Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers
with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 3 Mishna 19
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.
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Chapter 3 Mishna 19פרק ג משנה יט
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He would say, "everything is given on collateral and a net is spread out over all the living. The shop is open and the shopkeeper allows credit, but the ledger lies open and the hand writes, and whoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow; but the Gabaim (collectors) make their daily rounds and exact [payment] from a man with or without his consent. For they have what to rely upon [in their claims]. The judgment is a judgment of truth, and [ultimately] everything is prepared for the banquet.
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הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, הַכֹּל נָתוּן בְּעֵרָבוֹן, וּמְצוּדָה פְרוּסָה עַל כָּל הַחַיִּים. הַחֲנוּת פְּתוּחָה, וְהַחֶנְוָנִי מֵקִיף, וְהַפִּנְקָס פָּתוּחַ, וְהַיָּד כּוֹתֶבֶת, וְכָל הָרוֹצֶה לִלְווֹת יָבֹא וְיִלְוֶה, וְהַגַּבָּאִים מַחֲזִירִים תָּדִיר בְּכָל יוֹם, וְנִפְרָעִין מִן הָאָדָם מִדַּעְתּוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעְתּוֹ, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּסְמֹכוּ, וְהַדִּין דִּין אֱמֶת, וְהַכֹּל מְתֻקָּן לַסְּעוּדָה:
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Birkat Avot - the good G-d gives man is a form of loan so that afterwards man pays it back to G-d through mitzvot and good deeds.
Tosfot Yom Tov - this mishna is a further explanation of the previous mishna "everything is foreseen, permission is granted.."
G-d does not pay back a person for his wicked deeds immediately. For "everything is given on collateral", i.e. G-d has a guarantor such that the person cannot escape from His hand.
Sforno - even though free will is granted by G-d but it is "given on collateral". It is not forever but rather, for a fixed time. Afterwards, the meritorious or sinning soul will return to G-d for a judgment and accounting.
Rabeinu Yonah - "everything is given on collateral" - on everything a person takes from this word - he is an arev (a guarantor).. One who inherits money from his father or mother should not think: "this money is my inheritance, I will use it however I wish!" For nothing whatsoever is his. Everything belongs to G-d. Whatever one takes, he takes as a guarantor and the Lender will in the future collect payment from him.
This is like a man who enters a town and finds no one there. He enters inside a house and finds a table set with all sorts of good food and drink. He eats and drinks and tells himself: "I acquired everything and it is all mine, I will do whatever I wish with it!".
But he did not see the owner of the house watching him from a different place, and that he will need to pay for everything he ate and drank and will not be able to escape.
Meorei Ohr - "everything is given on collateral" - even though everything is seen and G-d is aware of those who commit evil, nevertheless, He does not pay them what they deserve immediately. For "everything is given on collateral", i.e. G-d has a guarantor so that man does not escape from His hand..
Rabeinu Yitzchak writes in the name of the Rashbam: "Man's soul is the guarantor of all his limbs. If they (the limbs) merit, his soul merits. If they (the limbs) do not merit, the soul is punished with them, as written: "He shall call to the heavens above" (Tehilim 50:4) - this refers to man's soul which is from Heaven, "and to the earth to judge His people" (ibid) - this refers to man's body which was created from the earth" (end quote).
And in the Midrash (Devarim Rabba 4:4): "the soul and the torah are compared to a candle, the soul as written: "the candle of G-d is man's soul" (Mishlei 20), the Torah as written: "the mitzvah is a candle and torah is light" (Mishlei 20). says the Holy One, blessed be He, to man: "My candle (torah) is in your hand and your candle (soul) is in My hand. If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle. But if you extinguish My candle, I will extinguish your candle"..
Rabeinu Avraham Pritzel - "a net is spread out over all the living" - all of us are like fish or birds caught in a net of the Mashgiach (Supervisor), and perforce we must undergo troubles and be destroyed by death.
Rabeinu Yonah - "a net is spread out over all the living" - this refers to death which is decreed and no person can escape from it, like fish caught in a deadly net.
Sforno - "a net is spread out over all the living" - in the eternal life (of the hereafter) or in the temporary life (of this world). No one can escape from the punishment he deserves in both worlds. Even though a person can choose to spare himself from some worldly damages, as written: "He who guards his soul stays far from them" (Mishlei 22:5). But nevertheless, he will not escape the [divine] punishments.
Bartenurah - "the shop is open" - and people come and buy on credit
"the shopkeeper allows credit" - he believes all who come to buy. So too, people sin all day and G-d waits until their time comes.
"but the ledger lies open" - to write the credit charges so that it will not be forgotten.
"the hand writes" - so that you don't say: "even though the credit book lies open, sometimes the shopkeeper is distracted and does not write down everything. Therefore, he said: "the hand writes".
"whoever wants to borrow.." - this is as said earlier: "permission is granted" - no person is forced to borrow against his will.
Rabeinu Yonah - "the shop is open" - a metaphor of this world. For human beings enter here and take all that they need now. But they don't see the future consequences nor consider whether or not they will have enough to pay when the due date arrives. For they find the shop open and can take all their needs - thus are human beings in this world...
Chida - Devarim Achadim, Derush 20 - The shop is open and the shopkeeper allows credit - for if one were punished immediately, there would not be [future] reward and punishment because everyone would be afraid of the immediate tangible punishment and G-d granted free will so that there would be reward..
Rabeinu Avraham Pritzel - Afterwards, he said that "the shop is open", to teach further, that the power and potential (free will) is in man's hands to incline his actions to what he wishes. This is like an open shop which sells to whoever wants to buy, without any restrictions.. And everything one buys on credit is recorded by hand in the notebook..
Sforno - "whoever wishes to borrow" - and become obligated to the King through his sin or sins, let him come and borrow. He does not exact payment immediately.
Tiferet Yisrael - "whoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow" - even for a long time, the Holy One, blessed be He, delays His wrath. And even if he committed the worst and most severe sins, even so, he is not punished immediately, and no effect of his evil deed is felt swiftly as if no one is watching over his deeds.
Bartenurah - "the Gabaim (collectors).. exact [payment] from a man" - bad sufferings and mishaps.
"with his consent" - sometimes he remembers his debt and acknowledges "You have judged me well".
"without his consent" - sometimes he forgot and complains on the judgment of the Almighty, blessed be He.
"they have what to rely upon [in their claims]" - on the ledger and on the shopkeeper. For he is believed on [what is written in] his notebook. So too these sufferings are due to man's deeds whether or not he remembers them.
"The judgment is a judgment of truth" - the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come with unreasonable claims on His creations (eino ba bitronia im beriyotav) (Avodah Zara 3a).
Rabeinu Avraham Pritzel - One should understand and be aware that the Gabbaim are from G-d. Namely, the troubles that arise in people. These come every day to collect from a person with or without his knowledge.. They have support from G-d who sends them, lest the smitten person think it is but an accident or coincidence.
"the judgment is a judgment of truth" - so that one does not yell and complain to G-d: "why have You done this to me?! And why this great wrath?!"
And regarding why the righteous suffers in this world for his sins all his days, he said: "everything is prepared for the banquet". Namely, if one does not pay for his sins in this world or receive reward for his merits in this world, then it will al be waiting for him in the spiritual world.
Chida - Chasdei Avot - "the Gabaim (collectors) make their daily rounds" - we can explain as written in the Talmud on the verse: "only you have I known..therefore I will pay, etc." (Avodah Zara 4a) in the analogy of one who pays his beloved slowly, slowly. And in tractate Bava Kamma (3a): "whoever claims the Holy One, blessed be He, overlooks, will overlook his innards". The commentaries ask on this: "but we find that G-d is merciful as written: 'I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy' which our sages expounded: 'even though he does not deserve it'".
The answer is that G-d does not forego. Rather, the mercy is that He pays back slowly slowly or the like. He witholds the wrath. Or if the person will in the future do a mitzvah or have a righteous son or the like - but everything is with Din (justice). This is the meaning of "the Gabbaim make the daily rounds and exact payment". For it is a great mercy to pay slowly slowly..
Bartenurah - "everything is prepared for the banquet" - both the righteous and the wicked have a share in the world to come after their debt has been collected.
Rabeinu Yonah - "everything is prepared for the banquet" - the intended purpose of all these things is for their ultimate final result of preparing for the feast, namely - life in the world to come.
Chida - Devarim Achadim, Derush 11 - "everything is prepared for the banquet" - all the punishments and sufferings are in order to cleanse the soul to purify it for the end of days (kol haonshim vehayisurim hu lenakot hanefesh lizchut b'acharit hayamim).
Ben Ish Chai, Binyan Avot - "everything is prepared for the banquet" - the sufferings of the wicked are for his good and his merit in the next world. For if G-d did not punish the wicked, with what would they merit Oam Haba?
Alternatively, so that peoples' hearts would not turn sour in seeing the righteous and humble suffer all their days with bitter sufferings. On this, he said the judgment is a judgment of truth, i.e. why do you contend with the accountings of Heaven? G-d knows. Perhaps it is due to "there is no righteous man in the land without sin" and G-d is meticulous with His pious one to a hair's breadth or perhaps it is due to (sins) in a previous Gilgul (incarnation). The witness to this is Iyov (Job) who was a righteous man who turned from evil (Iyov 1:1). All this was to clean him up and increase his reward as our sages said in the Talmud (Bava Batra 15b).
Matanat Avot - this mishna comes to teach us a bit on the ways of the Heavenly Beit Din.. G-d created the world in the form of a shop. Thus, one can buy on credit and is not required to pay immediately. This is in order to give people a chance to repent on all their evil deeds lest they be taken away with all their sins. This is also the reason why the wicked are not punished immediately for their evil deeds. Even though they do not at all think on repenting, but since the world was created in the form of a shop which sells on credit - there is no distinction.
"whoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow" - for committing a sin is like lending from G-d. For He bestows on us infinite benevolence and kindliness in all domains of life, including life itself, and He asks in return that we do His will, learn His torah and guard His commandments.
Thus, one who receives these benefits from G-d and does not guard His will, is like one who lends money or goods from a person and does not pay them back.
"the Gabaim (collectors) make their daily rounds" - even though in this world the primary way is to not collect payment immediately, but nevertheless, do not think that the credit is for many years or in the next world. For you should know that "the Gabaim make their daily rounds". It is possible that today your turn comes that the gabaim will come to you for an inspection and that they will collect a harsh punishment for your evil deeds.
This comes to exhort that sometimes a person is punished immediately after sinning.. Thus one should examine his ways now.
"exact [payment].. the judgment is a judgment of truth" - know also that the Gabaim employ different ways and what happens to a person is with precision and measured meticulously on scales. G-d forbid to say that He strikes a person without examination. Rather, you deserved everything that happened to you in place, time, and measure in the best way possible. There was no extra punishment above and beyond what was deserved.
"Yachel Yisrael" - in the previous mishna, Rabbi Akiva mentioned some ways of the Creator's conduct in the world: constant providence, justice and mercy, reward and punishment.
In order to bring these things closer to us and make them more tangible, he now brings some analogies.
These analogies give us some perception on the ways of the Creator's conduct in the world. They also clarify to us how we should view our life in this world and how to explain the events which happen to us.
"everything is given on collateral" - all of a man's needs in this world - his soul, body, health, family, and possessions - all of them were given to him without his giving to the Creator anything whatsoever in return.
Already when a baby begins to breathe, he is supplied with all his needs without his needing to pay anything to he who gave him his life.
The baby then becomes a child who receives all he needs for his physical and spiritual growth and still he does not need to pay anything back to the Creator.
Even after he becomes Bar Mitzvah and obligated in the mitzvot, he is still unable to fulfill even one mitzva without G-d's first giving him all the means required to fulfill the mitzvah. In order to fulfill the will of G-d, man needs many things - life, health, food, etc. All these things are given to him by the Creator before he could fulfill the word of G-d.
This is what G-d told to Iyov: "Who preceded Me that I should pay? Everything under the heavens is Mine" (Iyov 41:3) and as our sages expounded: "who praised Me before I gave him a soul?.. Who made a mezuzah for Me before I gave him a house?.." (Vayikra Rabba 27:2).
From these things, it comes out that in every case it is man who is obligated to the Creator and not the opposite. Even if man fulfills all the mitzvot and guards the whole torah - all this is his duty like paying back all the good G-d did for him..
This was the intent of Rabbi Akiva when he said: "everything is given on collateral" - "collateral" (eravon) is a pledge given as a guarantee to payment of a debt..
G-d foresees what are man's abilities and what his challenges should be in life.
Maharal - "everything is given on collateral" - i.e. the soul is in G-d's hands, as written: "in Whose hand is the soul of all living and the soul of all human flesh" (Iyov 12:10).
Just like when a man gives a security pledge to his lender such that it is impossible for him to escape from the lender, so too everyone is in G-d's domain. Namely, every person's soul is in G-d's hands.
He said further: "a net is spread out over all the living". "Net" refers to domain, i.e., everything is in G-d's domain. For one who is caught in a net is under the domain of another. Thus, all living things are in the domain of G-d.
Hence, created beings cannot escape from G-d due to two aspects:
One, from the aspect of the "collateral", i.e. the soul which is in G-d's domain..
Two, from the aspect of the "net" which is spread over all living things.
Sometimes, G-d collects from the pledge by him, namely, taking his soul. Sometimes, He does not want to collect from the pledge, i.e. He does not want to take his soul, but instead collects from the side. Namely, to afflict him with sufferings - and there is no escape.
Alternatively, it seems a better explanation is to say the opposite. Namely, "everything is given on collateral", i.e. all that exists in the world is in G-d's hand and there is nothing which exists on its own domain. Thus, the "pledge" is that everything (including inanimate objects) depends on G-d.
But for living things, there is another additional aspect by itself. This is what he said: "a net is spread over all the living", i.e. all the living are under (the net of) death, namely, inexistence (he'eder), which is called "an evil trap" (Kohelet 9:12). And when He wishes, they are caught in this trap spread over them. And unable to escape from this, they receive inexistence (mekablin he'eder). This explanation appears more correct. Thus, he wrote: "everything is given on collateral and a net is spread out over all the living" (two expressions).
"exact [payment] from a man" - the sufferings are payment for sin.
"with his consent" - The righteous man accepts them with love. This is called "payment with consent".
"without his consent" - when he does not want them nor cherish them.
"they have what to rely upon [in their claims]" - i.e. they are emissaries of the Holy One, blessed be He. For thus G-d ordered the world, namely, that there exist emissaries to collect payment from man.
Do not think that even though they collect payment from man but nevertheless, this thing is not from G-d and they are not His emissaries. It is not so. Rather, this thing comes from G-d, blessed be He.
Therefore, a man should not think that if he wants, he can guard himself from the gabaim who are making their rounds always, because they are not emissaries of G-d and act on their own.
If that were true, it would have been possible for man to guard himself from the bad things. But it is not so.
On this, he said: "they have what to rely upon [in their claims]". For they are emmissaries of G-d and He whom they rely upon does everything and "there is no savior from His hand" (Devarim 32:39).
"The judgment is a judgment of truth" - i.e. they collect payment without adding and without substracting, no more and no less, rather the judgment is true.
"everything is prepared for the banquet" - since Rabbi Akiva taught on the order of the world. Namely, man was given permission to sin and G-d afterwards collects payment from man and this is certainly a lacking in the world.
Thus, we cannot say that this is the purpose of creation. For G-d is absolutely perfect and thus it cannot be that He created the world for this since this purpose is not good. And from the Good, only good can come out.
On this, he wrote: "everything is prepared for the meal". This meal (seuda) is complete perfection. For when a man sits at a meal, he fills his lacking until he no longer has a lacking. Thus, he said "everything is prepared for the meal" which refers to completing (rectifying) the world until it becomes whole, without lacking.. This is certainly in Olam Haba (the next world).
There the world will be whole and without lacking. This is the explanation of "seudah" here.
This is what our sages said in the Talmud (Berachot 17a): "in the Olam Haba, there is no eating nor drinking nor having children nor business nor jealousy nor hatred. Only, the righteous sitting with their crowns on their head basking in the radiance of the Shechina (divine presence).."
That is to say, in Olam Haba, man does not need to complete himself. This is unlike in this world whereby a man needs to receive completion. For there, man will be whole in a more exalted state. Thus, he will not need eating and drinking to complete himself nor having children to complete himself with offsprings. For offsprings are a completion of man. Likewise, man will not need to engage in business to purchase what he needs. Nor will there be any jealousy or hatred. For it is a complete lacking when one hates or is jealous of another.
A whole soul is not jealous of another. Likewise for hatred, without a doubt it is considered a lacking.
But in Olam Haba, one will be whole and without lacking.
He said: "the righteous sit..", i.e. in Olam Haba, there is no movement like in this world. In Olam Haba, there is sitting and being at rest. This teaches that man is in actual wholeness/perfection (sheleimut) and does not move towards perfection. Rather, he is already whole/perfect and whatever is whole/perfect sits and is at rest.
"crowns on their heads" - i.e. they will reach the highest level possible of which there is none higher. This is the meaning of "crowns (atarah) on their heads". For a crown on one's head indicates that nothing will rule over them such as any angel or other creation. Rather one sits like a king with a crown which symbolizes the honor that no other person rules over him.
He did not use the word "keter" but instead "atarah". For the former would imply that even G-d would not be over him and he would be completely like a king.
It is not so. Rather, they will be free only of another who is not a King (i.e. except G-d)..
"basking in the radiance of the Shechina" - whereby man will become perfected through G-d's light.. This is the highest level possible... (see there for more).
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