תלמוד על אבות 4:20

HALAKHAH: “Three rows of students of the Sages,” etc. Rebbi Abba (bar) [Rebbi]⁹²This is a quote from Halakhah 1:6, Note 338. One has to read with the text there, R. Abba, R. Yasa, rather than introduce an otherwise unknown R. Abba bar Yasa. In the opinion of the Babli, the law school had room for 3 times 23 students. It seems that the Yerushalmi agrees; therefore the derivation of the number 23 of members of the court is hinted at by the quote of its first sentence. Yasa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It says here congregation, and it says there congregation. Rav brought it from a Mishnah; the Mishnah says “be a tail of lions and not a head of jackals.⁹³Avot 4:15.” The parable says, be a head of jackals but not a tail of lions. But we have stated: “If they needed to ordain, they ordained one from the first row.⁹⁴The Mishnah does not require that the occupant of the first seat of the first row be ordained; it could be anyone from the first row. Therefore, the last seat in the first row is better than the top seat in the second row.”

Rabbi Yitzchak ben Pinchas would say: Anyone who has studied Midrash but has not studied Halakhah has never really tasted wisdom. Anyone who has studied Halakhah but has not studied Midrash has never really tasted the fear of sin.
He would also say: Anyone who has studied Midrash but has not studied Halakhah is like a strong person who is unarmed. Anyone who has studied Halakhah but has not studied Midrash is like a weak person with a weapon in his hand. Anyone who has studied both is like a person who is both strong and armed.
He would also say: Be careful when greeting other people. Do not get in the middle of a conflict, and do not try to see it. Return to a place of friends. And be a tail to lions rather than a head to foxes.