Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

Main Page

Chapter 2 Mishna 6
פרק ב משנה ו

He would say: a boor cannot be sin-fearing, an ignoramus (am-haaretz) cannot be a pious (chasid); a bashful cannot learn, an impatient cannot teach, and not all who engage in much business become wise. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אֵין בּוּר יְרֵא חֵטְא, וְלֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד, וְלֹא הַבַּיְשָׁן לָמֵד, וְלֹא הַקַּפְּדָן מְלַמֵּד, וְלֹא כָל הַמַּרְבֶּה בִסְחוֹרָה מַחְכִּים. וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ:


~Level 1~
Bartenura - a boor is empty of everything. Even the ways of business trade (i.e. work) he does not know. He is worse than an am haaretz. The aramaic translation (targum) of "that the land not be desolate" (Gen.47:19) is "that the land will not become boor".

"an am haaretz cannot be a chasid" - but he can be sin-fearing. For he is knowledgeable in the ways of business trade (earning a livelihood, dealing with people).

An am haaretz wants to rectify the land but he lacks wisdom to discern his rectifications properly (from bartenura on Avot 5:10).
~Level 2~
Rabeinu Yosef ben Shushan on Avot - "boor" - this is one who has neither torah which is a tree of life, nor good deeds.. The term boor comes from "a boor field" (Peah2:1). This is a field which was not sown and grows nothing. Such a person does not fear sinning because he does not recognize the lowliness of sin and its punishment.
~Level 2~
Rosh Avot - "am haaretz (lit. people of the land)" - in the book Igeret Hatiyul, brought in the book Taamei Haminhagim (pg.528): "the reason he is called an 'am haaretz' is because he holds and clings [firmly] to working the land and the vanities of this world until he thinks he is a permanent resident (toshav) of the land. But the Chachamim (wise) and Tzadikim (righteous) think themselves as temporary residents (gerim) here in this world".

A wealthy man from france once came to visit the Chafetz Chaim. When he arrived at his home, he was astonished at how bare was the home of such a great sage. The wealthy man asked him: "where are all your possessions?" The Chafetz Chaim replied: "and where are yours?" The wealthy man said: "but I am just a passing traveller here." The Chafetz Chaim answered: "so am I".
~Level 3~
Tiferet Yehoshua - "a boor cannot fear sin" - the holy Kotzke Rebbe said on this: "it is evident. For if this boor were sin-fearing, he would have learned torah and not remained a boor."

We may say similarly for the am haaretz, since remaining an am haaretz is against the letter of the law, for every Jew is obligated to study torah, if so, how can he become a chasid, namely, act beyond the letter of the law? He did not even reach the letter of the law yet.
~Level 1~
Bartenura - "a bashful cannot learn" - for one who is embarassed to ask lest others mock him, he will remain always with his doubts.
~Level 1~
Rabeinu Yonah - "a bashful cannot learn" - the trait of shame is good in every matter except (torah) study...
~Level 2~
Meorei Ohr - Rabeinu Yitzchak wrote that the "bashful" (bayshan) here is better than the am haaretz. He wants to learn and his soul longs for torah, but he is embarrassed to ask his doubts and difficulties. And even after his Rabbi explained the halacha to him and asks him: "did you understand what I told you?", and he did not understand, but even so he replies "yes". He is embarassed to say "no". Thus, he reaps nothing from all his toil.

The mishna exhorts on removing the veil of shame from his face. Through this, he will attain his desire and will (in torah). Likewise, we find the torah exhorts: "Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will inform you" (Devarim 32:7)..
~Level 1~
Bartenura - "an impatient cannot teach" - the Rav who is impatient (makpid) on the students when they ask him something, he cannot teach properly..
~Level 1~
Bartenura - "not all who engage in much business become wise" - as written, "Nor is it across the sea" (Devarim 30:13) - the torah is not found by those who travel across the sea (Eiruvin 55a).
~Level 2~
Tiferet Yehoshua - "not all who engage in much business become wise" - for one who increases business, namely, he spends much time in business matters to increase his money, he necessarily minimizes in torah study. And what wisdom is this? For a man takes from an eternal world and exchanges it for a fleeting world. Thus if he increases in business, this itself is not wise.
~Level 1~
Rashi - "in a place where there are no men, strive to be a man" - and toil in the needs of the tzibur. But in a place where there is a man already - you should toil in your torah.
~Level 2~
Meiri - i.e. if you don't find a Chacham (torah sage) to learn from him, strive to learn by yourself until you become "a man"..
~Level 2~
Rosh Avot - "in a place where there are no men, strive to be a man" - Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin explained: even if you are in your inner chambers and no one is looking, "strive to be a man" to act with mussar and derech eretz. For "the eyes of G-d.." (Divrei Hayamim II 16:9), and "the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3).

And all the more so when he is with his wife and children - "strive to be a man". Rav Chaim Vital already wote that a man's character traits are measured only and solely by how he related to his wife. For it is the way of a man to act outside with derech eretz and decency in order to find favor in the eyes of his surroundings. But not so with his household which he is obligated to them. Therefore, a man's nature and character traits are measured only when he is in the company of his wife and household. On this, he wrote: "in a place where there are no men, strive to be a man".
~Level 3~
Ben Ish Chai - Chasdei Avot - "man" - it is known that every bestower (mashpia) is called "man", whereas the receiver is called woman. This is the meaning of "in a place where there are no men", there is no bestower above and below, namely, no one toiling in torah in order to bestow, "strive that you yourself be a bestower (mashpia), that you learn torah at those times when the world is idle from this.
~Level 4~
Rabbi Hartman pg.130, hebrewbooks.org/42839 - (kabalistic) - the mishna mentions six things: "(1) an am haaretz cannot be a chasid, (2) a boor cannot fear sin, (3) a bashful cannot learn, (4) a kapdan cannot teach, (5) not all who engage much in trade become wise, (6) in a place where there is no man, strive to be a man.

These are six middot [Chesed, Yirah, Lilmod, Lelamed, Chachma, Ish], which correspond to the 6 sefirot Chagat-Nahi, namely, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, which correspond to Avraham (chesed), Yitzchak (Gevurah), Yaakov (Tiferet), Moshe (netzach), Aharon (Hod), Yosef (Yesod).

We have explained already above that Chesed and Yirah are the first two sefirot. "a bashful cannot learn" - this is Tiferet, the trait of Yaakov who was "sitting in tents" (Gen.25:27). "a kapdan cannot teach", this is the trait of Moshe who would teach torah to Yisrael (see the Gra's commentary who brings a verse on Moshe here). His trait is Netzach (Zohar II 276b).

"Not all who engage much in trade become wise" - this is the trait of Hod. We will explain according to his words in Tiferet Yisrael ch.18:
"He called the Sechel 'taya' (merchant). For the Sechel investigates on things and travels the world through its length and width. It even investigates non-physical things and grasps them. This is the matter of 'merchant'.. who trades and circles the land, through its length and width. Therefore, the Sechel is called 'taya' (merchant). For the 'taya' also trades and circles the land's length and width and acquires merchandise."

Thus it refers to wisdom that a man grasps on his own and was not revealed to him from others. As known this is the trait of Hod, which is the trait of Aharon the Kohen (Zohar II 276b), the aspect of the Oral Torah, which bestows according to the ability to receive.

"In a place where there is not a man" - this is the trait of Yesod. For "man" refers to this (Zohar I 6a, 60a). This is the trait of Yosef..