Pirkei Avot 5
בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא בְמַאֲמָר אֶחָד יָכוֹל לְהִבָּרְאוֹת, אֶלָּא לְהִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁמְּאַבְּדִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת, וְלִתֵּן שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁמְּקַיְּמִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת:
With ten pronouncements (ma'amaroth) the world was created, [nine "And He said," and "In the beginning" is also a pronouncement, viz. (Psalms 33:6): "By the word of the L rd the heavens were made."] What are we hereby being taught? Could it not have been created with one pronouncement? But, [this was stated] to exact punishment of the wicked who destroy the world, which was created with ten pronouncements [For if one destroys one Jewish soul it is as if he destroys an entire world, and the wicked, who in their sins destroy their souls, are reckoned as having destroyed the entire world. (Thus have I found.) And to me it seems that they destroy the world itself, for they incline all of the world to the scale of punishment, so that it is destroyed because of them. "With ten pronouncements": There is no comparison between destroying a work created in one day and (destroying) a work created in many days], and to give goodly reward to the tzaddikim, who sustain the world, which was created with ten pronouncements.
עֲשָׂרָה דוֹרוֹת מֵאָדָם וְעַד נֹחַ, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לְפָנָיו, שֶׁכָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָיוּ מַכְעִיסִין וּבָאִין עַד שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת מֵי הַמַּבּוּל. עֲשָׂרָה דוֹרוֹת מִנֹּחַ וְעַד אַבְרָהָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לְפָנָיו, שֶׁכָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָיוּ מַכְעִיסִין וּבָאִין, עַד שֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו שְׂכַר כֻּלָּם:
Ten generations from Adam until Noach. To apprise us how long-suffering He is. For all of these generations they kept on angering Him — until He brought upon them the waters of the flood. [You, too, do not wonder that He has been long-suffering to the idolators all of these years that they have been subjugating His children, for He was even more so to the idolators of the (ten) generations from Adam until Noach — until they were destroyed in the flood.] Ten generations from Noach until Abraham. To apprise us how long-suffering He is. For all of these generations they kept on angering Him — until Abraham came and took upon himself the reward of all. [He did good deeds corresponding to what all of them should have done — wherefore they were all rescued in his merit. And just as he took upon himself the yoke of mitzvoth in this world over and against all of them, so did he receive for the world to come reward over and against all of them. For every man has two shares, one in Gan Eden; the other, in Gehinnom. If he is meritorious, he takes his share and that of his neighbor (the evildoer) in Gan Eden. If he is culpable, he takes his share and that of his neighbor (the tzaddik) in Gehinnom.]
עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִתְנַסָּה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְעָמַד בְּכֻלָּם, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה חִבָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם:
Abraham, our father, was put to ten trials: [one — Ur Kasdim, where Nimrod cast him into the fiery furnace; two — "Go from your land"; three — "And there was a hunger"; four — "And the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh"; five — the war of the kings; six — the covenant between the pieces, where he was shown the subjugation (of Israel) by the nations; seven — circumcision; eight — "And Avimelech sent and he took Sarah"; nine — "Drive out this maidservant and her son"; ten — the binding of Isaac], and he withstood them all, to apprise (men) of the great love of our father Abraham, may peace be upon him.
עֲשָׂרָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְמִצְרַיִם וַעֲשָׂרָה עַל הַיָּם. עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת הֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים בְּמִצְרַיִם וְעֶשֶׂר עַל הַיָּם. עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִסּוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד) וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי:
Ten miracles were performed for our fathers in Egypt, [their being saved from the ten plagues, and all of them (the plagues) having been against the Egyptians and not against Israel], and ten on the sea: [one — the splitting of the sea; two — (Habakkuk 3:14): "You pierced with his own staffs the head of his outspread (troops)"; three — the sea floor became dry, without clay and tar, viz. (Exodus 14:29): "And the children of Israel walked on the dry land in the midst of the sea"; four — the sea floor that the Egyptians pursuing Israel trod upon dampened into clay and tar, viz. (Habakkuk 3:15): "Many waters clayed"; five — the waters that solidified on the sea floor did not become one mass but small units like bricks and paving stones aligned with each other, viz. (Psalms 74:13): "You crumbled the sea with Your strength" — the sea became pieces; six — the solidified water hardened and became as hard as rocks, viz. (Ibid.): "You broke the head of sea-serpents (the Egyptians) against the waters"; seven — the sea broke into twelve pieces, so that each tribe cross on its own path, viz. (Ibid. 136:13): "To Him who cut the sea into pieces"; eight — the sea froze into sapphire, onyx, and glass so that the tribes could see each other, the pillar of fire lighting them, viz. (Ibid. 18:12) "The darkness of waters [became like] the clouds of heaven," "as the appearance of the heavens in brightness" (Exodus 24:10); nine — there issued forth from it sweet water, which they drank, viz. (Ibid. 15:8): "running waters"; ten — after they had drunk their fill of them, what was left of them froze and became mounds, viz. (Ibid.) "The waters were piled up; the running waters stood up as a wall."] The Holy One Blessed be He brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians in Egypt ["datzach" "adash" "bachav"] and ten upon the sea, [corresponding to the ten "fallings" (of the Egyptians) in the song at the sea: (Exodus 15:1) "He cast into the sea"; (Ibid. 4) "They were mired in the Red Sea"; (Ibid. 5) "The depths covered them"; (Ibid.) "They dropped to the depths"; (Ibid.) "They plummeted like lead" — ten fallings. ("The earth swallowed them up" (Ibid. 12) is not included in the "fallings," this being to their benefit, that they merited burial.] Our forefathers tried the L rd with ten trials in the desert: [two at the sea, one at their descending there, viz. (Ibid. 14:11): "Are there no graves in Egypt?" and one upon ascending thence, viz. (Ibid. 18:23): "And they came to Marah… and they complained"; one in Refidim (Ibid. 17:2): "And the people quarreled with Moses"; twice with the manna: (Ibid. 16:29): "Let no man go out" — and they did go out; (Ibid. 19): "Let no man leave over of it" — and they did leave over; twice with the quail: the first — (Ibid. 3): "when we sat over the flesh-pot"; the second (Numbers 11:4): "And the rabble among them"; one with the golden calf and one (each) with the pretext-seekers (mithonenim) and the spies, the tenth trial,] viz. (Numbers 14:22): "And they have proved Me this ten times and did not heed My voice."
עֲשָׂרָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. לֹא הִפִּילָה אִשָּׁה מֵרֵיחַ בְּשַׂר הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְלֹא הִסְרִיחַ בְּשַׂר הַקֹּדֶשׁ מֵעוֹלָם, וְלֹא נִרְאָה זְבוּב בְּבֵית הַמִּטְבָּחַיִם, וְלֹא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְלֹא כִבּוּ גְשָׁמִים אֵשׁ שֶׁל עֲצֵי הַמַּעֲרָכָה, וְלֹא נָצְחָה הָרוּחַ אֶת עַמּוּד הֶעָשָׁן, וְלֹא נִמְצָא פְסוּל בָּעֹמֶר וּבִשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם וּבְלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, עוֹמְדִים צְפוּפִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים רְוָחִים, וְלֹא הִזִּיק נָחָשׁ וְעַקְרָב בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם מֵעוֹלָם, וְלֹא אָמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ צַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁאָלִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם:
Ten miracles were performed for our fathers in the Temple: No woman ever miscarried because of the smell of the sacrifices; the flesh of the offerings never putrefied; a fly was never seen in the slaughterhouse; the high-priest never had a seminal emission on Yom Kippur. [Because it is a tumah that issues from his body, it is more repugnant than other types]; a rain never put out the fire on the wood pile, [even though the altar was exposed], the wind never stirred the smoke column from its place [that it not rise in a column]; a psul [a disqualifying defect] was never found in the Omer [offering], the two loaves, or the show-bread. [For if a psul were found before the (prescribed time of) their mitzvah, it was not possible to offer others in their stead. For the omer was harvested at night, and they did not harvest much; and the two loaves were baked on the eve of yom tov, and their baking does not override yom tov. And, similarly, the show-bread was baked on the eve of Sabbath]; they stood in constriction (tzfufuim) [as in "tzaf (floating) on the face of the waters." There were so many of them that they were pressed against each other to the point that their feet left the ground and they "floated" in the air] and they bowed in expansion. [When they bowed a miracle was performed for them and they bowed in (ample) room, each one four ells removed from his neighbor, so that one not hear the other when he confessed his sins]; and a snake or a scorpion never harmed anyone in Jerusalem, and no one ever said to his neighbor "Jerusalem is 'too tight' for me to live in." [because the place afforded them a livelihood, and there was no need for anyone to leave and say "Things are 'too tight' for me and I cannot live in Jerusalem." Some editions have "to sleep over" (instead of "to live in"), the reference being to the festival pilgrims, none of them finding it too difficult to sleep over in Jerusalem because of lack of space (see Yoma 21b)].
עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, פִּי הָאָרֶץ, וּפִי הַבְּאֵר, וּפִי הָאָתוֹן, וְהַקֶּשֶׁת, וְהַמָּן, וְהַמַּטֶּה, וְהַשָּׁמִיר, וְהַכְּתָב, וְהַמִּכְתָּב, וְהַלּוּחוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, אַף הַמַּזִּיקִין, וּקְבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, וְאֵילוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, אַף צְבָת בִּצְבָת עֲשׂוּיָה:
Ten things were created on the eve of Sabbath at twilight, [i.e., on the eve of the Sabbath of the creation, before its completion]: the mouth of the earth [to swallow up Korach and his congregation], the mouth of the well [of Miriam, which accompanied Israel in the desert in all of its journeyings. (Some say that it opened its mouth and sang (Numbers 21:17): "Arise, O, Well, sing to her!"], the mouth of [Bilam's] ass, [At twilight it was decreed that it speak with Bilam], the rainbow, [as a sign of the covenant that a second flood would not occur], the manna [that descended for Israel forty years in the desert], the [sapphire] staff, [with which the signs were performed], the shamir [a type of worm the size of a barley grain. When they held it over the stones figured with ink, they split of themselves. With it they formed the stones of the ephod and the choshen, viz. (Exodus 28:20): "With their (exact) fillings"], the writing, [the form of the letters carved on the tablets], the inscription, [their being read from all four sides], and the tablets. [They were of sapphire. Their length was six (ells); their breadth was six, and their thickness was three, like one stone, whose length and breadth and thickness are uniform. It was divided into two. And they were rolled and hewn from the solar orb.] Some say, also the mazikkin, [the demons. After the Holy One Blessed be He created Adam and Eve, He was preoccupied with their creation, and when He created their spirits, He had not created their bodies by the advent of the Sabbath, so that they remained spirits without bodies], and the grave of Moses, and the ram of our father Abraham. [It was decreed at twilight that it be caught in the thicket by its horns]. Some say: Also the tongs, made from a tongs. [The tongs is made only from another tongs. And who made the first tongs? Perforce we must say that it was made by itself (i.e., by Heaven); and it was created at twilight. This is rejected by the Gemara (Pesachim 54a), which states that the first tongs could have been cast in a mold and forged at once.]
שִׁבְעָה דְבָרִים בַּגֹּלֶם וְשִׁבְעָה בֶחָכָם. חָכָם אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר בִּפְנֵי מִי שֶׁהוּא גָדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְחָכְמָה וּבְמִנְיָן, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב, שׁוֹאֵל כָּעִנְיָן וּמֵשִׁיב כַּהֲלָכָה, וְאוֹמֵר עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן, וְעַל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע, אוֹמֵר לֹא שָׁמָעְתִּי, וּמוֹדֶה עַל הָאֱמֶת. וְחִלּוּפֵיהֶן בַּגֹּלֶם:
Seven things characterize a golam, [from "golmei kelim," "unfinished vessels." So, a man who is not "finished" in mind, middoth, or wisdom is called a "golam."], and seven characterize a sage: A sage does not speak in the presence of one who is greater than he in wisdom. [For thus do we find with Elazar and Itamar (Leviticus 10:16-19), who declined to speak in the presence of their father (Aaron) when Moses became angry with them, and Aaron answered], and he does not interrupt the words of his neighbor, [so as not to confuse him, viz. (Bamidbar 12:6): "Hear, now, My words," i.e., Wait until I (the L rd) have finished speaking — a fortiori for a man (who can be confused)], and he is not hasty to answer, so that his answer be appropriate, as in the instance of Elihu, who said (Iyyov 36:2): "Wait for me awhile and I will tell you."], he asks on the subject and he answers according to the halachah. [This is one of the seven. The disciple asks on the subject, i.e., the subject that is being discussed, and then the Rabbi answers according to the halachah. But if the disciple does not ask on the subject, he brings the Rabbi to answer not according to the halachah, as R. Chiyya says to Rav: "When Rabbi is occupied with this tractate, do not ask him from a different tractate," and as in the instance of those men, who being unclean by reason of (contact with) a dead body, and seeing Moses occupied with the halachoth of the Pesach offering, asked him (the halachah) on that subject.], and he answers the first (question) first, and the last, last, [as we find with the Holy One Blessed be He, whom Moses asked (Exodus 3:11): "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?", who answered the first question (Ibid. 12): "For I shall be with you," and the second (Ibid.): "When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall serve G-d, etc."], and of what he has not heard, he says "I have not heard it." [If he renders a ruling on his own, he does not say "Thus have I heard from my Rabbis." And we find with the men of Charan, that when Jacob asked them (Genesis 29:6): "Is he (Lavan) well?" they said to him: "(He is) well, and, behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock." This (that he is well) we know. And if you would know more, behold his daughter is coming with the flock," and she will tell you; for we do not know more than this.], and he admits the truth, [even though he can argue for his view. And thus do we find with Moses (Leviticus 10:19) when Aaron refuted him, saying [If you have heard (from the L rd) that this (such eating) is permitted with kodshim for a particular occasion (the investiture), this is no license for permitting it in "ongoing" kodshim (such as the Rosh Chodesh goat). (Ibid. 20): "And Moses heard and it was good in his eyes." He admitted (that he had heard this from the L rd but had forgotten instead of "covering up" (by saying that he had not heard)]. And their converse, with the golam. [The opposite of these things that characterize a sage characterize a golam.]
שִׁבְעָה מִינֵי פֻרְעָנֻיּוֹת בָּאִין לָעוֹלָם עַל שִׁבְעָה גוּפֵי עֲבֵרָה. מִקְצָתָן מְעַשְּׂרִין וּמִקְצָתָן אֵינָן מְעַשְּׂרִין, רָעָב שֶׁל בַּצֹּרֶת בָּאָה, מִקְצָתָן רְעֵבִים וּמִקְצָתָן שְׂבֵעִים. גָּמְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא לְעַשֵּׂר, רָעָב שֶׁל מְהוּמָה וְשֶׁל בַּצֹּרֶת בָּאָה. וְשֶׁלֹּא לִטֹּל אֶת הַחַלָּה, רָעָב שֶׁל כְּלָיָה בָאָה. דֶּבֶר בָּא לָעוֹלָם עַל מִיתוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין, וְעַל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית. חֶרֶב בָּאָה לָעוֹלָם עַל עִנּוּי הַדִּין, וְעַל עִוּוּת הַדִּין, וְעַל הַמּוֹרִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַהֲלָכָה:
Seven (different) types of punishments come to the world for seven types of transgressions: If some (men) tithe and some do not tithe, a famine of dearth comes to the world. [Rain is scarce, as a result of which prices rise] — some are hungry and some are sated. If (all) resolved not to tithe, a famine of tumult [(The harvest cannot be gathered because of invading armies)] and dearth comes. If (they resolved) not to take challah, a famine of destruction comes. [The heavens are like iron and the earth like copper.] Pestilence comes to the world for the death penalties in the Torah, which did not come to [adjudication in ] the beth-din and for the fruits of the sabbatical year, [with which business was done and which were not kept in the sanctity of the sabbatical year.] A sword comes to the world for delay of judgment, [when it is known where the din inclines] and for perversion of justice, [vindicating the guilty and incriminating the innocent], and for ruling in Torah (law) not in accordance with the halachah, [forbidding the permitted, and permitting the forbidden].
חַיָּה רָעָה בָאָה לָעוֹלָם עַל שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא, וְעַל חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם. גָּלוּת בָּאָה לָעוֹלָם עַל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְעַל גִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וְעַל שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְעַל הַשְׁמָטַת הָאָרֶץ. בְּאַרְבָּעָה פְרָקִים הַדֶּבֶר מִתְרַבֶּה, בָּרְבִיעִית, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִית, וּבְמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית, וּבְמוֹצָאֵי הֶחָג שֶׁבְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה. בָּרְבִיעִית, מִפְּנֵי מַעְשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁית. בַּשְּׁבִיעִית, מִפְּנֵי מַעְשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁבַּשִּׁשִּׁית. וּבְמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית, מִפְּנֵי פֵרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית. וּבְמוֹצָאֵי הֶחָג שֶׁבְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה, מִפְּנֵי גֶזֶל מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים:
Savage beasts come to the world because of vain [i.e., unneeded] oaths, desecration of the Name, [i.e., transgressing blatantly in public, or being seen by others, who emulate one's deeds]. Exile comes to the world because of idolators, illicit relations, bloodshed and (not) leaving the land idle [i.e., plowing and sewing on the sabbatical year]. In four periods pestilence increases: in the fourth year (of shemitah), and in the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the festival (of Succoth) of every year. In the fourth year, because of (omission of) the poor-tithe of the third year. [For in place of the second tithe of the other years of shemitah, in the third and in the sixth years the poor-tithe is given]. In the seventh year, because of (omission of ) the poor-tithe of the sixth year. At the conclusion of the seventh year, because of (profanation of) the fruits of the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the festival of every year, because of theft of the gifts of the poor: [leket, shikchah, peah, peret, and oleloth].
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בָּאָדָם. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, זוֹ מִדָּה בֵינוֹנִית. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, חָסִיד. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע:
There are four middoth (i.e., character types) in a man: One who says: "Mine is mine and yours is yours" [I don't want to give you anything of mine, and please don't give me anything of yours.] This is a median middah. Some say: This is the middah of Sodom. [It approaches the middah of Sodom. For if one habituates himself to it, then even if his neighbor benefits (from what he gives him) and he lacks nothing, he will not want to give it to him. This was the middah of Sodom, their intent being to drive others away from them — even though their land was a rich one and they lacked for nothing.] "Mine is yours and yours is mine" — am ha'aretz (an ignoramus). [For he takes and gives equally, and this "settles the land." But he does not (have the sagacity to) know that (Proverbs 15:27): "the hater of gifts shall live." This is the general connotation of am ha'aretz, one who wants to make improvements but who lacks the wisdom to discriminate between what is and what is not an improvement.] "Mine is yours and yours is yours" — a chasid. [He benefits men with his possessions and he does not benefit from the possessions of others. He is a chasid, acting above and beyond the letter of the law.] "Mine is mine and yours is mine" — a wicked one.
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בַּדֵּעוֹת. נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת, יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ. קָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס וְקָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִשְׂכָרוֹ. קָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת, חָסִיד. נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס וְקָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת, רָשָׁע:
There are four middoth in deoth (temperaments): easily angered and easily pacified — his gain is negated by his loss; angered with difficulty and pacified with difficulty — his loss is negated by his gain. [If one is quickly angered by all things, even though he is easily appeased, his loss is more than his gain. For most of his acts are defective in that he is easily angered over everything. But if one is angered with difficulty, even though he has the evil middah of being pacified with difficulty, his (relatively) small loss, being pacified with difficulty, is negated by his (relatively) greater gain, being angered with difficulty, so that most of his acts are praiseworthy. Some versions are the opposite of this; but this seems to be the correct version.]; angered with difficulty and easily pacified — a chasid; easily angered and pacified with difficulty — a wicked one.
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בַּתַּלְמִידִים. מַהֵר לִשְׁמֹעַ וּמַהֵר לְאַבֵּד, יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ. קָשֶׁה לִשְׁמֹעַ וְקָשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִשְׂכָרוֹ. מַהֵר לִשְׁמֹעַ וְקָשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד, חָכָם. קָשֶׁה לִשְׁמֹעַ וּמַהֵר לְאַבֵּד, זֶה חֵלֶק רָע:
There are four middoth (types) of disciples: quick to understand and quick to forget — his gain is negated by his loss. [For since he forgets what he learns, what good is his quick understanding? — wherefore his loss is greater than his gain.]; understanding with difficulty and forgetting with difficulty — his loss is negated by his gain, [since what he understands in spite of his difficulty remains with him. A practical application. If there are two disciples before us and we can provide tuition only for one, the forgetter with difficulty takes precedence over the quick to understand.]; quick to understand and forgetting with difficulty — a wise (disciple);. Understanding with difficulty and quick to forget — this is "a bad portion." [It is not possible to say here "chasid" or wicked, for this does not depend upon a man's free choice, but is something that he is born with.]
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּנוֹתְנֵי צְדָקָה. הָרוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְלֹא יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים, עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁל אֲחֵרִים. יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים וְהוּא לֹא יִתֵּן, עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְשֶׁלּוֹ. יִתֵּן וְיִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים, חָסִיד. לֹא יִתֵּן וְלֹא יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים, רָשָׁע:
There are four middoth (levels) in the giving of charity [(and not "in the givers" of charity, for among them is one who does not give. Similarly, what follows (Mishnah 14) is to be read "in going to the house of study" (and not "in the goers to the house of study")]: desiring to give and that others not give — his eye is evil in what belongs to others, [knowing that charity enriches and not wishing others to become rich. Or: There are some who are more solicitous of the money of their kin than of their own; and even though they give they wish that their kin not give, so as not to lose their wealth.]; desiring that others give but not giving himself — his eye is evil in what belongs to him; desiring to give and that others give — a chasid; not giving and desiring that others not give — a wicked one.
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּהוֹלְכֵי לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, שְׂכַר הֲלִיכָה בְיָדוֹ. עוֹשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ, שְׂכַר מַעֲשֶׂה בְיָדוֹ. הוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹשֶׂה, חָסִיד. לֹא הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא עוֹשֶׂה, רָשָׁע:
There are four middoth in going to the house of study: going but not doing [i.e., going to the house of study to listen, but not reviewing his learning and not understanding] — the reward of going is in his hand; doing [i.e., learning and reviewing in his study at home], but not going — the reward of doing is in his hand; going and doing — a chasid; not going and not doing — a wicked one.
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּיוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵי חֲכָמִים. סְפוֹג, וּמַשְׁפֵּךְ, מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, וְנָפָה. סְפוֹג, שֶׁהוּא סוֹפֵג אֶת הַכֹּל. מַשְׁפֵּךְ, שֶׁמַּכְנִיס בְּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בְזוֹ. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת הַיַּיִן וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת הַשְּׁמָרִים. וְנָפָה, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת הַקֶּמַח וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת הַסֹּלֶת:
There are four middoth (levels) in those who sit before the sages: [(Above, [Mishnah 12], the subject is remembering and forgetting; here it is logical reasoning and discriminating what is right from what is not right]: a sponge. [Just as a sponge absorbs muddy water together with clear water, so there is a disciple whose heart is "broad" and accepts whatever he hears, lacking the power to discriminate between the true and the false], a funnel, a strainer, and a sieve. A sponge — it absorbs everything; a funnel — it takes in at one end and releases at the other. [So, there is a disciple who emits whatever he absorbs]; a strainer — it releases the wine and retains the lees. [So, there is a disciple who releases whatever he has learned in the house of study and retains only idle talk]; and a sieve — it releases the flour and retains the meal. [After the bran and the bruised grain are extracted from the ground flour, and there remain the thin flour with the thick meal, the desired part, it is put through a very thin sieve, so that there descends all that thin flour, like a white powder, and there remains only the thick, desirable, meal. (This is how meal-offerings were prepared.) Similarly, there is a disciple who has the ability to sift what he has heard and to discriminate the truth from the false and the vain.]
כָּל אַהֲבָה שֶׁהִיא תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר, בָּטֵל דָּבָר, בְּטֵלָה אַהֲבָה. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה לְעוֹלָם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא אַהֲבָה הַתְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת אַמְנוֹן וְתָמָר. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת דָּוִד וִיהוֹנָתָן:
All love which is contingent upon a passing thing — once the thing passes, the love passes; and (all love) which is not contingent upon a passing thing [like the love of tzaddikim and sages] never passes. What is love that is contingent upon a passing thing? The level of Amnon and Tamar, [Amnon loving Tamar because of her beauty]. And (what is love) that is not contingent upon a passing thing? The love of David and Jonathan [to fulfill the will of their Master. Jonathan said to David (I Samuel 23:17): "You be the king over Israel and I will be your viceroy."]
כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ:
Every argument which is for the sake of Heaven — the end is [for the parties to that argument] to endure, [as in the argument between Beth Hillel and Beth Shammai, where none of the parties to the argument (the disciples) were lost (as opposed to Korach and his congregation, who were lost). Or: "the end" — the desired end of the argument. In an argument for the sake of Heaven, the desired end is to attain the truth. And this was attained in the argument between Beth Hillel and Beth Shammai — that the halachah is in accordance with Beth Hillel.] And an argument which is not for the sake of Heaven — the [desired] end, [power and love of conquest,] does not endure. [And so we find in the argument of Korach and his congregation. Their end was the attainment of glory and power — and the opposite was what transpired.] What is an argument for the sake of Heaven? The argument between Hillel and Shammai. And (what is an argument) that is not for the sake of Heaven? The argument of Korach and his whole congregation.
כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. משֶׁה זָכָה וְזִכָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, זְכוּת הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג) צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. יָרָבְעָם חָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, חֵטְא הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א טו) עַל חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם (בֶּן נְבָט) אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
If one brings merit to the many, sin does not come by his hand, [so that he not be in Gehinnom and his disciples in Gan Eden]; and if one causes the many to sin, he is not given the opportunity to repent, [so that he not be in Gan Eden and his disciples in Gehinnom.] Moses was meritorious and brought merit to the many [(He taught Torah to all of Israel)] — the merit of the many is attributed to him, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:21): "He did the righteousness of the L rd and [he did] His judgments with Israel" [i.e., "His judgments that are with Israel" — it is as if he (Moses) did them.] Yeravam sinned and he caused the many to sin — the sin of the many is attributed to him, as it is written (I Kings 15:30): "For the sins of Yeravam, that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit." [Its not being written "for the sins of Yaravam and Israel" implies that all is attributed to Yeravam.]
כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. עַיִן טוֹבָה, וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפָלָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. עַיִן רָעָה, וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. מַה בֵּין תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לְתַלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, אוֹכְלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְנוֹחֲלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח) לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ, וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. אֲבָל תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע יוֹרְשִׁין גֵּיהִנֹּם וְיוֹרְדִין לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נה) וְאַתָּה אֱלֹהִים תּוֹרִידֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ:
All who possess these three attributes are of the disciples of our father Abraham; and (all who possess) three other attributes are of the disciples of the wicked Bilam: (If he possesses) a good eye and a humble spirit and a lowly soul, he is of the disciples of our father Abraham. [He learned from him and walked in his ways: "A good eye" — contenting himself with what he has and not desiring the wealth of others, as we find with Abraham, who said to the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:22): "Nothing — from a thread until a sandal latchet (shall I keep for myself, nor shall I take anything that is yours." "And a humble spirit" — exceeding humility, as we find with Abraham, viz. (Ibid. 18:27): "and I am dust and ashes"; "and a lowly soul" — watchfulness and separation from lust, as we find with Abraham, viz. (Ibid. 12:11: "Behold, I now know that you are a beautiful woman," not having been aware of her beauty because of his great modesty.] (If he possesses) an evil eye, a haughty spirit, and a "broad" soul, he is of the disciples of the wicked Bilam. [Bilam had "an evil eye," knowing that it was evil in the eyes of the L rd for him to go to Balak, yet going anyway for the sake of reward, viz. (Numbers 22:18): "If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, etc."; "and a haughty spirit," (saying of himself) (Ibid. 24:16): "The speech of the hearer of the words of the Almighty and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High"; "and a 'broad' soul." For if he were not exceedingly lustful, he would not have counseled to abandon the daughters of Moav to harlotry. And our sages said (Sanhedrin 105a): "Bilam lived with his donkey."] What is the difference between the disciples of our father Abraham and the disciples of the wicked Bilam? The disciples of our father Abraham eat in this world and inherit the world to come, as it is written (Proverbs 8:21): "I have much to bequeath to My lovers [in the world to come], and their stores shall I fill [in this world.]" [Abraham is called a "lover" viz. (Isaiah 41:8): "the seed of Abraham, My lover."] But the disciples of the wicked Bilam inherit Gehinnom and descend to the pit of destruction, as it is written (Psalms 55:24): "And You, O G-d, shall lower them to the pit of destruction. Men of bloodshed [(e.g., Bilam, who by his counsel killed twenty-four thousand of Israel)] and deceit shall not halve their days, but I shall trust in You."
יְהוּדָה בֶן תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר, וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר, וְרָץ כַּצְּבִי, וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַז פָּנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם, וּבֹשֶׁת פָּנִים לְגַן עֵדֶן. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁתִּבְנֶה עִירְךָ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְתוֹרָתֶךָ:
Yehudah ben Tema says: Be audacious as a leopard, […and do not be ashamed to ask your Rabbi what you have not understood, as we have learned: "The shy one does not learn"], and light as an eagle [to pursue your learning and not weary, as it is written (Isaiah 40:31): "They will lift the wing like eagles; they will run and not weary"], and swift as a deer [to pursue mitzvoth], and strong as a lion [to subdue your evil inclination against transgressing], to do the will of your Father in Heaven. He was wont to say: "The 'brazen-faced' to Gehinnom" [This expression is used because brazenness is seen in the face, viz. (Proverbs 21:19): "The wicked man is brazen in his face"], and the 'shame-faced' to Gan Eden." May it be Your will, O L rd our G-d that You build Your city hastily in our days and give (us) our portion in Your Torah. [That is, just as You have granted us this trait (of shame-facedness), the signs of the seed of Abraham being shame-facedness, mercy, and lovingkindness, so, may it be Your will, etc.]
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם:
He was wont to say: Five years old for (learning) Scripture. [This is derived from arlah (forbidden fruit), viz. (Leviticus 19:23): "Three years shall it be forbidden to you… (24): And in the fourth year all of the fruit shall be holy for praise to the L rd." (At this stage) his father teaches him the form of the letters and the vowel signs. (25): "And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, to increase for you its produce." Thenceforward, stuff him like an ox!], ten years old for Mishnah. [He learns Scripture for five years and Mishnah for five years, viz. (Chullin 24a): The master said: Any student who has not made progress in his Mishnah after five years, will no longer do so, as it is written (Numbers 8:24): "This is what applies to the Levites. From the age of twenty-five and up shall he come to enter into service to work in the tent of meeting." He learns the halachoth of the service for five years, and, at thirty, he works.], thirteen years old for mitzvoth, [it being written (Numbers 5:6): "A man or a woman if they do of all the sins of man" and, in respect to (the episode of ) Shchem, (Genesis 34:25): "And two sons of Jacob, Shimon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, took, each man his sword, etc." Levi at that time was thirteen years old and he is called "a man"], eighteen for the (marriage) canopy. ["Adam" ("man") is written nineteen times in the parshah of Bershith — from (1:26): "And G-d said: "Let us make a man" until (2:22): "And the L rd G-d fashioned the side that He had taken from the man into a woman" — one time for (the plain meaning) itself, leaving eighteen for expounding ("derashah").], twenty years old for pursuing [a livelihood. After he has learned Scripture, Mishnah, and Gemara, and taken a wife and begotten children, he must pursue a livelihood. Or: "twenty years old for pursuing" him from Heaven and punishing him for his acts, the Heavenly tribunal not punishing one who is less than twenty years old.], thirty for strength, [the Levites setting up the tabernacle and taking it apart and loading the wagons and carrying on their shoulder from the age of thirty on], forty years old for understanding, [for after forty years that Israel was in the desert Moses said to them (Deuteronomy 29:3): "and the L rd did not give you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear until this day."], fifty years old for counsel, [it being stated of the Levites (Numbers 8:25-26): "And from the age of fifty he shall return from the service of the work, and he shall serve no more. And he shall serve his brothers." Which service? Counsel.], sixty years old for old age, viz. (Iyyov 5:26): "You will go to the grave in old age (bekelach): — the gematria (numerical equivalent) of "bekalach" is sixty.], seventy years old for hoary old age, [it being written in respect to David (I Chronicles 29:28): "And he died in a good hoary old age, and the days of his life were seventy years."], eighty years old for strength, [it being written (Psalms 90:10): "And if with 'strengths,' eighty years."], ninety years old for bowing (shuach) [He walks bowed and bent over. Some see it as relating to "shuchah amukah," "a deep pit."], one hundred years old — as if he had died and passed on and vanished from the world.
בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר, הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ. וּבָהּ תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ, וּמִנַּהּ לֹא תָזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה:
Ben Bag Bag says: Turn it [Torah] over and over, for [you will find] all in it. And through it you shall see. And grow old and hoary in it, and do not budge from it, for there is no better middah than it. [Do not say: I have learned the wisdom of Israel; I will now go and learn the wisdom of the Greeks. For it is permitted to do the latter only where it is not permitted to meditate in words of Torah, as in the bath-house or the lavatory. When they asked R. Yehoshua whether it was permitted to teach one's son Greek wisdom, he answered that it was permitted to do so when it was neither day nor night, it being written (Joshua 1:8): "And you shall meditate in it day and night."]