Chasidut sur Avot 3:21

Another approach to the words ‎קדושים תהיו‎ and what it ‎means, seeing it is an abstract virtue and cannot be demonstrated ‎by deeds. In order to understand this we need to explain why this ‎line is followed by ‎איש אמו ואביו תיראו‎, the commandment to ‎‎“fear” one’s mother and father. This too will be better understood ‎after we appreciate the saying in Avot 3,1 where Akavya ‎ben Mahallel exhorts us to keep the following three concepts in ‎mind at all times, as they are a great help in preventing us from ‎committing transgressions. He asks us to remember of our lowly ‎origin, i.e. a putrid drop of sperm, where we are headed for, i.e. ‎dust, and to whom we will have to render an accounting, i.e. the ‎Highest Judge in the universe.
Reading the words of such a ‎model of humility as Akavya ben Mahallel, probably the most ‎humble person of his generation, telling us about his fear of ‎facing the heavenly tribunal after his death, brings home to us ‎what true humility is all about, as he does not even credit himself ‎with possessing the lowest level of fear of the Lord, the level ‎based on ‎יראת העונש‎, fear of punishment. Another remarkable ‎feature of his Mishnah is its somewhat cumbersome and ‎lengthy wording. Why did Akavya not simply say: “know that ‎you originate from a putrid drop of sperm, etc;?” This would have ‎saved more than half the words he used.‎

This verse applies to all congregations, whenever Jews gather, in all times. As the Sages said, (Pirkei_Avot.3.6) "When ten sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Shechinah abides among them."

Similarly, within the individual person, when he gathers all his powers to submit willingly to God, he is included under 'all of your congregation.' Thus we find (Pirkei_Avot.3.6) "And how do we know that even if one [sits and studies, the Shechinah is present]."

Regarding the verse (Vayikra 25:55) “The Children of Israel are servants to Me; they are my servants…” My claim came before [any other claim]. This is still true today, for according to the level at which one accepts the yoke of Heaven, enslavement to governments is removed, as our sages have taught (Avot 3:5), “One who accepts the yoke of Torah, has the yoke of government removed.” There are also roles of servant and child… [The roles of servant and child] parallel the aspects of Torah and commandments, for one who engages in Torah [as a child of G-d] is free. (Avot 6:2) However, everyone must accept the yoke of Heaven and of commandments upon themselves [as a servant]. This is the meaning of the verse, “They are My servants”, as it is written “Israel, in whom I am glorified.” (Isaiah 49:3) It is glorious for G-d when Israel accepts servitude to Him, despite being His children. It is not only praise of Israel, but it is also true testimony to the Creator… There are always levels of servant and child, servant and child, in that the greater one’s grasp of the secrets of the King [as G-d’s child], the more one lowers one’s self to accept the yoke of Heaven as a servant. Consequently, one merits to see and grasp, as a child, and then one returns to being a servant… In Nisan, we become free and receive the yoke of Heaven. All the days of the Sefirah, we are like servants, doing His will, until we achieve seven complete weeks, which is the oath we swore and in which we have stood since Mount Sinai. We then merit on Shavuot to receive the Torah, like children who search through the vaults of the king. However, we then return to being servants, which is Sukkot, when we return and repent on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, and accept the yoke of Heaven anew, which is the glory mentioned above, as the Holy One finds glory in them…Similarly, daily, one accepts the yoke of Heaven [as a servant] in the morning and thereby merits Torah [as a child] according to his level. And at night, one returns to accept the yoke of Heaven. And the level of the “second servant” is greater, as can be understood.

It cannot be more strongly emphasized that the main point of the chevraya is not the chevraya itself, but the member, friend, man, Avreich, and Bachur who enters into the avodah of the chevraya. When the Gemara tells us to form groups for the study of Torah, because the Torah is only acquired through association with others, it is not trying to tell us that the group and not the individual is the primary focus, and that if a person cannot study together with others then he should not study alone, God forbid. After all, the Mishna²³⁶Avos, Chapter 3 Mishna 2 tells us that even if a man studies Torah alone God rewards him, as it is written, “He sits alone in silence, because God has placed it upon him.”²³⁷Eicha, 3:28 If our discussion in these pages have emphasized the group, it is only in response to a grave threat. The Jewish people are compared to a house whose every corner is burning in flames, with our enemies attacking us and embittering our lives from without and our own coldness to the Torah and the avodah threatening us from within. This danger could bring about our physical and spiritual destruction, God forbid. We already said at the beginning of A Student’s Obligation that the only thing that can save Israel from assimilation and the desolation caused by such an ice-age of avodah is when the child, young man, and Avreich serves God and learns Torah with the fire of Chassidus, and feels the delights it brings from the Garden of Eden. And just as one man’s lonely pail of water cannot put out a raging fire, but only when water is brought from all directions – one with his pails, this one with his barrels, and this one with his bottles - so too, it is not enough for Chassidus alone, even though it is the crucial and sure-fire medicine, cannot save Israel from destruction even if it is ingested into our bodies and souls according to the methods and practices that we have presented. Like those other pails of water, we also need the chevraya. But the chevraya is not the vital ingredient. If we use all of these means together, then maybe God will help and save our bodies and souls from pending destruction.

At other times God conducts the world through revealed governance, and there is a correspondence between the suffering endured and the reward. Sometimes it seems as if man has the power of choice, and at other times it is seen that the power of choice is taken away from him. This is as it is said in the Talmud (Pirkei Avot, 3:15), “Everything is foreseen, yet permission is given (for man to make his own choices).”

"The one who walks alone on a path and studies and makes a break from their study..." (Pirkei Avot 3:4 [in Sefaria's version, Avot 3:7]). A problem: "and makes a break from their study" alone would tell us that they were studying [i.e. and we don't need "and studies"]. A further problem: "the verse is applied to them... [as though they were liable for death]" (ibid.) -- and it doesn't explain which verse! And it's possible to explain as follows: "the one who walks on a straight path" -- and even if they are alone, which is to say that they are not fused to the Name may it be Blessed -- "and studies and makes a break in their study", here the text wants to say "makes a break" [between] the person themself and the Name may it be blessed. They do this by means of their study, since greatness and glory come to them by means of their study, and they think that they own their study. "They say 'how beautiful is this tree'" (ibid.) -- and regarding themself they say the same in their heart, as it is written "for is a man a tree of the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). And they further say that "this tree [that you saw] grow and become mighty" (Daniel 4:17) [c.f. use of the verse in Zohar 3:53b in reference to tree of life/Torah]. "How beautiful is this newly ploughed field" (Avot 3:7) -- as it is written "Break up your fallow ground" (Jeremiah 4:3). Meaning, that they say they are preparing for themself a portion in the world to come by means of their study. "The verse is applied to them" (Avot 3:7) -- meaning, the verse "You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 18:13) -- meaning, even when you are engaged with Torah! As it says of Torah, "the Torah of God is whole" (Psalms 19:8) -- and that which it says "You shall be wholehearted" -- even in engagement with Torah, "you should be with the Lord your God." And do not say "Isn't the Torah itself called 'Torah of God'?" [and that this suffices for one's relationship with God]. And that is what it says this "verse is applied to them" -- that it includes all the Torah, "as though they were liable for death."

"The one who walks alone on a path and studies and makes a break from their study..." (Pirkei Avot 3:4 [in Sefaria's version, Avot 3:7]). A problem: "and makes a break from their study" alone would tell us that they were studying [i.e. and we don't need "and studies"]. A further problem: "the verse is applied to them... [as though they were liable for death]" (ibid.) -- and it doesn't explain which verse! And it's possible to explain as follows: "the one who walks on a straight path" -- and even if they are alone, which is to say that they are not fused to the Name may it be Blessed -- "and studies and makes a break in their study", here the text wants to say "makes a break" [between] the person themself and the Name may it be blessed. They do this by means of their study, since greatness and glory come to them by means of their study, and they think that they own their study. "They say 'how beautiful is this tree'" (ibid.) -- and regarding themself they say the same in their heart, as it is written "for is a man a tree of the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). And they further say that "this tree [that you saw] grow and become mighty" (Daniel 4:17) [c.f. use of the verse in Zohar 3:53b in reference to tree of life/Torah]. "How beautiful is this newly ploughed field" (Avot 3:7) -- as it is written "Break up your fallow ground" (Jeremiah 4:3). Meaning, that they say they are preparing for themself a portion in the world to come by means of their study. "The verse is applied to them" (Avot 3:7) -- meaning, the verse "You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 18:13) -- meaning, even when you are engaged with Torah! As it says of Torah, "the Torah of God is whole" (Psalms 19:8) -- and that which it says "You shall be wholehearted" -- even in engagement with Torah, "you should be with the Lord your God." And do not say "Isn't the Torah itself called 'Torah of God'?" [and that this suffices for one's relationship with God]. And that is what it says this "verse is applied to them" -- that it includes all the Torah, "as though they were liable for death."