Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

~Level 1~
Yachel Yisrael - "needs to treat him with honor" - after the previous words on honor of the Torah, the Beraitha adds and exhorts on the need to honor those who learn Torah. For honoring them is honoring the Torah.

~Level 1~
Rashi - "who learned only two things from Achitofel" - Achitofel found David learning alone. He told him: "why are you learning alone? For it was said: "'a sword on the badim' - which means a sword on talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) who learn alone.

"there is no honor but for Torah" - i.e. no honor comes to a man except on matters of Torah.

alternatively, "there is no honor but for Torah" - i.e. that which we require a person to treat his fellow with honor, this refers only to his Rebbi who taught him Torah. But if he taught him a different matter such as carpentry, then no [it is not required].

"the sages shall inherit honor" - it is proper for sages to inherit honor. Which sages? Temimim (perfect) who inherit good, namely, Torah. But sages in other matters, then no.

~Level 2~
Tiferet Yisrael - "even one letter" - such as "Vav mosif al inyan roshon (Vav adds on the previous matter)", or other drashas (expoundings) on one letter such the "heh" of habetulot.

David was great in Torah and chief (mufla) in the sanhedrin. For as our sages expounded the verse: "'G-d is with him' - the halacha is like David in every place" (Sanhedrin 93b). Nevertheless, he called Achitofel his teacher (Rabbo). Thus, even a gadol (big man) who learns from a katan (small man), there is a chiyuv gamur (complete obligation) and not chasidut (extra piety) to call him his teacher (Rabbo). For otherwise, king David would not have been permitted to do so since [as king] it is forbidden for him to forego his honor.

"there is no honor but for Torah" - no honor is proper for a man except for the Torah he learned. For the honor he gets for wealth or beauty depends on that and is only for that. But the honor granted to a man for his Torah is fitting for the man himself since the Torah is attached to him like the flame on a candle wick.

~Level 2~
Yachel Yisrael - "even one letter" - many things are deduced in the talmud from just one letter. This is in the plain meaning (pshat) and besides the fact that every letter in the Torah contains endless hints and secrets. It is then no wonder that a sefer Torah missing one letter, whichever letter it may be - is invalid (pasul).

~Level 2~
Sforno - "there is no honor but Torah" - i.e. the Torah itself is honor, not just the cause of honor.. He brought a proof on this that the Torah itself is honor from the verse: "the sages shall inherit honor" (Mishlei 3:35). For the word "inherit" is going on the Torah which is called honor.

"the whole/perfect shall inherit good" - for the complete good for the soul of intellect (nefesh hasichli) and that which grants it existence and eternal life is the Torah of intellect (hatorah haiyunit). He brought a proof of this from the verse: "I have given you a good acquisition" and this good is the Torah as the verse continues "do not forsake My Torah".

~Level 2~
Sfas Emes on Avot - but from one's student, even though our sages said: "from my students I learned the most", but nevertheless, this general principle does not apply. For it refers only to one's peers as the talmud brings: "the talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) of Bavel would honor each other (nohagim kavod).."

~Level 2~
Pirkei Moshe - "needs to treat him with honor" - he did not say "is obligated to honor him" but rather "needs to honor". For it is merely proper to do so for the people looking, so that people see the greatness of Torah and that the receiver is not ungrateful. But one is not obligated in this like the obligation of a student to his rabbi..

~Level 2~
Yachel Yisrael - "he who learns from a peer one chapter" - i.e. only for a peer one is obligated to grant him special honor. But if he is not a peer, but greater than him [in Torah], then even if he is not a famous Torah scholar - one must treat him with honor even if he did not learn anything from him. Thus our sages taught: "from where is it derived that one who knows about another that he is greater than him, even in one matter, that he must treat him with honor?.." (Pesachim 113b).

Even for one's students one must guard their honor as brought in chapter four "let the honor of your student be precious as your own" (Avot 4:13). But nevertheless it is not proper for the rabbi to honor his students as much as his own teacher. For the rabbi's honor is the honor of the Torah and thus he should not downplay his own honor.

~Level 3~
Ohr Hachaim on the verse: "you shall rejoice on all the good" (Devarim 26:11) - this also hints on the Torah as our sages said: "there is no good but Torah" for if people were to feel the sweetness and pleasantness of the good of Torah, they would become crazed and impassioned after the Torah and the whole world of gold and silver would be as nothing in their eyes. For the Torah includes all the good of the world.

~Level 3~
Chochma u'Mussar 2:68 - "there is no honor but Torah" - in his book, sefer hamidot, Aristo explained much how the purpose of man is happiness in of itself and not due to something external. For if a person intends to be happy due to something external, such as one whose intent and purpose in his study is to become wise in order to become a big chacham (wise man) and to receive honor from the public. For such a person, the "something external" is more precious to him than happiness itself. But really there is nothing more precious than happiness. For all things go after the purpose and who is truly called a chacham (wise man)? He whose intent and purpose in his studies is for love of wisdom, happiness itself.

This is what we learned in the Mishna: "there is no honor except Torah", i.e. the happiness itself of wisdom is the honor due to those of deep minds (hakavod hanidrash lebaalei hadaat haamukim). This is not as the public thinks. Namely, the public thinks that one who is honorable in the eyes of people - this is called honor.

It is not so. For this is not honor but disgrace - to desire gifts of flesh and blood to be honorable. For such a person, gifts of flesh and blood are more precious to him than happiness itself. This is a tremendous foolishness. He loses all of his great virtues, from the highest tower to the deepest pit. This is what the Tanna ends off: "as written: 'the wise shall inherit honor'". i.e. they don't need to be honored by the gifts of flesh and blood. For this is a disgrace. Rather, they will inherit the inheritance they deserve.

But the fools, i.e. those who want to exchange their wisdom for gifts of flesh and blood, to be honorable in their eyes, even if they attain this honor, nevertheless it is a disgrace for them to seek gifts of flesh and blood and to exchange the enduring happiness for this passing matter.

This is what the verse continues: "[the wise shall inherit honor;] but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Mishlei 3:35), i.e. their elevation (honor) is a disgrace. But the true chachamim, they learn wisdom out of love of wisdom. On the contrary, they inherit both worlds, happiness itself out of love of happiness and inheriting honor. This is what our sages said: "one who flees from honor, honor chases after him" (Tanchuma, Vayikra 3). This is the natural order and also in the spiritual it is so. (chochma umussar 2:68).

"there is no honor but Torah" - i.e. acquiring virtues through the ways of the Torah, to become "man that is in honor (haadam bayekar)" (Tehilim 49:21). For thus the nature of honor was created in the world. It was not created for nothing. To seek honor from oneself and not from others. But those who seek honor from other people - they switch it from its proper place. Such an honor "removes a person from the world" and he will not attain what he seeks. But the truth is that honor was implanted in the creation for a person to seek it from himself, through acquiring for himself Torah and its virtues. And since there exists a matter of honor in its proper place, then: "the sages shall inherit honor", he will perforce inherit honor even from other people even against their will (chochma umussar 2:178).

~Level 3~
Maharal - for since he said in the previous Mishna: "whoever is occupied in Torah becomes elevated", thus he brought afterwards how great this elevation is. For one who learned from his fellow even one letter (of Torah), it is relevant to conduct oneself towards him with honor. This is without a doubt an elevation.

He brought a proof from what we find that David, king of Israel, learned only two things from Achitofel. These two things are brought in the midrash as Rashi explains: Achitofel found David sitting and learning alone. He told him: "why are you toiling alone? Is it not written: 'a sword is upon the baddim (loners), and they shall become fools' (Yirmiya 50:36).. Another time David entered the beit midrash in upright posture. He told him: "is it not written: 'you shall fear My temple' (Vayikra 19:30) - that one needs to enter there in reverence so that the fear of the Shechina be upon you as written "in the house of G-d we shall walk with reverence" (Tehilim 55:15)...

And that which honor is proper to the Torah sages, we have explained this in a few places. For honor is fitting for the Sechel (transcendent intellect). For it is divested of the lowliness (pechitut) which clings to the physical. Therefore, he said: "the sages shall inherit honor". For since they are divested of the lowliness of the physical which is petty (shafal), therefore honor is befitting them.

And since from the aspect of Sechel, he is divested of lacking which clings to the physical, therefore the sages are temimim (perfect) and shlemim (whole). Due to this, they will inherit good. For they are divested of lacking which is evil.

~Level 3~
Matanat Avot - ".. or even one letter needs to treat him with honor" - this is a bit difficult for David actually learned two things from Achitofel. Thus how can we deduce a kal vechomer (inference) that even for one thing or one letter that one needs to treat him with honor?

The answer is simple. The Tanna is coming to teach us here a famous principle - in spiritual matters there is nothing which is light or insignificant. Even the tiniest thing in the spiritual domain is worth immeasurably very very much.
(as brought in the beginning of chapter 2: "be careful of a minor mitzvah just like a major mitzvah..")

This is what the tanna comes to teach us here: "know dear Jew that not only if you learned a whole chapter in Shas or a matter in halacha to its full depth is it important before G-d. But even if you learned only one verse or one small matter or even one letter (i.e. to explain one letter in the Torah, why it was written) - this too is very very important before the Holy One, blessed be He.

And even a simple teaching like this which does not advance you in proficiency in halacha, nevertheless it is a very big and important matter and you need to honor the person as if he taught you the whole Torah.

Why in truth is every small detail in Torah very very important even if it does advance you to any place? Because the Torah is the innermost will of G-d. And since we in our small world are unable to grasp the true will of G-d, therefore when the Torah descends down to our world, it enclothes itself in the garment of stories, commandments and laws as we see in the Torah familiar to us. But inside, it conceals a revelation of the innermost will of G-d (see nefesh hachaim).

Thus even the simplest and most seemingly insignificant matter in the Torah is a revelation of the will of G-d translated according to the existence in our world. And even one who learns this small matter clings to a revelation of the will of G-d and he receives another understanding and connection to His infinite wisdom.

He also merits that the most powerful lights in existence (Torah) clings to his soul which is the light of G-d and a revelation of His glory to all the worlds.

Furthermore, the study of this small matter in Torah merits the person to the intense and eternal reward in Gan Eden where he merits to cling to the Holy One, blessed be He and to understand Torah and mitzvot in their highest upper root.

After this introduction, it is understood why: "he who learns from a colleague one chapter, one halacha (law), one verse, one word, or even one letter needs to treat him with honor". For there is no difference between one letter and the whole Torah. Both are clinging to G-d and connecting to the supernal and eternal light of the Torah.

For this he brought a kal vechomer (inference) from David, king of Israel. For even though he was a great and honorable king and also a tremendous Torah scholar, for "the halacha was like him everywhere" and also he was very much clinging to G-d which led him to compose Tehilim (Psalms), nevertheless even he the giant of giants felt the need to honor Achitofel due to learning two things from him.

For only one who is truly great in Torah knows how important every small thing of Torah is. Therefore, he does not belittle any tiniest matter of Torah nor the person who taught him this tiny matter.. For every knowledge and understanding in Torah is another advance in the spiritual and more connection to G-d and understanding in the revelation of His divine will...