QUESTION: The Mishnah (3:6) discusses a case in which a woman after childbirth must bring multiple Korbanos. Rebbi Yehoshua says that this case is similar to the popular saying that when a sheep is alive it makes only one sound, but when it is dead it makes seven sounds: from the sheep's two horns one can make two trumpets, from its two thigh bones one can make two flutes, its skin can be made into a drum, and its stomach can be made into a lyre, and its entrails can be made into a harp.

Rebbi Shimon ben Akashya continues the analogy. When ignorant people become older, their faculties of intelligence become progressively weaker, as the verse says, "Hash-m removes the lips of the reliable and takes away the intelligence of the elderly" (Iyov 12:20; see TIFERES YISRAEL). Elderly Torah scholars, in contrast, are not subject to such deterioration. On the contrary, the older they become the clearer their perception and understanding become, as the verse says, "With the elderly is wisdom, and those who have long days possess understanding" (Iyov 12:12). The RAMBAM (in Perush ha'Mishnayos) explains the comparison: Just as the dead sheep has seven sounds, the elderly Talmidei Chachamim grow in wisdom and their "Sechel" enhances and improves, even as their bodies become weaker.

Why does the verse use the word "wisdom" (Chochmah) when it mentions "the elderly," and the word "understanding" (Sechel) when it mentions "those who have long days"?

(a) The VILNA GA'ON explains the verse as follows. A person who is not yet elderly has not yet had the opportunity to learn a lot. However, if he possesses a "broad heart," if his thinking is clear, he is able to understand additional concepts in Torah from the knowledge that he already possesses. The meaning of "those who have long days" is that a person's days are full and good, and he has (or makes) the time and the peace of mind so that he can progress in his Torah learning. This person, even though he is young, can reach a high degree of understanding even though he has not yet reached the level of wisdom, Chochmah. Chochmah is a higher level, attained only through time. The elderly, in addition to possessing "long days" which enabled them to attain understanding, have attained Chochmah in Torah as a result of learning assiduously for many years.

(b) The TIFERES YISRAEL (#74) offers a different explanation for the verse. He explains that the term "long days" refers to the long extension of life that even those who already are old may merit. He explains that "understanding" is a higher level than "wisdom," because "understanding" refers to the ability to understand the wisdom that one already possesses, which, in turn, enables him to progress further to greater wisdom.

The Tiferes Yisrael (#72) points out that the reason why this Mishnah is recorded at the end of Seder Kodshim is that it explains how the elderly Talmidei Chachamim possess wisdom, and it is Seder Kodshim which is referred to as "wisdom" in the verse (Yeshayah 33:6), as expounded by the Gemara in Shabbos (31a). When the Torah scholars age, their Yetzer ha'Ra no longer troubles them, and they can rest from the distractions of the physical world and put all of their time and energy into studying and teaching Torah. (D. BLOOM)