Kommentar zu Pirkei Avot 2:4
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה רְצוֹנוֹ כִרְצוֹנְךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנְךָ כִרְצוֹנוֹ. בַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל רְצוֹן אֲחֵרִים מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנֶךָ. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר, וְאַל תַּאֲמִין בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ, וְאַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, וְאַל תֹּאמַר דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁמֹעַ, שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִשָּׁמַע. וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאִפָּנֶה אֶשְׁנֶה, שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִפָּנֶה:
Er pflegte zu sagen: Lass seinen Willen deinen Willen mögen [dh verbreite deinen Reichtum für die "Wünsche" des Himmels, als ob sie dein Wille wären, als ob du ihn für deine Wünsche verbreiten würdest], damit er deinen Willen wie seinen Willen macht wird [dh damit er dir mit offener Hand Gutes gewährt.] Leere deinen Willen vor seinem Willen, damit er den Willen anderer vor deinem Willen aufhebt [dh damit er den Willen aller aufhebt, die sich für das Böse gegen dich erheben . Und ich habe gehört, dass dies ein Euphemismus für "damit er seinen Willen für deinen Willen aufhebt" ist. [Wie gesagt (Schabbat 63a): "Wenn jemand eine Mizwa wie verordnet durchführt, wird sogar ein siebzigjähriges Dekret für ihn ungültig."] Hillel sagt: Trenne dich nicht von der Gemeinde, [sondern teile ihre Trauer für alle, die getrennt von der Gemeinde verdienen es nicht, den Trost der Gemeinde zu sehen (Ta'anith 11a)] und vertrauen nicht auf sich selbst bis zum Tag Ihres Todes. [Denn Yochanan Cohein Gadol war achtzig Jahre lang Hohepriester und wurde am Ende ein Sadduzäer (Berachoth 29a)] und verurteile deinen Freund nicht, bis du an seinem Platz ankommst [dh wenn du siehst, dass dein Freund ist geprüft und gescheitert, beurteilen Sie ihn nicht für schuldig, bis Sie auf die gleiche Probe gestellt werden und Erfolg haben.] und sagen Sie nichts, was nicht gehört werden kann, was am Ende gehört werden kann [dh lassen Sie Ihre Worte nicht mehrdeutig sein , was am Anfang bei der ersten Anhörung nicht verstanden werden kann, vorausgesetzt, wenn der Hörer sie analysiert, wird er sie am Ende verstehen. Dies wird dazu führen, dass die Leute Ihre Worte verwechseln und möglicherweise wegen Ihnen zur Häresie kommen. Alternativ: Enthülle dein Geheimnis nicht einmal zwischen dir und dir selbst und sage, dass niemand hier ist, der dich hört, denn am Ende wird es gehört werden, "denn ein Vogel des Himmels wird die Stimme tragen usw." (Koheleth 10:20). Nach dieser Interpretation lautet die Lesung "denn am Ende wird sie gehört". Aber Raschi liest es "Und sag nichts von etwas [Worten der Tora], das (jetzt) gehört werden kann, dass es am Ende gehört werden kann", sondern neige dein Ohr wie einen Trichter und höre es jetzt.] Und tue es nicht sagen: Wenn ich mich [von meinen Angelegenheiten] befreien kann, werde ich lernen (Tora); Vielleicht wirst du dich nicht befreien.
Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
MAKE HIS WILL AS YOUR WILL [Heb. kirtzonecha]. This is the version in our editions. Midrash Shmuel writes in the name of R. Yosef ibn Nahamias that in an edition of the Mishna from Jerusalem, the text reads “do his will with your will [Heb. birtzonecha],” with a bet, and the idea is that you shouldn’t perform a commandment in irritation, anger and frustration, but willingly and with a happy heart, in order that G-d should do your will willingly. For sometimes G-d will “do the will” of a man in anger, with the intent of punishing him in the end, as per the verse “to eventually destroy them forever” (Psalms 92:8) and to make him perish. But when He does this with pleasure, “your future will be very great” (Job 8:7).
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
He was accustomed to say: Make His [God's] will like your will: [Just] as when a person does his own will with want and desire, so should he do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He. And [he] should not separate between the will of the blessed Holy One, blessed be He, and his [own] will, but rather make both of them [into] one thing. He means to say that he should not will anything that is not the will in front of God. And they said in the Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan (Midrash Mishlei 9), "And so did David say (I Chronicles 29:14), 'but all is from You, and it is from Your Hand that we have given to You.'" And he gave a good counsel to people to overcome their nature [and] do the desire and will of God, may He be blessed - also from their money and from the acquisitions: because God gave everything and [what they have] is [only] a deposit in their hands. And when [one] brings this up into his heart, at the very least he will do the will of the owners - which is God - with the deposit. And with this, he will not worry when he gives charity and he will do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, willingly and with a good heart.
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Rambam on Pirkei Avot
We have already made known in the fourth chapter that there is no reason to separate from the community except due to their dereliction, as we explained over there. And he said that even though a person has a distinctive character trait in his soul and he has strengthened it, he should not remove his hand from redoubling his doing good and adding to its reinforcement. And he should not be be certain [about it] and say, "This virtue has already reached my hand and it is impossible that it will fall away." As it is possible that it will fall away. And that is [the meaning] of his saying, "until the day of your death."
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"nullify, etc.": It appears to me that "Make His will," he said regrading positive commandments; and therefore, he said, "nullify your will," corresponding to negative commandments.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"Make His [God's] will like your will": Spread your money on 'things of Heaven' "like your will," [meaning] as if you were spreading them for your [own] things. As if you will do this, "He will make His will like your will," meaning to say that He will give you the good with 'a generous eye.'
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English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
He used to say: do His will as though it were your will, so that He will do your will as though it were His. Set aside your will in the face of His will, so that he may set aside the will of others for the sake of your will.
Hillel said: do not separate yourself from the community, Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death, Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood. Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure.
The first half of this mishnah contains another statement by Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi. The second half of the mishnah returns to the statements of Hillel, whose statements were already taught in the previous chapter. The reason that the mishnah goes back to Hillel, is that he was the teacher of Rabban Johanan ben Zakai, whose statements are taught beginning in mishnah eight. The interruption of Hillel’s statements was done in order to bring all of the patriarchs from Hillel’s line together.
One way of understanding Rabban Gamaliel’s statement is that a person should do God’s will with such fervor that it is as if it is his own will. In that way a person’s will will be done for him by God. The first half of Rabban Gamaliel’s statement deals with positive commandments, those which a person “does” and the second half, “set aside your will” etc., deals with negative commandments, those things that a person should refrain from doing. A person should negate his own desires before the commandments given by God. In this way God will protect him against the evil designs of other people. The last half of this statement can also be understood as referring in a respectful way to God. That is to say, God will annul God’s own will to punish human beings, if that human being performs God’s will. Understood in this way, the overall message is one of the unity of the divine and human will. As one commentator (Rabbi Jonah) said, “There should be no distinction between the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one’s own will. Both should be the same.”
Do not separate yourself from the community. Hillel’s first statement means that a person should join the community for both its celebrations and for its trials and tribulations. This also has been understand as the reason for praying together as a community. For when one prays by himself, he might ask for things that are detrimental to some. But the community only prays for things which are of benefit to everybody. A reed on its own is easily broken but a bundle of reeds standing together cannot be broken even by the strongest winds.
Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death: do not be sure of your righteousness until the day of your death, for a person can lose a lifetime of merit by doing the wrong things at the end of his life. This lesson is learned from John Hyrcanus, the high priest from the Hasmonean dynasty who at the end of his life became a Sadducee.
Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place: just as you cannot be sure of your own merits, all the more so you can not be sure of the merits and liabilities of your fellow. You do not know what you would do were you in his situation. A clever interpretation of this statement offered by the Meiri is that if one sees a person outside of his city and you find him full of extraordinary virtues, do not conclude that this is his true personality. You can only judge his character by seeing if he acts the same way in “his place”.
Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood: a person should make his words clear from the outset, and not speak or write in an unclear manner. Although in the end the matter might be cleared up, in the meanwhile the listener might make mistakes.
Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure: this is similar to the statement that Hillel made in chapter one, mishnah fourteen, “if not now, when?” A person cannot delay studying Torah, saying that he will never have the opportunity to learn. Thus Shammai stated, “make your Torah study a fixed practice” despite your being extremely busy.
Hillel said: do not separate yourself from the community, Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death, Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood. Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure.
The first half of this mishnah contains another statement by Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi. The second half of the mishnah returns to the statements of Hillel, whose statements were already taught in the previous chapter. The reason that the mishnah goes back to Hillel, is that he was the teacher of Rabban Johanan ben Zakai, whose statements are taught beginning in mishnah eight. The interruption of Hillel’s statements was done in order to bring all of the patriarchs from Hillel’s line together.
One way of understanding Rabban Gamaliel’s statement is that a person should do God’s will with such fervor that it is as if it is his own will. In that way a person’s will will be done for him by God. The first half of Rabban Gamaliel’s statement deals with positive commandments, those which a person “does” and the second half, “set aside your will” etc., deals with negative commandments, those things that a person should refrain from doing. A person should negate his own desires before the commandments given by God. In this way God will protect him against the evil designs of other people. The last half of this statement can also be understood as referring in a respectful way to God. That is to say, God will annul God’s own will to punish human beings, if that human being performs God’s will. Understood in this way, the overall message is one of the unity of the divine and human will. As one commentator (Rabbi Jonah) said, “There should be no distinction between the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one’s own will. Both should be the same.”
Do not separate yourself from the community. Hillel’s first statement means that a person should join the community for both its celebrations and for its trials and tribulations. This also has been understand as the reason for praying together as a community. For when one prays by himself, he might ask for things that are detrimental to some. But the community only prays for things which are of benefit to everybody. A reed on its own is easily broken but a bundle of reeds standing together cannot be broken even by the strongest winds.
Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death: do not be sure of your righteousness until the day of your death, for a person can lose a lifetime of merit by doing the wrong things at the end of his life. This lesson is learned from John Hyrcanus, the high priest from the Hasmonean dynasty who at the end of his life became a Sadducee.
Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place: just as you cannot be sure of your own merits, all the more so you can not be sure of the merits and liabilities of your fellow. You do not know what you would do were you in his situation. A clever interpretation of this statement offered by the Meiri is that if one sees a person outside of his city and you find him full of extraordinary virtues, do not conclude that this is his true personality. You can only judge his character by seeing if he acts the same way in “his place”.
Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood: a person should make his words clear from the outset, and not speak or write in an unclear manner. Although in the end the matter might be cleared up, in the meanwhile the listener might make mistakes.
Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure: this is similar to the statement that Hillel made in chapter one, mishnah fourteen, “if not now, when?” A person cannot delay studying Torah, saying that he will never have the opportunity to learn. Thus Shammai stated, “make your Torah study a fixed practice” despite your being extremely busy.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
ANULL YOUR DESIRE. It seems that “make His will as your will” is said of the performance of positive commandments. The mishna therefore says “annull your will etc.” of negative commandments.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
so that He will make your will like His will: God, may He blessed, 'satiates the will of every living thing,' and 'gives bread to all flesh' and to every creature according to its lack - and this is His want and His will. And if you merit to [find favor] in front of Him, He will do your will also with the needs of your small world, and give you your sustenance - which is [actually] His will for all that come to the world.
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Rambam on Pirkei Avot
And something that cannot be heard is that the simple meaning of the words be very distant and negligible. And [only] when the person examines them carefully will he see that they are true words. And he warns against this path of speech, as he says, "Do not have your words require a distant explanation and extra examination and [only] then will the listener understand them."
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
And there is an objection: that were it so [as Rabbi Bartenura explains], one could say, "Not from your sting, etc." And Rashi ends, "And he will never see a sign of blessing." And one can also say that he will not see, [meaning] and he will die before his time or he will be exiled from his place.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"so that He will nullify the will of others": He will undo the counsel of all those that come towards you to [do you] bad. And I have heard that this is only a respectful euphemism towards the Higher One. And behold, it is as if it was written, "so that He nullify His will to your will; like that which they said in the chapter [entitled] Bemeh Eesha (Shabbat 63a), "Anyone who does a commandment as it is established (properly), even a decree of seventy years is nullified before him."
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
HILLEL SAYS. “I have seen a holy one speaking” (Daniel 8:13), R. Menachem Azariah in his book Asarah Ma’amarot, section Chakor Din, 2:19, saying that this Hillel was the grandson of Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, who went to bathe with his brother in Kabul, as mentioned in Pesachim 51a. Through these mishnayot, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi fulfilled the verse “They shall not depart from your mouth, the mouths of your children, and the mouths of your children’s children” (Isaiah 59:21). Immediately after this Hillel, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi placed the words of Hillel the Elder, the patriarch of this lineage, who said an ignoramus cannot be G-d-fearing. Those who study the Mishna are not careful with this and read “he also said” at the beginning of the next mishna—thusfar his words.
If this is a tradition, then we will accept it, but if it is his own conclusion, we note that Rashi explicitly says that this Hillel is Hillel the Elder, and that Rambam, in commenting on “when I will have free time” in our mishna, notes that this teaching resembles the earlier teaching of “Shammai, his colleague” about making one’s Torah fixed. His teaching was placed here in connection with what Rabban Gamliel said about those who work on behalf of the people, and so that the Mishna can then move smoothly to the words of R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, who received the tradition from him.
This problem is what caused the the Asarah Ma’amarot to read “Hillel says” in the text of the next mishna, where he comments that this refers to Hillel the Elder.
If this is a tradition, then we will accept it, but if it is his own conclusion, we note that Rashi explicitly says that this Hillel is Hillel the Elder, and that Rambam, in commenting on “when I will have free time” in our mishna, notes that this teaching resembles the earlier teaching of “Shammai, his colleague” about making one’s Torah fixed. His teaching was placed here in connection with what Rabban Gamliel said about those who work on behalf of the people, and so that the Mishna can then move smoothly to the words of R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, who received the tradition from him.
This problem is what caused the the Asarah Ma’amarot to read “Hillel says” in the text of the next mishna, where he comments that this refers to Hillel the Elder.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Nullify your will to His will: of the Holy One, blessed be He.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
And, if so, that is [the same thing] as [the teaching] of Avtalyon in the first chapter, Mishnah 11, and so, why would I need more? But Rambam does not explain it [this way], but rather that simple words should not be very distant and confound speech. As [Rambam] says [that] your words should not require a far-fetched explanation.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"Do not separate yourself from the congregation": but rather share in their troubles. As anyone who separates from the congregation will not [live to] see the consolation of the congregation (Taanit 11a).
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
DO NOT SEPARATE FROM THE PEOPLE. Rav writes that such a one will not be comforted when the people are. I find this difficult, for if so, one could say “I’ll have neither your honey nor your sting!” Rashi, on the other hand, concludes “and he will see no blessing in his work. As per the last chapter of Ta`anit.”
We might also say that the comfort the people receive is greater than what they suffer, because G-d always rewards in larger measure than he punishes. Or, perhaps, the sense of “will not be comforted” is that one will suffer an untimely death or go into exile before the people are comforted.
We might also say that the comfort the people receive is greater than what they suffer, because G-d always rewards in larger measure than he punishes. Or, perhaps, the sense of “will not be comforted” is that one will suffer an untimely death or go into exile before the people are comforted.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
so that He will nullify the will of others to your will:
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
As the beginning of the verse is, "In your mind do not curse a king, and in the chamber of your sleeping do not curse a wealthy man."
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death": As behold, Yonatan the High Priest served in the high priesthood eighty years and in the end he became a Sadducee (Berakhot 29a).
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
THAT MAY NOT BE HEARD. Rav: your words shouldn’t be unclear to the point that they can’t be understood from the beginning and upon first consideration; do not rely on the listener to think about them in depth until he eventually understands them. If so, this teaching is really that of Avtalion in 1:11—why, then, should it be repeated?
But Rambam does not see this as addressing potential heresy. Rather, he understands that one’s words should not be exceedingly strange sounding and nearly incomprehensible, as he writes: your words should not require an unusual interpretation and excessive thought.
This is contra Midrash Shmuel, who sees Rambam as saying the same thing as Rav.
But Rambam does not see this as addressing potential heresy. Rather, he understands that one’s words should not be exceedingly strange sounding and nearly incomprehensible, as he writes: your words should not require an unusual interpretation and excessive thought.
This is contra Midrash Shmuel, who sees Rambam as saying the same thing as Rav.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"'When I will be available, etc.'": It is [in the format of] 'not only this, but also that:' even if it is not to listen from someone else, but rather just to study by yourself; do not say, "When I will be available, etc."
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place": If you see your fellow come to a test and fail, do not judge him unfavorably until a test like it comes to you and you overcome [it].
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
FOR IN THE END IT WILL BE HEARD. Rav: do not reveal your secret even when you are alone, thinking that nobody will hear you, because in the end it will be heard, as “the bird of the heavens will carry your voice” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). That this applies even when one is alone is evident from the beginning of that same verse: “Curse not a king even in your mind, nor in your bedroom curse a wealthy man” (ibid.).
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community: At the time when the community is involved with Torah [study] and with the commandments, it is the crown of all the worlds and the glory of all of His domain. As 'with many people' that are gathered to fulfill His commandment, it 'is the King's glory'; and [so] it is not fitting to separate from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:5), "And there is a King in Yeshurun with the gathering." And this is with a community that goes in the good path and gathers to do a commandment. But it is not fitting to attach oneself to a community that leans to the bad path and the deeds of which are corrupted. And one who separates from them, behold, he is praiseworthy. And about this Yirmiyahu the prophet, peace be upon him, stated (Jeremiah 9:1), "Oh, to be in the desert, at an encampment for wayfarers! Oh, to leave my people, to go away from them— for they are all adulterers, a band of rogues."
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard": That is to say, do not let your words be unclear, such that it is impossible to understand them immediately and at first perusal; and [do not] rely on that if the listener wants to look into them, in the end, he will understand them. As this will bring people to err from your words, lest they err and come to heresy because of you. Another explanation: Do not reveal your secret, even [saying it aloud] only to yourself, as in the end it will be heard, "since the birds of the sky make the voice travel." And the [correct] textual variant according to this explanation is, "for in the end it will be heard." But Rashi had the variant, "Do not say, 'something that can be heard, in the end it will be heard.'" And [according to this,] it is speaking about the words of Torah: Do not say about a Torah teaching that you can hear now, that you will hear it in the end (later), but rather extend your ears and hear it immediately.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
AND DO NOT SAY, “WHEN I HAVE A FREE MOMENT, I WILL STUDY.” According to Rashi, who reads in our mishna “do not say of something that you can hear now that you will hear it later,” and understands that part of the mishna as referring to Torah study, this dictum might appear unnecessary. It is not, however. Firstly, the repetition is for emphasis. Secondly, the mishna might see a need to point out that this dictum applies not only to hearing words of Torah from others, but even to studying on one’s own.69While another person might no longer be available to teach, one is presumably always able to study independently; even so, “do not say, etc.”
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death: This is learned out to be both about piety and about faith - that even though you have been fitted with a faithful and proper spirit, you should not be righteous in your (own) eyes. And you should not say, "How many days have I not done any iniquity - I have defeated my impulse and I am able [to overcome] it - it is beaten, already 'broken, and we have escaped' and it cannot divert [me] from the straight path." But it is an enemy and seeks to ambush you when it finds you sometimes involved in your work and not studying and not thinking about words of the living God - it will then dance in front of you and speak to your heart to divert you to 'roam in the earth and to walk' in a path 'that no good man has trodden or sat there.' And maybe it can [thus overcome you] and your soul will be taken in its hand. And so 'guard yourself and guard your soul much,' and do not distance its fear from you, and 'act with your wisdom' if you are a wise man to always place your eyes and your heart upon its ways, until it not be able to come close to you all the days of your life. And about this is it said, "Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death." Also concerning the matter of faith is this thing said, that you not study from the heretics - and not even true things - as their damage is dangerous, lest the sinners seduce you and you desire their words - as they pull in the heart. "And do not believe in yourself until the day of your death," to say, "I will listen to them." And if you might say, "I will accept the good and the bad I will not accept"; you should not rely upon your intellect, as Rabbi Meir [did] in his studying in front of Elisha the Other, the heretic. [This] is found in Tractate Chagigah 15b - they said about him metaphorically, "he found a pomegranate, he ate the inside, he threw out the peel. [However,] not all people are the same. As you find Yochanan the High Priest who served in the High Priesthood (seventy) [eighty] years, and in the end became a Sadducee (Berakhot 29a). As there is a very big punishment for even listening to them [speaking] words of Torah; and as we say (Avodah Zarah 16b) about that sage that was delivered to the heretics; and they said to him, "Maybe you heard heresy and it gave you pleasure, etc."
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"'When I will be available'": from my business, I will involve [myself] in Torah [study].
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place: This is also from the topic that a person should not believe in himself and not overly rely on his intellect. And when he sees his fellow in a high position and not act straight, he should not say, "If I would fill his place, I would not do [one] evil thing from all the evil that he is doing." As you don't know [this] and you are no different than he [as far as] being a person - and perhaps the position would sway you as well. [Only] when you reach his place and his position and forego your [weaknesses, then] do you have the right to wonder about his weaknesses.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard: As a person must guard and be careful from the possibility. Hence if you have a secret, do not tell it even to someone who is your soulmate. And don't say, "[It is] impossible that this thing be heard, as there is no stranger among us to transport these words." 'And in the end, everything is heard.' Even between you and yourself, do not make it heard to your ears, as the rabbis, may their memory blessed, metaphorically said (Berakhot 8b), "Do not talk among the walls, for the walls have ears." And about this, Shlomo - peace be upon him - said (Ecclesiastes 10:20), "for a bird of the air may carry the utterance, And a winged creature may report the word."
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Do not say, "When I will be available I will study [Torah]," lest you never become available: Since 'you do not know what a [new] day will [bring]' and 'they will also call you tomorrow,' since they will speak new matters and you will have to follow their paths. As there is no lack of new matters [requiring your attention] every day. And it will come out that you will leave the world without Torah [knowledge]. But rather you should 'make your Torah fixed' and your work flexible.
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