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Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers
with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 3 Mishna 1
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:
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  • 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.

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Chapter 3 Mishna 1פרק ג משנה א
 
Akavia ben Mahalalel would say: "Reflect upon three things and you will not come to the hands of sin: Know from where you came, where you are going, and before Whom you are destined to give a judgment and accounting. From where you came - From a putrid drop. Where are you going - to a place of dirt, worms, and maggots. Before Whom are you destined give a judgment and accounting? Before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר, הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה. דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה. וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
(huge number of commentaries here)
Rambam - this reflection brings to humility, [namely,] when he reflects from where he came. And when he reflects on his end, this will bring him to belittle matters of this world, while reflecting on the greatness of the mitzvah will bring him to hurry to hearken to G-d's commandments. And when he attains these three things, he will not sin at all.
Alshich Devarim 17 - three things cause one to remove from oneself the yoke of Heaven and destroy himself. One, going after the lusts of the body such as relations and unnecessary eating. Two, conducting oneself with arrogance. Three, not conducting oneself with Temimut (innocence), but rather with cunning and deceipt (mezimut v'chikrei lev).

He exhorted on all three. Corresponding to the first he said: "know from where you came - a putrid drop". Thus, if you pursue the physical, you will be no better qualitatively than that which the physical is made from (a putrid drop). For every thing returns to its root.

Corresponding to the second, he said: "where you are going, to a place of worms.." Thus, how can you pride yourself and not be exceedingly lowly of spirit?

Regarding the third he said: "before Whom you are destined to give a judgment and accounting, etc." who knows your [true] motives.
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim - "where you are going" - he did not say "where you will go", to teach that every hour, every second, a man goes and draws closer to death. Thus he used present tense and not future tense.
Sforno - it is proper for you to contemplate the beginning and end of your existence for your physical part and your spiritual (sichli) part. For the physical part, both its beginning and its end is putrid and disgusting. Therefore, one should not make excessive efforts on its behalf. But for the spiritual part, its matter will be good or bad. According to your efforts on its behalf will be the judgment on it before the Holy King. Therefore, it is proper for you to strive on its success so that its judgment will be meritorious and to guard from its detriments.

Through this contemplation, you will not come to sin. For you will not increase efforts on attaining physical lusts. Rather you will strive for the success of the spiritual part in order to be meritorious on the day of reckoning.
Bartenura - "putrid drop" - even though at the time of pregnancy it is not rotten. For it rots only after three days in the woman's womb. But nevertheless, he called it a putrid drop. For it is liable to (dry out and) rot immediately when outside the innards of a woman.

One who reflects that he comes from a putrid drop will be saved from arrogance. And one who reflects that he is destined to go to a place of dirt, worms, and maggots, is saved from lust (for physical pleasures) and desire for money. And one who reflects that he is destined to give a judgment and accounting separates from sin and does not stumble in transgression.
Binyan Avot - "where you are going" - for many stages pass over a man. Once a man reaches growth of his beard, this is a first sign that he is going to the way of the land. When he starts to have white hairs in his beard, this is a second sign. When his beard is full of white hairs, this is an even greater sign. When his strength wanes and his flesh sags - he is standing on the edge of the pit. Thus, all his days, he is going to a place of dirt worms and maggots.
Rabeinu Avraham Pritzel on Avot - "a place of worms" - it says only a "place" of dirt,etc. ie a place where there is dirt. For in truth some people do not become dust in the grave. But these are very few. One needs to be a very great tzadik for this.. Even in our times in Brisk, we have heard that they dug up graves and found two men whole. But this is rare. In truth though for simple people, it is a great kindness for them to becme dust. For through this, their soul ascends to its place. Without this, the soul would have no tranquility as brought in the holy books. In any case this contemplation arouses lowliness (shiflut, humility).
Merkavat Hamishna R. Y. Elashkar - the mussar masters told of a king who had a young brother who was used to laughter and pleasures. One day the king invited him to eat by him.

The king hung a sharp sword over his head hanging by a thin string. When he was eating he lifted his eyes upwards and saw the sword over his head. His heart shuddered and he was unable to eat anything.

The king asked him: "what is wrong that you are not in a mood to eat?" The young man answered: "how coud I rejoice in this feast when a sword is hanging over my head?"

Then the king rebuked him on his evil ways saying to him: "how can you wonder on the sword and forget the joy when it is only a doubt whether or not the sword will fall on you, yet you don't wonder on the natural death which is certainly your destiny without any doubt whatsoever and which is liable to befall you every second and every hour?"
Chasdei David - "where you are going" - it seems the Tana is comparing man's life in this world to a person who is walking on the road. For man's life is like a long road which begins when he comes into the world and ends when he reaches old age..

It is known that the Chafetz Chaim lived in great poverty. I heard from one who learned by him that he did not have even a stone floor in his home. In honor of the Sabbath, the Rebbitzen would disperse sand on the floor to cover it.

I also heard from his grandson, Rabbi Avraham Gershon Zachs, Rosh Yeshiva Chafetz Chaim in Monsey, that there were no chairs in the house, only long benches..

One time a guest came to visit him and wondered greatly on the greatness of his poverty. He asked the Chafetz Chaim: "where is your furniture?" The Chafetz Chaim answered him with a question: "and where is your furniture?"

The man replied: "I am only travelling, but in my house there is furniture". The Chafetz Chaim answered him: "I am also in the middle of the road and my furniture is prepared for me in my true home in the world which is all good".

The Tanna wanted to hint to us that throughout life man is on the road and his primary purpose is to reach the world which is all good. Therefore, he should not waste his life on acquiring material possessions. Rather, his primary occupation should be to prepare himself for Olam Haba.
Ruach Chaim - "look.." - look before it comes to your hand. Think always and then it will help. Do not say: "I will wait until arrogance and pride enters my heart, and then I will reflect that I am dust and won't be proud. Likewise for every sin, if it comes to my hand, I won't do it".

Thus he said that without preparation beforehand, it is unlikely that you will guard from it. For the evil inclination lies in ambush always on all his ways and steps, as Shlomo said: "like a robber she lies in ambush" (Mishlei 23:28).

And without a doubt, at the time of action, it is difficult to separate from the sin and he will get caught in the trap. Rather one must be always like a warrior on guard ready to wage war against the slave who rebels against the king.. (see there for more).
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim - "know where you came from... where you came from" - Why did he say two times: "know where you came from"?

Some explain the Tanna's intent is on three other things that one must also take [to heart] in order to not come to sin. These other three were said on the soul and one also needs to look at them in order not to sin.

On this he first said plainly look on three things, ie three hidden things. Namely, from where comes your soul? From the Throne of Glory, it is a portion of G-dliness and it is not befitting for a portion of G-dliness to sin.

"Where are you going?" - to the place where your soul comes from. Thus it is not proper to withold this good from your soul. For due to sin, the soul will not be able to ascend to its place.

"before Whom you will give a judgment and accounting" - even the holy soul needs to give a judgment and accounting in order to ascend to a higher level than where it was before. Look at these three things and do not withold the great good your soul will attain and you will not come to sin. And three more things corresponding to the body..
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim - "hands of sin" - some explain one needs to look at all three together. Then it will help that he won't sin. Thus, he said: "look at three things", and he specified the count. Through this you will not come to sin. He did not say "sin will not come to your hand", to teach that not only this looking will help that you will not go looking for a sin to do, but even if an opportunity to sin comes to your hand, you will not go to its hand, namely, you will have the power to conquer your evil inclination.

Some explain: "to the hand of sin", for from the sin itself an angel of destruction is created in order to take revenge from man. On this he said: "look at three things and you won't come to the hands of sin", ie you will not fall in the hands of sin who would take revenge on you.

Some explain "the hands of sin" to mean the little things that people trample with their heels. They are the "handles" to take the sin and from them one is drawn to sin. For from the light things he is pulled to the severe things. On this he said if you look at these three things not only will you not come to sin itself but even for the handles of sin, the light things which are handles of sin - you will not come to them...
Divrei Yoel, Hoshana Raba - "to the hands of sin" - there is to infer from his words "to the hands of sin". For he could have said just "to sin".

It is known that when a man sins, he creates a Mazik (destructive spiritual being). And as our sages said: "one who commits a sin acquires a prosecutor" (Avot 4:11). The word "acquires" is from the term: "Who acquires Heaven and Earth" (Gen.14:19) (G-d acquired them through creating them).

Here too ["one who commits a sin acquires a prosecutor"] means he creates a Malach (spiritual being, see Ohr HaChaim beginning of parsha Tissa). Then this Mazik rules over him and controls him.

This is what the Tanna exhorts: "look at three things and you won't come to the hands of sin". Namely, you won't be delivered "in the hands" of the destructive Malach (spiritual being) you created through the sin. For through sins, a man is no longer under control of himself.

This is as our sages said: "the righteous' hearts are in their domains, while the wicked are in the domain of their hearts" (Ber.Rabba 34:10). That is to say, they are not in control of themselves. Rather, they are in the hands of these destructive beings which they created through their sins. We can see this tangibly how people are prisoners in the hands of their sins. For every Jew has holy sparks and wants to be a good Jew and not waste his days on emptiness. But he is not in control of himself. For he is conquered under the hands of all the Mazikim created through his sins and there is no other advice or healing than to remove them from the world so that they no longer rule over him.
Chachma u'Mussar II:231 - "know.." - the question is well known. This knowledge is not concealed from the eyes of every man. Even if he realizes that the Almighty is the Judge of the land. But nevertheless, his will overpowers his mind and it is difficult for him to conquer his lusts.

The explanation is that all the while this knowledge has not taken root in his heart tangibly like a physical sense (kemo b'chush), he is unable to conquer his yetzer. For the will overpowers the intellect. Only if the intellect becomes tangible (chush).

This is the meaning of: "And you shall know this day and set it in your heart [that the L-rd He is G-d in Heaven above, and upon the earth below; there is none else]" (Devarim 4:39). Namely, the knowledge of G-d needs to be set in the heart until it is tangible. This is the meaning of "know", ie that the knowledge be by him tangibly (b'chush). This is the primary work of man - to bring emunah (faith) and yirah (fear) to the tangible.
Shaarei Ohr 41:4 (Rabbi Yitzchak Blazer) - "look (histakel) on three things" - see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 229: "one who sees a rainbow says... and it is forbidden to look with great depth (asur l'histakel bo beyoter). And in the biur haGra: "the term "look" (histakulot) means with great depth (iyun harbeh)."

Thus that which the Tanna said: "look on three things..", this means with great depth and much contemplation in these three things. For mere knowledge of them will not affect a man in the least..

Without a doubt it is not through one or two times, one or two days, will it make a mark in man's soul, to fear G-d and to not come to sin. And especially for one whose heart is a stone heart, hard as a boulder. Rather, let one look daily at these three things. Every person should increase or decrease according to his makeup, occupation, and traits (techunato, v'isko, u'midotav).
Rabeinu Yonah - "where you are going" - And when you think where you are going, you will not desire the [physical] pleasures and luxuries. For why should you toil for naught. Likewise you will call all wealth, honor, and [material] good as useless vanity. For "everything is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Kohelet 1:14). On this Shlomo wrote the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and began: "everything is vanity, says Kohelet" - to call vanity all good and all precious things [of this world]. And after he called everything vain, he ended and concluded: "The end of the matter, everything having been heard, fear G-d and keep His commandments, for this is all of man" (Kohelet 12:13).

Every man and every creation was created only to fear G-d, blessed be He. For how could a man sin when he thinks before Whom he is destined to give a judgment? Besides the punishments and troubles for his sins, he will feel a tremendous shame without equal. It is analogous to a man before a flesh and blood king. If he will be caught deceiving or lying, will he not be tremendously humiliated? How much more so before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. Furthermore, when the soul is naked without the body, the feeling of shame is multiplied over many times than when it is in the body. For the nature of the body is to forget. If a man does something disgraceful and becomes humiliated before others, after a year or two, the matter wil be forgotten and the shame will subside.. For the nature of the body to forget mixes with the soul's nature and causes it to be forgotten or go stale. But when the soul is alone, without body, there is no forgetting. For the soul is pure and clear, completely free of physical nature. And when it is ashamed before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, the humiliation wil remain forever and ever like that time. Thus it will stand humiliated eternally. This is what our sages said: "woe to that shame! woe to that humiliation!" (Bava Batra 75a).

Therefore, one who puts to heart these things wil never come to sin.
Chida - Devarim Achadim, Drosh 9 - "judgment and accounting" - this is a great general principle - to place between his eyes that he is destined to give a judgment and accounting before G-d who knows his hidden things, as written: "I, the L-rd, search the heart, test the reins, to give everyone according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds" (Yirmiyahu 17:10).. Let one have between his eyes always that he is destined to give a judgment and accounting before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, and through this he will align his thoughts properly.
Binyan Avot - "The Holy One, blessed be He" - you are going before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, who does not forget nor show special favor (masoh panim) nor accept bribes. And no one can protest to Him and tell Him: "what are You doing?" (Kohelet 8:4).

He said: "the Holy One, blessed be He". For due to the power of His extreme Holiness, He is meticulous with a man and does not overlook when man profanes himself even with a light word..

There's a true story of two women who were conversing on this matter of judgment and accounting that one needs to give on all his deeds. One woman said jokingly: "when I get to the Heavenly court on my day of judgment and they ask me: 'why did you do such and such'? I will make myself like a mute who is unable to speak."

Only a few days passed and the woman became mute until her last day. Thus you see that even for just light words jokingly she became a mute until the day of her death.

Another story about a young man who died suddenly before his time. After 12 months, he came to one of his relatives in a dream. His relative asked him: "what happens to you in that world?" He answered: "every day I am judged for not being careful on the blessings on bread (hamotzi), fruit, and grace after meals (birkat hamazon) with intent (kavana) of heart.

Those appointed to judge (punish) me say: "you ate for your own pleasure" (l'hanatcha achalta).

I asked him: "didn't we learn that the wicked are punished in Gehinom for 12 months? Twelve months already passed from your day of death. Why are they still judging you after twelve months?"

He answered: "they are not judging me in Gehinom severe judgments. Rather they are judging me outside Gehinom with light judgments and they say that it is for your good, so that I merit Gan Eden and takes my portion in full. end quote.

The general principle is that on everything man does, it is imprinted above and on every thing there is reward and punishment. Fortunate is the man who comes out of the Heavenly Beit Din meritorious.
Ben Ish Chai - Chasdei Avot - "judgment and accounting" - it seems both are the same thing. Why the double expression? It seems to me to explain that if a man stole several times from his fellow and was caught and brought to justice. The human judge will decree on him to pay back double. This is Din. Afterwards, he will make an accounting (cheshbon) with him. For this theft, he must pay such and such. For that theft such and such. Likewise if he stole from many people. All this is possible to do only when he has enough money to pay for everything.

But if the thief does not have the money to pay, the accounting is lost. Likewise, for capital cases. If he murdered one man, he is executed. But if he murdered ten people, the accounting is lost. For it is only possible to execute him once for one person. The human beit din will not be able to pay him back for the other nine people he murdered.

However, G-d will make a Din (judgment) for the murderer to pay back with his life and He will also make an accounting with him for the other people he murdered through a gilgul (reincarnation) or the like.

Likewise if he incurred four death penalties due to committing four capital sins, the human court cannot pay him back for everything but rather they can only execute him for one of them.

But, the Holy One, blessed be He, will pay him back everything, one at a time, through some set up He will do for him..