(יב) הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה:
(12) Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving humanity and drawing them close to the Torah.
PARDES
Pshat
1. Who used to say?
2. What does Hillel say we should love? What does he say we should pursue? What should we draw close to each other?
Remez
3. What is the difference between loving peace and pursuing it?
4. Aaron, Moses's brother, was a Kohain. A priest. What was Aaron's role in the community?
Derash
5. What might it mean to love humanity? Think of the v'ahavta: "You shall love." But we don't feel the way we feel because someone tells us to, so what is the v'ahavta actually asking of us? (When you lie down/rise up, at home/on your way, teach your children.)
Great - keep going!
Pshat
1. Who used to say?
2. What does Hillel say we should love? What does he say we should pursue? What should we draw close to each other?
Remez
3. What is the difference between loving peace and pursuing it?
4. Aaron, Moses's brother, was a Kohain. A priest. What was Aaron's role in the community?
Derash
5. What might it mean to love humanity? Think of the v'ahavta: "You shall love." But we don't feel the way we feel because someone tells us to, so what is the v'ahavta actually asking of us? (When you lie down/rise up, at home/on your way, teach your children.)
Great - keep going!
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי:
He [also] used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am for my own self [only], what am I? And if not now, when?
PARDES
Pshat
1. Who also used to say? (look back to 1:12)
Remez
2. Why do you think these three "not for myself" "only for myself" "not now when" are in this order?
3. What do you think it means, "If I am not for myself, who is for me?"
4. What do you make of, "If I am for my own self (only), what am I?"
5. There are at least two ways to read "if not now, when?" Can you puzzle them out?
Derash
6. How can you connect Pirkei Avot 1:14 with your life or your experiences?
7. How can you connect Pirkei Avot 1:14 with what we've been learning?
Sod
8. Did you know that 8 is the number of miracles? It's true. 7 days in the week. 7 for ordinary, complete things. But 8? 8 is the +1. 8 is the oil that kept burning . . . that kept going.
How might these words of Hillel's help us keep going?
Pshat
1. Who also used to say? (look back to 1:12)
Remez
2. Why do you think these three "not for myself" "only for myself" "not now when" are in this order?
3. What do you think it means, "If I am not for myself, who is for me?"
4. What do you make of, "If I am for my own self (only), what am I?"
5. There are at least two ways to read "if not now, when?" Can you puzzle them out?
Derash
6. How can you connect Pirkei Avot 1:14 with your life or your experiences?
7. How can you connect Pirkei Avot 1:14 with what we've been learning?
Sod
8. Did you know that 8 is the number of miracles? It's true. 7 days in the week. 7 for ordinary, complete things. But 8? 8 is the +1. 8 is the oil that kept burning . . . that kept going.
How might these words of Hillel's help us keep going?
Rabbi Amy Ariel says, "Jewish is being able to quote this one thing that Hillel used to say by heart. 'If I am not for myself, who is for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?'"