Kommentar zu Pirkei Avot 3:17
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה, אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. אִם אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, אֵין תּוֹרָה. אִם אֵין חָכְמָה, אֵין יִרְאָה. אִם אֵין יִרְאָה, אֵין חָכְמָה. אִם אֵין בִּינָה, אֵין דַּעַת. אִם אֵין דַּעַת, אֵין בִּינָה. אִם אֵין קֶמַח, אֵין תּוֹרָה. אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה, אֵין קֶמַח. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מְרֻבָּה מִמַּעֲשָׂיו, לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאִילָן שֶׁעֲנָפָיו מְרֻבִּין וְשָׁרָשָׁיו מֻעָטִין, וְהָרוּחַ בָּאָה וְעוֹקַרְתּוֹ וְהוֹפַכְתּוֹ עַל פָּנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה יז) וְהָיָה כְּעַרְעָר בָּעֲרָבָה וְלֹא יִרְאֶה כִּי יָבוֹא טוֹב וְשָׁכַן חֲרֵרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶץ מְלֵחָה וְלֹא תֵשֵׁב. אֲבָל כָּל שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְרֻבִּין מֵחָכְמָתוֹ, לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאִילָן שֶׁעֲנָפָיו מֻעָטִין וְשָׁרָשָׁיו מְרֻבִּין, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כָל הָרוּחוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בָּאוֹת וְנוֹשְׁבוֹת בּוֹ אֵין מְזִיזִין אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל מַיִם וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו וְלֹא יִרְאֶה כִּי יָבֹא חֹם, וְהָיָה עָלֵהוּ רַעֲנָן, וּבִשְׁנַת בַּצֹּרֶת לֹא יִדְאָג, וְלֹא יָמִישׁ מֵעֲשׂוֹת פֶּרִי:
R. Elazar b. Azaryah sagt: Wenn es keine Tora gibt, gibt es keinen Derech Eretz. [(Er versteht sich nicht gut mit Menschen)]; Wenn es keinen Derech Eretz gibt, gibt es keine Tora. [(Es wird irgendwann vergessen werden.)] Wenn es keine Weisheit gibt, gibt es keine Angst; Wenn es keine Angst gibt, gibt es keine Weisheit. Wenn es kein Verständnis gibt, [eine Sache von einer anderen verstehen (aber keinen Grund dafür angeben)], gibt es kein Wissen [dh einen Grund für die Sache angeben]; Wenn es kein Wissen gibt, gibt es kein Verständnis. [Wenn er keinen Grund für die Sache angeben kann, ist es, als ob er es nicht weiß; aber auf jeden Fall steht das Verständnis an erster Stelle, weshalb "wenn es kein Verständnis gibt, gibt es kein Wissen".] Wenn es kein Mehl gibt, gibt es keine Tora. [Wenn jemand nichts zu essen hat, wie kann er dann die Tora studieren?] Wenn es keine Tora gibt, gibt es kein Mehl. [Was wird ihm sein Mehl nützen? Da er keine Tora hat, wäre es besser, wenn er kein Mehl hätte und an Hunger starb!] Er pflegte zu sagen: Einer, dessen Weisheit mehr ist als seine Taten—mit was kann er verglichen werden? Zu einem Baum, dessen Äste viele und dessen Wurzeln wenige sind. Der Wind kommt und entwurzelt ihn und dreht ihn auf seinem Gesicht um, wie geschrieben steht (Jeremia 17: 6): "Und er [der Mann, der auf Männer vertraut] wird wie ein Tamariske in der Wüste sein und er wird nicht sehen, wann Güte kommt. Sie wohnt in ausgedörrten Ländern in der Wildnis, in einem salzigen, unbewohnten Land. " Aber einer, dessen Taten mehr sind als seine Weisheit—mit was kann er verglichen werden? Zu einem Baum, dessen Äste wenige sind, dessen Wurzeln aber viele sind. Selbst wenn alle Winde der Welt kommen und dagegen wehen, können sie es nicht von seinem Platz bewegen, wie geschrieben steht (ebd. 8): "Er [der Mann, der auf G-tt vertraut] wird wie ein Baum sein, der in der Nähe von Wasser gepflanzt wird , das seine Wurzeln entlang eines Baches ausbreitet und nicht sieht, wann die Hitze kommt, deren Laub immer frisch ist. Es wird sich in einem Jahr der Dürre keine Sorgen machen und nicht aufhören, Früchte zu produzieren. "
Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
IF THERE IS NO TORAH, THERE IS NO DERECH ERETZ, ETC. Rav explains derech eretz as proper business dealings with others. He writes: one who has no derech eretz eventually forgets his Torah. The tanna does not mean to say that one is a prerequisite for the other and must precede it in time, for if so neither would exist. For if each requires the other to exist first for its own existence, since they cannot both be first neither would come into being. And besides, derech eretz certainly must precede Torah chronologically, as I wrote on 2:2. The tanna simply means that if one does not study Torah, when he does business he won’t deal properly with others because he will not know what to do, along the lines of what the Sages said in the Talmud, Bava Kamma 30a: “one who wishes to be pious should study the laws of torts and commerce.” Similarly, one who does not do business properly with others will eventually forget his Torah for the sin of profaning G-d’s name, as people will say “Look at this Torah scholar and how disgusting his behavior is!” [Yoma 86a.]
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no worldly occupation (derekh erets; literally, the way of the world): Meaning to say [that] one who does not know Torah is not complete in the traits of derekh erets; as most of the good traits that exist in the ways of the world are in the Torah - like "surely lend him" (Deuteronomy 15:8), "Surely award him" (Deuteronomy 15:14), "Just scales, just weights" (Leviticus 19:36), and many, many like these. If so, without Torah, his dispositions in derekh erets will not be complete.
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Rambam on Pirkei Avot
He means to say with this that each of these two - each one of the two of them - helps the existence of the other and completes the other one. However his words about knowledge (daat) and understanding (binah) is a very subtle matter with the philosophers; and I will mention it [and] rely upon the understanding of the one that will investigate it. And that is that the knowledge that reaches us and that we acquire is, indeed, the comprehension of ideas that we comprehend if we separate the form and comprehend it or if we comprehend the separated forms in their [pristine] existence - without our making them knowledge, for they, themselves, are knowledge. And that comprehension is called understanding, and that is [the acquisition] of knowledge. And with knowledge, too, we understand [it] and it becomes possible to comprehend what we comprehend. And it is as if he said that if we do not comprehend an idea, we do not have knowledge; and if we do not have knowledge, we can not comprehend an idea - as we comprehend it with knowledge. And understanding this thing is very difficult - even from the books that are written about it, all the more so here. However, we are only straightening out the straight path to it. Any one whose deeds: We have already explained and elucidated these thing in this chapter in the words of Rabbi Chaninah ben Dosa (Rambam Pirkei Avot 3:9).
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
And the teacher of the mishnah did not come to speak about precedence or antecedence, that one needs to come before the other. As if you say that, not even one of them will be in existence. As if the one cannot exist except if the other precedes it and each one is required to precede the other, it comes out that it is impossible that the later exist without the earlier, etc. - [hence] it comes out that both of them do not exist, etc. But rather the intention of the teacher is that if he does not study [Torah], even though he gives and takes, he will not be good with the creatures; as he will not know [how] to act properly - as it is found in Bava Kamma 30a, "that one that wants to be a pious man, let him study the words of [the Order of] Damages." And so [too], "if there is no worldly occupation," meaning to say, if he does not give and take well, etc.; in the end his Torah will be forgotten from him because of the sin that he committed - that he profaned the name of Heaven. As they say, "[this man] who learned Torah, ...how rotten are his deeds, etc."
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"If there is no Torah, etc.": [then] his give and take is not well with the creatures.
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English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
Introduction
Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah was one of the rabbis at Yavneh, after the destruction of the Temple. When Rabban Gamaliel was deposed as patriarch, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah took his place.
In this mishnah there are really two totally separate mishnayoth. I have explained and numbered each individually.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
IF THERE IS NO WISDOM, THERE IS NO FEAR [OF HEAVEN or OF SIN]. Rav already explained, in his commentary on mishna 9, the mishna of “anyone whose fear of Heaven does not precede his wisdom etc.,” that one must intend from the outset to study in order to become one who fears sin. Here, we can explain the mishna as follows. “If there is no wisdom,” even if a person wishes to be one who fears sin, his fear of sin cannot be realized because he doesn’t know what is a sin that he should avoid it, as in 2:9, “an unlearned person cannot be one who fears sin.” And “if there is no fear of sin,” i.e. a person does not intend to be one who fears sin, then “there is no wisdom,” i.e. his wisdom does not remain with him as in mishna 9.
In light of our explanation, we can see that this section of the mishna is parallel to the one that precedes it. For in the first part of the first section, the subject of the protasis—Torah—brings about the existence of the subject of the apodosis—derech eretz; in the last part of the first section, the subject of the protasis—derech eretz—ensures the continued existence of the subject of the apodosis—Torah. The same is true of the second section. In the first part, the subject of the protasis—wisdom—brings about the existence of the subject of the apodosis—fear of heaven; in the last part, the subject of the protasis—fear of heaven—ensures the continued existence of the subject of the apodosis—wisdom. Similarly, erudition brings about the existence of understanding, for without erudition there is nothing to understand; understanding ensures the continued existence of erudition, for without understanding, one’s erudition turns to naught. Similarly, flour brings about the existence of Torah, as maintenance of the body certainly must chronologically precede the intellection of the soul; the Torah ensures the continued existence of the flour, for if there is no Torah he will be punished and lack for flour until he starves to death. This explanation and this version of the text seem best.
Some editions have, in the first part of this section, “if there is no fear, etc.,” and we can say that this is because fear of sin has a virtue over and is more important than wisdom, for the purpose of wisdom is to have fear of sin. But then we have difficulty with the fourth section, where the first part says “if there is no flour, etc.” in place of the expected “if there is no Torah, etc.” Maharal resolves this in Derech Chaim by saying that since the tanna has already placed Torah first in the first section he does not wish to do so again, for which reason he also does not put the last section right after the first. Also, since it is last, there is another reason not to start the section with “if there is no Torah.” If the section would start that way, the mishna would finish with Torah, and it is improper to put Torah last.
Going along with this explanation, I say that the section didn’t start “if there is no Torah” because then the last words of the mishna would be “there is no Torah,”122It would read, “if there is no flour, there is no Torah.” and one should not end the mishna this way because of the idea of “do not stop at an evil thing,” as Rav explains at the end of Mo`ed Kattan and at the end of Yadaim.
In light of our explanation, we can see that this section of the mishna is parallel to the one that precedes it. For in the first part of the first section, the subject of the protasis—Torah—brings about the existence of the subject of the apodosis—derech eretz; in the last part of the first section, the subject of the protasis—derech eretz—ensures the continued existence of the subject of the apodosis—Torah. The same is true of the second section. In the first part, the subject of the protasis—wisdom—brings about the existence of the subject of the apodosis—fear of heaven; in the last part, the subject of the protasis—fear of heaven—ensures the continued existence of the subject of the apodosis—wisdom. Similarly, erudition brings about the existence of understanding, for without erudition there is nothing to understand; understanding ensures the continued existence of erudition, for without understanding, one’s erudition turns to naught. Similarly, flour brings about the existence of Torah, as maintenance of the body certainly must chronologically precede the intellection of the soul; the Torah ensures the continued existence of the flour, for if there is no Torah he will be punished and lack for flour until he starves to death. This explanation and this version of the text seem best.
Some editions have, in the first part of this section, “if there is no fear, etc.,” and we can say that this is because fear of sin has a virtue over and is more important than wisdom, for the purpose of wisdom is to have fear of sin. But then we have difficulty with the fourth section, where the first part says “if there is no flour, etc.” in place of the expected “if there is no Torah, etc.” Maharal resolves this in Derech Chaim by saying that since the tanna has already placed Torah first in the first section he does not wish to do so again, for which reason he also does not put the last section right after the first. Also, since it is last, there is another reason not to start the section with “if there is no Torah.” If the section would start that way, the mishna would finish with Torah, and it is improper to put Torah last.
Going along with this explanation, I say that the section didn’t start “if there is no Torah” because then the last words of the mishna would be “there is no Torah,”122It would read, “if there is no flour, there is no Torah.” and one should not end the mishna this way because of the idea of “do not stop at an evil thing,” as Rav explains at the end of Mo`ed Kattan and at the end of Yadaim.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
if there is no worldly occupation, there is no Torah: He wants to say that he first has to perfect himself in [his traits]. And through this, the Torah will rest upon him, as it never rests upon a body that is not in possession of good traits. [And] he should not learn Torah and afterwards take the commandments for himself, as this is impossible. And this is like the matter that is stated (Exodus 24:7), "we will do and we will understand," and like we have written [about it].
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"If there is no wisdom, etc.": See above, Mishna 9 in Rabbi Bartenura. And one should say that this is what he is saying, "If there is no wisdom," then even if his thought is to be one that fears sin, his fear will not be [true] fear, as he will not know to continue to be careful. And so [too], "if there is no fear," means [to say] in his thought, [then] there is no wisdom;" meaning to say, his wisdom does not endure. And now all of the sections are the same, in that the first one in the distinction is the cause for the existence of the second. And the first one in the second distinction is the cause for the endurance of the second. Seek them. And see Tosafot Yom Tov, according to the [second] version of the text.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"if there is no worldly occupation, etc.": in the end, his Torah will be forgotten from him.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
UNDERSTANDING [Heb. da`at]. Rav: he provides a reason [Heb. ta`am] for a thing. If so, the words ta`am and da`at in the verse “Teach me good ta`am and da`at” (Psalms 119:66) are synonyms.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
If there is no wisdom, there is no fear: As there can be no complete fear without wisdom, as it holds it and gives light to lead him on the [proper] path.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
And, if so, that which is stated in the verse, "Teach me good reasoning and knowledge," [is a case of] synonyms.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"if there is no knowledge, etc.": Knowledge is the finding of the reason for a thing and understanding is to figure out one thing from [another] thing, but without seeing its reason. And if there is no knowledge to give the reason for a thing, there is no understanding, since if he does not know the reason of a thing, it is as if he doesn't know it. But nevertheless, understanding is first, hence "if there is no understanding, there is no knowledge."
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
FLOUR. Flour, as opposed to wheat or bread. The mishna does not require that one have wheat, which one stores for a long time. On the other hand, the mishna is not satisfied with bread, which lasts only a day or a week, concerning which the Talmud expounds: “ ‘And your life will hang in doubt’—this refers to one who relies on the shopkeeper” (Menachot 103b). The mishna recommends the middle path of flour. This lasts several days, and can be used to make both bread and other baked goods—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Lev Avot.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
if there is no fear, there is no wisdom: As he needs to have fear precede wisdom. As without this, the wisdom will not last in the end - [as] he will be sick of it and leave it. Since if he does not first have perfection of the traits and he does not fear God, 'what good is the cost in the hand of a fool to purchase wisdom, when he has no heart' to fulfill the word of God. As fear needs to [come] before wisdom.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"flour": It did not say, wheat or bread, because it did not want to assure him of wheat, the way of which is to store it for many days; and also not of bread that will not suffice, as it is for a day or a week, about which it is said, "'And your life will be dependent in front' - this is the one who relies on the baker." But rather [it assured something] in between them; that he should have flour for a few days ready to make bread from; and also other cooked foods made from flour - Midrash Shmuel .
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"If there is no flour, there is no Torah": How will one who does not have what to eat, inolve himself in Torah [study]?
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
ANYONE WHOSE LEARNING IS GREATER THAN HIS DEEDS. Rav does not comment here because a very similar teaching appears earlier in mishna 9, and our tanna is simply dressing it in an appropriate parable. Rambam likewise writes in his commentary: “anyone whose learning is greater, etc.”—we have already explained these things in this chapter.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding: There are three 'brains' and they are divided to [contain] three things - wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Wisdom is that which he learns from others, understanding is that which he derives one thing from another by comparison and knowledge is that which he grasps on his own. And that which they said, "if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding," is because if he does not have the ability to grasp and know a thing itself on his own, how will he derive something by comparison to something [else]? As knowledge precedes understanding; and without knowledge, it is impossible that he have understanding.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"Anyone, etc.": [Something] similar to this was already taught in Mishnah 9. And this teacher only came to inform us of the matter with this nice metaphor. And so did Rambam write. And therefore Rabbi Bartenura did not explain anything about it
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"if there is no Torah, there is no flour": Of what good to him is the flour that is in his hand; since he does not have Torah, it would have been better for him that he did not have flour and that would have died from starvation.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
BUT FEW ROOTS. Deeds are like the roots because they are the main thing, as the mishna says earlier in 1:18, “deeds, not study, are the main thing”—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Rashbam.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
AS THE VERSE SAYS, “HE WILL BE LIKE A LONE TREE, ETC.” The verse before this one says “accursed is the one who trusts in man,” i.e. he does not trust that G-d will provide him his livelihood, instead turning to theft and trusting in the people that aid him. On the other hand, the verse before “and he will be like a tree planted etc.” says “blessed is the man who trusts in G-d”—Rashi.
Midrash Shmuel writes that the imagery of the wind uprooting the tree is also from this verse, which uses the word ar`ar, “a lone tree”, and aravah, “a plain” to emphasize that the absence of other trees and mountains around the plain leaves no obstacle in the way of the wind, which will buffet the tree until it moves it from its place. The other verse reads “and he will be like a tree planted by water, which spreads it roots out along the brook,” meaning that the tree will be well-rooted in the earth and all the winds in the world will not move it.
Rashi quotes a variant text of the mishna in which neither verse is quoted. It is possible that this was the text before Rav and Rambam, who would otherwise have commented and explained the proofs. Maharal, however, writes in Derech Chaim that the mishna is using the verses to prove only that upstanding and wicked people are likened to trees, but is not finding support in the verses for the other details of the parable, which it supplies on its own.
Midrash Shmuel writes that the imagery of the wind uprooting the tree is also from this verse, which uses the word ar`ar, “a lone tree”, and aravah, “a plain” to emphasize that the absence of other trees and mountains around the plain leaves no obstacle in the way of the wind, which will buffet the tree until it moves it from its place. The other verse reads “and he will be like a tree planted by water, which spreads it roots out along the brook,” meaning that the tree will be well-rooted in the earth and all the winds in the world will not move it.
Rashi quotes a variant text of the mishna in which neither verse is quoted. It is possible that this was the text before Rav and Rambam, who would otherwise have commented and explained the proofs. Maharal, however, writes in Derech Chaim that the mishna is using the verses to prove only that upstanding and wicked people are likened to trees, but is not finding support in the verses for the other details of the parable, which it supplies on its own.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
If there is no understanding, there is no knowledge: If he does not have the power to understand things by comparison [to another] thing, it is because he does not have complete knowledge to grasp and understand that thing [from which he seeks to understand,] itself.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
If there is no flour, there is no Torah: Because he will need to search for his livelihood and he will not be able to be involved in Torah [study].
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"but whose roots": The deed is similar to roots, because they are the essence, as we say above, "And the exposition [of Torah] is not what is essential, but the action" - Rashbam.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"'And he shall be'": Above it, it is written, "cursed is the man, etc." - who does not trust in God to occasion his livelihood, but rather is involved in much theft and trusts in the people who support him.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
[*BY WATER. This is my emendation of the text, which should not read “by streams of water” because our tanna is quoting Jeremiah, 17:8. The text was corrupted to read “streams” based on Psalms 1:3, a verse which is much more commonly said by all than the verse in Jeremiah which our tanna brings as proof, where the word “streams” does not appear. The reason the mishna does not quote the verse from Psalms, even though King David preceded Jeremiah, is that it wishes to make the point that “even all the winds in the world… cannot move it from its place”; this is seen more clearly in the verse in Jeremiah, which says that the tree “spreads its roots out along the brook.”]
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
if there is no Torah, there is no flour: Meaning to say, since he has no Torah, no purpose [comes from] the flour. As a man only gains from his wealth that the needs of his body be found and that he be free to be involved in Torah.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"He shall be like a tree planted by the waters": Above it, it is written, "Blessed is the man, etc." - Rashi. And the wind and the uprooting are explicit also in the verse. As since it is written, "a lonely juniper tree" in the singular, and "wasteland (arava)," which is an expression [denoting a] plain, [it is] to indicate that there are two things to its disadvantage: as since there are no trees around it and it is also in a plain which has no mountains and hills around it; there is nothing to block the wind that comes upon it, and it will strike it until it moves it from its place. And in the verse, "He shall be like a tree planted by the waters," it is [also] elucidated, as it states, "and to the river will it stretch its roots"; as this is certainly to make known that it is well rooted in the ground and all of the winds in the world will not move it - Midrash Shmuel. And this is the reason that he did not bring the verse in Psalms - even though King David was earlier than Yirmiyah - because here it is more elucidated, [having stated,] "and to the river, etc." And see Tosafot Yom Tov.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
He would say: Anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, to what is he compared? To a tree whose branches are many but whose roots are few; and the wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down, etc. But one whose deeds exceed his wisdom, what is he like? Like a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are many; since even if all the winds of the world come and blow upon it, they do not move it from its place: And we have already explained these things in this chapter regarding "Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom endures, etc." (Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot 3:9).
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