We will learn the Mishnah part by part stopping along the way to ask questions, and the fullness of the story and text will be multi-layered by the time we end. Stop to ask yourself the questions I have included or discuss them with a Hevruta - a study partner.
PIRKEI AVOT 6:9 Part I - The Man on the Way
The Introduction of a story...Our Mishnah recounts a story and an exchange between Rabbi Yose ben Kisma of the Tannaitic (Rabbis of the Mishnah) era and an unnamed man. As one mishnah among others in Pirke Avot this one takes on an aggadic (narrative story) format. Other mishnayot (plural of "a mishnah) in Pirke Avot shed light on the elements of the story; they may be read intertextually and studied comparatively or as informing each other. We may ask questions of the text to discern the meaning, what lessons it holds for us and notice how it compares or contrasts with other teachings.
(ט) אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן קִסְמָא, פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּפָגַע בִּי אָדָם אֶחָד, וְנָתַן לִי שָׁלוֹם, וְהֶחֱזַרְתִּי לוֹ שָׁלוֹם....
(9) Rabbi Yose ben Kisma said: Once I was walking by the way when a man met me, and greeted me and I greeted him.
What journeys can you think of in Jewish or other world literature that led to encounters that started important conversations? Why do you think that it is we was walking "בדרך" - on the way (derekh) - and not just "he was walking..."?
2. We're surprised that the Man offered the Rabbi greetings, because we know the teaching of Pirkei Avot 4:15). [read it below] Why was the Sage not the one to offer the man greetings per the Mishnah in chapter four? What lesson does this teach us about Sages and common folk?
(טו) רַבִּי יַנַּאי אוֹמֵר, אֵין בְּיָדֵינוּ לֹא מִשַּׁלְוַת הָרְשָׁעִים וְאַף לֹא מִיִּסּוּרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים. רַבִּי מַתְיָא בֶן חָרָשׁ אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מַקְדִּים בִּשְׁלוֹם כָּל אָדָם. וֶהֱוֵי זָנָב לָאֲרָיוֹת, וְאַל תְּהִי רֹאשׁ לַשּׁוּעָלִים:
(15) Rabbi Yannai said: it is not in our hands [to explain the reason] either of the security of the wicked, or even of the afflictions of the righteous. Rabbi Mathia ben Harash said: be the first to extend greetings to anyone; And be a tail unto lions, and not a head unto foxes.
In the Torah Joseph is helped by a man - האיש בשדה - when he went on his way to seek his brothers. Is there a relationship between that encounter and the meeting in our Mishnah?
How should we see the man in our story? If at first we don't see him as essential but just as a foil consider the following passages from Pirke Avot (that one would have studied before getting to this Mishnah). What might we say about a non-Sage placed at the beginning of this story? Even if the Rabbi makes strong assertions about wealth and shares wisdom this person must integrate into his life, what could we say about what this man has to teach Rabbi Yose ben Kisma?
What teachings from Mishnah 4:1 (below) help us answer these questions?
After you read 4:1 and PART II of our Mishnah 6:9: Note the teachings about who is rich in 4:1 and contrast that to the teaching in our Mishnah (6:9).
(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שִׂיחָה לִּי. אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז) טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִיר. אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ. אַשְׁרֶיךָ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְטוֹב לָךְ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֵיזֶהוּ מְכֻבָּד, הַמְכַבֵּד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ב) כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ:
(1) Ben Zoma said:Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: “From all who taught me have I gained understanding” (Psalms 119:99). Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination, as it is said: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:3). Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2) “You shall be happy” in this world, “and you shall prosper” in the world to come. Who is he that is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings as it is said: “For I honor those that honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored” (I Samuel 2:30).
The Man's Question and Invitation & The Rabbi's Response
(ט) אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן קִסְמָא, פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּפָגַע בִּי אָדָם אֶחָד, וְנָתַן לִי שָׁלוֹם, וְהֶחֱזַרְתִּי לוֹ שָׁלוֹם. אָמַר לִי, רַבִּי, מֵאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אַתָּה. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, מֵעִיר גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁל חֲכָמִים וְשֶׁל סוֹפְרִים אָנִי. אָמַר לִי, רַבִּי, רְצוֹנְךָ שֶׁתָּדוּר עִמָּנוּ בִמְקוֹמֵנוּ, וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים דִּינְרֵי זָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת....
He said to me, “Rabbi, where are you from?” I said to him, “I am from a great city of sages and scribes”. He said to me, “Rabbi, would you consider living with us in our place? I would give you a thousand thousand denarii of gold, and precious stones and pearls.”
Is the invitation just about wealth or might it also be about rabbinic prestige? Is the suggestion that the Sage become "a big fish in a small pond?" Does this man know Rabbi Yose ben Kisma was a moderate who opposed flouting the law of the Romans during the age of persecution and did not advocate for public Torah study in the Roman governed precincts? Was he trying to offer him a pastoral life away from the tension of Jewish life under Roman rule?
Is the Mishnah setting up a clash between material wealth and Torah and good deeds? Or is there a way to read the Mishnah as dialogical between Sage and Jewish merchant in order to develop healthy perspective on religious commitments, pursuits of material wealth and the place of each in our lives?
Read the end of his statement. What are we to conclude about the Rabbi's attitude about material wealth? Judaism does not despise wealth and the righteous use of money, precious metal or gems. We collect it to build the Tabernacle. We have law codes that help us use a righteous amount for tzedakah, and the marketplace is mentioned in the Torah and in prophetic literature. Ethical guidelines for scales and how to make loans are included in our tradition. The Jewish People has helped advanced global trading networks for millennia. So why the attitude of Rabbi Yose ben Kisma in the following passage? What does he mean to say? If we feel his is an extreme view why does Pirkei Avot include this teaching near the end of the entire tractate?
(ט) אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן קִסְמָא, פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּפָגַע בִּי אָדָם אֶחָד, וְנָתַן לִי שָׁלוֹם, וְהֶחֱזַרְתִּי לוֹ שָׁלוֹם. אָמַר לִי, רַבִּי, מֵאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אַתָּה. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, מֵעִיר גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁל חֲכָמִים וְשֶׁל סוֹפְרִים אָנִי. אָמַר לִי, רַבִּי, רְצוֹנְךָ שֶׁתָּדוּר עִמָּנוּ בִמְקוֹמֵנוּ, וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים דִּינְרֵי זָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, בְּנִי, אִם אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִי כָל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֵינִי דָר אֶלָּא בִמְקוֹם תּוֹרָה. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אֵין מְלַוִּין לוֹ לָאָדָם לֹא כֶסֶף וְלֹא זָהָב וְלֹא אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, אֶלָּא תוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ו) בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אֹתָךְ, בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ, וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ....
I said to him: “My son, even if you were to give me all the silver and gold, precious stones and pearls that are in the world, I would not dwell anywhere except in a place of Torah; for when a man passes away there accompany him neither gold nor silver, nor precious stones nor pearls, but Torah and good deeds alone, as it is said, “When you walk it will lead you. When you lie down it will watch over you; and when you are awake it will talk with you” (Proverbs 6:22)....
If the Mishnah is read as the Rabbi rejecting the offer to accept the wealth, because of the midrash and teaching at the end, that is reasonable. But we shouldn't forget the dialogue at the beginning of the conversation. The man asked the Sage where are you from, and the Rabbi responded "from a place of many scribes and Sages."
How do we support places of "scribes and sages" and places where wealth grows, is used for good, and may lead "any man or woman" to encounter Rabbis with whom they could have dialogues that lead to other wisdom? What Jewish organizations and enterprises are essential and important to invest in, to make "places of Torah" in modernity? Why should Rabbis and Sages be concerned with material wealth and not ONLY mitzvot and good deeds?
The Mishnah offers a read of the three phrases in the verse quoted from Proverbs. What dimension does this add? How does facing our mortality impact our decisions about our pursuits of Torah and good deeds and our pursuits of wealth?
Does the reference to the world to come comfort or confront us?
How holy is it to leave an inheritance and charitable gifts to those who come after you? How holy is it to know that you have studied Torah, supported Sages and scribes and lived in or frequented "places of Torah?"
... בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אֹתָךְ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ, בַּקֶּבֶר, וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְכֵן כָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים עַל יְדֵי דָוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל (תהלים קיט), טוֹב לִי תוֹרַת פִּיךָ מֵאַלְפֵי זָהָב וָכָסֶף. וְאוֹמֵר (חגי ב) לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת:
...“When you walk it will lead you” [this part of the verse teaches us about] concerns this world. “When you lie down it will watch over you” [that phrase concerns] in the grave; “And when you are awake it will talk with you” [this phrase - ] in the world to come.
And thus it is written in the book of Psalms by David, king of Israel, “I prefer the teaching You proclaimed to thousands of pieces of gold and silver” (Psalms 119:72)
And it says: “Mine is the silver, and mine the gold, says the Lord of Hosts” (Haggai 2:8).
How does Torah and her teachings come to answer the needs we have to invent an economic system that works for humanity?
Is there power in the idea that God is the ultimate owner of all wealth? How does that square with the notion of ownership and personal rights that are also components of our economic and legal systems we trust?
Fromm restates the Mishnah's teaching this way: a person's material possessions become useless after death and the possessions that are transferred to the life after death will be what the person actually was inside.
How do some possessions and wealth continue to build a person's legacy and grant life even after they are gone?
What more than wealth would a person want to be known for in this life and for life eternal?