meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt_done/Mishnah/Commentary/Derech Chaim/English/merged.txt"}
text: Derech Chaim
  דרך חיים
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  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
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  Derech Chaim
  
  Introduction
  
  
  
  Kol Yisrael; The Opening Mishna
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  Rebbi Elazar says: "One should be diligent in learning Torah such that he can answer a heretic." Rebbi Elazar is giving Mussar on the Torah , which is the purpose of man, and man vis-a-vis himself was not created except to toil in Torah.  And this is like was written (Job: 5,7) that "Man was born to toil", as we explained above at length (Mishna 8), that the creation of man rests on toiling in Torah.  Therefore it says "be diligent in learning Torah" because if you are not diligent in learning Torah, then it will not be considered that you are toiling in Torah, but rather only that you are learning Torah "for leisure time".
  And it says after this that your Torah should be such that you can answer a heretic.  Which is to say that just like there is a Mitzvah for a person to learn Torah and to acquire the Torah, which is the Torah of Truth (Malachi: 1, 6), so to it is fitting that a person nullifies 'false belief systems' from the world such that Truth increased in the world.  For if Falsity is left to be in the world, the end is that Falsity, God Forbid, will cause Truth to be lost and nullify it such that Falsity dominates the world, and therefore, take much care that you do not give any foothold for Falsity, rather that you know what to answer to a heretic.
  And it says after this and 'in front of who you toil in Torah' corresponding to the massive exertion that  is thrown upon him.  As it says 'be diligent in learning Torah', that he should strive to know how to answer a heretic, and un this point we say 'know in front of who you stand and trustworthy is your boss to pay the reward of your work'.  If you toil in Torah extensively, the reward given to you will be plentiful.    And if this matter is not recognized by a person, it's possible that he will end up in laziness. Now consider if a person is already careful that (Pirke Avos: 1,3) 'one should not work for the sake of receiving reward', which we said means that this kind of person's service is based on serving Hashem on the condition that we receives a reward [which is suboptimal].  But this idea here is speaking to awakening a person, because a person has a body and the nature of physicality doesn't really listen to the service of God, and needs an awakening!  Much like a young child needs an awakening in his learning, so we give him a treat so that he will learn, so too does a man need to be awakened.  And if he awakens himself through thinking about the massive reward that there is to a person, this person would not be called somebody who 'serves for the sake of receiving a reward' since he is doing so only for the self-awakening such that he shouldn't be blocked from his service (of God).  Therefore this (piece of Mussar) counteracts to the Evil Inclination that desires to lessen a person that he shouldn't toil in Torah, and to prevent against laziness tin this toiling.  And even though a person might act from a place of love and not 'on the condition of receiving a reward', a person has to be careful that perhaps he will end up in laziness because he doesn't not believe (deeply) in his soul. [Which is to say that a person will want to act without incentivizing himself, but rather from a place of pure love, and in trying to act from a higher level than he is on, fall short and end up lazy].  And for this reason, it says 'know in front of who you toil and trustworthy...' and through this laziness should not reach his toiling.  But certainly the purpose of his learning cannot be the reward, but this idea can strengthen him so that he shouldn't end up in the hands of laziness - about which one should one.  And it should be clear to you that in all five of these Sages, each one says three things which are related one to the next.   
  But you must know further, in what there is to learn by each individual (of the five students) saying specifically three things.  We can infer from the Tannaic author of the Mishna using the phrase (Mishna 10) 'And they (the five students) said three things', that these Sages were complete people, and therefore intended to complete man, each Sage through the three pieces of Mussar.  Because man is made up of different parts which are ever-changing, there isn't to man one fixed part, but there are different parts.  And therefore, these words of Mussar that come to complete man, need to be more than just one piece of Mussar.  Because an idea which gives Mussar to (addresses) a singular topic [i.e. the body], doesn't give Mussar to (address) the second topic [i.e. the soul]; and that which gives Mussar to (addresses) the second [i.e. the soul], doesn't give Mussar (address) the first[i.e. the body].  And further consider there are how many needs to a person, and they all require words of Mussar -- and somehow they (our mishnayot here) include and head these with only three aspects.  There is to man three aspects: the first aspect is in respect to the capacities of his soul; the second aspect is in respect to the capacities of his body; the third aspect is in respect to man as a whole entity, because these [the capacities of the soul and body] are only disparate pieces, and therefore this third aspect of a person as a whole person includes the body and the soul which comprise a person.  The general rule: in such that a person needs Mussar for the capacities of his body, and needs Mussar for the capacities of his soul, and for his being as an entire entity which includes his different parts.  And therefore, these Sages came in their words of Mussar to complete man in everything, because each and every (of these three parts of a person), needs customized Mussar.  And each and every one of these [5] Sages adds on to the one before him to fix up a person on the totality of these three paths, until the final one will fix up the person totally, in such that a person is fitting on the parts of a person which we mentioned.  Even if he won't be as close as the one before him, as we will explain.  And you must understand this very, very much, that these three things which each Sage mentions is a fixing of Man, which includes that from the right, and the left, and the middle.  And upon this,  everything is founded, and understand this.
  And you must know, that which is said by Rebbi Eleazar 'Let the honor of your friend as dear to your as your own' is a hugely important issue foundation for bringing a person to Olam Haba.  In Perek Tefillot Hashachar (Berachos: 28, Amud B) 'When Rebbi Eleazar got sick, his students entered by his side and said to him 'Rebbi, teach us the ways of life so we will merit the world to come'.  He said to them 'Be careful in the honor of your friends....'.  Behold that Rebbi Eleazar says over here 'Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own'. it means to say that this concept will bring a person to life in Olan Haba.  And lest you ask a Kasha (challenging question): why does this concept bring a person to the world to come? Because this concept, you must understand was spoken about by the Chachamim (Bava Metzia: Daf 59, Amud A) 'Anybody who embarrasses the face of his friend, there is no portion to him in Olam Haba'.  And from this understand that the opposite would be being careful with the honor of your friend, this is the path to life in Olam Haba, like we will explain later on more clearly.
  Because when one sensitizes oneself that the honor within a person, who is made in the Image of God (B'tzelem Elokim), because Man was created in the Image of God (Genesis: Chapter 1, Verse 27), because of this man is fitting to Olam Haba. Because man is not fitting to Olam Haba, except due to the Image of God which bestowed to man from upon High, like it says in the verse (Genesis: Chapter 1, Verse 26): "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness".  And because of this, man is fitting for life in Olam Haba.  And therefore it says that one should be careful in the honor if your friends, and this is regarding the aspect man was made in the Image of God,  and one should not - God forbid - embarrass this image, for within it depends Olam Haba.  And similarly it says in the Sifri 'Do not ascend in steps upon the alter' (Exodus: Chapter 20, Verse 26). Rebbi Yishmael says behold from these words we can make a logical deduction: in such that stones which have within them no knowledge, not for evil, not for good, the Omnipresent says do not accustom yourself to treat them with disrespect, your friends who is in the Image of He who spoke and the world was created, certainly you should not accustom yourself to treat him disrespectfully!  [end quote].'  Behold the warning of a one's friend is because he is created in the Image of God, because this is the greatest attribute a person can have, and because of this, the level of man he merits the loftiest heights: to life in Olam Haba.  And therefore it says (Gemara-Berachos just quoted) that this is the 'way sof life to Olam Haba', to bring a person from Olam HaZeh, which is a world of physicality, to the Olam Hanivdal (The World of Distinction) which is Olam Haba.  And says Rebbi Eleazar also here (in our Mishna) 'Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own' to teach a person the ways of life, that in it he will arrive in Olam Haba.
  And it says after this 'Do not be comfortable to anger'.  Because since this (first clause about honor) is the path to the ways of life which channel a persons strength to reaching the world to come, (now) we examine man that he should be guarded from the path that will make him lose his Olam Haba.  And this (is why we now say) 'Do not be comfortable to anger', because anger is that which brings a person to the hands of personal deficiency (usually translated as Sin, but actually means a personal lack), until it causes a person to lose his world to come as we will explain.  Because a possessor of anger is a the possessor of a personal deficiency, and therefore the anger will precipitate the bringing of a person into the hands of deficiency and he will have been lost from Olam Haba.  For this reason, (the Mishna) begins with 'Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own' because this is the path to bring a person to Olam Haba - as was stated (explicitly) by Rebbi Eleazar in Berachos, and (only) after this do we warn a person against the thing which will cause our Olam Haba to be lost,
  so (then the Mishna) says 'Do not be comfortable to anger'.  And the intention is to say that if you are lacking, and "there is not Tzadik in the land who does (only) good and doesn't sin (isn't lacking)" (Koheles: 6,20), then 'one should be careful to do every single day Teshuva' (Shabbat: 153, Aleph).  And because of this there will be to his life in Olam Haba in Completion.
  And in such that Rebbi Eleazar didn't mention (in the Aggadah from the Gemara we mentioned before) in the Chapter Tefillot Hashachar (Berachos 28, B) these three things (from our Mishna) but only one of them, which is 'be careful with the honor of your friends'.  It is because they (his students) only asked him about 'the ways to life', and this (be careful in the honor of your friends) are 'ways to life' which bring a person to Olam Haba.  And here (in our Mishna) (Rebbi Eleazar) elucidates in order to complete every person according to three aspects: that there should be to him an Olam Haba, and that he should come to lose his Olam Haba [which contains within it two components - the two latter clauses of the Mishna], and this explanation is clear.
  And we already said that these three aspects complete a person from all angles.  In such that it says 'let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own', it is Mussar relevant to a person in the aspect of a person as a whole entity, that there is to honor the Image of man in such that he is Man.  As if when it says that you must honor your friend it is saying that your friend is was created in the Image of God.  And if a person is unable to perform this matter (honor his friend), but instead is simply not critical of his friend because he (his friend) was made in the Image of God, it teaches on the lowliness and lack within that (original) person.  Because if a person was the possessor of elevation (in character) like is fitting for a person who is made in this Image, he would be honoring his friend [in an active way, not merely passively NOT being critical] in such that he was made in the Image of God.  And therefore we have this enactment, to fix up a person from the respect of the totality of being a human being.  So we say afterwards 'Do not be comfortable to anger', which corresponds to the distinguished [as opposed to connected - see 5 components of soul above in Mishna 9] capacity of the soul, for anger is aligned with the soul, an according to this it says that one should not be a possessor of anger, because if one does this he will have a lack in his soul (M'Ayin on the Lashon here - See R' Hartmann). Further it's said corresponding to the body 'Return one day before your death', because due to the fact that a person is the possessor of a body the idea of Teshuva [repentance, or return] is relevant to him, because if man was not the possessor of a body, the concept of Teshuva wouldn't be found by him, accordingly say the Chachamim (Pirke Avos: 4, 18) 'Beautiful is one moment of Teshuva and Good Deeds in Olam Hazeh' as we will explain with the Help of God, take a look there.  And corresponding to this it says 'return one day before your death'.  And understand these things which are hinted at here, for they are matters of Chochmah and Emes [wisdom and truth], with no doubt, not through the power of reason or estimation, but only Truth.  It's merely not possible to explain these matters according to what they seem, but only to deeply comprehend the wisdom, the continual wisdom and knowledge [Daat], and behold Rebbi Eleazar joined these three things together because they complete a person as we said.
  And so too, Rebbi Yehoshua says also his words of Mussar to complete a person.  As we already said, due to man containing within him three aspects: the first - his body, the second - his soul; these are the pieces.  And the third is Man as a total entity, which subsumes the two (pieces), as we explained.  And therefore, an Evil Eye removes a person from the world, due to the entanglement with the capacity of the soul which is Evil, there is no doubt that a person will be brought to a loss through this Evil, because it (Evil Eye) is a lack that entangled in his Soul, which is the an Evil Eye.  Therefore, an Evil Eye removes a person from the world.  Stated after this is the Evil Inclination, which is an evil lack entangled within the capacity of the Body, because the Evil Inclination is enmeshed in the Body.  And the proof to this is that even an animal is there is an Inclination, as it says in the first chapter of Bava Kama: that an animal also has an Evil Inclination.  But an Evil Eye an animal does not have, because an animal doesn't have a distinguished capacity of the soul - this is only found in Man - because the Soul of an animal is only considered like it's Body.  And the source of the Evil Inclination is in Arayos (Improper Sexual Relations), which is relevant to the Body, and this matter is obvious.  And in such that the Evil Inclination, which is Evil, entangles within the body of a person, and takes a person out of the world, after Emptiness, which is Evil, enmeshes within this part (the body).  And so too with Baseless Hatred (Sinas Chinam), because creations are (refer to) Man, and if you hate Man in as much as he is a person, there is a lowliness and lack  in the person (the hater) in respect to his entity as a person.  Because if he were a complete person, he would not hate creations - which are Man - rather there exists within him lowliness in the respect to himself as a person.  And therefore, this concept will remove a person from of the world.
  In such that a person should not depart from this until he stands on the source, so it says 'Evil Eye, Evil Inclination, and Hatred of Creations, remove a person from the world, there is to understand that death is brought about to a person because he deviates from the center upon which man was created, and he leans towards one of the edges, in this a person reaches Death.  And this matter is clear, because all Death is an End, but balance and centeredness are Life, like we we explained at length in the introduction (to Pirke Avos), have a look there.  
  And understand that this world which was created by the Blessed One, was created in balance and does not leave the center as we explained that there is Kiyum (Existence), because the Center has Existence exceedingly.  This is taught in what that creation was in six days (Exodus: 20, 11).  Because the letter Vav teaches about balance, and this can be understood by the form (of the letter) which stands like a straight stick in balance, only a little of it curves at the top, even so one cannot find this in any of the other letters.  And also in it's pronunciation, it's pronounced Vav -  balanced in its pronunciation [The pronunciation of the letter Vav is palindromic, which is to say that it's the same sound, a V, pronounced twice, with a small vowel in the middle.].  And also in it's numerical status [The Gematria of Vav is 6] which is balanced exceedingly, as it is written in Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, may he remembered for blessing, in Parshas Shemos on the letter Vav, that the number is balanced [equal] in all of the single digit numbers, and you will not find a single digit number which has balance like the number six, for the three factors which six is divisible are six (when added together), because divided by two one gets three, and divided by three one gets two, and divided by six the factor is one, and all of them added together is six. [Aside from the 6 itself, the factors of 6 are: 3, 2, and 1. When these factors are added, one gets 3+2+1 which equals 6].  Behold when when it's pieces are joined they are equal to the whole.  And this is not found in any other single digit number: because four split into two is two, and in fourths is one, and they are three together.  And the number eight split into two is four, and fourths is two, and eighths is one, behold that's seven.  And it's not found any single digit number which is balanced like the number six.  And because the world was created in balance, it was created in six days, in which the number teaches to the balance found in this world.
  And there is not creation found amongst the creation which is more balanced than Man, and therefore man was created on the sixth (day) (Genesis: 1, 27), which teaches to the balance which exists within man.  And this balance, which is that Man is made up of Body and Soul, needs to stand in balance, that one should not lean towards the edge in which Man is totally Body, nor should he lean towards the powers of the Soul such that he is entirely Soul, but rather he must stand in this balance.  Therefore it is not fitting that man should be in opposition to himself [referring back to Hatred of Creations, or Sinas HaBriyos], in which he leans towards Emptiness entirely.
  And this that it says 'Evil Eye, Evil Inclination, and Hatred of Creations remove a man from the world'.  When a person possess an Evil Eye, the power of his Soul is overactive, until he burns everything with his gaze, and this is an powering of the Soul more than is fitting, and through this he leaves [center] to one edge.  Because a person was only created to balance his Body and his Soul, and in such that he leans towards an edge he entangles in Emptiness, as we explained.  Therefore, it (this lack of center) removes a person from the world.  And so too if a person leans to the power of his Body, the physical Evil Inclination, he entangles in the body as if he is all body.  And this is a leaving towards the edge, and the edge is connected there to Emptiness, which is intself an edge, and this matter will remove him from the world.  Because it's fitting that man should stand without leaning towards an edge. And understand what is said in that 'remove him from the world', because this world is a world of balance, for Hashem created it in balance.  And leaning from balance towards a side entirely, that is removal from the world, and connection to total Emptiness.  And these two things are to a person from the aspect of leaving [the center] towards one side, that through this a person enmeshes in Emptiness, and is removed from the world.
  Really, the third thing, which is Hatred of Creations, because Hatred of Creations removes a person from the world, because he contradicts his own essence, that behold by Creations we mean Man himself, which Hashem created in the world.  And in such that there is Hatred of Creations, a person is in opposition to Man in his essence through his Hatred of Creations [in general], and through this leans towards total Emptiness, because Hatred of Creations is a hatred of them until man will not exist, this is total Emptiness [That which a person hates, he wants to destroy, so the end of Hatred of Creations is the destruction of Man, which is the epitome of creation].  And how is it possible that he should exist in the world, in such that he opposes his very self, and he leans towards Emptiness, in such that he Hates Creations, behold he is opposing his very self, because Creations are really Man [Man is the epitome of Creation, so in hating Creation, one essentially hates Man].  And so too if Creations hate the person (the subject), for when it says 'Hatred of Creations' understand there are two faces" they are if he (the subject) hates the creations, or if he causes that other creations hate him.  And this is because there is within a person opposition and objections to himself, and in this he leans towards total Emptiness.  Because opposite of Man, which is Reality, is the Emptiness within him.  
  And by now it should be clear to you that which is said here 'Evil Eye, Evil Inclination, and Hatred of Creations removes a person from the world' because when a person leaves the world it's through his leaving towards an edge, for through this a person enmeshes with Emptiness, and this is a departure from the world.   And so too when a person opposes his very self, he leans towards Emptiness.  Now understand how Evil Eye is a departure from the left side, and Evil Inclination is a departure from the right side, and Hatred of Creations is a departure from a human being in it's essence, which is the middle, as we explained.  And understand this that these matters are deep in their wisdom.  Now behold look with your eyes, that Revvi Yhoshua gave Mussar to all of the parts of Man: That behold it begins in the Soul and its capacities, for from it is Evil Eye.  Afterwards Mussar is given to the Body, for within it is the Evil Inclination, as we explained above.  After this Mussar is given to a person in respect to him as a whole entity, that he shouldn't Hate the Creations, and shouldn't be hated (by others) either.  For if one hate creations, or is hated by creations, one is not considered a Person.  For if one was indeed a Person, one wouldn't be opposed to one's own self, and this is sliding towards Emptiness.  On this point Mussar was given to Man in all these aspects of his makeup, as we mentioned.  Now clarify for yourself these great matters, true matters, in which there is no doubt in any of what we said.  And we explained this matter with differing aspects from one to the next, so that one could stand on what is correct.  For even with these differing aspects, everything (said above) comes from one true source, without doubt at all to anybody who understands.  
  And so too are the words of Rebbi Yosi, who says 'Let the money of your friend be as dear to your as your own...', it comes to give Mussar in which 'Let the money of your friend be as dear to you as your own', for this is due to the virtue of man, that even his (his friend's) money should be considered important in his eyes, all the more so the person himself should be considered important in his eyes, as was explained above in the statement of Rebbi Eleazar.  Corresponding to this it's said 'Let the money of your friend be as dear to your as your own'. And to the point of completing a person from the aspect of a person being the possessor of a body, who is not prepared for the Torah, he says that one should prepare and rectify himself for the Torah, because the Torah isn't an inheritance for a person, because as we said he's the possessor of a body, as we explained, and therefore he needs to prepare himself with all of his capacities to learn Torah.  And in that it says 'All your deeds should be for the Sake of Heaven', this is Mussar to the Soul, for in it (the Soul) is dependent all of the creations and actions of a person, for the Soul is the Creator, and therefore the creations come from the Soul.  Therefore it says corresponding to this (fixing the Soul) 'And all of your deeds should be for the Sake of Heaven.
  And Rebbi Yosi comes to give Mussar to a person in consideration of all his parts, and this matter is clear.  It's only that the words of Rebbi Yosi are further from what Rebbi Eleazar said, for Rebbe Eleazar said 'Let the honor of your friends be more dear to you than your own' and Rebbe Yose added 'Let the money of your friend etc..'  And so too with what Rebbi Yehoshua gave in his Mussar to the Body to distance oneself from the Evil Inclination, which is within the body, Rebbi Yosi comes to add on further that one should be worked upon for the words of Torah, that behold one shouldn't go after the interests of the body, and (in doing so) turn towards meaninglessness, which is what is said in 'Fix yourself to learn Torah for it will not be an inheritance to you'.  For man in such that he is Man it the owner of a body, and Torah is not his, which wouldn't be the case if he didn't have a body, for then Torah would be by him from his essence [I believe what the Maharal is alluding to is that Torah is a totally Spiritual/Intellectual "Sichli" entity.  Therefore, if Man, which is half Body (guf) and have Spirit/Intellect (Sechel) were to not have his bodily component, he would therefore be entirely Spiritual/Intellectual and in some way inherently an inheritor of the Torah].  And so too does he add further to fix the Soul, that one should create all of his actions for the Sake of Heaven, and not create but one thing that is not for the Sake of Heaven.  
  So comes Rebbi Shimon and adds further to fix a person in his entirety, and this is what is said 'Be careful in (the saying of) Kriyas Shema etc..', the warning from the outset in Kriyas Shema and in Prayer, is from the aspect of Man as a whole entity in such that he is a Man who is fitting to accept upon him the Yoke of the Kingship of Heaven and serve the Exalted One because on this account was man created.  For behold man was not created except for serving the Blessed One as it says (Koheles: 12, 13) "To your God you shall have awe, and his Mitzvot guard, for this is the totality of Man".  And they (the Sages) say, may they be remembered for blessing, (Berachos: Daf 6, Amud B) The totality of man was created for this.
  And due to the fact that man from the aspect of his body is not with the Blessed One, therefore when he enters in front of the Blessed One in prayer, he needs to remove the bodily (material) things completely, and be as if his makeup was an entirely spiritual person.  And therefore corresponding to this, it says 'And do not make you prayer fixed', for your prayer to be like a burden upon a person from the aspect of the body.  And therefore it's written in the Tur: Orach Chaim (Siman 98) [A Halachic Exposition] 'When the Chasidim and the Men of Action would meditate for prayer, until they would arrive to the stripping of all physicality and a strengthening of Spiritual/Intellectual Spirit, until they would arrive close to the loftiness of prophecy.'  This matter is obvious, for he who makes his prayers a supplication, until he enmeshes within the Blessed One, for through this he removes the physicality that causes separation between the Blessed One and between Man.  And therefore it says, from the aspect of a person being the possessor of a physical body, that there is take care that one does not make his prayer fixed.
  And it says after that, 'Do not make yourself an Evil Person vis-a-vis yourself', and this corresponds to the Soul, for Evilness is in the Soul.  And so does scripture states all over the place (Proverbs: 21, 10) "The Soul of an Evil Person desires Evil", as we explained above.   And Evilness is only in the Soul, to the great capacity of Evil and the powerful reach it has, for it works via the capacities of the Soul, and not through the capacities of the Body whatsoever, and this has been explained above within "Evil Eye".  And therefore, Rebbi Shimon sought also to complete a person through the aspects that are fitting to a person, to give Mussar to all of his parts, and this is clear.  And we already explained above what was said in 'Do not make yourself an Evil Person vis-a-vis yourself', which wishes to say that even though the essence of Evil is towards other people, one should not be Evil vis-a-vis oneself in any lack, even if it's not towards another person.  And one could say that this is also the explanation of 'Do not make yourself an Evil Person vis-a-vis yourself', behold that one shouldn't be Evil even within oneself, to afflict ones own body until one does Evil unto oneself.  For just as a person is called a Chassid who gives to his own Soul Goodness, as it says (Proverbs, 11, 17) "Gives to his Soul a Man of Chesed (Lovingkindness)' so too is an Evil Person someone who does Evil to Oneself.  And even regarding fasting we say (Ta'anit: Daf 11, Amud B) 'One who is found causing pain to his own Soul is called Lacking [also could be translated as a sinner.  Either way, the word here is being linked to Evil].'  And behold (our Mishna) doesn't say 'Do not do Evil to yourself' because Evilness is that which is seen by another like we explained, and therefore it (our Mishna) says 'Do not make yourself an Evil Person vis-a-vis yourself', which is to say that you are an Evil Person against yourself.
  And so too with what Rebbi Eleazar said 'Be diligent to learn Torah etc...', it gives Mussar considering all aspects contained within a person.  In such that it says 'Be diligent to learn Torah', this corresponds to a person in his totality, for a person in respect to himself was create to toil in Torah, as we explained above.  And therefore corresponding to this [Nothing less than the reason itself that Man was created, and therefore Man as a whole entity] does it say 'Be diligent to learn Torah'.
  And it says 'Know what to respond to a Heretic', this matter is the thoughts of heresy that arise in the thoughts of a person's Soul.  As it is written (Numbers: 15, 39) "Do not stray after your heart and after your eyes" and it says in the Chapter: Haya Kore (Berachos: Daf 12, Amud B): ' "After your heart" - this is heresy, and so too it says (Psalms: 14, 1) "The benighted man says in his heart, 'There is no God'".  "And after your eyes" - this is thoughts of transgression, as it says (Judges: 14,3) "And Samson said to his father, ‘That one take for me, for she is upright in my eyes’”.  "For you will stray after" - this is thoughts of Idol Worship, as it says (Judges, 8, 33) "And they (the Jews) strayed after the Baalim [a form of foreign idol]".'  And corresponding to this it says 'Know what to respond to a Heretic', for if you learn what to respond to a Heretic, all the more so there won't be any Evil thoughts that arise in his heart.  And due to the fact that it is the Soul which causes these thoughts of heresy, it says that one should be diligent to nullify this from the outset, and behold this is the rectification for the Soul more than all the earlier ones [More so than the previous four remedies of the Soul].
  And corresponding to the aspect of the Body, which is the obstacle to this toiling, it says 'Know in front of whom you stand' that he gives  tremendous reward according to this toiling, and this will awaken a person lest he be prevented from the aspect of physicality.   And this matter was explained above, that all of this which is said about thinking of the reward counteracts the Evil Inclination which is in the body, which incites a person so that he should toil in Torah.  And corresponding to it (the Evil Inclination), one should contemplate the reward that will be to him for his toiling in Torah, and this will subdue his Inclination to toil for Torah.  And it doesn't mean that one should learn because of the reward which will come to him, rather this matter is a thing to use against the Evil Inclination, as we said above in detail, and this (to toil without a thought of reward) is a subsequent level.
  And each one (Sage) added to fix up a person in all of his parts, until these things Mussar a person entirely in these three parts which we said, and understand these matters for they are very clear.  And it should be clear to you the words of these Sages, that each one says three statements of Mussar, to straighten out a person on each of his parts, to the extent that in the three statements of Mussar given by each one includes so very much, as we explained.  And yet there is even further depth in their words on these three matters (Soul, Body, and Self) which the Mussar was given to a person to complete him as a person, as we hinted at above.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  
  "Torah is greater than, etc." The meaning is: According to the levels of the thing, and its elevations, and the level needed to acquire its level, and therefore [the Mishna] says Torah is greater, as Torah is acquired in forty-eight levels, and the priesthood is acquired in twenty-four levels, and the kingship is acquired in thirty levels. And Rash"i za"l explains: Those [the levels of kingship] are written in the portion of Samuel (Samuel 1:8), when Israel demanded a king, and they were told 'be aware, that such and such are the rules of a king', and if you check there, there are thirty things, the same which are recited in [Mishna] Sanhedrin: [things for which] the king does not judge and he is not judged. And the twenty-four gifts of the priesthood include ten in the Temple, four in Jerusalem, and ten outside of Jerusalem, and that's it. And in a Baraita, it explains that the thirty levels by which kingship is acquired are: silver, gold, wives, and concubines, and houses, fields, and vineyards, gardens, orchards, the proprietary royal house, provinces, ministers (m) and ministers (f), field and fields, horses, chariot, sword, dresses, weaponry, soldiers, perfumes, scouts, parables, justice, lovingkindness, and charity. And this explanation seems [more likely], because these are all such that if one has them, then one is a king, because these things are his kingship, and it is not so for those things that are recited in the Mishna, which are not all important to the king. Because the things for which he does not judge and he is not judged, is not important for the king: and thus is 'he shall not have an abundance of wives and silver and gold, he shall not have an abundance, he shall not have an abundance of horses', and thus 'he shall write two Torah scrolls'; all of these it is not fitting to call levels, as we said here, but are called commandments to the king, and it doesn't make sense to think of commandments that the king is required. But the levels are that he has things that are fitting for a king. Meanwhile, the twenty-four levels of priesthood are surely those twenty-four things; they are all the level and importance for priesthood, and that's why they are referenced. And because of this, the Mishna says in its language, that kingship [is acquired] in thirty levels, and priesthood in twenty-four levels, because all fo them are levels of importance and authority, but with Torah, [the notion of] 'importance' is not relevant, rather they are forty-eight 'things', and it didn't use the word 'levels', because the Torah does not relate to importance, as explicated above. And the Mishna does not present the twenty-four levels of priesthood, nor levels of the king, because the whole chapter doesn't treat on anything but the Torah,  and its purpose is not to tell how the priesthood is acquired in twenty-four levels, or the kingship in thirty, it only [brings these at all] to say that the Torah is greater than those two.
  And it seems right to say that there is a hint for these levels: The altar had on it a molding, which is a symbol of the crown of priesthood, and the altar was one cubit by one cubit, so if you wrap a string around the altar which was one cubit by one cubit, such that the string wraps around the alter, the string will go around twenty-four handsbreadths, corresponding to the levels of priesthood---as a cubit is six handsbreadths. And the table, on which is a molding, symbol of the crown of kingship, was one and a half cubits tall and one cubit wide; if you wrap a string around the table, which is to say its height and it's width, then the string will be thirty handsbreadths, corresponding to the levels of kingship, which are thirty. And the ark was two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide and one cubit tall, if you wind a string around the ark, the string will be forty-eight handsbreadths, because two and a half cubits from the two sides are thirty handsbreadths, and the width on each side is nine handsbreadths: thus, forty-eight handsbreadths. And why didn't we also wrap the table from above, which would make it thirty-six handbreadths? Because certainly one has to wrap it in the shortest direction, and if you wrap the table in the short direction, it is the height and the width, and the shortet possible length for the table will be thirty handsbreadths, and also for the altar, one has to wrap the shortest, but for the ark, the string goes around the length and the width, which is the shorter distance, because if you wrap vertically, you also have to wrap the cover, and on it are the two cherubim, and that is a lot more, and for that reason the string circles the length and the width, which is the shorter for the ark, and the string circles the height and the width, which is the shorter for the table, and the string circles the length and the width, which is the shorter for the altar; thus we have differentiated all three levels in the vessels which had on them the symbols of the crowns.
  In case it troubles you that the thirty things by which kingship is acquired are not godly things (the things which the text hings to with the table), and because of that we will be forced to interpret the thirty levels, which were not found in the Baraita in a different way, such that all the thirty levels will also be commandments, as it is with the priesthood and with the Torah. But this is no trouble, because these thirty things are a lesson about the greatness and importance of kingship, that the king has thirty levels, and the level is not in those things themselves, rather they just teach that the king is on an elevated and important level. Therefore, he has thirty important things, and the kingship is more important than the priesthood, and the Torah is more important than the kingship. And that's why it says in the chapter 'anointed priest' (Talmud Bavli Horayot 13a): 'the scholar has precedence over the king....the king has precedence over the high priest' as we have there, and therefore it says that Torah is greater than the priesthood and than the kingship, that priesthood is acquired in twenty-four levels and the kingship in thirty levels and the Torah in forty-eight things, which is to say in this you will see that the Torah has more rank than kingship and priesthood, as the level of the priesthood is twenty-four, and the kingship, thirty, and the Torah, forty-eight, because the more important as more levels.
  And you can also understand that the Torah is acquired in forty-eight things, corresponding to this, it is said in Masechet Sofrim [Scribes] (see Chapter 1 [this is an inaccurate reference, it should be Sofrim 2:6, and it is also to a non-standard version of Mas. Sofrim]), that one shouldn't make a column of the Torah fewer than forty-eight lines, because the Torah is wisdom that is in the mind of man and understands these things.
  And the level of kingship of thirty levels correspond to three negative commandments: he shouldn't have too many wives; he shouldn't have too many horses; he shouldn't have too much gold and silver, and corresponding to each and every commandment are ten levels. And you should also know that the levels of the king are thirty as you see that the letter lamed ל [corresponding numerologically to thirty] is taller than all the other letters in the alphabet, thus thirty is appropriate for kingship's largeness and elevation, and the reason is because until ten is considered low, twenty is considered medium, and thirty is considered the highest, and thus the letter whose number is thirty is elevated over all.
  And maybe you will say if so, the rest of the letters with even higher numbers should be even taller, but it is not so, because it is thirty/lamed, because for this matter the goal is to rise as is proper, and this matter is called proper elevation, but more than ths would be a lessening, just as the sages interpreted in Bavli Masechet Megillah (29a), Why do you look askance, tall mountains, as it was said about Tabor and Carmel, which are considered flawed with respect to Sinai, and that was because Sinai didn't stand out from the standard, stayed with what was proper, but Tabor and Carmel were greater than what was proper, and this is called a flaw, because any addition is like a dumb load, and therefore the essential height is the lamed in particular, not the rest of the letters. And therefore kingship is acquired in thirty levels in particular, because at the hands of thirty, the king is raised.
  And you see the letter lamed in the middle of the word king (מלך, mem-lamed-kaf sofit), because the king rises from his siblings of Israel, and it hints at the king who shouldn't be separated from his siblings of Israel, as it says (Deuteronomy 13 [this is not an accurate quote, the closest I could find is Deuteronomy 17:20]) so that his heart shall not be raised from his siblings, and he shall not be separated from them, and therefore the letters mem מ and kaf sofit ך, which are siblings of lamed [they appear before and after the lamed in the order of the alphabet], are stuck to the king, that he shouldn't be separated from them, rather connected to them, with the lamed in the middle. And also, that the king, for this is the way of kingly honor, that he is in the middle, with the nation surrounding him, and that is proper. And also, as it is explicated elsewhere, that everything that raises up is in the middle, and a symbol of this, the land of Israel is higher than all the lands, and it is in the middle of the world, and accordingly, the letter lamed is also in the middle of the alphabet [twelfth out of 22 letters]. And from this you can also understand that the king is suited to thirty levels, in particular because the king is separated in level from all, and there are two enlarged levels: one is the high priest, and the second is the prophet, and the king is greater than both of them, and that's why it says that a king comes before the high priest and the high priest comes before the prophet, as it says in Horayot (13a), and the priest on the right and the prophet on the left and the king in the middle, rising above both of them. And you should really understand this matter, because according to the wisdom, the king rises to the third level, and according to that the three commandments for the king, as was explicated, and corresponding to this the kingship is acquired in thirty levels, because the third level includes thirty: understand this.
  The first, "in study", which means one should learn from one's teacher, and not trust in one's own wisdom;
  the second, "with the hearing of the ear", that one should incline one's ear to hear, because sometimes if one doesn't hear one statement or one word, it ruins the whole idea, and therefore, this includes the hearing of the ear.
  The third, "in preparation of lips", that if one brings out in a more prepared language [=lip], it is more effective for understanding the matter well, and not like when one learns it internally; and as such so that it will not be forgotten quickly, like [it says in Bavli Eruvin 54a:1] 'prepared in all, and preserved', that if it is prepared on ones lips, it is preserved in the 248 organs.
  The fourth, with understanding of the heart, that one should give one's intelligence and one's heart to the matter being learned, and understand well in one's heart.
  The fifth, in awe, that one must sit in awe before one's teacher, as they said (in Bavli Shabbat 30b.6): every student who sits before their teacher, and their lips do not drip bitterness, will not see a good sign in their recitation, as it says [in Song of Songs 5:13] His lips are [lilies dripping] flowing myrrh" don't read flowing myrrh (mor over, מור עובר) rather flowing bitterness (mar over, מר עובר) [and don't read lilies, rather reciters], and the reason is that one needs to be prepared to receive, and this ideas is that if one has awe for one's teacher, then one can be judged as receiving from one's teacher, because if one has awe for one's teacher, one is thought of as a receiving student, and if the student does not sit in awe, one cannot be judged a student who receives, and then one doesn't see a good sign in one's recitation, as one isn't ready to receive, and accordingly, it says in awe.
  The sixth, in fear, the difference between awe and fear is that awe comes when one sees the greatness of one's teacher, and from this one has awe; fear comes when one views one's own smallness and lowliness, one fears before the great, and one who is small fears even someone who isn't very great. Accordingly, a student should sit in awe and in fear, that one should recognize the value of the loftiness and greatness of one's teacher, and also one should recognize the smallness of one's own value,
  and moreover one can interpret awe and fear, that one should have awe and fear of the Holy One, Blessed Be, that one should recognize the value of the loftiness  of the Holy One, Blessed Be, and the greatness of the Blessed One, and also know one's own lowly value, and that is in awe and fear. And it is said of the angels [as referenced in the morning prayers before shma] : they do in awe and in fear the will of their master, and thus the explanation here of in awe and in fear, because one must be ready to receive, and that's when one is thought of as capable, but one who is important and of high standing in one's own eyes, that is not a preparation to receive anything.
  The seventh, with humility, and this matter we already discussed several times, because humility is the first reason for the Torah, like with Moses, that all the levels that he had were not the reason for his Torah except for humility. And they said in the Chapter of "The Man Sanctifies" (Bavli Kiddushin 49b.8), a sign for arrogance is poverty, and there they explain poverty as being of Torah, and from this we learn the opposite, that a sign for humility is Torah. And in Mas. Taanit (Bavli Taanit 7a.15 [there is an error in the Hebrew citation]), R Hanina bar Idi said: why are words of Torah compared to water? What is water? One places it in a high place, and it flows to a low place, so too, words of Torah are not found except in whoever has a lowly temperament, and we will explicate this matter, God willing, in the second part.
  The eighth, with joy, because joy is a great attribute, because when a person is happy, one is whole, and thus attains Torah, which is the wholeness of humanity, and when a person is in distress, then one is lacking, and doesn't attain Torah, which is the wholeness of humanity; the general rule is that Torah, which is divine wholeness, is not proper for someone except at the hands of joy, which is the soul's wholeness, and when a person's soul is happy, then it is proper for one's soul to receive the wholeness of the Torah.
  And without this, because for the depth of the Torah, one's mind needs to be clear, and that's what they said in the chapter of the Splendor (Bavli Eruvin 65a.11, [a slightly different version than the one we have]): R Nahman bar Yitzhak said, legal discussion needs clarity like a day with a north wind, the meaning is that one's mind must be clear like a day that a north wind blows, which is a very clear day, and this matter doesn't require evidence, because when a person is of clear mind, one's heart is more open, and in the chapter of Taking Out (Bavli Shabbat 77b.8), Rav Ada found R Yehuda standing in the door of his father-in-law's house, and he saw that he was in a cheerful mood, and if he asked him any question in the world he would answer him, etc. There you have it, because being in a cheerful mood is a great reason for learning Torah. But what it says in joy seems to be the first explanation, that one needs to be happy because it is not proper to attain the level of Torah, which is the wholeness of a person's soul, except at the hands of joy, which is wholeness of the soul. And the fact that a person needs a clear mind, that is what is said later, בישוב, settled, which is to say settlement of mind, which is clarity.
  The ninth, with the service of sages: that one should serve sages, and then one is prepared to receive Torah, and in the first chapter of Brachot (Bavli Brachot 7b.26), "R Yohanan said in the name of Rashb"i, its service is greater than its learning..., as it says (2 Kings 3:11): 'Here is Elisha ben Shafat, who poured  water on the hands of Eliyahu' it didn't say learned, it only said poured." And the interpretation is because one who serves 'a student of sages', the student connects with the teacher [who is the 'student of sages'], by dint of their service of the Torah, and and by this means the student receives from the teacher, because without a doubt, when a wick gets close to a candle, the candle will ignite the wick, and thus when the student draws close to the teacher, by dint of their service, the Torah will influence them. And it is not like that when the student learns from the teacher without drawing close to the teacher, that they will learn from them as when they serve the 'student of sages', which is itself drawing close to the 'student of sages', and thus receives from them, because coming to learn from the teacher isn't connection to them, only serving them is connection to them, and this matter will be further elucidated in Netivot Olam.
  The tenth, in clinging to colleagues, because a person when they are alone, does not receive Torah, And in the first chapter of Taanit (Bavli Taanit 7a:10-11), R Yosi bar Hanina said: what does it mean (Jeremiah 50:36) "a sword upon the boasters [badim]; they shall be made fools"? A sword upon the haters of the scholars [a euphemism for the scholars themselves], who busy themselves with Torah alone [bad bevad], and not only that, but they become stupid, as it says "they are made fools", ... and it says there (Numbers 12:11) "that we were made fools and that we sinned." And also this matter we discussed above when we talked about two who sit and busy themselves with Torah, because the essence of Torah is at the hands of specifically two. Because a person, of that which they are themselves a master of the material, it is proper to bring out the intelligence to another, and then it is a distinguished/spiritual intelligence, which does not stand in the body of the person; but when one busies oneself all alone, and one doesn't bring out the intelligence to another, to be an intelligence distinguished from the body, one doesn't become wise at all. And not only that, but one becomes stupid, and this is because when one isn't busying oneself with Torah, then one stands according to what is right for someone who is a master of material, to acquire and to know that which relates to the one who is master of the material, what one acquires in matters of the physical world; but when one busies oneself with Torah, and wants to grow wise in Torah, which is totally distinguished intelligence, (as we discussed above in the matter of two who sit and busy themselves with Torah), of course the distinguished intelligence is with two specifically, and therefore if one busies oneself with Torah alone, one grow stupid, because this is not intelligence at all suitable for Torah, which is distinguished intelligence---it's only stupidity, and we will discuss this matter further, God willing.
  The eleventh, by debate of students, and this is because colleagues imitate one another, and thus they imitate their teacher; in the first chapter of Taanit (Bavli Taanit 7a:12), "Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: why are words of Torah compared to wood, as it says, (Proverbs 3:18) 'it is a tree of life to those who hold it'? As a small piece of wood ignites a big one, so small words of Torah sharpen big ones; and this is also as Rabbi Hanina said, I learned a lot of Torah from my teachers; from my colleagues I learned more; from my students I learned more than all of them." And the reason is very clear, because it is similar to a tree that doesn't get lit, and thus is a great scholar, as their accomplishment is very great, so they don't begin to ask and to debate in wisdom according to the greatness of their accomplishment, and the simplicity of their intelligence there is no debate, which is questioning, and one needs for every debate a question to exclude---the great ones don't have the question, and because of this it says that the little ones sharpen the great ones, because they ask more, and then the scholar has to answer, and this is likened to the small piece of wood which ignites the big one, as the fire catches more with the small, and thus the lesser one is the beginning of the questioning and the debate, and that's why it says in the debate of students, because the essence of debate comes from students. And for that reason it says I learned a lot of Torah from my teachers, because they handed the wisdom on to me, and from my colleagues more, because they ask each other and stand on the essence of wisdom, and from my students more than all of them, because they debate and sharpen more with questioning, and this matter is clear.
  The twelfth: settled, which means that one's mind should be settled, because if one's mind is not settled, one cannot learn.
  The thirteenth: by reading (from the Scripture).
  The fourteenth: by recitation.
  The fifteenth: with the ways of the land, those are the good principles, as the sages said, (Mishna Avot 3:17.1) if there aren't the ways of the land, there isn't Torah, as above (Derekh Hayim 3:17.1).
  The sixteenth: with patience [lit. distance from anger], that if one gets angry, one's wisdome abandons one, as it says in Pesahim in the chapter 'These are the things' (Bavli Pesahim 66b:7), "R Shimon ben Lakish said, every one who is angry, if they are wise, their wisdom abandons them," and this matter is exlicated in the Netivot Olam.
  The seventeenth, with a good heart, as Torah is called 'good' and because Torah is called 'good', Torah will not be found except in one who is good, which is to say one who has a good heart, and when one has a good heart, then one receives the Torah, which is good, because how will the Torah, which is good, stand in one who has a bad heart.
  The eighteenth, with faith in the sages, because when one believes in the statements of the sages, then one cleaves to the sages as one believes in them, and it is fitting for one to acquire the wisdom of the sages, and to be included among the sages, but if one doesn't believe in the statements of the sages, how will one get wise? And that is what they said in the chapter "what to light" (Bavli Shabbat 23b), that those who revere their teachers will be themselves a 'student of sages', and this will be explicated in Netivot Olam, God willing.
  The nineteenth: acceptance of afflictions, because when one accepts afflictions, one is suited for Torah, and that is what they said in the first chapter of Brachot (Bavli Brachot 5a:20-21): Three good gifts were given to Israel, and all of them were not given except at the hands of afflictions... Torah... as it is written (Psalms 94:12) 'happy is the one whom God afflicts, and from your Torah teach' &amp;c. and as we discussed in the introduction and in the Netivot Olam (Netiv Hayisurin 2:1). Because Torah is particular to the intellect, and wisdom is not a bodily feature, and therefore one can only reach the non-bodily heights by reducing the bodily, and afflictions reduce the bodily until one is able to reach the intellectual level, and that is why it says here acceptance of affliction, that one accepts on oneself the reduction of the material body, and to banish thus its inferiority. Because afflictions banish the body, like they said there (Bavli Brachot 5a:19) Reish Lakish said, it says a covenant of salt of the world and it says a covenant of afflictions, these are the words of covenant, what is covenant that is said of salt: sweetens (mtk root) the meat/flesh, so too covenant that is said of afflictions scours (mrk root) the inferiority of one's body and one's flesh/meat until one is suited for the intellectual quality.
  The twentieth, with reduction of sleep, because if there is sleep there is no learning, as is written (Joshua 1:8) 'meditate on it day and night', because Torah, that is the way to busy yourself with it, day and night. And know that sleep is a most bodily matter, and as we explicated above (Derech Chaim 3:10) with regard to morning sleep, see there how sleep is a bodily matter, and when a person is very drawn after the body, they distance themselves from the intellectual, and the meaning of this is clear.
  The twenty-first: with reduction of business, which is to say, that one should not be a person of trading merchandise, that they said in the 'how to extend' chapter (Bavli Eruvin 55a): '[The Torah] is not across the ocean' (Deuteronomy 30:13) Rava [this is a different version than the common one today, in which this statement is cited to R Yohanan] said you will not find the torah among traders and merchants, and we already  discussed this both in Netivat Olam and above we discussed it at length (Derech Chaim 2:5:4), in reference to 'not all who engage in business become wise', and there is not room here to expand.
  The twenty-second, with reduction of conversation, this has been discussed above (Derech Chaim 2:17), because 'one who multiplies words multiplies nonsense', and we expanded in the place where it says: I did not find good for the body except with silence, because silence is an indication of wisdom, and one who multiplies conversation, that is not an indication of wisdom, because conversation cancels the activity of the intellect, and because of that, this matter, which is the reduction of conversation, is a significant basis for wisdom.
  The twenty-third: with reduction of enjoyment, this is because one who chases after bodily enjoyment is a person of the body and materiality, and is not suited for acquiring wisdom, which is the opposite of the body, as we discussed above in discussing 'this is the the way of the Torah...' (Derech Chaim 6:4:1). And one might challenge the implication of the particular phrasing 'reduction of enjoyment': enjoyment is allowed at all? and we said above 'this is the way of Torah: eat bread with salt, etc. And this is not a challenge at all, as we already discussed, the meaning is not that one has to impoverish one's life, ... In any case, one shouldn't have too much enjoyment, because one incites in this the bodily appetites, and this is the opposite of Torah.
  The twenty-fourth: with reduction of laughter. And one might ask, isn't one not allowed to fill one's mouth with laughter in this world, as it says in the chapter 'one doesn't stand' (Bavli Brachot 31a:4) R Yochanan said in the name of R Shimon b Yochai, it is forbidden to fill with laughter one's mouth in this world, as it says (Psalms 126:2) 'then will our mouths be filled with laughter', and this is not a challenge, because there it is talking about filling the mouth with laughter, which is too much laughter, but laughter in general, it doesn't say, and for matters of Torah, one should reduce laughter completely. And even if it were not so, it still wouldn't be a challenge, as even if it were completely forbidden, even so, we would learn from this that if one multiplies laughter, one doesn't merit Torah, and the reason is because laughter which is exaggerated is the opposite of thought, which is intellect, therefore laughter cancels intellect. And this matter you can understand because laughter renews only from joking and clowning, and there is no doubt that joking is the opposite of intellect.
  The twenty-fifth: with less worldly occupations. In other words, even though all Torah that does not have a worldly occupation, its end is to be nullified, nevertheless don't make your work central (to your life) as it says in Brachos (35b), Rabbah bar bar Chana said R' Yochanan said because of Rebbi Yehuda bar Illai, the earlier generations made their Torah fixed and their worldly occupation temporary, and both existed in their hands. (In Contrast) The later generations made their work fixed and their Torah temporary, and both didn't exist in their hands. And even though it was already taught in the mishna to limit your involvement with sales, this is not a difficulty, as one may have thought that derech eretz is different as we had an earlier mishna say without derech eretz there is no Torah . 