Comentario sobre Pirkei Avot 4:20
אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה אוֹמֵר, הַלּוֹמֵד יֶלֶד לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְתוּבָה עַל נְיָר חָדָשׁ. וְהַלּוֹמֵד זָקֵן לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְתוּבָה עַל נְיָר מָחוּק. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַר יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר הַבַּבְלִי אוֹמֵר, הַלּוֹמֵד מִן הַקְּטַנִּים לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאֹכֵל עֲנָבִים קֵהוֹת וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן מִגִּתּוֹ. וְהַלּוֹמֵד מִן הַזְּקֵנִים לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאֹכֵל עֲנָבִים בְּשֵׁלוֹת וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן יָשָׁן. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקַּנְקַן, אֶלָּא בְמַה שֶּׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ. יֵשׁ קַנְקַן חָדָשׁ מָלֵא יָשָׁן, וְיָשָׁן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ חָדָשׁ אֵין בּוֹ:
Alguien que aprende de niño, ¿con qué se le puede comparar? A tinta escrita en papel nuevo, [que perdura. Entonces, el aprendizaje de la infancia no se olvida], y uno que aprende en la vejez, ¿con qué se le puede comparar? A tinta escrita en papel manchado. R. Yossi beRabbi Yehudah Ish Kfar Habavli dice: Alguien que aprende de los jóvenes, ¿con qué se le puede comparar? A quien come uvas opacas [es decir, uvas que no están maduras y que opacan los dientes. (Análogamente, la sabiduría de un niño no ha madurado lo suficiente y sus palabras no "se sientan bien" en el corazón)], y para quien bebe vino de su tina, [que se mezcla con lías. (De manera análoga, la sabiduría de un niño se entremezcla con dudas). Y el que aprende de los viejos, ¿con qué puede compararse? A quien come uvas maduras y bebe vino viejo. El rabino dice: No mires el recipiente, sino lo que contiene. ¡Hay una nueva vasija llena de vino viejo, y una vasija vieja que ni siquiera contiene vino nuevo! [El rabino no está de acuerdo con R. Yossi beRabbi Yehudah, diciendo que así como hay una nueva vasija llena de vino viejo, también puede haber un niño cuyo "sabor" sea como el de la vieja; y hay viejos inferiores en sabiduría a los niños.]
Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
ONE WHO LEARNS AS A CHILD [Heb. halomed yeled]. Rambam: what one learns as a child endures and is not easily forgotten. If so, the text means “one who learns as a child”.183The question is whether to reat the word lomed as “learn” or “teach”. Although the word does not appear frequently with the latter meaning, Tosafot Yom Tov proceeds to quote others who understand it that way here. So also Rav. It is then clear why the mishna likens this to ink written on new parchment, as opposed to one who writes with ink on a new parchment.
Some versions have halomed leyeled, meaning “one who teaches a child”. So Midrash Shmuel, who also writes that even the versions that have halomed yeled can be read this way. Maharal in Derech Chaim explains our mishna this way, and says that the mishna does not liken this to one who writes because the teacher is not like somebody writing, for he does not inscribe the things in the memory of the student. He is like a somebody showing his friend a picture on the wall. This causes the picture to be engraved in the friend’s memory, but we cannot on account of this say that he himself engraved that picture in his friend’s memory.
Some versions have halomed leyeled, meaning “one who teaches a child”. So Midrash Shmuel, who also writes that even the versions that have halomed yeled can be read this way. Maharal in Derech Chaim explains our mishna this way, and says that the mishna does not liken this to one who writes because the teacher is not like somebody writing, for he does not inscribe the things in the memory of the student. He is like a somebody showing his friend a picture on the wall. This causes the picture to be engraved in the friend’s memory, but we cannot on account of this say that he himself engraved that picture in his friend’s memory.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Elisha ben Abuya says: One who teaches to a child is compared to what? To ink written on new parchment: As writing on new parchment cannot be erased, so [too] the Torah of his youth will not be forgotten from his heart.
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Rambam on Pirkei Avot
He said that study during the days of childhood will be established and it will not be easily forgotten and that the matter of study in old age is the opposite. And this is clear and visible to the eye. Rabbi Yossi said that the wisdom of young men has questions and doubts that are not purified. And they have not escaped from their difficulties, as they have not had length of days to review their studies and to remove the doubts. But Rebbi says [that] you should not judge the wine by the jug. As there is a new jug with old wine in it and an old jug that is empty and has nothing in it. So [too], there are young men whose questions and wisdom are pure - there is no doubt mixed with them - like old wine, the sediments of which have been separated from it. And there are elders that have no wisdom at all, and there is no need to say that they do not have wisdom that is mixed and confused.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"Child": The language of Rambam: That the study in the days of youth, etc. And if so, its explanation is [that] the one who learns when he is a child. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"On new parchment": [upon which the writing] lasts. So [too], the memorized teaching of youth is not forgotten.
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English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
Introduction
Elisha ben Abuyah was a colleague of Rabbi Akiva and a teacher of Rabbi Meir. According to legend he was one of the four sages who went into the “orchard” (perhaps a reference to metaphysical speculation). As a result he became an apostate. As a result of his apostasy, he is referred to in most places as “aher”, which means “other”. There are many fascinating legends about Elisha ben Abuya, many of which have been compiled into a novel called, As a Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg. This is a truly remarkable book that I cannot recommend highly enough. It is both a good read and provides a setting in which the mishnah might have taken place. Another good place to look for legends about Elisha ben Abuya is Sefer Haaggadah, by Bialik and Ravnitzky. This is a compilation of many talmudic legends.
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Derekh Chayim
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
PAPER THAT HAS BEEN ERASED. For numerous thoughts and calculations having to do with worldly matters have already been engraved in his mind. When he desires to remember words of Torah he will have to erase all of those thoughts, and this is not easy to do well. This is why the mishna speakes of a paper that has been erased as opposed to an old paper, which is the opposite of a new one—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Abarbanel.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
And one who teaches to an elder is compared to what? To ink written on scraped parchment: As that writing will quickly be lost. So too is the Torah of his old age quickly forgotten. And there is a metaphor about this said in Choice Pearls: "One who teaches to a child is compared to what?" To one who engraves on a stone. "And one who teaches to an elder is compared" to one who engraves on the sand. But the elder should not say, "Behold I am a dry tree" - that since the Torah does not stay preserved in his hand, why should he read, and he would toil in vain - since nonetheless, his reward is with him for having learned and exerting himself and doing a commandment. And what difference is it to him if he does not remember it - whether it is this way or that way, he is given the reward. There is a parable [relevant to this] about an employer who gave containers with holes to two workers with which to draw water, and he agreed with them that they do this work for him for a day. The silly one said, "What is the point of my work?" The clever one said, "What is it to me? He will give me the wage [regardless]." So is [it with] the elder - what is to him if he forgets, the reward will be given to him. It is the same for the one who remembers a lot and the one who remembers a little - as long as his heart is directed to the Heavens.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
"scraped": As many calculations from matters of the world are already engraved in his mind. And when he wants to remember words of Torah [that are new to him], he will need to erase those calculations and he cannot do this completely. And that is why we do not learn, "old," which is the opposite of new - Rabbi Y. Abarbanel.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"unripe grapes": which have not completely ripened and [so] set the teeth on edge. So [too], the wisdom of the child is not completely ripened and [so] his words are not accepted and don't sit well with the heart.
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English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
Elisha ben Abuyah said: He who learns when a child, to what is he compared? To ink written upon a new writing sheet. And he who learns when an old man, to what is he compared? To ink written on a rubbed writing sheet. A young person is like a blank slate upon which things may be written clearly and read easily by others. However, an old person is like a piece of paper previously written upon and then erased. Subsequent writing on this paper will not be clear. This statement is not quite as negative about learning as an adult as the English saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” but it is said in a similar vein.
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Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
LIKE EATING UNRIPE GRAPES AND DRINKING WINE FROM THE VAT. When one eats unripe grapes he detects their bad taste as he chews them, which corresponds to what Rav writes about the learning of a child—that it has not been thought through and is therefore unconvincing. When one drinks wine from the vat he enjoys it because it pleases the palate but it causes him stomach pains afterwards, which corresponds to the other point Rav makes about the learning of a child—that it is mixed with unclear points; ingredients in a mixture are not immediately perceived upon the first examination.
Most commentators explain that grapes refer to the simple meaning of the Torah, and wine refers to the hidden meaning of the Torah. The Sages say (Sanhedrin 38a) that the alphanumeric value of yayin, “wine” is the same as that of sod, “secret”.
Most commentators explain that grapes refer to the simple meaning of the Torah, and wine refers to the hidden meaning of the Torah. The Sages say (Sanhedrin 38a) that the alphanumeric value of yayin, “wine” is the same as that of sod, “secret”.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda, man of Kfar HaBavli, says: One who learns from elders is compared to what? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine: As by aging with the wisdom, each and every day he adds new faces to each and every thing and improves them; and he reaches the bottom of knowledge, to the point where it is easy for him to understand. As 'wisdom is with the seniors, and understanding with the long-lived.'
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
[It is] like [with] the eating of grapes that are not ripe, their inferiority will already be felt when they are between his teeth.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
"wine from its press": in which sediment is mixed in. So [too], the wisdom of the child has a mixture of questions in it.
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English Explanation of Pirkei Avot
Rabbi Yose ben Judah a man of Kfar Ha-babli said: He who learns from the young, to what is he compared? To one who eats unripe grapes, and drinks wine from his vat; And he who learns from the old, to what is he compared? To one who eats ripe grapes, and drinks old wine. Rabbi said: don’t look at the container but at that which is in it: there is a new container full of old wine, and an old [container] in which there is not even new [wine]. This section of the mishnah refers not to the age of the student, but to the age of the teacher. Rabbi Yose says that it is preferable to learn from an older person, who is like ripe grapes and vintage wine. One who learns from the young is like one who eats unripe grapes or drinks straight from the vat. While these are edible and drinkable, they do not taste good nor are they particularly satisfying. According to Rabbi Yose a person’s teaching needs time to settle down, to “ripen” within him, before he becomes an effective teacher. If we combine this with the previous section, we see that the best situation is one in which someone learns while young and doesn’t begin to teach until much older. However, Rabbi [Judah Hanasi], in one of the most famous statements in Avoth, says that it is not the outer container that determines the nature of the wisdom but rather that which is inside. Just as with wine, an outer container can be deceiving as to the inner content, so too with wisdom. There may be young people contain mature wisdom and older people who remain immature with regards to their wisdom, and even empty. Perhaps Rabbi would disagree with the first statement as well; if one can teach while young, maybe he would hold that one can learn when old. All is determined not by one’s physical age, but by one’s inner character.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
And one who learns from young ones is compared to what? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks wine from its press: As their wisdom has still not ripened within them.
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Ikar Tosafot Yom Tov on Pirkei Avot
[It is] like [with] the drinking of wine from the press [which] is good for him while he is drinking it, since it is pleasant to the palate, but [when it reaches] the chambers of his stomach, he will be filled with pains. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.
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Bartenura on Pirkei Avot
Rebbi says, "Do not look at the jug": Rebbi disagrees with Rabbi Yose bar Yehuda and said that just like there is a new jug full of old wine, so [too] there is a child whose reasoning is like the reasoning of the elders and there are elders who are lower in their level of wisdom than children.
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Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
Rebbi says: Do not look at the jug but rather at what is in it. For there are new jugs full of old, and old that do not have even new within them: As because of the quality of the old wine, it will not go bad in the new vessel. So [too], if the young ones have become wiser than the elders. every man should learn from the younger ones first. And this is the difference between the words of Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda and the words of our holy Rabbi, peace be upon him: As Rabbi Yose would say that if the elders and the young ones are both wise, one should learn with the elders - since (generally, the wisdom of) [that the wisdom of] the elders is ripe. And our Rabbi, peace be upon (would say [that]) with wisdom, we only go with the greater. And [so,] if it is found that the young ones are [more] understanding and their words are correct and their wisdom is greater, one should learn in front of them. And Elihou said both of these things, as it is stated (Job 32:7-8), "I said, let age speak; let advanced years declare wisdom.' But truly it is the spirit in men, the breath of the Almighty that gives them understanding." As at first, he would say like the words of Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda - that "advanced years declare wisdom." [But] after he saw that he was younger than his colleagues, the elders, he said that "it is the spirit in men." And sometimes it is the young one who is wiser than the elder and his wisdom is more ripe than [the latter]. And his words are refined and the matters are clear. Hence, it is better to go after a young one who is wise than an elder who is honored but is not like [the first] in wisdom.
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