Commentary for Bava Metzia 2:11
אֲבֵדָתוֹ וַאֲבֵדַת אָבִיו, אֲבֵדָתוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת. אֲבֵדָתוֹ וַאֲבֵדַת רַבּוֹ, שֶׁלּוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת. אֲבֵדַת אָבִיו וַאֲבֵדַת רַבּוֹ, שֶׁל רַבּוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת, שֶׁאָבִיו הֱבִיאוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְרַבּוֹ שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ חָכְמָה מְבִיאוֹ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְאִם אָבִיו חָכָם, שֶׁל אָבִיו קוֹדֶמֶת. הָיָה אָבִיו וְרַבּוֹ נוֹשְׂאִין מַשְּׂאוֹי, מֵנִיחַ אֶת שֶׁל רַבּוֹ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵנִיחַ אֶת שֶׁל אָבִיו. הָיָה אָבִיו וְרַבּוֹ בְּבֵית הַשֶּׁבִי, פּוֹדֶה אֶת רַבּוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פּוֹדֶה אֶת אָבִיו. וְאִם הָיָה אָבִיו חָכָם, פּוֹדֶה אֶת אָבִיו, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פּוֹדֶה אֶת רַבּוֹ:
His aveidah or the aveidah of his father — his lost object takes precedence, [it being written (Deuteronomy 15:4): "But there shall not be in you a poor man" — Take heed that you not be a poor man."] His aveidah and the aveidah of his teacher — his aveidah takes precedence. His father's aveidah and the aveidah of his teacher — his teacher's takes precedence [(This, if he be his prime teacher, from whom he learned the greater part of his wisdom. Likewise, wherever "teacher" is mentioned in our Mishnah as taking precedence to "father," it is his prime teacher that is meant.)], for his father brought him to this world, but his teacher, who taught him wisdom, brings him to life in the world to come. And if his father were a sage, his father's takes precedence. If his father and his teacher were carrying burdens, he sets down his teacher's first, and then, his father's. If his father and his teacher were taken captive, he redeems his teacher first, and then, his father. And if his father were a sage, he redeems his father, and then, this teacher.
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Metzia
English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Metzia
If he found his father’s and his teacher’s, his teacher’s takes priority for his father brought him into this world, but his teacher who taught him wisdom brings him into the world to come. If his father was a Sage, his father’s takes priority.
If his father and teacher each were carrying a load, he must first relieve his teacher and afterward relieve his father.
If his father and teacher were each taken captive, he must first ransom his teacher and afterward his father. But if his father was a Sage, he must first ransom his father and afterward his teacher.
In the beginning of this mishnah we learn that one’s own financial loss takes priority even over that of a father or a teacher (of Torah). The Torah expects people to help others but it also understands that people have a natural desire to help themselves.
The remainder of the mishnah deals with conflicts between helping his father and helping his teacher. In all of them we learn that his teacher (one who teaches him Torah) takes priority. Through this mishnah we can see how much the Rabbis valued learning and Torah study. His father brings him into this world and for that the Torah commands that he respect and fear his father. However, the teacher brings him into the world to come, and this is a greater responsibility even then being a father. Therefore the teacher receives even more respect than the father. However, if his father is a Sage, meaning learned in Torah, he deserves greater respect from his son than does another teacher/Sage, and he therefore takes priority.