meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt_done/Mishnah/Commentary/Rashi/Seder Nezikin/Rashi on Avot/English/merged.txt"}
text: Rashi on Avot
  רש"י על משנה אבות
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Sefaria Community Translation
  -
  
  Rashi on Avot
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  ...And judge every person as meritorious.  On everything that you hear about a person, say that they intended for good, until you know with certainty that it is not so.  If you judge thus, they will judge you from heaven as meritorious, as is explained in the 18th chapter of Masechet Shabbat ("Perek Mefanin").  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  For disparaging the Torah: From the disparagement that they are disparaging the Torah - as it is disparaged in that it has no one involved in it.
  "rebuked (<i>nazouf</i>)": excommunicated; as "and his father rebuked him" (Genesis 37:10), we translate [into Aramaic as] <i>ounezaf beh avohi</i>.  
  "A ring of gold in a swine's snout": as he does not guard it, but rather goes and rummages in rubbage heaps and makes it disgusting. So [too] is a Torah scholar who is lacking understanding of Torah - he is disgusting like this excommunicated one. 
  for there is no free man except one that involves himself in Torah learning: as people honor and serve [him]. And they distance themselves from one who is not involved in it - hence he is like one excommunicated.
  "and from Mattanah (a place name that means 'gift,' and so can refer to the gifting of the Torah), Nachaliel": Above this verse is written "and from the wilderness, Mattanah" [and then our verse continues] "and from Mattanah, Nachaliel"; [which comes to teach] that since the Torah was given to them as a gift, they inherited God (<i>nachalu El</i>) - meaning to say, He brought them into His portion - and since they inherited God, they rose to greatness, as it is stated, "and from Nachaliel, Bamot" (Eruvin 54a, Nedarim 55a). 
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  Or one utterance: of good reasoning, as next to the verse, "But it was you, a man my equal," is another verse adjacent (Psalms 55:15), "Which together we sweetened counsel." As Achitophel had found David sitting alone and involved in Torah [study]. He said to him, "Why are you studying alone? And has it not already been stated (Jeremiah 50:36), 'A sword is upon the fabricators (<i>badim</i>) and they shall become foolish' (- a sword is upon Torah scholars that sit one by one (<i>bad vebad</i>) and are involved in Torah [study], etc.", and see Berakhot 63b.) And again another time he found him entering his House of Study with an upright posture. He said to him, "And has it not already been stated (Leviticus 19:30), 'and revere My holy place' - that a man should enter there with reverence, so that the fear of Heaven be upon him." And so [too], it states (Psalms 55:15), "in the house of God shall we walk with emotion (<i>beragesh</i>)" - [which is here] an expression of awe and fear. And some say (that [David] went alone into the House of Study and [Achitophel] said to him, "'In the house of God shall we walk <i>beragesh</i>' is it written, since a person is obligated to enter there with a group of people" - and <i>ragesh</i> [here] is an expression of gathering, as in (Psalms 2:1), "Why have the nations gathered"), because it is written (Proverbs 14:28), "In the multitude of people is there splendor for the king."
  "But it was you, a man my equal": important like me.
  "my intimate": my sage, as in, 'people that are sages and intimates.'
  If David, King of Israel: made Achitophel - who was an evildoer and not fitting for this - a teacher and a guide because of two things, all the more so should a common man who learns from his fellow - who is not an evildoer - [similarly honor him]. 
   And there is no honor except Torah:, meaning to say, "except for the Torah." And it is not referring to [the phrase,] "treat him [with honor]". And this is what it is saying - "there is no honor that comes to a man except for involvement in Torah [study].
  "The wise shall inherit honor": And why do they inherit honor? Because they study Torah and inherit it like a bequest.
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  Eat bread with salt: It is not saying it about the wealthy one that he should place himself in a life of pain in order to study Torah. But rather, this is what it is saying: Even if a person only has bread with salt, etc. and he does not have a pillow and blanket to sleep [on], but rather [must sleep] on the ground, he should not refrain from involvement in [Torah study]; as in the end, he will study it in wealth.
  <i>bimesura</i>: a small amount.
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  Do not seek greatness: to run after power.
  and do not covet honor: to be honored for your Torah [knowledge]. As from this, you will appear as one who is is doing [it] not for its own sake.
  since your table is greater than their tables: This is [referring to] the reward that you will receive for the study of Torah. (Another textual variant) More than your study, do: More than that which you have studied, do good deeds and perform commandments, as we say (Avot 3:9), "Anyone whose actions are more plentiful than his wisdom, his wisdom endures."
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  For kingship is obtained with thirty levels: The ones that are written in the section about Shmuel when Israel requested a king and he said, "know that so and so is the law of a king." And when you investigate, they are thirty things, including those taught in Sandhedrin, "A king does not judge and is not judged, etc." And the twenty four presents of the priesthood are the ten in the Temple, four in Jerusalem and ten in the borders [of the whole land of Israel].  
  reverence, awe: [One] whose heart is not [too] high, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:10), "The day that you stood in front of the Lord, your God, at Chorev." And hence those that are impure from a seminal emission were forbidden, as it is because of the lightheadedness of a person and the musings of his heart that he comes to being [impure in this way].
  happiness: Since the Divine presence does not rest amongst pain, but only amongst happiness.
  clarification: is the textual variant that we [follow]. The explanation is clarification (clarity) of the mind.
  minimization of merchandise: As the master said (Eruvin 55a, and there it is Rabbi Yochanan), "You will not find Torah [knowledge] with merchants and not with peddlers."
  minimization of worldly occupation: [so] that he not frequently be with people in the marketplace.
  acceptance of afflictions: He accepts afflictions with love.
  judging him with the benefit of the doubt: He judges his friend favorably.
  placing him with the truth: He pursues truth and peace above everything.
  
  hearing: everything that his master tells him. and adding: but not to contradict the words of his master.
  focusing one's teaching: When he gives a legal decision, he focuses it on the matter that his master told him, but he does not add something, to say, "So did his master tell him." Another textual variation: with clarification, with sitting (<i>yeshiva</i>): as 'much sitting, brings much wisdom.' Another [explanation] is culture.
  
  
  acceptance of afflictions: as we say in Berakhot 5a, 'happy is the man who God afflicts,' - when is this, when [it does not prevent him from studying] Your Torah. As the Holy One, blessed be He, bring afflictions of love on the one that is involved in [Torah], to increase his reward in the world to come.
  preparation of speech: that he not stutter in words of Torah, but rather enunciate them with the tongue and bring them out with the mouth. Since words of Torah are only preserved by their being put out with the mouth,  as is written, (Proverbs 4:22) "They are life for those that find them" - do not read for those that find them (<i>motsaeihem</i>), but rather those that bring them out (<i>motsieihem</i>) with the mouth. 
  
  reverence: as we say (Berakhot 30a), "'And rejoice in trembling' (Psalms 2:11)... In a place of joy, there should there be trembling."  
  service of sages: that he pushes and enters every place to hear their words and to serve them.
  care of friends: He studies in a group.
  debate of the students: that they should debate in front of him and make him wiser, as we say (Taanit 7a, Makkot 10a), "[and I have learned] from my students more than from them all." 
  knowing one's place: that he is involved in Torah [study] every hour. As from this, the Torah is preserved in his hand. The reasons and proofs that he understands in the law are called "his place"; as we say in Sanhedrin when we carry over the judgement to the morrow, (Mishnah Sanhedrin 5:5) "The [judge arguing] to convict says,.. 'I convict in my place'" - [meaning] exactly the same reason and proof that I said yesterday, since I did not find another proof to render him innocent. And so [too] the one who renders him innocent.
  gladness in one's portion: as if he worries about his matter, he will not be able to focus on [Torah].
  a fence to one's words: as his reasoning is with him, and he brings pretexts to present the words of his teacher to people.
  
  lack of self-aggrandizement: as he does not raise [his opinion] about himself in his heart on account of his increasing Torah [knowledge]; as behold, for this was he formed.
  lack of arrogance in learning: which is that he does not get arrogant in front of the creatures.
  
  rebuke: as is written (Proverbs 9:8), "rebuke the sage, and he will love you."
  placing him with the truth: with the clarity of the law.
  with peace: as he is not resolved towards judgement, but rather willingly makes a compromise.
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  For it gives life to those who do it: He eats its fruits in this world, and the principle is preserved for him in the world to come.
  "For they are life for those that find them": - do not read for those that find them (<i>motsaeihem</i>), but rather those that bring them out (<i>motsieihem</i>) with the mouth, in this world. 
  and it says,... "and tonic to your bones": that it should moisten you bones in the grave. And it says, "It is a tree of life to those who hold it": in the next world. And lest you say, he will merit life, but who is there to say that he will merit wealth - as behold, there are people that are destined for poverty, for which death is more beloved than life - therefore, it says that, "For they are an accompaniment of grace for your head, and a necklace for your throat" - what is the thing that brings a person to find grace in the eyes of [other] people? You would say that is money. And lest you say, they will give you money, but he will not be honored among people; therefore it says, "with a crown of glory she will protect you." And lest you say, even if he did not study for its own sake, he will merit these things; therefore it says, "Length of days is in her right hand" - for those that [approach] it from the right (Shabbat 63a) - that learn for its own sake; [such a one] has length of days and - it is not necessary to say - wealth and honor. "in her left": for those that [approach] it from the left, they will give him wealth and honor, but not long life. And lest you say that [the one who learns Torah for its own sake] merits life and wealth, but not peace; therefore it says, "and peace will be added to you."
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  A crown: This is riches.
  of glory: This is beauty.
  and children: "and the glory of children are their fathers."
  strength: "The glory of young men is their strength."
  honor: "and before His elders shall be honor."
  and wisdom: as there are many [times that the word,] elders (<i>zekenim</i>) [is] found here. And one of them is to [include its acrostic], <i>zeh she'kanah chochmah</i> (the one who acquired wisdom).
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  "Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold": Its explanation is [that this is] for his praise and honor, as it is stated (Isaiah 6:3), "the earth is full of His honor."
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  Five possessions has the Holy One, Blessed be He, declared His own, etc.: “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way”: as He created it before the world. Since when it went up in His thought to create the world, He said, "The world will exist for the sake of the Torah."
  heaven and earth [are] one possession: As they are the pillars of the universe, as it says, “Thus says the Lord: ‘The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool." It says "earth" here and it says "earth" later; as it says, "full is the earth with Your possessions.” Just like [in the first verse], it is heaven and earth, so too here it is heaven and earth, and it is written, "Your possessions, etc." 
  From where [do we infer that]  Abraham [is] one possession: such that the Holy One, blessed be He, created him for this, to be a possession for the world? As it says, "And he blessed him, and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High.'" And why? Because [God] is "'Maker of heaven and earth.’” As because of [Abraham] the world exists; since he brought close the creatures under the wings of the Divine presence and made them repent to the better and said to them the things that are mentioned.
  Israel [is] one possession: As it says, "the people whom You have made Your own.” And from where [do we infer] that the world exists because of them? As it says, “As for the holy that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all My delight” - that they are the main excellent ones of the world. 
  “The Sanctuary, O Lord, that Your hands have established”: We have still not found [that it is a] possession; except that since here it  says, "Sanctuary" and later it says "And He brought them to His holy border, to the mountain, which His right hand had possessed.” Just like here the Sanctuary [of the mountain] is a possession, so too is the Sanctuary [in the first verse] a possession. And there is much confusion about the thing. And according to the matter, it appears to me that [this] berieta was not written as it should have been; as behold, in Tractate Pesachim in the chapter [entitled] Haeesha, we only learned Torah, heaven and earth and Israel; and it brings a proof for the heaven and earth from the same verse that is says about Abraham, "'Maker of heaven and earth.’”
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  Only for His honor: [meaning,] for his praise.
  Rabbi Chananya ben Akashia says, etc.: He did not say his statement concerning Tractate Avot, but rather in Tractate Makkot in [the chapter entitled] Ellu hen HaLokin. And since there is a nice ending to it, all the people are accustomed to say it at the end of each and every chapter, since we do not say Kaddish over mishnah but rather over aggadah (homiletical teachings). As the master said (Sotah 49a), ("Upon what does the world survive? Upon the <i>Kedushah</i> of the order) and upon the [declaration in Kaddish,] 'May His name be exalted' of aggadah." And these [chapters] were called The Chapters of the Fathers because they are the words that were arranged of the first fathers - that received the Torah one from another. For example, Moshe and Yehoshua and the elders [received it] one from the other, up until the men of the Great Assembly and Shammai and Hillel and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and their students. And Rebbi [who redacted the Mishnah] let us know how their actions were correct and that they would caution the people of their generations and guide them in the straight path. So too is it fitting for each sage to caution the people of his generation and to let them know of the straight path. 