Commento su Pirkei Avoth 2:3

BE CAREFUL WITH THE GOVERNMENT. Rav: even though you must become known to the government in order to attend to the needs of the people, be careful with them. For Shemaya⁶⁸In 1:10. was not referring to such cases when he said “do not become known to the government,” as in this case it is a great mitzvah to become known to them, to attend to the needs of the people, as the stories of Mordechai and Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi prove—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Rashbatz.

Be careful about the government: Which is to say to distance oneself from the government, as in the end they bring a person down from his assets.

We have already explained (Rambam Pirkei Avot 1:10) that the government (rishut) is the authorities in the early days. And he is recounting their traits and warning about them.

Since Shamaya was not speaking about [things] like this. As this is a great commandment to become acquainted with them in order to supervise communal matters and Mordechai and our holy rabbi (Rabbi) prove [it] - Midrash Shmuel.

"Be careful about the government": You, who are involved with the needs of the community: even though you need to be acquainted with the authorities in order to supervise communal matters, "be careful, etc."

Introduction Another statement by Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi.

as they approach a man only when they need him: (The matter of the king) [It appears that it needs to say, "And it is not a matter of governance,] but [rather] it is to investigate people; and there is no [end] (to his thoughts) [to their thoughts] - and who can get to (his) [their] ultimate [plans].

Be careful [in your dealings] with the ruling authorities for they do not befriend a person except for their own needs; they seem like friends when it is to their own interest, but they do not stand by a man in the hour of his distress. This is the second time in Avoth that we have seen a warning to be careful in dealing with the ruling authorities. The first time was Shemaiah’s statement in 1:10: “love work, hate acting the superior, and do not attempt to draw near to the ruling authority.” According to Midrash Shmuel, Rabban Gamaliel is adding on to this statement. One should “love work”, only when it is accompanied with Torah (see the previous mishnah). One need not avoid all positions of leadership, only those that are not for the sake of Heaven. Finally, Rabban Gamaliel realized that it is impossible to totally avoid the ruling authorities, but one should at least be careful, for they only look out for their own interest. This mishnah might connect to the previous mishnah, in that a person who has communal responsibilities will often find himself dealing with politicians.

They seem like good friends in good times, but they don't stay for him in time of his trouble: [They are friendly] when they have a shortage of money, but when desperate they don't have mercy upon the poor person until they bring him down from his assets, and they forget the earlier [relations] since it is all past [and] gone. And such is the simple understanding of this mishnah. But if the matter is so, it speaks about the defect of kings. But forbid it, forbid it - that such should be the matter and that it should arise. As through them the whole world is sustained and they create law and justice in the world. And there is no man that can be as truthful as they, as they do not need to flatter creatures since they are not afraid; and [so] there is nothing that prevents them from walking the straight path. And hence it appears [that it can] be said that the kings - be it their friendship or be it their enmity - are not in their [own] hands. And [so] when the king needs a person and brings him close and shows him friendship at the time that he benefits from him, it is from God that the matter went out, and not from the king. And God arranged that this person be of benefit to the king. And when a man sins to God and he is guilty and He wants to press him, who can stand for him? And even if the king wants to do him honor, it is only in his hand to surely take the vengeance of God and to 'afflict the one that the Lord would love to chastise.' And this is what it states (Proverbs 21:1), "Like channeled water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand." He wants to say, just like a person can direct a channel to any side that he wants, so [too] is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord to direct it to do good 'to the person whose honor He desires' and 'to pay back His enemies in his face to destroy him.' And he stated, "the heart of the king" and he was not speaking about other people; but so is it that all hearts are 'in the hand of the Lord.' As even though, [a person] thinks thoughts and it appears to the eyes that he has the ability in his hand to act; in truth he does not have the power in his hand to do bad or to do good, but rather [to do] the word of the living God.