(א) משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
(1) Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua, and Yehoshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples and make a fence for the Torah.
- Where did the Torah come from according to this text?
- Why was the Torah transmitted to these particular people (or groups of people)?
- Have you ever had something precious that you wanted to pass on? How did you decide between keeping it safe and sharing it? Did you require anything of the person receiving this item?
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Moses was sanctified by the cloud and received the Torah at Sinai; as it is said, "And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai." That is, it covered Moses, in order to purify him. This occurred after (the proclamation of) the Ten Commandments. Such is the view of Rabbi Yose the Galilean. But Rabbi ‘Akiba says: "And the cloud covered it six days" refers to the mountain and not to Moses, (the six days being counted) from the beginning of the month; "And the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud," (merely) to pay honor to Moses. Rabbi Nathan said: "Why was Moses made to wait all these six days before the Word came to rest upon him? ‘ So that he might be purged of all food and drink in his bowels, before he was sanctified and became like the ministering angels." Said Rabbi Mattiah ben Heresh to him, "Master, (this waiting) was intended only to fill him with awe, so that he would receive the words of the Torah with awe, with fear, with dread, and with trembling; as it is said, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling (Ps. 2: 11)." |
(ז) וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה. לַאֲפוֹקֵי מֵרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל דְּאָמַר (ברכות כח.) כָּל תַּלְמִיד שֶׁאֵין תּוֹכוֹ כְּבָרוֹ אַל יִכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן שֶׁמְּלַמְּדִין תּוֹרָה לְכָל אָדָם וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק אַחֲרָיו, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה יָדוּעַ מֵעִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְקֻלְקָלִים וְסָאנֵי שׁוּמְעָנֵיהּ. אִי נַמִּי אַשְׁמוֹעִינַן (יבמות סב:) שֶׁאִם הֶעֱמִיד תַּלְמִידִים בְּבַחֲרוּתוֹ יַעֲמִיד תַּלְמִידִים בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (קהלת יא) בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ:
(7) "stand up many students": (This is meant) to exclude (the words of) Rabban Gamliel, who said "Any student whose exterior is not like his interior shall not enter the Beit Midrash (Berakhot 28a)." We derive from this that we teach Torah to every person; there is no need to inquire after him. [This is the case] so long as it not be known from from his way that his actions are corrupt or that he has a bad reputation. Alternately, we may derive that if he raises up disciples in his youth, he should [also] do so in his old age, as is written (Ecclesiastes 11:6), “Sow your seed in the morning, and in the evening do not hold back your hand (Yevamot 62b).”
(ח) וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה. גָּדֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא לִגַּע בְּאִסּוּר תּוֹרָה, כְּגוֹן שְׁנִיּוֹת לָעֲרָיוֹת, וּשְׁבוּת לְשַׁבָּת. דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא יח) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת מִשְׁמַרְתִּי, עֲשׂוּ מִשְׁמֶרֶת לְמִשְׁמַרְתִּי:
(8) "and establish a fence for the Torah": A hedge, in order that he not come into contact with a Torah prohibition, such as second degree sexual relationships or rabbinic fences to protect the Shabbat as is written (Lev. 18:30), “You shall keep my guard;” [meaning,] ‘Make a safeguard for my safeguard.’
(ב) שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מִשְּׁיָרֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים:
(ג) אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אִישׁ סוֹכוֹ קִבֵּל מִשִּׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּהְיוּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, אֶלָּא הֱווּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, וִיהִי מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם עֲלֵיכֶם:
(2) Shimon the Righteous was from the remnants of the Great Assembly. He would say, "On three things the world stands: on the Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness."
(3) Antigonos, man of Sokho, received from Shimon the Righteous. He would say, "Do not be as servants who are serving the master in order to receive a reward, rather be as servants who are serving the master not in order to receive a reward; and may the fear of Heaven be upon you."