with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 1 Mishna 11
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.
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Chapter 1 Mishna 11פרק א משנה יא
| Avtalyon would say: "Chachamim (scholars), be careful with your words; lest you be liable for (the punishment of) exile, and are exiled to a place of evil waters, from which the disciples who come after may drink and die, and thus the Name of Heaven will be desecrated." | אַבְטַלְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, חֲכָמִים, הִזָּהֲרוּ בְדִבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁמָּא תָחוּבוּ חוֹבַת גָּלוּת וְתִגְלוּ לִמְקוֹם מַיִם הָרָעִים, וְיִשְׁתּוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיכֶם וְיָמוּתוּ, וְנִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל |
Bartenura - "be careful with your word" - do not leave room for the heretics to err.
"lest you be liable for exile" - even though there are no heretics in your place, you should nevertheless be concerned that perhaps it will cause sin and you will incur [the punishment of] exile winding up in a place where people expound torah not in line with halacha (called metaphoricaly "bad water"), and they will understand improper things from your words, and the students after them will drink from those heretical things and die in sin.
"and thus the Name of Heaven will be desecrated" - those improper views will remain in the world, as happened to Antignos of Socho with Tzadok and Beitus his disciples. He told them: "Do not be as servants who serve their master in order to receive reward...", and they told themselves: "how could a worker work strenuously all day and receive no wages at the end of the day?". They went out and became heretics along with their students. They are called Tzadukim and Beitusim until today. (translator: last remnants today are the Karaites)
Sforno - they will think this is your view only that you don't want to publicize it openly. This will cause a desecration of G-d's Name for the masses will think that bad view is yours.
Tiferet Yisrael - "be careful with your words" - he exhorted the rabbis to be careful not to say something which can be interpreted in two ways. For perhaps you will be in a place where heresy strengthens and they will interpret your words in line with their heretical views and the students afterwards will turn to the heretical views and die, and the world will blame you thinking they learned that from you, thereby desecrating the Name of G-d.
Vilna Gaon - as the torah was careful in its words, as written: "R. Yohanan said: In all the verses which the heretics have taken [as grounds] for their heresy, their refutation is found near at hand. For example: 'Let us make man in our image' (implying multiple gods), next verse: 'And G-d (singular tense) created man in His image'..." (Sanhedrin 38b).
Maharal - this pair of sages, Shemaya and Avtalyon are also coming to exhort on something which is a very primary matter. Namely, man's conduct with the public..
It is proper that the Name of Heaven be beloved [to others] through the torah sages, as the Talmud says (Yomah 86a):
" 'And you shall love the L-ord your G-d' (Deuteronomy 6:5), which means that you shall make the Name of Heaven beloved. How should one do so? One should do so in that he should read Torah, and learn Mishna, and serve Torah scholars, and he should be pleasant with people in his business transactions. What do people say about such a person? Fortunate is his father who taught him Torah, fortunate is his teacher who taught him Torah, woe to the people who have not studied Torah. So-and-so who taught him Torah, see how pleasant are his ways, how proper are his deeds. The verse states about him and others like him: 'You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified' (Isaiah 49:3)" end quote.
That which is honor of torah and honor of G-d causes love of Hash-em, blessed be He. Namely, when the torah scholar does not need others.. For this causes annulment of the honor of torah.. When they need others, every Rav acquires a master over himself. Therefore Shmaya said: "hate Rabbanut", for it distances work.
Do not think that work is not honorable. On the contrary it brings honor to a man.. and he will not receive disgrace until he needs the [charity] of others.. Therefore he said: "love work". For if one says work is a dishonor, it is not so. Above all, it saves one from many sins and also grants one honor...
Understand the sages' emphasis on love of work, namely, to love to do work, i.e. the main virtue [here] is when one loves work. Thus, he did not say: "choose work for yourself", but rather "love work".
And in Berachot 8a:
"One who enjoys (nehene) from the work of his hands is greater than a G-d-fearing person. As with regard to a G-d-fearing person, it is merely written: "fortunate is the man who fears the L-ord" (Psalms 112:1), while with regard to one who benefits from the work of his hands, it is written (double expression): 'by the labor of your hands you shall live; fortunate are you and it is good for you' (Psalms 128:2)" end quote.
The explanation is that one who enjoys from the work of his hands is satisfied with what G-d provided for him, and what he has is sufficient for him.
For otherwise, he would not be "enjoying [the work of his hand]". But when he is "enjoying", he is certainly satisfied with what he has and he is not lacking.. Thus it says on him: "fortunate are you..". For such a man, in being a whole creature, in having the trait of histapkut (content with what one has), he is without lacking. Then it is proper for him to have complete Olam Haba and also this world for since he is satisfied with himself and content with his portion, Hash-em helps him to become completely whole, without lacking.
It is known that "existence" is this world and the next. Thus, one who is considered an "existence" (not lacking) is thus worthy of this world and the next which are both existences and which are not lacking. But one who is lacking is close to inexistence, since lacking is the beginning of inexistence. Hence, he who is content with himself is not lacking. For the definition of being satisfied is not lacking. Thus, he is considered an existence and it is proper for him to inherit the existence, namely, this world and the next...
The general principle: when a person is whole with himself, i.e., satisfied with himself, then he has a complete existence without lacking, and it is proper for him to completely have this world and the next, which are [whole] existences...
You should also know that for he who "enjoys from the work of his hand..", it is impossible for him to not also have the trait of love through this. For after he is content and loves the work of his hands, it is also impossible for him to not also love He who bestowed to him all this. For one who receives a gift and the gift is accepted and beloved to him, how could he not love greatly he who gave him the gift?
As we mentioned, each of the pairs came to exhort in some great mussar. According to the greatness of the sage is the greatness of his mussar. Therefore, he came here to exhort one to love work. For it is a great matter and he hangs on this topic a great primary matter (the trait of histapkut-contentment).
But besides the Shlemut (wholeness) one gets from work, more than this, there is also the honor of G-d's Name and it is proper for His Name to be beloved in the world especially through the torah scholars..
For it causes love of G-d when people see the torah scholars conducting themselves properly, when they love work and don't want to benefit from others..
He should hate Rabbanut which distances work to instead have authority over others.
Furthermore every sin and transgression of the public is upon the persons of authority. For they have the ability to admonish them (the sinners).
Avtalyon comes to exhort on the opposite. To not do things which may cause a chilul Hash-em. Thus he said:
"Chachamim (scholars), be careful with your words; lest you be liable for (the punishment of) exile, and are exiled to a place of evil waters, from which the disciples who come after may drink and die, and thus the Name of Heaven will be desecrated"
Thus, Shmaya and Avtalon both taught mussar that G-d's Name be sanctified through the torah scholars..