant in his study of the Torah is termed ‘censured’,¹³Heb. נזוף. By the Rabbinic method of Noṭariḳon, the word is constituted from certain letters of the Heb. phrase, a ring of gold in a swine’s snout. as it is stated, As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman that turneth aside from discretion,¹⁴Prov. 11, 22. and it states, And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.¹⁵Ex. 32, 16. Do not read¹⁶A form of Rabbinic exegesis, where, by a change of vowel, another and sometimes higher interpretation is derived. ḥaruth [engraven] but ḥeruth [freedom], for no man is free but he who occupies himself with the Torah; and whoever studies the lore of the Torah is exalted, as it is stated, And from Mattanah to Naḥaliel; and from Naḥaliel to Bamoth.¹⁷Num. 21, 19. These are place names meaning lit. ‘gift’, ‘inheritance of God’ and ‘heights’. They are interpreted homiletically as the stages of a man’s spiritual progress through the study of the Torah. By accepting the Torah, which is God’s gift, and making it his valued possession, the inheritance of God, he rises to the spiritual heights.

וכל הלמד מחברו פרק אחד או הלכה אחת ואפי׳ פסוק אחד ואפילו אות אחת קטנה צריך לנהוג בו כבוד שכן מצינו בדוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים בלבד עשאו רבו ואלופו שנ׳ ואתה אנוש כערכי אלופי ומיודעי והלא הדברים ק״ו ומה דוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים קראו רבו ואלופו הלמד מחברו פרק אחד הלכה אחת פסוק אחד דבר אחד ואפילו אות אחת עאכ״ו שצריך לנהוג בו כבוד ואין כבוד אלא תורה שנאמר כבוד חכמים ינחלו ותמימים ינחלו טוב ואין טוב אלא תורה שנאמר כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו. Whoever learns from his fellow a single chapter, a single rule, even a single verse or even a single small letter¹⁸The spelling of a word. Cf. the Gemara below. must treat him with honour; for so we find with David, king of Israel, who learnt from Ahitophel only two things,¹⁹For the two lessons, cf. Aboth, Sonc. ed., p. 81, n. 6. yet he treated him as his teacher and guide, as it is stated, But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.²⁰Ps. 55, 14. Now is there not an argument from minor to major? If David, king of Israel, who learnt from Ahitophel only two things called him his teacher and guide, how much more so must one who learns from his fellow-man a chapter, a rule, a verse, a word or even one letter treat him with honour! And ‘honour’ means nothing but Torah, as it is stated, The wise shall inherit honour;²¹Prov. 3, 35. [it is also stated,] The whole-hearted shall inherit good,²²ibid. XXVIII, 10. and good is nothing else than Torah, as it is stated For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.²³ibid. IV, 2.

כך היא דרכה של תורה פת במלח תאכל ומים במשורה תשתה ועל הארץ תישן וחיי צער תחיה ובתורה אתה עמל אשריך וטוב לך אשריך בעולם הזה וטוב לך לעולם הבא. אל תבקש גדולה ולא תחמוד כבוד יותר מלמודך עשה ואל תתאוה לשולחנם של מלכים ששולחנך גדול משולחנם וכתרך גדול מכתרם נאמן הוא בעל מלאכתך שישלם לך שכר פעלתך. This is the way [conducive to] the study of the Torah: a morsel of bread with salt thou shalt eat,²⁴The usual meal of the poor; cf. Ber. 2b (Sonc. ed., p. [[illegible]]). and water by measure²⁵Cf. Ezek. 4, 11. shalt thou drink, thou must sleep on the ground and live a life of hardship²⁶i.e. privation. and [yet] labour in the Torah. [If you act in this manner,] Happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee:²⁷Ps. 128, 2. happy shalt thou be in this world, and it shall be well with thee in the World to Come.
Seek not greatness and covet not honour Not learning, but doing is the more important.²⁸Cf. Aboth I, 17 (Sonc. ed., p. 9), III, 12 (Sonc. ed., III, 9, pp. 32f.). and do not crave for the table of kings, for your table is greater than their table and your crown than their crown.²⁹Cf. ibid. IV, 17 (Sonc. ed., IV, 13, p. 51). The crown of the Torah is first in the enumeration, to indicate its superiority over the other two. Faithful is your Employer to pay you the reward for your labour.

גדולה תורה מן הכהונה ומן המלכות שהמלכות בשלשים מעלות והכהונה בעשרים וארבעה והתורה בארבעים ושמונה דברים. בישיבה במקרא בדרך ארץ במיעוט שינה במיעוט שיחה במיעוט סחורה במיעוט שחוק במיעוט תענוג במיעוט דרך ארץ בארך אפים ולב טוב באמונת חכמים ובקבלת היסורין בתלמוד בשמיעת און בעריכת שפתים בבינת הלב. בשכלות הלב. בקימה ביראה בחכמה בענוה בשמוש חכמים ובדקדוק חברים ובפלפול התלמידים המכיר את מקומו השמח בחלקו העושה סיג לדבריו ואין מחזיק טובה לעצמו ואוהב את המקום אוהב את התוכחות אוהב את הצדקות אוהב את המישרים מתרחק מן הכבוד ולא רודף אחר הכבוד ולא מגיס לבו בתלמודו ולא שמח בהוראה הנושא בעול עם חברו והמכריעו לכף זכות מעמידו על האמת מעמידו על השלום מתישב בתלמודו שואל ומשיב שומע ומוסיף המחכם את רבו המכוין את שמועתו והאומר דבר בשם אומרו הא למדת שכל האומר דבר בשם אומרו מביא גאולה שנאמר ותאמר אסתר למלך בשם מרדכי. The Torah is greater than the priesthood and kingship, inasmuch as kingship [is acquired] in the form of thirty distinctions, the priesthood in [the form of] twenty-four, but the Torah in [the form of] forty-eight, viz.: by sedateness, [knowledge of] Scripture, good manners, moderation in sleep, moderation in conversation, moderation in business, moderation in hilarity, moderation in pleasure, moderation in intercourse with the world, patience, goodness of heart, confidence in the wise, resignation under affliction, study, the faculty of hearing,³⁰i.e. being attentive. ordered presentation [of one’s subject-matter] with one’s lips,³¹He rehearses aloud the expositions which he had heard. understanding and discernment of heart,³²The first means coming to a conclusion by means of logical processes, and the other deep insight into the hidden intentions of the Torah. Cf. Aboth, Sonc. ed., p. 84, n. 6. rising [out of respect],³³For the aged and the scholar; cf. Lev. 19, 32 and Ḳid. 32b (Sonc. ed., p. 159) where ‘rising’ is defined as a token of respect. reverence, wisdom, meekness, attendance upon scholars, painstaking examination³⁴Another reading is בדבוק חברים, ‘attachment to colleagues’. [of a subject] together with colleagues, keen discussion with pupils, knowing one’s place, rejoicing in one’s portion, making a fence to one’s words,³⁵He is mindful of what he says. Cf. Aboth I, 11 (Sonc. ed., p.7): ‘Ye Sages, be heedful of your words’. claiming no credit for oneself, loving the All-present, loving reproof, loving just courses, loving rectitude, keeping oneself far from [worldly] honour and not pursuing [worldly] honour, not priding oneself on one’s learning, not taking delight in giving decisions, bearing the yoke with one’s fellow-man, judging him in the scale of merit, guiding him to truth and peace, being deliberate in one’s study, asking questions and answering them, hearing and adding [to what he has heard], making one’s teacher wiser, concentrating upon one’s discourse, and repeating a statement in the name of him who made it. Hence you learn that whoever repeats a statement in the name of him who made it brings redemption into the world, as it is stated, And Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.³⁶Esth. 2, 22.

גדולה תורה שהיא נותנת חיים לעושיה בעולם הזה ובעולם הבא שנאמר כי חיים הם למוצאיהם ולכל בשרו מרפא ואומר רפאות תהי לשרך ושקוי לעצמותיך [ואומר דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום] ואומר עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ותומכיה מאושר ואומר תתן לראשך לוית חן עטרת תפארת תמגנך ואומר כי לוית חן הם לראשך וענקים לגרגרותיך ואומר אורך ימים בימינה בשמאלה עושר וכבוד. ואומר כי אורך ימים ושנות חיים ושלום יוסיפו לך: ר׳ שמעון בר׳ יהודה משום ר׳ שמעון אומר הנוי והכח והעושר והחכמה והזקנה והשיבה והכבוד והבנים לצדיקים נאה להם ונאה לעולם שנא׳ עטרת תפארת שיבה בדרך צדקה תמצא ואומר עטרת זקנים בני בנים ותפארת בנים אבותם ואומר תפארת בחורים כחם והדר זקנים (כבוד) [שיבה] ואומר ונגד זקניו כבוד. ר׳ שמעון בן מנסיא אומר שבע מדות שמנו חכמים לצדיקים כלם נתקיימו בר׳ ובניו: Great is the Torah for it gives life to those who keep it, both in this world and in the World to Come, as it is stated, For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh;³⁷Prov. 4, 22. and it states, It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones;³⁸ibid. III, 8. [and it states,] Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;³⁹ibid. 17. and it states, She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast;⁴⁰ibid. 18. and it states, She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee;⁴¹ibid. IV, 9. and it states, For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and a necklace about thy neck;⁴²ibid. I, 9. and it states, Length of days is in her right hand; in her left are riches and honour;⁴³ibid. III, 16. and it states, For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to thee.⁴⁴ibid. III, 2.
R. Simeon b. Judah said in the name of R. Simeon [b. Yoḥai]: Beauty, strength, riches, wisdom, old age, hoariness, honour and children are becoming to the righteous and becoming to the world; as it is stated, The hoary head is a crown of glory, it is found in the way of righteousness;⁴⁵ibid. XVI, 31. and it states, Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of the children are their fathers;⁴⁶ibid. XVII, 6. and it states, The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head;⁴⁷ibid. XX, 29. and it states, And before His elders shall be glory.⁴⁸Isa. 24, 23. R. Simeon b. Menasia said: The seven qualifications which the Sages associated with the righteous were all realized in Rabbi [Judah the Prince] and his sons.
⁴⁹This paragraph is not in the text, but is inserted because it is referred to in the Gemara. The translation follows the text of H. [R. Jose b. Ḳisma said: Once I went on a journey when a man met me and greeted me.⁵⁰R. Jose did not return the man’s salutation. Cf. the Gemara. He asked me, ‘Rabbi, from which place do you come?’ I replied, ‘From a great city of scholars and scribes’. He said to me, ‘Rabbi, if you agreed to dwell with us in our place, I would give you a thousand thousand golden dinars and precious stones and pearls’. I replied, ‘My son, were you to give me all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world, I would not dwell in any place but in a place of Torah. Because in the hour of a man’s departure [from the world], neither silver nor gold nor precious stones and pearls accompany him but only Torah and good deeds; as it is stated, When thou walkest, it shall lead thee, when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.⁵¹Prov. 6, 22. When thou walkest, it shall lead thee—in this world; when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee—in the grave; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee—in the World to Come. And so it is written in the Book of Psalms of David, king of Israel, The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver;⁵²Ps. 119, 72. and it states, Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold, saith the Lord of hosts.]⁵³Hag. 2, 8.

חמשה קנינין קנה הקב״ה בעולמו ואלו הם תורה קנין אחד שמים וארץ קנין אחד אברהם קנין אחד ישראל קנין אחד בית המקדש קנין אחד. תורה מנין שנאמר ה׳ קנני ראשית דרכו שמים וארץ מנין שנא׳ השמים כסאי והארץ הדום רגלי וגו׳. אברהם מנין שנא׳ ברוך אברם לאל עליון קונה שמים וארץ. ישראל מנין שנאמר עד יעבור עמך ה׳ עד יעבור עם זו קנית ואומר לקדושים אשר בארץ המה ואדירי כל חפצי בם. ובית המקדש מנין שנאמר מקדש ה׳ כוננו ידיך ואומר ויביאם אל גבול קדשו הר זה קנתה ימינו וכולם לא בראם הקב״ה אלא לכבודו שנאמר כל הנקרא בשמי ולכבודי בראתיו יצרתיו אף עשיתיו ואומר ה׳ ימלוך לעולם ועד Five acquisitions has the Holy One, blessed be He, made His very own⁵⁴i.e. especially dear to Him. in this world, viz.: Torah, heaven and earth, Abraham, Israel and the Temple. Whence do we know this of the Torah? As it is stated, The Lord made me as the beginning of His way.⁵⁵Prov. 8, 22. Whence do we know this of heaven and earth? As it is stated, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.⁵⁶Isa. 66, 1. Whence do we know this of Abraham? As it is stated, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.⁵⁷Gen. 14, 19. Whence do we know this of Israel? As it is stated, Till Thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over that Thou hast gotten;⁵⁸Ex. 15, 16. and it states, As for the holy that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all My delight.⁵⁹Ps. 16, 3. And whence do we know this of the Temple? As it is stated, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established;⁶⁰Ex. 15, 17. and it states, And He brought them to His holy border, to the mountain which His right hand had gotten.⁶¹Ps. 78, 54. All of them the Holy One, blessed be He, created only for His honour, as it is stated, Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him;⁶²Isa. 43, 7. and it states, The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.⁶³Ex. 15, 18.

[גמ׳] ר׳ מאיר אומר. ת״ר מעשה בר׳ מאיר שהלך למקום אחד שאלו זקן אחד מהו שכתוב ריח ניחוח אשה לה׳ לא היה בידו נכנס לבית המדרש ושאל א״ל כאן בעוסקים לשמה וכאן בעוסקים שלא לשמה. ולר׳ מאיר אדתני כל העוסק בתורה לשמה לית ליה הא דא״ר יוחנן ויאמר ה׳ על עזבם את תורתי לא על ע״ז ולא על גילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים אמר הקב״ה לא הגליתי את ישראל אלא בשביל שעזבו את תורתי שנאמר אותי עזבו ואת תורתי לא שמרו. האותי עזבו למה תורתי לא שמרו מכאן אמרו חכמים לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה אפילו שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה. כי קאמר בשיטת ר׳ עקיבא דתניא ר׳ עקיבא אומר כל הקורא שלא לשמה נוח לו שאילו נהפכה שליתו על פניו שנאמר ושמרתם מצותי ועשיתם אותם כל הקורא לשמה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עשה עצמו שנא׳ ועשיתם אותם. מתיבין תיובתא למילי דר׳ יוחנן מפני מה חרבה ירושלם בראשונה מפני ע״ז ובאחרונה מפני שנאת חנם הא לית בה תרתי אמר לך ר׳ יוחנן האי הקב״ה הוא דקאמר הכי אותי עזבו מה טעם דתורתי לא שמרו. הא אילו תורתי שמרו אותי לא עזבו. ואי משום דקא מקשית בית שני שאני שנאת חנם דחמיר טפי מע״ז ומנא לן דכתיב חבור עצבים אפרים הנח לו בזמן שהם מתחברין ואפי' לעצביהם הנח להם. חלק לבם עתה יאשמו. אי הכי בראשון אמאי שאני בית ראשון דהוה מאריך להם מימות רחבעם. ואי בעית אימא ראשון נמי משום חלק חרב. ת״ר כל השונא כאילו הורגו שנאמר וכי יהיה איש שונא לרעהו וארב לו וקם עליו הא אילו היה ספק בידו היה הורגו. GEMARA. ‘R. Meir said’: The Rabbis have taught:⁶⁴The story is not found elsewhere in Talmudic literature. R. Meir once went to a certain place where an old man asked him, ‘Why is it written, It is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord,⁶⁵e.g. Ex. 29, 18. [and elsewhere it is written, An offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord]?’⁶⁶e.g. Num. 29, 13. The words within brackets are not in V but added by H. He was not in possession [of the answer], so he went to the Beth Hammidrash and inquired. They told him, ‘The one passage refers to those who occupy themselves with the study of the Torah for its own sake, and the other to those who occupy themselves not for its own sake’.⁶⁷Where the motive is disinterested the study of the Torah is a sweet savour first and an offering made by fire second; otherwise it is reversed. For the comparison of the Torah to fire, cf. Deut. 33, 2, a fiery law. As for R. Meir who taught: ‘Whoever occupies himself with the Torah for its own sake’, etc.,⁶⁸At the beginning of the Baraitha. was he not in possession of what R. Joḥanan⁶⁹This name varies in the sources, e.g. R. Isaac and R. Abba. said: [It is written,] And the Lord saith: Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, etc.⁷⁰Jer. 9, 12.: The Holy One, blessed be He, said [54b], ‘I have exiled Israel not because of idolatry, immorality and murder, but because they forsook My law; as it is stated, And have forsaken Me, and have not kept My law⁷¹ibid. XVI, 11.—if they forsook Me why did they not keep My law?’⁷²j.Ḥag. I, 7, 76C. Hence the Sages declared:⁷³Pes. 50b (Sonc. ed., p. 245). Let a man ever occupy himself with the Torah even not for its own sake; because from doing it not for its own sake, he will come to do it for its own sake.
[R. Meir] made his statement on the principle of R. ‘Aḳiba, for it has been taught: R. ‘Aḳiba said: Whoever reads [the Torah] not for its own sake, it were better for him that he had died at birth;⁷⁴lit. ‘it would have been better for him had the afterbirth been turned on his face’. for it is stated, And ye shall keep My commandments, and do them.⁷⁵Lev. 22, 31. The purpose of studying the precepts of the Torah is to do them. But whoever reads [the Torah] for its own sake, Scripture accounts it to him as though he had fulfilled [the precepts], as it is stated, And do them.⁷⁶Cf. Sanh. 99b (Sonc. ed., p. 675). The following was quoted in refutation of R. Joḥanan’s statement: What was the cause of the first destruction of Jerusalem? Idolatry. And of the second destruction? Causeless hatred;⁷⁷Tosiftha Men. XIII, 22 (ed. Zuckermandel, p. 533) cites this in the name of R. Joḥanan b. Torthah. so were there not two causes?⁷⁸R. Joḥanan gives only one cause for the first destruction and one for the second destruction. R. Joḥanan can reply: It is the Holy One, blessed be He, Who spoke thus: They have forsaken Me. Why? Because they have not kept My law;⁷⁹One cause was the effect of the other, and so there were not two causes. consequently if they had kept My law they would not have forsaken Me. And as to your question on [the destruction of] the Second Temple, causeless hatred is different because it is more grievous than idolatry.⁸⁰Hence one cause sufficed. Whence do we know this? For it is written, Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone:⁸¹Hosea 4, 17. As long as they are joined together even [to worship] their idols, leave them alone;⁸²So long as there was unity among the people, even for a base purpose, God would not punish them. [and it is written,] Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt.⁸³ibid. X, 2. Only when the people are divided through enmity they suffer divine punishment. If so, what [was the cause of] the first destruction? With the First Temple it was different; He deferred the punishment from the days of Rehoboam. Or if you wish I can say that the First Temple was also destroyed for the reason their heart is divided.
The Rabbis have taught:⁸⁴This statement is not found in the Talmudic sources. Whoever hates another is as though he were his murderer, as it is stated, But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die⁸⁵Deut. 19, 11. Hatred may lead to murder. Cf. Sifrë, Deut., §§186f. (ed. Friedmann, p. 108b).—were it in his power he would kill him.

נקרא ריע לשכינה דכתיב למען אחי ורעי. אהוב דכתיב אני אוהבי אהב ומשחרי ימצאונני. את המקום ואת הבריות מלמד שצריך אדם לצאת ידי הבריות כדרך שיוצא ידי שמים דכתיב והייתם נקיים מה׳ ומישראל. משמח את המקום דכתיב (הלא) [הן] הוא משוש דרכו. את הבריות דכתיב ישראל אשר בך אתפאר. מלבשתו ענוה מאן תנא ר׳ יהושע בן לוי (אמר) [דאמר] ענוה (לכל) [גדולה מכולן]. הא מדתני סיפא ר׳ יהושע ב״ל אומר ש״מ דרישא לאו ר׳ יהושע מיחסרא בריתא ותריץ על המעשים כלם ועוד אמר ר׳ יהושע ב״ל. ודילמא ר׳ מאיר היא לא שמעינן ליה לר״מ דאמר יראה עדיפא. מכשרתו להיות צדיק מאי צדיק ומאי חסיד צדיק בעל צדקות חסיד גומל חסדים דהא מדקתני כליל להני ישר למה לי. ישר ישר דרך נאמן רוח. מרחקתו מן החטא. חטא דאפילו חטא אחרים זכות אפילו זכות אחרים. ‘He is called friend’ of the Divine Presence,⁸⁶Midrash Rabbah, Exodus, XXVII, 1 (Sonc. ed., p. 321): ‘Thine own friend (Prov. 27, 10) is the Holy One, blessed be He’. as it is written. For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say: Peace be within thee.⁸⁷Ps. 122, 8. ‘Beloved’, as it is written, I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.⁸⁸Prov. 8, 17. ‘One who gladdens the All-present and his fellow-creatures’: This teaches that a man should appear justified before his fellow-creatures as well as before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, Then ye shall be clear before the Lord, and before Israel.⁸⁹Num. 32, 22. ‘Gladden the All-present’: as it is written, Behold, this is the joy of his way.⁹⁰Job 8, 19 interpreted of God. [‘Gladden] his fellow-creatures’: as it is written, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.⁹¹Isa. 49, 3.
‘It clothes him with meekness’: Who taught this? R. Joshua b. Levi who said:⁹²Cf. ‘A.Z. 20b (Sonc. ed., p. 107). Meekness is the greatest of them all. Since the last part reads ‘R. Joshua b. Levi said’, it must be deduced that the first part is not by R. Joshua b. Levi! Something is missing in the Baraitha and read it as follows: ‘[Meekness is] the greatest of them all, and further said R. Joshua b. Levi’. But perhaps the author of the statement is R. Meir? We do not find anywhere that R. Meir said, ‘Reverence is best’.⁹³The word ‘reverence’ seems to be an error for ‘meekness’, otherwise the answer is unintelligible. [Because in the Baraitha ‘reverence’ is linked with ‘meekness’, the answer may be that since R. Meir nowhere makes the statement with respect to the first, it cannot be his statement.]
‘It fits him to be righteous, pious’, etc. What is meant by ‘righteous’ and what by ‘pious’? ‘Righteous’ is one who does right actions; ‘pious’ is one who practises acts of loving-kindness. Since [the Baraitha] cites these [virtues], why does it mention ‘upright [and faithful]’? ‘Upright’ means one who is upright in his ways, ‘faithful’ denotes one who is faithful in spirit.
‘It keeps him far from sin’: even from the sin of others. ‘And brings him near to merit’: even the merit of others. ‘From him men enjoy sound knowledge’: What is meant by tushiyyah? The Torah. And why is it called tushiyyah? Because it weakens the strength of a man⁹⁴Cf. Sanh. 26b (Sonc. ed., p. 155) where the word is derived from the root תשש, ‘to weaken’. [through his constant study of it]. Another explanation: Because it was given in secret on account of Saṭan.⁹⁵Cf. Sanh. loc. cit. Saṭan opposed the Torah being given to Moses because he argued that the Israelites would later violate it by worshipping the Golden Calf. Cf. Shab. 89a, Tosafoth s.v. Torah quoting a Midrash. Another explanation: Because it is composed of chaotic matter which is the foundation of the world.⁹⁶תושיה is taken to be a combination of תו, i.e. תהו, ‘chaos’ and שיה, equated with שתיה, ‘foundation’.

(ונהנה ממנה) [ונהנים ממנו] מאי תושיה תורה ולמה נקראה תושיה שמתשת כחו של אדם. [ד״א תושיה שניתנה בחשאי מפני השטן] ד״א תושיה דברים של תוהו עולם משותת בהם (ד״א תושיה שדברים של תורה שתת עליהן שנאמר) [ת״ש] מפר מחשבות ערומים ולא תעשינה ידיהם תושיה. בשלמא ללישנא בתרא ניחא דהיינו דכתיב לא תעשינה ידיהם מאי דמתחלי אלא ללישנא קמא קשיא (ולקמן) [ללישנא קמא] נמי לא קשיא משום דמחשבה מועלת אפילו לדברי תורה. ולמ״ד תושיה שניתנה בחשאי מפני השטן קשיא מתרי סטרי דהא לא מתפרש הכי ובהכי קרא לא מנכר להך ודאי קשיא: לי עצה ותושיה הכי קאמר שר תורה לי עצה ותושיה ואמרה איהי אני בינה. ואי בעית אימא איהי דקאמרת אע״ג דלא קרוב. מעצי וידעי ההיא עצתא דילי היא ומשמיא היא דאסכים דעתייהו אבל גופי בינה ואע״ג דגוברין מנצחין לית גיבר אלא מאן דקאי בי. ונותנת לו מלכות חוקר דין דיני ממונות. רזי תורה דבר מתוך דבר כמעין מכוין דמחכם לא פסק. וכנהר המתגבר דכל יומא טעם חדש מתחדש לו. הוי צנוע דאע״ג דמחכם טפי ואינשי לא חכמין אשיטפיה לא תדונון בנזיפה. ומוחל על עלבונו שלא רודף ריבו. ומגדלתו ומרממתו: Come and hear: [It is written,] He frustrated the devices of the crafty, so that their hands can perform nothing substantial.⁹⁷Job 5, 12, where substantial is tushiyyah in the Heb. It is all right in this last-quoted verse where it is clear from what is written, so that their hands can perform nothing, that it refers to what they have begun to do; but on the basis of the first statement there is a difficulty!⁹⁸If study weakens a man and so he fails to achieve his purpose, there is no incentive to study. [It can be answered that] on the basis of the first statement there is also no difficulty, because anxiety⁹⁹lit. ‘thought’ about one’s livelihood. affects one’s learning.¹⁰⁰lit. ‘the Torah’. God frees scholars from anxiety by providing them with sustenance, because otherwise they could not progress in their studies. The verse from Job is accordingly understood in this sense: ‘He abolisheth the thoughts of the skilled (i.e. scholars), lest their hands perform nothing substantial’. Cf. Sanh. 26b (Sonc. ed., p. 155, n. 11). And as for him who interprets [tushiyyah] ‘because it was given in secret on account of Saṭan’, there is a twofold difficulty: first, the word cannot bear such an interpretation, and secondly the verses [which are cited] afford no proof¹⁰¹Reading with H menaher, ‘enlighten’ for it! The difficulty certainly [remains unsolved].
‘Counsel is Mine, and sound wisdom’—thus declared the princes of the Torah: Mine is counsel and sound wisdom, and [the Torah] responded, I am understanding. Or if you wish I can say that [the Torah] declared, ‘Although [understanding] is not my relative,¹⁰²i.e. the source of my wisdom (so L. Ginzberg quoted by H). counsellor or friend, yet counsel is Mine and was approved by Heaven; but as for the principles of understanding, although men may master them, no one can do so unless he takes his stand with me’.¹⁰³Cf. ARN XXIII, 1, above p. 116, where ‘the mighty’ are defined as they who are such in Torah.
‘It gives him sovereignty … and [the ability to be] searching in judgment’—that is, in civil cases. ‘The secret [meanings of] the Torah’—[so that he is able to deduce] one thing from another.¹⁰⁴i.e. by analogy. ‘Like a well that never fails’—once he has gained wisdom he does not cease [to add to it]. ‘And like a stream which gathers strength as it flows on’—every day he discovers a new interpretation. ‘Modest’—although you have become very wise and other men cannot acquire wisdom with the same rapidity, do not harshly judge them. ‘Forgiving insults directed at him’—he does not pursue a quarrel. ‘And it makes him great and exalts him.’

ר׳ יהושע אומר בכל יום ויום מנא לן דכתיב קול ה' לעיר יקרא ותושיה (יקרא) [יראה] שמך.ודילמא קלא בעלמא נאמר כאן יקרא ונאמר להלן ויקרא ה׳ (אל משה) [למשה] מה להלן מסיני אף כאן בסיני. א״נ כאן יקרא ונאמר באהל מועד ויקרא אלא נאמר כאן קול ונאמר להלן והאלהים יעננו בקול. אימא וישמע את הקול ועוד לעיר קאמרת אלא מהכא קול קורא במדבר פנו דרך ה׳ והכא קריאה ומדבר וכתיב ויחנו במדבר ודילמא לפרקים מאי קורא תדיר דכתיב קורא אני עליהם יעמדו יחדו. ת״ר חמשה הקב״ה מכריז עליהם בעצמו אלו הם פרנס רעב ושובע וחרב ופליטי חרב. פרנס דכתיב ראה קראתי בשם בצלאל. רעב דכתיב כי קרא ה׳ לרעב. שובע דכתיב וקראתי אל הדגן והרביתי אותו. חרב דכתיב כי חרב אני קורא ופליטי חרב דכתיב ובשרידים אשר ה׳ קורא. בשלמא הני תלת שפיר דכתיב בהו שם אלא וקראתי אל הדגן דילמא ע״י שליח דכתיב וקראתי לעבדי דאי לא תימא הכי התם שכינה קריא ליה. התם דומיא דבצלאל דפרנס הוא: ‘R. Joshua b. Levi said: Every day’, etc. Whence do we know this? For it is written, Hark! the Lord crieth [yiḳra’] unto the city—and it is wisdom to have regard for Thy name.¹⁰⁵Micah 6, 9. Perhaps the verse speaks of an ordinary voice [calling and not a Bath Ḳol]? Here it is stated yiḳra’, and elsewhere it is stated, And the Lord called [wayyiḳra’] unto him out of the mountain:¹⁰⁶Ex. 19, 3. as there it was [God calling] from Sinai, so here too it is [God calling] from Sinai. Alternately, here it states yiḳra’ and of the tent of meeting it states, And the Lord called [wayyiḳra’] unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tent of meeting.¹⁰⁷Lev. 1, 1. But it might be argued that here¹⁰⁸In Micah 6, 9, where the word ḳol is used, translated hark. it uses the word ḳol and elsewhere it states, God answered him by a voice [beḳol]!¹⁰⁹Ex. 19, 19, which seems to imply that it was not God Who spoke. Then quote, Then he heard the Voice speaking.¹¹⁰Num. 7, 89. Here it is clear that God is speaking. [It might also be argued,] Here it states, unto the city¹¹¹In Micah 6, 9, and therefore the comparison is not complete. and there it does not! [Draw the inference] from the following: Hark [ḳol]! one calleth [ḳore’]: Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord,¹¹²Isa. 40, 3. where ‘calling’ and ‘wilderness’ occur, and it is written, They encamped in the wilderness¹¹³Ex. 19, 2, which refers to a time before Sinai.—perhaps this refers to the periodical ‘callings’! When it mentions ‘calling’ it implies a regular calling, as it is written, When I call unto them, they stand up together.¹¹⁴Isa. 48, 13.
Our Rabbis have taught:¹¹⁵Ber. 55a (Sonc. ed., p. 335). R. Joḥanan there enumerates three things: famine, plenty and leadership. Five things the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself proclaims, viz.: the leader, famine, plenty, the sword, and those who escape the sword. ‘The leader’, as it is written, See, I have called by name Beẓalel.¹¹⁶Ex. 31, 2. ‘Famine’, as it is written, For the Lord hath called for a famine.¹¹⁷2 Kings 8, 1. ‘Plenty’, as it is written, And I will call for the corn and will increase it.¹¹⁸Ezek. 36, 29. ‘The sword’, as it is written, For I will call for a sword.¹¹⁹Jer. 25, 29. ‘Those who escape the sword’, as it is written, And among the remnant those whom the Lord shall call.¹²⁰Joel 3, 5. It is all right with three since the Divine Name is written in connection with them, but with And I will call for the corn, perhaps [this means] by a messenger, as it is written, I will call my servant Eliaḳim!¹²¹Isa. 22, 20. If you do not admit this, surely there [with Eliaḳim] the Divine Presence called to him [to act as leader], because it was similar to that of Beẓalel who was a leader.

תנן בכל יום ויום כרוז יוצא ואומר בתו של פלוני לפלוני אשתו של פלוני לפלוני ממונו של פלוני לפלוני וי״א אף בית של פלוני לפלוני מנא ה״מ דכתיב אך הבל בני אדם כזב בני איש. הבל בני אדם שאומר בתו של פלוני לפלוני כזב בני איש שאומר אשתו של פלוני לפלוני במאזנים לעלות שאומר ממונו של פלוני לפלוני ואידך בית היינו ממון. גופא הבל בני אדם כזב בני איש מ״ש הבל באדם וכזב באיש אמר דוד אני אמרתי בחפזי כל האדם כוזב משום דאדם כתיב ברישא דכתיב ויאמר את קולך שמעתי בגן ואירא כי ערום אנכי משום הכי משקר. הא עלמא קים ליה מנח דלא משקר דכתיב איש צדיק תמים היה אפ״ה לא אהני אעיקרא עתיקא אזלי: We have learnt:¹²²M.Ḳ. 18b (Sonc. ed., p. 118). Every day a proclamation goes forth [in heaven], ‘The daughter of So-and-so is [to marry] So-and-so; the wife of So-and-so is [to marry] So-and-so; the money of So-and-so [will belong] to So-and-so’. Some add. ‘The house of So-and-so [will belong] to So-and-so’. Whence do we know this? For it is written, Men of low degree are vanity; and men of high degree are a lie; if they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.¹²³Ps. 62, 10. Men of low degree are vanity: this refers to one who says, ‘The daughter of So-and-so [will marry] So-and-so’; men of high degree are a lie: this refers to one who says, ‘The wife of So-and-so [will marry] So-and-so’; if they be laid in the balances: this refers to one who says, ‘The money of So-and-so [will belong] to So-and-so’. And what about the added statement? ‘House’ is the same as ‘money’.
It was stated above, Men [’adam] of low degree are vanity; and men [’ish] of high degree are a lie. Why is vanity used with ’adam and lie with ’ish? David said: I said in my haste: all men [’adam] are liars.¹²⁴ibid. CXVI, 11. Because ’Adam was the first name by which man was designated, as it is written, And the Lord God called unto the man [’adam] and said unto him: ‘Where art thou?’ And he said: ‘I heard Thy voice in the garden and I was afraid, because I was naked;’¹²⁵Gen. 3, 9f. should [man] therefore [be called] a liar? Did not the world [after the Flood] begin with Noah who was not a liar, for it is written, Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted?¹²⁶ibid. VI, 9. Even so, this does not help; we go back to the earliest origins.¹²⁷i.e. the first man, Adam.

שכל מי שאינו תדיר בתלמוד תורה הרי זה נזוף. זהב זו תורה וכן הוא אומר ואתן נזם על אפך ואומר נזם זהב באף חזיר זה שקרא לפרקים אמר הקב״ה למה זו לפני חזיר שהרי תורתי יפה אני נתתיה להגותה והוא אינו הוגה עד שמשכחה ואומר והלוחות מעשה אלהים המה ואומר וממתנה נחליאל מאי ואומר וכי תימא אע״ג דנזוף היא מחשב בן חורין ת״ש חרות על הלוחות אין לך בן חורין אלא ההוגה בתורה ואומר וממתנה נחליאל מאי ואומר וכי תימא בן חורין מתורה לא הוי הא שכר שקיל. ת״ש וממתנה נחליאל לומר מתן שכרה לעושין עצמם בה כנחל שוטף ודילמא אמרת מן פסוק דכתיב כאפיק נחלים יעברו. ת״ש דכתיב ומנחליאל במות כאותן הבמות דלאסרו: ‘For whoever is not constant in the study of the Torah is termed “censured”; as it is stated, As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout’—gold refers to the Torah, for so it states, And I put a ring upon thy nose;¹²⁸Ezek. 16, 12. and it also declares, As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout: this refers to one who studies the Torah at [irregular] intervals.¹²⁹Cf. Sanh. 99b (Sonc. ed., p. 673). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Of what [use] is this before swine, seeing that My Torah is beautiful and I have given it [to man] to meditate thereon, but he does not meditate on it until he forgets it’.
‘And it states, And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables; and it is stated, And from Mattanah to Naḥaliel; and from Naḥaliel to Bamoth’. What is [the force of] the additional verse? Should you say that although such a man is under ‘censure’ he can still be considered a free man, come and hear: Graven upon the tables—he only is free who meditates on the Torah.¹³⁰Cf. ARN II, 3, p. 21. And it declares, From Mattanah to Naḥaliel—what is [the force of] this additional verse? Should you say: He is not a free man¹³¹V inserts ‘from the Torah’, which H deletes. but receives his reward, come and hear: And from Mattanah to Naḥaliel—this is to teach that the reward is [only] for those who make themselves in connection with [the Torah] like an overflowing brook.¹³²Connecting Naḥaliel with נחל, ‘brook’, and אל, ‘mighty’, i.e. he makes a great effort to study the Torah. You might perhaps derive this from the verse, As the channel of brooks that overflow!¹³³Job 6, 15. The verb overflow is lit. ‘pass’, which is here taken in the sense ‘pass away, dry up’. Come and hear: And from Naḥaliel to Bamoth—they are like the high places [bamoth] which did not cease.¹³⁴This translation follows the text of V and H, according to which the meaning given to overflow as ‘pass away’ is countered by the explanation that the brooks are like the bamoth which continued in existence after God commanded their abolition.

הלומד מחבירו פרק אחד וכי מאחר דעל אות אחת צריך דבר אחד למה לי ומאחר דדבר אחד הלכה אחת או פרק אחד למה לי אלא אות אחת בתלמוד דבר אחד בפרק פסוק אחד במשנה או הלכה אחת אפילו לא פסיקא פרק אחד אפי׳ בדרך ארץ. היכי דמי אות אחת כגון מאמצין [או] מעמצין אי נמי [גראינין או] גרעינין (לגלעינין) אי נמי אוממות או עוממות והוא דאמר ליה סברא. גרעינין דכתיב ונגרע מערכך. עוממות דכתיב ארזים לא עממוהו. מעצמין דכתיב ועוצם עיניו מראות ברע. אבל סבריה בין אלפין לעיינין לא. והא הני אלפין עיינין נינהו כי קאמרי׳ דמפרש ללבא כגון מסיקין מציקין והא לא דמי אלא כגון הא דתנן משילין פירות דרך ארובה ואית דתני משחילין ולא משתבש דתנן השחול והכסול (כל) [שחול] שנשמטה ירך אחת ואיכא דתאני משירין ולא משתבש דתנן מי שנשר כליו ואיכא דתני משחירין ולא משתבש דתנן השחור והזוג של סופרים והא אות אחת היא האי דבר אחת היא לא צריכא אלא אסבריה. אמר רבא אפילו וא״ו פשיטא דקא אות אתת היא מהו דתימא כיון דלתוספת לא אתיא אימא לא קמ״ל דזימנין דמתוקם בה טעמא ולא אמרן אלא בדאוקים בה טעמא אמר רבא ובמקרא אע״ג דלא איתוקם בו טעמא דלא קריא. הא אמרת פסוק אחד במקרא לא צריכא דפריש ליה אגב הילכתא: ‘Whoever learns from his fellow a single chapter.’ Since [the Baraitha] refers to ‘a single small letter’, what need was there to mention ‘one word’? And [since it refers] to ‘one word’, why mention ‘a single rule’ or ‘a single chapter’? [The intention is] one letter of the Talmud, one word of the Mishnah, one verse of Scripture, one rule even though it has not been established, one chapter even of [the tractate] Derek ’Ereẓ.¹³⁵The text of H is followed. Derek ’Ereẓ is a treatise on ethical conduct, included in this series of Minor Tractates. How [can one learn] ‘a single letter’? For example,¹³⁶Cf. Shab. 77b (Sonc. ed., p. 365, nn. 4, 6, 8) where the discussion is on whether certain Hebrew words are to be spelt with the letter ’alef or ‘ayin. me’ammeẓin or me‘ammeẓin; gar’inin or gar‘inin; or ’ommemoth or ‘ommemoth. And he¹³⁷Rabbah b. ‘Ulla in Shab. loc. cit. gave a reason [that the word should be spelt] gar ‘inin, for it is written, And an abatement shall be made [wenigra‘] from thy valuation;¹³⁸Lev. 27, 18, where the root gara‘ is spelt with ‘ayin. ‘ommemoth, for it is written, The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it;¹³⁹Ezek. 31, 8. There the root ‘amam is spelt with ‘ayin. me‘ammeẓin, for it is written, And shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil.¹⁴⁰Isa. 33, 15. Again the root ‘aẓam has the letter ‘ayin. He did not, however, give his own opinion [whether these words should be written] with ’alef or ‘ayin. But one [of the examples cited] is written with ’alef? They are surely written with ’ayin! He speaks of words which enter the heart,¹⁴¹So rendered by H. It may mean examples of a natural interchange of sibilants. as for instance, massiḳin, meziḳin.¹⁴²Cf. B.B. 116b (Sonc. ed., p. 695) where both words are used in the sense of ‘bandits’. But is not this [a better] example—for instance that which we have learnt:¹⁴³Beẓah 35b (Sonc. ed., p. 179). One may let fruit drop [mashshilin] through a trap-door on a Festival? If [one uses the verb] mashshilin he does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁴Beẓah loc. cit. [If the firstling is a] shaḥol or a kasol, [it may be slaughtered]; shaḥol [means an animal] whose hip has become dislocated and kasol [an animal] one of whose hips is higher than the other.¹⁴⁵Hence the root shaḥal means ‘slip, fall’, the same as the root nashal in mashshilin. If one teaches the word mashshirin¹⁴⁶From the root nashar, ‘fall’. he does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁷Beẓah loc. cit. If one’s clothes fell [nashru] in the water on a Sabbath he may walk in them without fear. He who uses the word mashshirin does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁸ibid. The hair-clipper [shaḥor]¹⁴⁹Which causes the hair ‘to fall’ from the head. and the barber’s scissors are susceptible to defilement even though [the two parts] are separated. But [we are speaking of the change] of one letter and here it [deals with the change of] one word! It was only necessary as an opinion.¹⁵⁰A general example of the interchange of letters.
Raba said: Even with the waw, which is clearly one letter, you might argue that since it does not add anything to the meaning, conclude that one is not [obliged to honour him who teaches it]! Hence [the Baraitha] teaches that, since at times with the help of it a reason [for a law] is established [it is to be taken into consideration],¹⁵¹i.e. he is obligated to pay honour to him who teaches it to him. and it only applies where the reason [for a law] is established by it. Raba said: [It also applies] in connection with Scripture, although the reason for a law may not be established by it and it may be a letter that is not pronounced. But you said ‘a verse of Scripture’!¹⁵²If taught warrants respect to the instructor. This was necessary for a case when he expounded it in connection with a halakah.

שכן מצינו בדוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים מאי נינהו אמר רבא מגופיה דקרא לאו שמעת מינה נמתיק סוד א״ל דוד למה אתה יושב לבדך ועוסק בתורה. אין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא בחברים בסוד מה סוד הפר מחשבות באין סוד אף הכא נמי ומנא אסבריה דכתיב הסכת עשו עצמכם כתות כתות. ואידך א״ל כי אתיה לצלויי רהוט באיניש דאזל בתר מלכא ומנא אסבריה דכתיב אחרי ה׳ אלהיכם תלכו. ומנין שחזר דוד ושבחן דכתיב אשר יחדיו נמתיק סוד בבית אלהים נהלך ברגש. וכתיב מכל מלמדי השכלתי וכתיב דרך מצותיך ארוץ: ‘For so we find with David, king of Israel, who learnt from Ahitophel only two things.’ What were they? Raba said: Can you not learn them from the verse itself? [It is written,] We took sweet counsel together:¹⁵³Ps. 55, 15. [Ahitophel] said to him, ‘David, why do you sit and occupy yourself alone with the study of the Torah? The words of the Torah can be preserved only in association with companions.¹⁵⁴i.e. taking counsel together. Just as counsel frustrates thoughts,¹⁵⁵Fellow-students in the course of discussion refute each other’s conclusions if wrongly arrived at. so [is thought frustrated] where there is no counsel’.¹⁵⁶One is often misled by his own false reasoning. And whence did he illustrate it? For it is written, Keep silence [hasketh], and hear, O Israel¹⁵⁷Deut. 27, 9. [which means,] Divide yourselves into groups¹⁵⁸The second syllable of הסכת is read as כת, ‘group’. [for the study of the Torah]. And what was the other thing [David] learnt [from him]? He said to him, ‘When you go to pray, run like a man running after a king’. And whence did he illustrate it? For it is written. After the Lord your God shall ye go.¹⁵⁹ibid. XIII, 5. E.V. walk. And whence do we know that David referred to these [two thoughts] and spoke in praise of them? For it is written, We took sweet counsel together, in the house of God we walked with the throng;¹⁶⁰Ps. 55, 15. The first clause is interpreted as studying Torah together with others, and in the second with the throng is understood as ‘in haste’. and it is written, I have more understanding than all my teachers;¹⁶¹ibid. CXIX, 99, which is given the meaning: I have gained understanding from all my teachers (Ahitophel included). and it is also written, I will run the way of Thy commandments.¹⁶²ibid. 32.

כך היא דרכה של תורה פת במלח. חזייה דהוה מפנק נפשיה א״ל לית לך לא תמצא בארץ החיים לא תמצא התורה במי שמחיה עצמו עליה א״ל ההוא שנכנס לגוף ואפילו האי נמי א״ל מי לא תניא שלשה נכנסין לגוף ואין הגוף נהנה מהם גודגניות וכפניות ופגי תמרה. שלשה אין נכנסין לגוף והגוף נהנה מהם רחיצה וסיכה ותשמיש. א״ל האי עינוי הוא. א״ל אין דכתיב טוב לי כי עוניתי למען אלמד חוקיך. ותו בר מהני משתכחי והתניא לא בשמים היא לא תמצא תורה במי שמגביהים דעתם ולא מעבר לים היא לא תמצא בסוחרים ובתגרין וספנין. הנהו תורה לא משתכחא בהו ערמה ודאי משתכחא ומאי משמע דהאי מעבר לים סוחרים הוא דכתיב ויעברו אנשים מדינים סוחרים. אל תבקש גדולה לעצמך שלא תאמר הנני קורא בתורה ומה היא גדולתי אם עשית כן נמצאת עוסק בתורה שלא לשמה. ‘This is the way [conducive to] the study of the Torah: a morsel of bread with salt thou shalt eat.’¹⁶³Cf. Sanh. 111a (Sonc. ed., p. 762). [Rab] saw [R. Kahana] indulging himself¹⁶⁴He was dressing his hair instead of attending to his studies. and asked him, ‘Do you not know of the verse,¹⁶⁵Or, do you not accept the teaching? Neither is it found in the land of the living¹⁶⁶Job 28, 13. [which means that] the Torah will not be found in one who attends to his needs [instead of studying it constantly]?’ He replied, ‘It refers to [abstention from pleasant things] which enter the body, but does it refer also to such matters?’¹⁶⁷As dressing one’s hair. [Rab] said to him, ‘Has it not been taught:¹⁶⁸Ber. 57b (Sonc. ed., p. 356). Three things enter the body without its deriving any benefit therefrom, viz. melilot,¹⁶⁹A kind of clover. date-berries and unripe dates; three things do not enter the body but it derives benefit therefrom, viz. washing, anointing and regular motions?’ He asked him, ‘Does, then, the study of the Torah entail affliction?’ He replied, ‘Yes, for it is written, It is good for me that I have been afficted, in order that I might learn Thy statutes.¹⁷⁰Ps. 119, 71. Furthermore, is [Torah] found [in all others] except those [who attend to their wants]? But has it not been taught:¹⁷¹‘Erub. 55a (Sonc. ed., p. 384). It is not in heaven¹⁷²Deut. 30, 12. [which means that] Torah will not be found with those who exalt their knowledge, Neither is it beyond the sea [which means that] it will not be found among merchants, traders and sailors. With these Torah is not found but craftiness is found. And whence do you know that beyond [‘eber] the sea refers to merchants? For it is written, And there passed by [wayya‘abru], Midianites, merchantmen’.¹⁷³Gen. 37, 28. The root of the verb passed is the same as of ‘eber, ‘beyond’, and the inference is drawn that the Midianites were merchants who came from beyond the sea.
‘Do not seek greatness for yourself’: so that you should not say, ‘Behold, I study the Torah and what a great man I am!’ Should you do so, the consequence will be that you will occupy yourself with the Torah not for its own sake.

גדולה תורה יותר מן המלכות שהמלכות נתנה בשלשים מעלות. מאי ניהו. בכסף בזהב בנשים בעבדים בשפחות בבתים בכרמים. גנות ופרדסים. בני בית בסגלה. במדינות. בשרים בשרות בתענוגות. בשדה. בשדית. בסוסים. ברכב בחרב. בשלמות. בנשק. בחיילות. בבשמים. ברכב ביועצים בצופים (בסוסים) במרגלים במשפט ובצדקה שנא׳ כי בצדקה יכון כסא. ‘The Torah is greater than kingship, inasmuch as kingship [is acquired] in the form of thirty distinctions.’ What are they?¹⁷⁴The list is partly based on Eccl. 2, 4ff., which describes a king’s wealth. By silver, gold, women, menservants, maidservants, houses, vineyards, gardens, parks, family, treasures,¹⁷⁵Cf. ibid. 8. provinces, male singers, female singers, delicacies, demons and demonesses,¹⁷⁶ibid. shiddah weshiddoth which is variously translated: A.J. women, very many; A.V. musical instruments; R.V. concubines. The Talmud, Giṭ. 68a (Sonc. ed., p. 322) records that it was rendered ‘male and female demons’ in Babylon and ‘carriages’ in Palestine. horses, chariots, the sword, garments, armaments, troops, spices,¹⁷⁷V repeats ‘chariots’ here, omitted by H. counsellors, guards, spies, justice and righteousness, as it is stated, For the throne is established by righteousness.¹⁷⁸Prov. 16, 12.

והכהונה בעשרים וארבע מעלות אלו הם עשר במקדש עשר בגבולין וארבע בירושלם עשר במקדש חטאת ואשם. שלמי צבור. חטאת העוף. ואשם תלוי. ולוג שמן של מצורע. ושתי הלחם. ולחם הפנים. ומותר העומר. ושירי מנחות. עשר בגבולין תרומה. ותרומת מעשר. וחלה וראשית הגז. הזרוע והלחיים והקיבה. ופדיון הבן ופדיון פטר חמור. וגזל הגר וחרמים ושדה אחוזה. וארבע בירושלם הבכורות. והביכורים. והמורם מן התודה ומאיל נזיר ומאי ניהו חזה ושוק. תנא וכלם נתנו לאהרן מק״ו מג״ש מבנין אב ומכלל ופרט: ‘The priesthood [in the form of] twenty-four distinctions’:¹⁷⁹These were the perquisites of the priests. Cf. B.Ḳ. 110b (Sonc. ed., p. 646). viz. ten in [the precincts of] the Temple, ten in the provincial towns and four in Jerusalem. Ten in [the precincts of] the Temple, viz. the sin-offering [of an animal], trespass-offering [for a known sin], peace-offerings of the congregation, sin-offering of a bird, trespass-offering for a doubtful sin, the log of oil in the case of a leper, the two loaves, the shewbread, remnant of the ‘Omer and remnants of the meal-offerings. Ten in the provincial towns, viz. terumah, the terumah of the tithe, ḥallah, the first of the fleece, the shoulder, cheeks and maw, the redemption of the first-born son, the redemption of the firstling of an ass, [payment of a fine for] robbery committed against a proselyte,¹⁸⁰Cf. Ḥul. 133b (Sonc. ed., p. 758, n. 16). devoted [articles],¹⁸¹Num. 18, 14. B.Ḳ. reads ‘a field devoted’. and a field of possession.¹⁸²Lev. 27, 16-21. And four in Jerusalem, viz. the firstlings, the first fruits, the portion separated of the thanks-offering, and of the ram of the Nazirite. What are these [portions]? The breast and the thigh. It has been taught:¹⁸³B.Ḳ. 110b (Sonc. ed., p. 645, n. 9). All these [perquisites] were granted to Aaron by ḳal waḥomer, gezerah shawah, binyan ’ab and kelal uferaṭ.¹⁸⁴These are the first four of the thirteen exegetical principles by which the Torah is interpreted and enumerated by R. Ishmael. Cf. the text in P.B., p. 13.

והתורה בארבעים ושמונה. גדולה תורה שנותנת חיים מאי ואומר וכ״ת מרפא הוא לבשרו אבל לעצמותיו לא ת״ש ושיקוי לעצמותיך. וכ״ת לעצמות אין ללב לא ת״ש וכל נתיבותיה שלום. וכ״ת שלום הוי חיים לא ת״ש עץ חיים. וכ״ת חיים יהבה יקרא לא יהבא ת״ש כי לוית חן הם לראשך. וכ"ת יקר יהבא ולא מצלא ת״ש תמגנך. וכי תימא מיגנא לעולם הזה. אבד שכרו לעולם הבא ת״ש אורך ימים ואומר ה׳ לאורך ימים. וכ״ת ימי הוא דחשיב ליה שני לא ת״ש ושנות חיים: ר״ש בן יהודה אומר איבעיא להו ר׳ שמעון אהי קאי ארישא למ״ד ושנות חיים או דילמא למאי דקבעי למימר לדקא מני להו שבעה ש״מ לעילאי קאי והתם נמי שבעה. איבעיא להו מאי ונגד זקניו כבוד ת״ש דאמר רב אי זהו בן עוה״ב כל שנגד זקניו כבוד: ‘But the Torah [is acquired in the form of] forty-eight’: Great is the Torah for it gives life. What is the force of the additional verse?¹⁸⁵Prov. 3, 8, It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones, quoted in the Baraitha. Should you say that [the Torah gives] health to a man’s flesh but not to his bones, come and hear: [It is written,] and marrow to thy bones. And should you say that [it gives health] to the bones but not to the heart, come and hear: And all her paths are peace. And should you say that [it gives] peace but not life, come and hear: She is a tree of life. And should you say that [it gives] life but not honour, come and hear: For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head. And should you say that it brings honour but not protection, come and hear: A crown of glory will she bestow on thee.¹⁸⁶ibid IV, 9. The Heb. for bestow also means ‘to shield’. And should you say that [it gives] protection in this world but its reward is lost in the World to Come, come and hear: Length of days is in her right hand,¹⁸⁷ibid. III, 16. and it declares, O Lord, for evermore.¹⁸⁸Ps. 93, 5. And should you say that it mentions days but not years, come and hear: For length of days and years of life … will they add to thee.¹⁸⁹Prov. 3, 2.
‘R. Simeon b. Judah said in the name of R. Simeon [b. Yoḥai].’ The question was asked: To which [verses] does R. Simeon’s statement make reference? Is it to the verses preceding [the earlier part] ending with and years of life, etc.? Or is it perhaps to those which he was about to cite [in the Baraitha]? Since he enumerates seven things¹⁹⁰Counting ‘old age’ and ‘hoariness’ as one. it is proved that he refers to the earlier part because there also there are seven.
The question was asked: What is the meaning of And before His elders shall be Glory?¹⁹¹Isa. 24, 23. Come and hear: Rab said: Who has a share in the World to Come? He to whom can be applied, And before His elders shall be Glory.¹⁹²Interpreting zaḳen, ‘elder’, in the Rabbinic sense of ‘one who has acquired [ḳanah] wisdom’. Cf. Shab. 153a (Sonc. ed., p. 781).

א״ר יוסי בן קסמא פעם אחת. אמאי לא אהדר ליה סימני עם הארץ חזא ביה. והא אפילו לעובד כוכבים בשוק מותר אלא דהוה פליג הלכתא ועיין בה ולא אמרין לבתר דפרקינהו וידע בה דישראל הוה. וסבר עכשיו מהדרנא. מאי ואומר וכי תימא מאן דיהיב לאחר מות מהני כי לא יהיב בחייו מידי ת״ש לי הכסף ולי הזהב עד דיהבתיה ניהלך הוה לך למעבד. אמר רבא ש״מ מית אניש אבד ממונו: ‘R. Jose b. Ḳisma said: Once, etc.’ Why did he not return his salutation?¹⁹³Cf. §9 of the Baraitha. He discerned in him the signs of an ‘am ha-’areẓ. But it is permissible to greet even the heathen in the street!¹⁹⁴Cf. Ber. 17a (Sonc. ed., p. 102) where it is related that Rabban Joḥanan b. Zakkai was the first to greet all men, even the heathen, in the street. He was undecided about a halakah and was pondering over it, and would not speak until he solved the difficulties; but when he realized that the man was an Israelite he thought to himself, ‘Now I will return [his salutation]’. What is the meaning of the additional verse?¹⁹⁵From Hag. 2, 8, cited in the Baraitha. If you say that a man who gives [charity which is dispensed] after his death benefits by it¹⁹⁶i.e. it is accounted to him as merit. although he gave nothing in his lifetime, come and hear: Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold.¹⁹⁷Hag. 2, 8. That is, you should have done [good with it] while it was still yours. Raba said: Infer from this that when a man dies his money is lost to him.

חמשה קנינים מה שמים וארץ עתידים להתחדש אף ישראל עתידין להתחדש שנאמר כי כאשר השמים החדשים והארץ החדשה אשר אני עושה עומדים לפני נאם ה׳ כן יעמוד זרעכם ושמכם. במאי בזכותו של אברהם ובזכות התורה והיכן בבית המקדש:
הדרן עלך ר׳ מאיר אומר ‘Five acquisitions.’ Just as the heavens and the earth will be renewed in the future, so also will Israel be renewed in the future, as it is stated, For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.¹⁹⁸Isa. 66, 22. By whose [merit]? By the merit of Abraham and by the merit of the Torah. And where? In the Temple.