D.A.F. >   Useful Resources > Developing Character > Pirkei Avos
talmud 
 
Pirkei Avot Home

Language:
Eng Heb Both
Commentaries
Font Size +  /  -





 

Mirrored from Dafyomireview.com

Contact

Sfarim
Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers
with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 5 Mishna 14
with select commentaries

Commentaries used in this translation:
Rashi Commentary (1040-1105)
Rambam Commentary (1135-1204)
Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura Commentary (1445-1515)
Tiferet Yisrael commentary (1782–1860)
Rabeinu Yonah (1180-1263)
Derech Chaim - Maharal of Prague (1525-1609) (hebrewbooks.org/14193)
Biur HaGra of Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna - (1720-1797)
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai commentary - (1570-1643)
Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azoulai (Chida) commentary - (1724-1806)
Chatam Sofer commentary - (1762-1839), along with Ktav Sofer, and others
Ben Ish Chai commentary - (1835-1909)
and many more..



Commentary Level:
  • Min - (level 1) for basic commentaries as relating to the plain meaning (Pshat).
  • Med - (level 2) elaborates more into the theme.
  • Max - (level 3) deeper in, Maharal of Prague.
  • Max+ - (level 4) more themes in the text.
  • ShortMix - (recommended) short version of level 4.
Suggestion: Read once without commentaries (or min). Then a second time with.

Link to this page:


+ Increase Font Size   |   - Decrease Font Size


Chapter 5 Mishna 14פרק ה משנה יד
 
There are four types among those who go to the Beit Midrash (house of torah study): he who goes but does not do - the reward for going is in his hand; he who does [study] but does not go - the reward for doing is in his hand; he who goes and does - chasid (pious); he who neither goes nor does - Rasha (wicked).
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּהוֹלְכֵי לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, שְׂכַר הֲלִיכָה בְיָדוֹ. עוֹשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ, שְׂכַר מַעֲשֶׂה בְיָדוֹ. הוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹשֶׂה, חָסִיד. לֹא הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא עוֹשֶׂה, רָשָׁע.
Rashi - "he who goes but does not do" - he [himself] does not learn anything but he hears from others.

"he who does [study] but does not go" - he learns in his home.
Maharal - "he who goes and does - chasid (pious)" - some ask on this: "what chasidut is there in this? Is one not oblligated to study torah? (Chasid implies doing more than the obligation).

Answer: he could have learned in his house. Instead he went to the Beit Midrash (synagogue). This is certainly better.. For torah study with many people is better. This does not need explanation. For the torah one learns in his house is not like what he learns in yeshiva with many people.
Yachel Yisrael - "he who goes but does not do - the reward for going is in his hand" - just the going itself has value. For by being in the Beit Midrash, a person absorbs holiness and spiritual elevation. In the Midrash: "Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: 'whoever enters the batei knesiot and batei midrashot (synagogues and houses of torah study) in this world merits to enter the batei knesiot and batei midrashot in the future. From where do we know this? Because it is written (Tehilim 84:5): "fortunate are they who dwell in Your house; they shall still praise You. Selah (ashrei yoshvei betecha - od yehallelucha selah)'" (Midrash Devarim Rabbah 7:1).

Our sages further said there (ibid): "whoever comes to the synagogue and hears words of torah - merits to sit among the sages in the future (world), as written (Mishlei 15:31): " the ear that hears the reproof of life shall abide among the wise" .

Everyone who hears words of torah - even if he does not understand all that is being said - merits to sit among the sages in the future (world)..

Likewise the Ramah rules in his commentary on the Shulchan Aruch: "even if one does not know how to learn, he should go to the Beit Midrash and the reward of going is in his hands" (Orach Chaim 151:1)..
Yachel Yisrael - "he who does [study] but does not go.." - how is it possible that a Jew does but does not go (advance)? If he does (torah and mitzvot) why does he not grow? Why does he remain the same?

Rather, it refers to a Jew who learns torah. He prays and does mitzvot but in the way of rote (mitzvah anashim melumada) - without yirat shamayim (fear of Heaven), without internal joy which springs from love of G-d.

For such a person, his actions do not have any effect on him and do not become part of him. Thus automatically, he stays the same and remains as he was.

In chasidut, a man's station in the world is compared to a man who needs to cross a river covered by a thin sheet of ice. If he stands in the same place, he drowns for the ice under him will break. If he runs fast, he will also drown as the ice will break under his feet.

What should he do? To advance constantly and carefully but to always advance further - to not stop!

Thus it says the four who GO to the beit midrash. Every person wherever he is, needs to go all his days if he does not want to sink (regress) down, to always advance further..