Bartenura on Pirkei Avot Chapter 5
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בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת. תִּשְׁעָה וַיֹּאמֶר, וּבְרֵאשִׁית נַמִּי מַאֲמָר הוּא, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים לג) בִּדְבַר ה' שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ:
With ten utterances: Nine [times in the creation story does it state] "and He said"; and "In the beginning" is also an utterance, as it is written (Psalms 33:6), "With the word of the Lord were the heavens made."
שֶׁמְּאַבְּדִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם. שֶׁכָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא, וְהָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁבַּעֲוֹנָם מְאַבְּדִים אֶת נַפְשָׁם כְּאִלּוּ מְאַבְּדִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם. כָּךְ מָצָאתִי. וְלִי נִרְאֶה, שֶׁמְּאַבְּדִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁמַּכְרִיעִים אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לְכַף חוֹבָה, וְנִמְצָא הָעוֹלָם אָבֵד בִּשְׁבִילָם:
who destroy the world: Since 'anyone that destroys one soul of Israel is as if they destroyed an entire world,' and [since] the wicked destroy their souls because of their sins, it is as if they destroy the world. So have I found. And it appears to me that they literally destroy the world, as they tip the scales of the whole world towards guilt, and it comes out that the world is destroyed on their account.
שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה הַמְאַבֵּד מְלָאכָה שֶׁהִיא נַעֲשֵׂית בְּיוֹם אֶחָד לִמְלָאכָה שֶׁהִיא נַעֲשֵׂית בְּהַרְבֵּה יָמִים:
that was created with ten utterances: And one who destroys work that was done in one day is not similar to one who destroys work that was done in many days.
לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לְפָנָיו. אַף אַתָּה אַל תִּתְמַהּ שֶׁהֶאֱרִיךְ לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם כָּל הַשָּׁנִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁהֵן מִשְׁתַּעַבְּדִין בְּבָנָיו, שֶׁיּוֹתֵר הֶאֱרִיךְ לַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁמֵּאָדָם וְעַד נֹחַ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִשְׁטְפוּ:
To demonstrate the great extent of [God's] patience: You too should not be surprised that he has been patient with the nations of the world all of these years that they are subjugating His childeren, since He was more patient with the generations from Adam to Noah. And afterwards, they were washed away [with the flood].
וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו שְׂכַר כֻּלָּם. עָשָׂה מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶּׁהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כֻּלָּם, לְפִיכָךְ נִצּוֹלוּ כֻּלָּם בִּזְכוּתוֹ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנָּטַל עָלָיו עֹל מִצְוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם כָּךְ קִבֵּל בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא שָׂכָר כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם, שֶׁכָּל אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, אֶחָד בְּגַן עֵדֶן וְאֶחָד בַּגֵּיהִנֹם, זָכָה נוֹטֵל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן, נִתְחַיֵּב, נוֹטֵל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ בַּגֵּיהִנֹם (חגיגה טו:):
and received the reward of them all: He did good deeds corresponding to what was fitting for all of them to do, hence they were all saved in his merit. And just like he took upon himself the yoke of the commandments in this world corresponding to all of them, so did receive reward in the world to come corresponding to all of them. As each person has two portions, one in the Garden of Eden and one in gehinnom - if he merits, he takes his portion and the portion of his fellow in the Garden of Eden; if he is guilty, he takes his portion and the portion of his fellow in gehinnom. (Chagigah 15b)
עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת. אֶחָד, אוּר כַּשְׂדִים, שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוֹ נִמְרוֹד לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ. שֵׁנִי, לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ. שְׁלִישִׁי, וַיְהִי רָעָב. רְבִיעִי, וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה. חֲמִישִׁי, מִלְחֶמֶת הַמְּלָכִים. שִׁשִּׁי, מַעֲמַד בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים, שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ שִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכֻיּוֹת. שְׁבִיעִי, הַמִּילָה. שְׁמִינִי, וַיִּשְׁלַח אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וַיִקַּח אֶת שָׂרָה. תְּשִׁיעִי, גָּרֵשׁ הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת וְאֶת בְּנָהּ. עֲשִׂירִי, הָעֲקֵדָה:
Ten tests: One - Ur Kasdim, when Nimrod cast him into the fiery furnace; the second - "'Go out from your land'" (Genesis 12:1); the third - "and there was a famine" (Genesis 12:10); the fourth - "and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh" (Genesis 12:15); the fifth - the war of the kings; the sixth - the stand between the pieces, where he was shown the subjugation of [his descendants by] the nations; the seventh - the circumcision; the eighth - "and Avimelekh sent... and he took Sarah" (Genesis 20:2); the ninth - "'Expel this maidservant and her son'" (Genesis 21:10); the tenth - the binding [of Isaac].
עֲשָׂרָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם. שֶׁנִּצּוֹלוּ מֵעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת. וְכֻלָּם הָיוּ בַּמִּצְרִיִּים וְלֹא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:
Ten miracles were performed for our ancestors in Egypt: as they were spared from the ten plagues. And they were all against the Egyptians and not against Israel.
וַעֲשָׂרָה עַל הַיָּם. אֶחָד, וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם. שֵׁנִי, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַיָּם כְּמִין אֹהֶל וְנִכְנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתוֹכוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (חבקוק ג) נָקַבְתָּ בְמַטָּיו רֹאשׁ פְּרָזָיו. שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה קַרְקָעִית הַיָּם יָבֵשׁ בְּלֹא חֹמֶר וְטִיט, דִּכְתִיב (שמות יד) וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה. רְבִיעִי, שֶׁקַּרְקָעִית הַיָּם שֶׁדָּרְכוּ בּוֹ הַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתְחַלְחֵל וְנַעֲשָׂה חֹמֶר וְטִיט, דִּכְתִיב (חבקוק ג) חֹמֶר מַיִם רַבִּים. חֲמִישִׁי, שֶׁהַמַּיִם הַנִּקְפָּאִים בְּקַרְקַע הַיָּם לֹא הָיוּ חֲתִיכָה אַחַת אֶלָּא חֲתִיכוֹת קְטַנּוֹת, כְּעֵין לְבֵנִים וְאַבְנֵי הַבִּנְיָן מְסֻדָּרִים זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים עד) אַתָּה פוֹרַרְתָּ בְעָזְּךָ יָם, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה כְּעֵין פֵּרוּרִים. שִׁשִּׁי, שֶׁנִּתְקַשּׁוּ הַמַּיִם הַנִּקְפָּאִים וְנַעֲשׂוּ קָשִׁים כִּסְלָעִים, כְּדִכְתִיב (שם) שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם, וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים נִקְרְאוּ תַּנִּינִים. שְׁבִיעִי, שֶׁנִּגְזַר הַיָּם לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר גְּזָרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב (שם קלו) לְגוֹזֵר יַם סוּף לִגְזָרִים. שְׁמִינִי, שֶׁקָּפְאוּ הַמַּיִם כְּסַפִּיר וְשֹׁהַם וּזְכוּכִית, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים אֵלּוּ אֶת אֵלּוּ, שֶׁעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ הָיָה מֵאִיר לָהֶם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יח) חֶשְׁכַת מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים, כְּלוֹמַר קִבּוּץ הַמַּיִם הָיָה כָּעֳבִי שְׁחָקִים כְּעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר. תְּשִׁיעִי, שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹצְאִים מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם מְתוּקִים שֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹתִים אוֹתָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נוֹזְלִים. עֲשִׂירִי, שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁשָּׁתוּ מֵהֶם מַה שֶּׁרָצוּ, הַנּוֹתָרִים מֵהֶם הָיוּ נִקְפָּאִים וְנַעֲשִׂים עֲרֵמוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (שמות טו) נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם נִצְּבוּ כְמוֹ נֵד נוֹזְלִים:
And ten [miracles were performed] at the [Reed] Sea: One - "and the water split" (Exodus 14:21); the second - that the sea turned into a type of of tent and Israel went into it, as it is written (Habakuk 3:14), "You have pierced with his rods, the head of his rulers"; the third - that the sea floor became dry without clay and mud, as it is written (Exodus 14:29), "And the children of Israel walked on dry land"; the fourth - that the sea floor, that the Egyptians that chased after Israel trod upon, dampened and became clay and mud, as it is written (Habakuk 3:14), "the clay of great waters"; the fifth - that the water that congealed on the sea floor did not become one piece, but rather [many] small pieces, similar to bricks and building stones arranged one next to the other, as it is written (Psalms 74:13), "You crumbled the sea with Your power," [meaning] that it turned into a type of [surface made up of] crumbs; the sixth - that the water that congealed hardened and became as hard as boulders, as it is written (Psalms 74:13), "you broke the head of the 'sea monsters' upon the waters," and the Egyptians were called sea monsters; the seventh - that the sea was split into twelve pieces so that each and every tribe could cross by itself in [its own] path, and that is [the meaning] of that which is written (Psalms 136:13), "To tear the Reed Sea into pieces"; the eighth - that the waters congealed [with the appearance of] sapphire and onyx and glass, so that the tribes would see each other, since the pillar of fire was giving them light, and this is what is stated (Psalms 18:12), "the darkness of the waters, the clouds of the sky," which is to say that the gathering of waters was like clouds of the sky, 'like the essence of the sky in purity'; the ninth - that sweet water would come out from it, such that they would drink it, and this is what is stated (Exodus 15:8), "flowing"; the tenth - that after they drank what they wanted from it, the remainder would congeal and turn into piles, as it is written (Exodus 15:8), "the waters piled up, they stood up like a flowing stack."
עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת הֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים בְּמִצְרַיִם. דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב:
Ten plagues did the Holy One, blessed be He, bring upon the Egyptians in Egypt: Detsakh (the Hebrew initials of the first three plagues) Adash (the Hebrew initials of the second three plagues), Beachav (the Hebrew initials of the last four plagues).
וְעֶשֶׂר עַל הַיָּם. הֵן כְּנֶגֶד עֶשֶׂר נְפִילוֹת שֶׁבְּשִׁירַת וַיּוֹשַׁע. רָמָה בַיָּם, יָרָה בַיָּם, טֻבְּעוּ בְיַם סוּף, תְּהוֹמוֹת יְכַסְיֻמוּ, יָרְדוּ בִמְצוֹלוֹת, תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב, תַּהֲרֹס קָמֶיךָ, יֹאכְלֵמוֹ כַּקַּשׁ, כִּסָּמוֹ יָם, צָלְלוּ כַּעוֹפֶרֶת, הֲרֵי עֶשֶׂר נְפִילוֹת. וְתִבְלָעֵמוֹ אָרֶץ אֵינוֹ בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנְּפִילוֹת, שֶׁזּוֹ הִיא טוֹבָתָן שֶׁזָּכוּ לִקְבוּרָה:
and ten [miracles were performed] at the [Reed] Sea: These correspond to the ten downfalls in the Song "And God Saved" (Exodus 14:30 - 15:19): "He threw into the sea"; "He cast into the sea"; "they drowned in the Reed Sea"; "The depths covered them"; "they descended into the depths"; "You crushed the enemy"; "You destroyed your enemy"; "it consumed them like straw"; " they sank like lead" - behold ten falls. And "the earth swallowed them" is not in the calculation of the downfalls, as this is to their benefit - that they merited a burial.
עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִסּוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַמִּדְבָּר. שְׁנַיִם בַּיָּם, אֶחָד בַּיְרִידָה, שָׁם נֶאֱמָר (שם יד) הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאֶחָד בָּעֲלִיָּה, וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וַיִּלוֹנוּ. אֶחָד בִּרְפִידִים, וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם מֹשֶׁה. שְׁנַיִם בַּמָּן, לֹא תֵצְאוּ וְיָצְאוּ, אִישׁ אַל יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וַיּוֹתִירוּ. שְׁנַיִם בַּשְּׂלָו, בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר, בַּשְּׂלָו הַשֵּׁנִי וְהָאסַפְסוּף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ. אֶחָד בָּעֵגֶל. וְאֶחָד בַּמִּתְאוֹנְנִים. וּבַמְרַגְּלִים, וְהוּא עֲשִׂירִי, שָׁם נֶאֱמָר וַיְּנַסּוּ אוֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי:
[With] ten trials did our ancestors test the Holy One, blessed be He, in the Wilderness: Two at the sea - one in going down, where it states (Exodus 14:11), "'Are there no graves in Egypt,'" and one in coming up (Exodus 15:23-24), "And they came to Marah... And they complained"; one at Refidim (Exodus 17:2), "And the people argued with Moshe"; two with the manna - [Moshe said] "do not go out" and they went out, and (Exodus 16:19-20) "no man should leave over from it... and they left over"; two with the quail - with the first [incident of quail] (Exodus 16:3), "'about our sitting over the pot of meat,'" with the second [incident of] quail (Numbers 11:4), "And the mixed multitude that was within them"; one with the [golden] calf; one with the grumblers (Numbers 11:1); and with the spies, and that is the tenth - there it states (Numbers 14:22), "and they have tried Me these ten times and they did not listen to My voice."
וְלֹא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. לְפִי שֶׁהִיא טֻמְאָה הַיּוֹצְאָה מִגּוּפוֹ, הָיָה הַדָּבָר מְגֻנֶּה וּמְכֹעָר יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר טֻמְאוֹת:
A High Priest did not have an accidental emission: Since this is an impurity that comes out from his body, this thing was more disgraceful and ugly than other impurities.
וְלֹא כִּבּוּ גְשָׁמִים אֵשׁ עֲצֵי הַמַּעֲרָכָה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ בְּמָקוֹם מְגֻלֶּה הָיָה:
and rain did not extinguish the fire of the wood pile: and even though the altar was in an exposed place.
וְלֹא נָצְחָה הָרוּחַ אֶת עַמּוּד הֶעָשָׁן. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא מִתַּמֵּר וְעוֹלֶה:
and the wind did not overpower the pillar of smoke: that it should not asecnd and go up [vertically].
וְלֹא נִמְצָא פְסוּל בָּעֹמֶר וּבִשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם וּבְלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. שֶׁאִם הָיָה נִמְצָא בָּהֶם פְּסוּל קֹדֶם מִצְוָתָן לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לְהַקְרִיב אֲחֵרִים תַּחְתָּם. שֶׁהָעֹמֶר נִקְצַר בַּלַּיְלָה וְלֹא הָיוּ מַרְבִּים לִקְצֹר. וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם נֶאֱפִים מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב וְאֵין אֲפִיָּתָן דּוֹחָה יוֹם טוֹב. וְכֵן לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים נֶאֱפָה מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת:
and there was not found a disqualification in the omer or in the two breads or in the showbreads: As if a disqualification was found in [the omer offerings] before their commanded [time], it would not have been possible to offer others in their place; as the omer was cut at night and they would not cut a lot. And the two breads were baked on the eve of the holiday, and their baking does not push off [the restrictions of] the holidy [forbidding their baking]. And so [too], the showbreads were baked on the eve of Shabbat.
צְפוּפִים. לְשׁוֹן צָף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם. מֵרֹב הַקָּהָל הָיוּ נִדְחָקִים אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו עַד שֶׁהָיוּ רַגְלֵיהֶם נְטוּלוֹת מִן הָאָרֶץ וְעוֹמְדִים בָּאֲוִיר:
crowded (tsefufim): [It is like] the expression, float (tsaf) on the face of the waters. From the large size of the crowd, they would be pushing one man up against his fellow, until their feet were lifted off the ground and they would stand in the air.
וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים רְוָחִים. בִּשְׁעַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם נֵס וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים בְּרֶוַח כָּל אֶחָד רָחוֹק מֵחֲבֵרוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא מִתְוַדֶּה וּמַזְכִּיר עֲוֹנוֹתָיו:
and bow down with [enough] space: At the time of bowing down, a miracle was performed for them and they would bow down with space, [such that] each one was a distance of four amot from his fellow; so that he not hear his friend when [the latter] was confessing and mentioning his sins.
צַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁאָלִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. גָּרְסִינַן. לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַמָּקוֹם מַזְמִין לָהֶם פַּרְנָסָתָן וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ אֶחָד מֵהֶם לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם וְלוֹמַר פַּרְנָסָתִי [דְּחוּקָה] וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לָדוּר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. וְיֵשׁ סְפָרִים שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן כְּשֶׁאָלִין. וְעַל הָעוֹלִים לָרֶגֶל נֶאֱמָר, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם מֵצֵר כְּשֶׁהָיָה לָן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם מֵחֲמַת דֹּחַק הַמָּקוֹם. כְּמוֹ צַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם גְּשָׁה לִי וְאֵשֵׁבָה (ישעיה מט):
"The place is too cramped that I should lodge in Jerusalem": is the textual variant that we [follow]. As the Omnipresent would provide for their livelihood and none of them would have to leave from there and say, "My livelihood (is tight) and I cannot live in Jerusalem." And there are books that have written in them, "when I lodge." And it is said about the holiday pilgrims; such that none of them was cramped when he was lodging in Jerusalem because of the tightness of the place - as in (Isaiah 49:20), "The place is tight for me, give me and I will dwell."
בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בְּרֵאשִׁית קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּשְׁלְמָה הַבְּרִיאָה:
At twilight: on the eve of the Shabbat of creation, before the creation was completed.
פִּי הָאָרֶץ. לִבְלֹעַ קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ:
The mouth of the earth: to swallow Korach and his congregation.
וּפִי הַבְּאֵר. בְּאֵרָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם שֶׁהָיְתָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּכָל הַמַּסָּעוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁפָּתְחָה פִּיהָ וְאָמְרָה שִׁירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כא) עֲלִי בְאֵר עֱנוּ לָהּ:
and the mouth of the well: The well of Miriam that went with Israel in the wilderness on all of the journeys. And some say, that it opened its mouth and uttered song, as it stated (Numbers 21:17), "rise up, O well; answer it."
פִּי הָאָתוֹן. בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת נִגְזַר עָלֶיהָ שֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִם בִּלְעָם:
and the mouth of the donkey: At twilight it was decreed about it that it should speak with Bilaam.
וְהַקֶּשֶׁת. לְאוֹת בְּרִית שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה עוֹד מַבּוּל:
and the rainbow: as a sign of the covenant that there would not be another flood.
וְהַמָּן. שֶׁיָּרַד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בַּמִּדְבָּר:
and the manna: that descended for Israel for forty years in the wilderness.
וְהַמַּטֶּה. שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בּוֹ הָאוֹתוֹת. וְשֶׁל סְנַפִּרִינוֹן הָיָה:
and the staff [of Moshe]: with which the signs were preformed. And it was [made] of sapphire.
וְהַשָּׁמִיר. כְּמִין תּוֹלַעַת, בְּרִיָּתוֹ כִּשְׂעֹרָה, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מַרְאִים אוֹתוֹ עַל הָאֲבָנִים הָרְשׁוּמוֹת בַּדְּיוֹ, הֵן נִבְקָעוֹת מֵאֲלֵיהֶן. וּבוֹ פִּתְּחוּ אַבְנֵי הָאֵפוֹד וְהַחֹשֶׁן, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ בְּמִלֻאוֹתָם:
and the shamir: It is like a type of worm, the [size of a grain of] barley in its entirety. When they would [place] it on the stones that were marked with ink [to demark what they wanted cut, the stones] would become indented on their own. And with it did they engrave the stones of the vest (ephod) and the breastplate, as it is written about them, "in their fullness."
הַכְּתָב. צוּרַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ חֲקוּקִים בַּלּוּחוֹת:
the letters: The shape of the letters that were engraved on the tablets;
וְהַמִּכְתָּב. שֶׁהָיוּ נִקְרָאִים מִכָּל הָאַרְבָּעָה צְדָדִים:
the writing: that they could be read from all four sides.
וְהַלּוּחוֹת. שֶׁל סְנַפִּרִינוֹן הָיוּ, אָרְכָּן שִׁשָּׁה, וְרָחְבָּן שִׁשָּׁה, וְעָבְיָן שְׁלֹשָׁה. כְּאֶבֶן אַחַת שֶׁאָרְכָּהּ וְרָחְבָּהּ וְעָבְיָהּ שָׁוִין, וְנֶחְלְקָה לִשְׁתַּיִם. וְנִגְלָלִים הָיוּ, וַחֲצוּבִים מִגַּלְגַּל חַמָּה:
the tablets: were [made] of sapphire. Their length was six and their width was six and their thickness was three, like a stone whose length, width and thickness are equal and it was split into two. And they were soft and they were quarried from the ball of the sun.
אַף הַמַּזִּיקִין. אֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁדִים. שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָדָם וְחַוָּה הָיָה מִתְעַסֵּק בִּבְרִיאָתָן, וּכְשֶׁבָּרָא רוּחוֹתֵיהֶן לֹא הִסְפִּיק לִבְרֹא גּוּפֵיהֶן עַד שֶׁקִּדַּשׁ הַיּוֹם, וְנִשְׁאֲרוּ רוּחוֹת בְּלֹא גּוּף:
also the destructive spirits: These are the shedim (demons). As after the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam and Chava, he was involved in their creation. And when He created their spirits, He did not suffice to create their bodies before the [Shabbat] day was sanctified (began), and they remained spirits without a body.
וְאֵילוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. נִגְזַר עָלָיו בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶאֱחַז בַּסְּבַךְ בְּקַרְנָיו בִּשְׁעַת הָעֲקֵדָה:
and the ram of Avraham, our father: It was decreed about it at twilight that it would be stuck in the thicket by its horns at the time of the binding [of Yitschak].
אַף צְבָת בִּצְבָת עֲשׂוּיָה. תַּרְגּוּם מֶלְקָחֶיהָ צִבְיָתָהָא. הַצְּבָת אֵינָהּ נַעֲשֵׂית אֶלָּא בִּצְבָת אַחֶרֶת, וְרִאשׁוֹנָה מִי עֲשָׂאָהּ, עַל כָּרְחֲךָ מֵאֵלֶיהָ נַעֲשֵׂית בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, וְנִבְרֵאת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. וְזֶה נִדְחָה בַּגְּמָרָא בְּפֶרֶק מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ (פסחים דף נד), וְאָמְרוּ, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהַצְּבָת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה נַעֲשֵׂית בִּדְפוּס, שֶׁהִתִּיכוּ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת בָּאֵשׁ וְהִצִּיקוּהוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַדְּפוּס וְנַעֲשֵׂית הַצְּבָת מִיָּד:
also the tongs (tsevat), made with tongs: The [Aramaic] translation of (Numbers 4:9) "its tongs" is tsivtaha. The tongs can only be made with other tongs - and [so,] who made the first ones? Perforce they were made by themselves by the hand of Heaven; and they were created at twilight. And this was pushed off in the gemara in the chapter [entitled] Makom she'Nahagu (Pesachim 54a); and they said it is possible that the first tongs were made in a mold, as they cut the copper [for the tongs] with fire and cast it into the mold and it immediately became tongs.
גֹּלֶם. לְשׁוֹן גָּלְמֵי כֵּלִים, שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמְרָה מְלַאכְתָּן. כָּךְ אָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִגְמָר בְּדַעְתּוֹ לֹא בְּמִדּוֹת וְלֹא בְּחָכְמָה קָרוּי גֹּלֶם:
An unformed person (golem): This is an expression as per [its usage in the phrase,] "unformed vessels (golmei kelim)." So [too] is a man who is not finished in his intellect - not in his character traits and not in his wisdom - called unformed (golem).
אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְחָכְמָה. שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּאֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ לְדַבֵּר בִּפְנֵי אֲבִיהֶן כְּשֶׁקָּצַף עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה, וְהֵשִׁיב אַהֲרֹן:
does not speak in front of someone who is greater than him in wisdom: As so have we found with Elazar and Itamar, who did not want to speak in front of their father, when Moshe became angry with them; and [instead] Aharon responded.
וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ. שֶׁלֹּא [יְעַרְבְּבֶנּוּ]. דִּכְתִיב (במדבר יב) שִׁמְעוּ נָא דְּבָרָי, הַמְתִּינוּ לִי עַד שֶׁאֲדַבֵּר. קַל וָחֹמֶר לְהֶדְיוֹט:
and he does not interrupt the words of his fellow: that he not mix him up. As it is written (Numbers 12:6), "'listen to my words,'" [meaning] listen to me until I [have spoken]. All the more so with simple people [is there a concern that it will mix them up].
וְאֵינוֹ נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב. כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ כַּהֲלָכָה. וְכֵן בֶּאֱלִיהוּא הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב לו) כַּתַּר לִי זְעֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּךָ:
and is not impulsive in answering: so that his answer be as is proper. And so was it with Elihu, he said (Job 36:2), "Wait for me a little and I will tell you."
שׁוֹאֵל כָּעִנְיָן וּמֵשִׁיב כַּהֲלָכָה. לְדָבָר אֶחָד הוּא נִמְנָה כָּאן. וְהָכִי פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, הַתַּלְמִיד שׁוֹאֵל כָּעִנְיָן כְּלוֹמַר בְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן שֶׁהֵם עֲסוּקִים בּוֹ, וְאָז הָרַב מֵשִׁיב כַּהֲלָכָה. אֲבָל אִם יִשְׁאַל הַתַּלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא כְּעִנְיָן, הוּא מֵבִיא לָרַב שֶׁיָּשִׁיב שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֲלָכָה. עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא לְרַב (שבת דף ג) כִּי קָאֵי רַבִּי בְּהַאי מַסֶּכְתָּא לֹא תְשַׁיְלֵיהּ בְּמַסֶּכְתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָּאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ טְמֵאִים לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת מֹשֶׁה עוֹסֵק בְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח וְשָׁאֲלוּ לוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן:
and he asks to the point and answers as is proper: It is counted as one thing here, and this is its explanation: The student asks to the point, which is to say about the topic with which they are involved, and then the teacher will answer him as is proper. But if the student asks not to the point, he brings the teacher to answer as is not proper. [This is] in the way of what Rabbi Chiya said to Rav (Shabbat 3b), "When Rabbi is in this tractate, do not ask him about another tractate." And so [too] do you find with the people that were impure from [contact with a dead] soul, who saw that Moshe was involved with the laws of Pesach and asked him about that same topic.
וְאוֹמֵר עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה (שמות ג) מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה, הִיא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲרֵי שְׁנִיָּה. וְהֵשִׁיבוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנָה כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, וְעַל הַשְּׁנִיָּה, בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת הָעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים:
and he speaks to the first [point] first: And so did we find with the Holy One, blessed be He; since Moshe said to Him (Numbers 3:11), "'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh'" - that is the first - "'and that I should bring out the Children of Israel'" - behold, the second. And the Holy One, blessed be He, answered about the first (Numbers 3:12), "'Since I will be with you'"; and about the second, "'in your bringing the people out from Egypt, you will serve God.'"
וְעַל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע אוֹמֵר לֹא שָׁמָעְתִּי. אִם פּוֹסֵק דִּין מִן הַסְּבָרָא מִדַּעְתּוֹ לֹא יֹאמַר כָּךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵרַבּוֹתַי. וּמָצִינוּ בְּאַנְשֵׁי חָרָן (בראשית כט) כְּשֶׁשָּׁאַל מֵהֶם יַעֲקֹב הֲשָׁלוֹם לוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן, כְּלוֹמַר, זֶה אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים, וְאִם תִּשְׁאַל יוֹתֵר, הִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן וְהִיא תַּגִּיד לְךָ, כִּי אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא יָדַעְנוּ יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה:
and about that which he has not heard [anything], says, "I have not heard [anything]": If he is deciding a legal case from the analysis of his own mind, he should not say, "So have I heard from my teachers." And we found with the men of Charan (Genesis 29:6) when Jacob asked them, "Is there peace (wellness) with him," they answered him, "there is peace and behold his daughter, Rachel, is coming with the flock"; which is to say, "This we know, but if you ask more, behold Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the flock and she will tell you, as we do not know more than this."
וּמוֹדֶה עַל הָאֱמֶת. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַעֲמִיד אֶת דְּבָרָיו עַל יְדֵי טְעָנוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּמֹשֶׁה (ויקרא י), כְּשֶׁסִּלְּקוֹ אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַר לוֹ, אִם שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקָדְשֵׁי שָׁעָה אֵין לְךָ לְהָקֵל בְּקָדְשֵׁי דּוֹרוֹת, וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָיו, הוֹדָה וְלֹא בּוֹשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי, אֶלָּא שָׁמַעְתִּי וְשָׁכַחְתִּי:
and he concedes to the truth: And even though he can uphold his words with claims that he [can produce]. And so did we find with Moshe when Aharon pushed him and said to him, "If you have heard [the law] with regards to temporary [sacrifices], you should not be lenient [with it] with regards to permanent sacrifices. "And Moshe heard and it was good in his eyes" (Leviticus 10:20). He conceded to him and he was not embarrassed [so as] to say, "I didn't hear [this]"; but rather [he said,] "I have heard [this] and I had forgotten [it]."
וְחִלּוּפֵיהֶן בַּגֹּלֶם. חִלּוּף הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁבֶּחָכָם הֵם בַּגֹּלֶם:
And their opposites [are the case] with an unformed person: The opposite of these things that are in the wise man are [found] in the unformed person.
רָעָב שֶׁל בַּצֹּרֶת. הַגְּשָׁמִים מֻעָטִים וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ הַשַּׁעַר מִתְיַקֵּר:
A famine from drought: [This is when] the rains are few and, from that, the [prices for food go up].
רָעָב שֶׁל מְהוּמָה. מִפְּנֵי הַגְּיָסוֹת אֵין יְכוֹלִין לֶאֱסֹף הַתְּבוּאָה:
a famine from tumult: [This is when] they are not able to gather the produce because of the [enemy] troops.
רָעָב שֶׁל כְּלָיָה. הַשָּׁמַיִם כַּבַּרְזֶל וְהָאָרֶץ כַּנְּחוּשָׁה:
a famine of annihilation: [This is when] the skies are like iron and the earth is like copper.
שֶׁלֹּא נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין. שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ בָּהֶן דִּין תּוֹרָה:
that are not given over to the court [to carry out]: [such] that they did not perform a Torah judgement (din Torah) on them.
וְעַל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית. שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בָּהֶן סְחוֹרָה וְאֵין נוֹהֲגִין בָּהֶן קְדֻשַּׁת שְׁבִיעִית:
and for [violation of the laws governing] the produce of the Sabbatical year: They are doing business with [this produce] and they are not treating it with the holiness of the Sabbatical year.
עִנּוּי הַדִּין. שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים לְהֵיכָן הַדִּין נוֹטֶה וּמְעַכְּבִין וְאֵין פּוֹסְקִין אוֹתוֹ:
the delay of justice: They know to [which side] the judgement is leaning and they do not decide upon it.
עִוּוּת הַדִּין. לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַחַיָּב וּלְחַיֵּב אֶת הַזַּכַּאי:
the perversion of justice: [meaning] to render the guilty innocent and the innocent guilty.
וְעַל הַמּוֹרִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַהֲלָכָה. לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר וּלְהַתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר:
and because of those who interpret the Torah counter to the accepted law: [meaning] to render the permissible forbidden and the forbidden permissible.
שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. לְבַטָּלָה, שֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ:
False oaths: in vain, that are unneccesary.
חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם. הָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא בְּיָד רָמָה. אִי נַמִּי, שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם רוֹאִים וְלוֹמְדִים מִמַּעֲשָׂיו:
desecration of God's name: One who commits a sin publicly with a high hand. And also (another explanation is) that people see and learn from his [sinful] actions.
וְעַל הַשְׁמָטַת הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁחוֹרְשִׁים וְזוֹרְעִים בַּשְּׁבִיעִית:
and because of [the violation] of the resting of the earth: when they plow and plant on the Sabbatical year.
מִפְּנֵי מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁית. שֶׁבִּמְקוֹם מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁמַּפְרִישִׁים בִּשְׁאָר שָׁנִים שֶׁל שְׁמִיטָה, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית וּבַשִּׁשִּׁית מַפְרִישִׁין מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי:
it is because of [negligence] of the tithe to the poor in the third [year]: As in place of the second tithe that they put aside in other years of the Sabbatical cycle; on the third and the seventh, they put aside the tithe to the poor.
גֶּזֶל מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים. לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה פֶּרֶט וְעוֹלְלוֹת:
the theft of gifts to the poor: The gleanings, the produce that is forgotten, the produce that is in the corner of the field, the fallen grapes and the single strands of grapes.
שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ. אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לְהַנּוֹתְךָ, וְהַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא תְּהַנֶּה אוֹתִי:
"What is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours": "I do not want to give you benefit, and would you only not benefit me."
וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. קָרוֹב הַדָּבָר לָבֹא לִידֵי מִדַּת סְדוֹם, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁהוּא רָגִיל בְּכָךְ, אֲפִלּוּ בְּדָבָר שֶׁחֲבֵרוֹ נֶהֱנֶה וְהוּא אֵינוֹ חָסֵר לֹא יִרְצֶה לְהַנּוֹת אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, וְזוֹ הָיְתָה מִדַּת סְדוֹם, שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּוְּנִים לְכַלּוֹת הָרֶגֶל מִבֵּינֵיהֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם לִפְנֵיהֶם וְלֹא הָיוּ חֲסֵרִים כְּלוּם:
And there are some who say that is the temperament of Sodom: The thing is close to coming to the temperament of Sodom. As since he gets accustomed to this, he will not want to give benefit to his fellow - even with something that benefits his fellow and he does not [lose anything as a result]. And this was the temperament of Sodom. As they were intending to stop sojourners from among them, even though the land was broad-shouldered in front of them and they did not lack anything.
שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁנֶּהֱנֶה וּמְהַנֶּה בְּשָׁוֶה, וְזֶהוּ יִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל הָאָרֶץ, אֲבָל אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ קְרָא דִּכְתִיב (משלי טו) וְשׂוֹנֵא מַתָּנוֹת יִחְיֶה. וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן עַם הָאָרֶץ הָאָמוּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם, שֶׁרוֹצֶה בְּתִקּוּנָהּ שֶׁל הָאָרֶץ אֲבָל אֵין בּוֹ חָכְמָה לְהַבְדִּיל בַּתִּקּוּנִין הָרְאוּיִין:
"what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] am ha'arets (uneducated person, literally the people of the land): who benefits and gives benefit equally, and this is [for] the [advancement of] the inhabitation of the land. But he doesn't know the verse (Proverbs 15:27) which writes, "and the one hates gifts will live." And this is the [meaning] of the expression, am ha'arets, in every place - that he wants the refinement of the land but he does not have the wisdom to distinguish [what are] proper refinements.
שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ. מְהַנֶּה אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת מִנְּכָסָיו, וְהוּא אֵינוֹ נֶהֱנֶה מֵאֲחֵרִים:
"what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours": He gives benefit to the creatures from his possessions, but he does not benefit from others.
חָסִיד. שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין:
a pious person: that goes beyond the [letter of the] law.
הָכִי גָּרְסִינַן נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ, קָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס וְקָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִשְׂכָרוֹ. אָדָם שֶׁכּוֹעֵס מַהֵר עַל כָּל דָּבָר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא חוֹזֵר וּמִתְרַצֶּה מְהֵרָה, הֶפְסֵדוֹ מְרֻבֶּה מִשְּׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁרֹב מַעֲשָׂיו מְקֻלְקָלִים מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר. אֲבָל הַקָּשֶׁה לִכְעֹס, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מִדָּה רָעָה שֶׁהוּא קָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ הַמֻּעָט שֶׁהוּא קָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת בִּשְׂכָרוֹ הַמְרֻבֶּה שֶׁהוּא קָשֶׁה לִכְעֹס, וְרֹב מַעֲשָׂיו מְתֻקָּנִים. וְאִית דְּגַרְסֵי אִפְּכָא. וְגִרְסָא זוֹ נִרְאֵית לִי עִקָּר:
This is the textual variant that we [follow]: [a person who is] easy to anger and easy to appease -- his gain is canceled by his loss. [A person who is] hard to anger but [also] hard to appease -- his loss is canceled by his gain: A man who get angry quickly about everything - even though he goes back and is quickly appeased - his loss is greater than his reward; as most of his deeds are spoiled, since he is easy to anger about each and every thing. But [if he is] hard to anger - even though he has a bad trait [in] that he is hard to appease - his great reward [in] that he is hard to anger cancels out his small loss [in] that he is hard to appease, and most of his deeds are refined. And some [follow] the variant [that has] the opposite, and [the first] variant seems more like the main [one].
מַהֵר לִשְׁמֹעַ וּמַהֵר לְאַבֵּד יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ. דְּמֵאַחַר שֶׁשּׁוֹכֵחַ מַה שֶּׁלּוֹמֵד מַה הֲנָאָה יֵשׁ בְּמַה שֶּׁהוּא מַהֵר לִשְׁמֹעַ, נִמְצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ גָּדוֹל מִשְּׂכָרוֹ:
Quick to understand and quick to forget -- his gain is canceled by his loss: As since he forgets what he learns, what benefit is there in that which he is quick to understand? It comes out that his loss is greater than his gain.
קָשֶׁה לִשְׁמֹעַ וְקָשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִשְׁכָרוֹ. שֶׁמִּדָּה טוֹבָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יְתֵרָה עַל הַמִּדָּה הַנִּפְסֶדֶת, הוֹאִיל וּמַה שֶּׁשָּׁמַע אַחַר הַקֹּשִׁי הוּא זוֹכֵר וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹכֵחַ. וְנָפְקָא מִנַּהּ, שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ לְפָנֵינוּ שְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידִים וְאֵין לָנוּ לְסַפֵּק מָזוֹן אֶלָּא לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם, נַקְדִּים הַקָּשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד עַל הַמַּהֵר לִשְׁמֹעַ:
[A student who is] slow to understand and slow to forget -- his loss is canceled by his gain: As the good trait in him exceeds the negative trait; since that which he understands after the difficulty, he remembers and does not forget. And what comes out from it (the practical difference) is that if we have two students in front of us and we only have enough sustenance to [support] one of them, we prioritize the one that is slow to forget.
זֶה חֵלֶק רָע. לֹא הֲוָה שַׁיָּךְ לְמִתְנֵי הָכָא חָסִיד אוֹ רָשָׁע, שֶׁאֵין זֶה דָּבָר הַתָּלוּי בִּבְחִירָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, אֶלָּא חִסָּרוֹן שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ מֵעִקַּר בְּרִיָּתוֹ:
that is a bad portion: It would not be relevant to learn here, "pious" or "evil," as this is not something that is dependent upon the choice of a person, but rather is a disadvantage that was in him from the beginning of his creation.
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּנוֹתְנֵי צְדָקָה. כְּלוֹמַר בִּנְתִינַת הַצְּדָקָה, וְלֹא בְּנוֹתְנֵי צְדָקָה מַמָּשׁ, דְּהָא אִיכָּא בְּהוּ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן. וְכֵן בְּסָמוּךְ בְּהוֹלְכֵי לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, הַיְנוּ בַּהֲלִיכַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ:
There are four temperaments among givers of charity: meaning to say in the giving of charity, and not literally among givers of charity. As behold, there is among them the one who does not give. And so [too] in the adjacent [mishnah], "among those who attend the House of Study," is in the going to the House of Study.
עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁל אֲחֵרִים. דְּיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַצְּדָקָה מְעַשֶּׁרֶת וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה שֶׁאֲחֵרִים יִתְעַשְּׁרוּ. פֵּרוּשׁ אַחֵר, יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁחָס עַל מָמוֹן קְרוֹבָיו יוֹתֵר מֵעַל מָמוֹנוֹ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה שֶׁקְּרוֹבָיו יִתְּנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יְאַבְּדוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם, וְהַיְנוּ עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁל אֲחֵרִים דּוּמְיָא דְּעֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁלּוֹ דִּבְסֵיפָא:
he has an evil eye with respect to others: As it is known that [giving] charity makes one wealthy and he does not want others to get wealthy. Another explanation: There [exists] one who is concerned about the money of his relatives more than about his own money. And even though he gives, he does not want his relatives to give, so that they not lose their money. And [this explanation makes] "he has an evil eye with respect to others" similar to "he has an evil eye with respect to himself" at the end [of this part of the mishnah].
הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה. הוֹלֵךְ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לִשְׁמֹעַ וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹנֶה וְלוֹמֵד וְלֹא מֵבִין:
[One who] goes but does not do: He goes to the House of Study to listen but he does not review and study and does not understand.
עוֹשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ. לוֹמֵד וְשׁוֹנֶה בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁבְּבֵיתוֹ:
[One who] does but does not go: He studies and reviews in the House of Study which is in his [own] home.
בְּיוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵי חֲכָמִים. לְעֵיל בְּאַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בַּתַּלְמִידִים אַיְרֵי בְּעִנְיַן הַזִּכָּרוֹן וְהַשִּׁכְחָה, וְהַשְׁתָּא מַיְרֵי בְּעִנְיַן הַסְּבָרָא הַיְשָׁרָה וּבְרֵרַת הַדָּבָר הַצּוֹדֵק מֵהַבִּלְתִּי צוֹדֵק:
Among those who sit before the sages: Earlier with the "four temperaments among students," it was speaking about the topic of memory and forgetting. And now it is speaking about the topic of proper analysis and separating a thing that is right from that which is not right.
סְפוֹג. הוּא סוֹפֵג אֶת הַמַּיִם, בֵּין עֲכוּרִים בֵּין צְלוּלִים, כָּךְ יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ רָחָב וּמְקַבֵּל כָּל מַה שֶּׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ, וְאֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לִבְרֹר הָאֱמֶת מִן הַשֶּׁקֶר:
the sponge: It absorbs the water, whether it is muddy or clear. So [too], there is one whose heart is broad and he receives everything that he hears [but] does not have the ability to separate the truth from the falsehood.
מַשְׁפֵּךְ. כְּלִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים עַל פִּי חָבִית אוֹ עַל פִּי הַנּוֹד כְּשֶׁרוֹצִים לְמַלְאוֹתוֹ יַיִן אוֹ שֶׁמֶן:
the funnel: A vessel that is put at the opening of a barrel or at the opening of a pouch when one wants to fill it with wine or oil.
שֶׁמַּכְנִיס בְּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בְזוֹ. כָּךְ יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל כָּל מַה שֶּׁלּוֹמֵד וּכְבוֹלְעוֹ כָּךְ פּוֹלְטוֹ:
because it lets in at [one end] and lets out at [the other]: So [too], there is one who receives everything that he learns; [but] in the way that he absorbs it, so does he [relinquish] it.
מְשַׁמֶּרֶת. מוֹצִיא כָּל מַה שֶּׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְקוֹלֵט דָּבָר שֶׁל בַּטָּלָה:
The strainer: He lets out all that he has heard in the House of Study and collects a wasteful matter.
נָפָה. לְאַחַר שֶׁמּוֹצִיאִים הַסֻּבִּין וְהַמֻּרְסָן מִן הַקֶּמַח הַנִּטְחָן וְנִשְׁאַר הַקֶּמַח הַדַּק עִם הַסֹּלֶת הַגַּס וְהוּא הֶחָשׁוּב, מַעֲבִירִין אוֹתוֹ בְּנָפָה דַּקָּה מְאֹד וְיוֹרֵד מִמֶּנָּה כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַקֶּמַח הַדַּק שֶׁהוּא כְּעֵין עַפְרוּרִית לְבָנָה וְנִשְׁאַר הַסֹּלֶת הַגַּס הֶחָשׁוּב. וְכֵן הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין לַמְּנָחוֹת. כָּךְ יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כֹּחַ לִבְרֹר וּלְלַבֵּן שְׁמוּעוֹתָיו, וְקוֹלֵט הָאֱמֶת מִן הַשֶּׁקֶר וְהַבָּטֵל:
The sieve: After we take out the bran and the bruised grain from the ground flour, the [inferior powdery] flour is left with the coarse fine flour, and [the latter] is the [more] important one; we pass it through a very fine sieve. And all of the [powdery] flour - which is like white dust - falls from it, and the coarse important flour remains. And so would they do with grain offerings. So [too], there is one who has the ability to separate and to cleanse his teachings and take the truth from the false and wasteful.
כָּל אַהֲבָה שֶׁהִיא תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר בָּטֵל. שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם, כְּשֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל הַדָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה סִבָּה לְאוֹתָהּ אַהֲבָה, גַּם הָאַהֲבָה בְּטֵלָה. וְכָל אַהֲבָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְּדָבָר בָּטֵל אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר קַיָּם, כְּגוֹן אַהֲבַת הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים, אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה לְעוֹלָם. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַדָּבָר שֶׁהוּא סִבָּה לְאוֹתָהּ אַהֲבָה אֵינָהּ בָּטֵל, כָּךְ אֵין הָאַהֲבָה בְּטֵלָה:
Any love that is dependent on something transient: that does not last. When the thing that was the cause for that love perishes, the love will also perish. But any love that is not dependent on something transient, but rather on something lasting - for example, the love of the righteous men and the sages - never perishes. In the same way that the thing which is the cause of that love does not perish, so [too] does the love not perish.
אַהֲבַת אַמְנוֹן וְתָמָר. מִפְּנֵי יָפְיָהּ:
the love of Amnon and Tamar: [which was] because of her beauty.
אַהֲבַת דָּוִד וְיוֹנָתָן. לְהַשְׁלִים רְצוֹן קוֹנָם. דְּאָמַר לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן לְדָוִד אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי אֶהֱיֶה לְךָ לְמִשְׁנֶה:
the love of David and Jonathan: [which was] to fulfill the will of their Maker. As Jonathan said to David, "You will be the king over Israel and I will be your second."
כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאַנְשֵׁי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הַהִיא מִתְקַיְּמִים וְאֵינָם אוֹבְדִין, כְּמַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי שֶׁלֹּא אָבְדוּ לֹא תַּלְמִידֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וְלֹא תַּלְמִידֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל. אֲבָל קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ אָבְדוּ. וַאֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי, פֵּרוּשׁ סוֹפָהּ, תַּכְלִיתָהּ הַמְבֻקָּשׁ מֵעִנְיָנָהּ. וְהַמַּחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, הַתַּכְלִית וְהַסּוֹף הַמְבֻקָּשׁ מֵאוֹתָהּ מַחֲלֹקֶת לְהַשִּׂיג הָאֱמֶת, וְזֶה מִתְקַיֵּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַוִּכּוּחַ יִתְבָּרֵר הָאֱמֶת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי שֶׁהֲלָכָה כְּבֵית הִלֵּל. וּמַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, תַּכְלִית הַנִּרְצֶה בָּהּ הִיא בַּקָּשַׁת הַשְּׂרָרָה וְאַהֲבַת הַנִּצּוּחַ, וְזֶה הַסּוֹף אֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ שֶׁתַּכְלִית וְסוֹף כַּוָּנָתָם הָיְתָה בַּקָּשַׁת הַכָּבוֹד וְהַשְּׂרָרָה וְהָיוּ לְהֶפֶךְ:
Every argument that is for [the sake of] heaven's name, it is destined (literally, its end is) to endure: That is to say that the [parties to] the argument are destined to endure and not perish, as with the argument between Hillel and Shammai, [whereby] neither the students of the School of Hillel nor the students of the School of Shammai perished. But Korach and his congregation perished. And I heard the explanation of “its end” is its purpose that is sought from its subject. And [with] the argument which is for the sake of Heaven, the purpose and aim that is sought from that argument is to arrive at the truth, and this endures; like that which they said, "From a dispute the truth will be clarified," and as it became elucidated from the argument between Hillel and Shammai - that the law was like the school of Hillel. And [with] argument which is not for the sake of Heaven, its desired purpose is to achieve power and the love of contention, and its end will not endure; as we found in the argument of Korach and his congregation - that their aim and ultimate intent was to achieve honor and power, and the opposite was [achieved].
אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הוּא בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם וְתַלְמִידָיו בְּגַן עֵדֶן:
Sin does not result from him: So that he will not be in gehinnom and his students in the Garden of Eden.
אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הוּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן וְתַלְמִידָיו בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם:
is not given enough [time] to repent: So that he not be in the Garden of Eden and his students in gehinnom.
וְזִכָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים. שֶׁלִּמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
and brought merit to the many: since he taught Torah to all of Israel.
צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו שֶׁעִם יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עֲשָׂאָן:
"He fulfilled the righteousness of God and His statutes with Israel": [Meaning] and His statutes that are with Israel, as if he had [also] done them.
אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִדְּלֹא קָאָמַר עַל חַטֹּאת יָרָבְעָם וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שְׁמַע מִנַּהּ שֶׁהַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּיָרָבְעָם:
who sinned and caused the many to sin: From that which it did not state, "for the sins of Jeroboam and Israel"; we understand from it that all was dependent upon Jeroboam
מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. לָמֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
From the students of Abraham, our father: He has learned from him and walks in his ways.
עַיִן טוֹבָה. מִסְתַּפֵּק בְּמַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹמֵד מָמוֹן אֲחֵרִים. שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁאָמַר לְמֶלֶךְ סְדוֹם (בראשית יד) אִם מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרוֹךְ נַעַל וְאִם אֶקַּח מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ:
a good eye: He is satisfied with that which he has and does not covet the money of others. As so did we find with Abraham, who said to the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:23), "'That not from a thread to a shoe strap and that I will not take from all that is yours.'"
וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה. עֲנָוָה יְתֵרָה. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ אַבְרָהָם אוֹמֵר (שם יח) וְאָנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר:
a humble spirit: Extra humility. And so did we find Abraham say (Genesis 18:27), "'and I am dust and ashes.'"
וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפָלָה. זְהִירוּת וְהַפְּרִישָׁה מִן הַתַּאֲווֹת. וּמָצִינוּ זֶה בְּאַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִיב (שם יב) הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִשָּׁה יְפַת מַרְאֶה אָתְּ, שֶׁעַד עַכְשָׁיו לֹא הִכִּיר בָּהּ מֵרֹב צְנִיעוּת. וּבְבִלְעָם אַשְׁכְּחַן עַיִן רָעָה, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהָיָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ אֵצֶל בָּלָק וְהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ כְּדֵי לִטֹּל שָׂכָר, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר כב) אִם יִתֶּן לִי בָלָק מְלֹא בֵיתוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב:
and a small appetite: Cautiousness and separation from the desires. And we found this in Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 12:11), "'behold now I know that you are a woman of beautiful appearance'" - that until now, he did not recognize [this] from [his] extensive modesty. And with Bilaam, we find an evil eye, as he knew that it was bad in the eyes of the Omnipresent that he should go to Balak, and he went [regardless] in order to take payment, as it is written (Numbers 22:18), "'if Balak give me the fill of his house [with] silver and gold.'"
וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה. דְּאָמַר (שם כד) נְאוּם שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן:
a haughty spirit: since he said (Numbers 24:16), "'Speaks the one who hears the utterances of God and knows the thought of the Most High.'"
וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה. שֶׁאִם לֹא הָיָה רַב הַתַּאֲוָה לֹא הָיָה יוֹעֵץ לְהַפְקִיר בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב לִזְנוּת. וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים (סנהדרין קה.) בִּלְעָם בּוֹעֵל אֲתוֹנוֹ הָיָה:
and a broad appetite: As if he did not have great desire, he would not have counseled to release the daughters of Moav to promiscuity. And the sages said (Sanhedrin 105a), Bilaam had sexual intercourse with his donkey.
לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ. אַבְרָהָם אִקְּרֵי אוֹהֵב, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה מא) זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי. יֵשׁ, בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה:
"There is what for those that love Me to inherit": Abraham is called a lover [of God], as it is written (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Abraham, who loves me." "There is" - in the world to come; "and their treasuries will I fill" - in this world.
אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים. בִּלְעָם אִקְּרֵי אִישׁ דָּמִים, שֶׁהִפִּיל בַּעֲצָתוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֲלָפִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:
"people of blood": Bilaam is called a man of blood, as he brought down twenty four thousand [men] of Israel with his counsel.
עַז כַּנָּמֵר. הַנָּמֵר הַזֶּה נוֹלַד מִן חֲזִיר הַיַּעַר וְהַלְּבִיאָה, כִּי בְּעֵת יַחֵם הָאֲרָיוֹת הַלְּבִיאָה מַכְנֶסֶת רֹאשָׁהּ בְּסִבְכֵי הַיַּעַר וְנוֹהֶמֶת וְתוֹבַעַת אֶת הַזָּכָר, וְהַחֲזִיר שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלָהּ וְרוֹבְעָהּ, וְנָמֵר יוֹצֵא מִבֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶן. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא מַמְזֵר הוּא עַז פָּנִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ גְּבוּרָה כָּל כָּךְ. אַף אַתָּה הֱוֵי עַז וְלֹא תִּתְבַּיֵּשׁ לִשְׁאֹל מֵרַבְּךָ מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הֵבַנְתָּ, כְּאוֹתָהּ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ לֹא הַבַּיְשָׁן לָמֵד:
"Be brazen like the leopard": This leopard is born from a wild boar and a lioness. As when it is the season for lions to be in heat, the lioness inserts its head into the brush of the forest and moans and summons the male, but [sometimes] the boar hears its voice and copulates [with] it and a leopard comes out from [the combination of] the two of them. And because it a bastard, it is brazen-faced, even though it does not have so much courage. You too, be brazen and do not be ashamed to ask your teacher what you did not understand, like that which we have learned, "one that is ashamed will not learn."
וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר. לַחֲזֹר אַחַר תַּלְמוּדְךָ, וְלֹא תִיגַע. כְּדִכְתִיב (ישעיה מ) יַעֲלוּ אֵבֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִים יָרוּצוּ וְלֹא יִיגָעוּ:
"light like the eagle": to pursue after your studies. And you will not get exhausted, as it is written (Isaiah 40:31), "they shall raise wings like eagles, they will run and not be exhausted."
וְרָץ כַּצְּבִי. לִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַמִּצְוֹת:
"swift like the deer": to run towards the commandments.
וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי. לִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת יִצְרְךָ מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת:
"and mighty like the lion": to conquer your impulse from [the doing of] sins.
עַז פָּנִים. לְפִי שֶׁהָעַזּוּת נִכָּר בַּפָּנִים כְּדִכְתִיב (משלי כא) הֵעֵז אִישׁ רָשָׁע בְּפָנָיו, לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרָא עַז פָּנִים:
"brazen-faced": Since brazenness is noticeable in the face, as it is written (Proverbs 21:29), "The brazenness of an evil man is in his face": therefore he is called brazen-faced.
שֶׁתִּבְנֶה עִירְךָ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. כְּלוֹמַר, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁחוֹנַנְתָּנוּ זֹאת הַמִּדָּה, שֶׁסִּימָן לְזֶרַע אַבְרָהָם בַּיְשָׁנִים רַחֲמָנִים וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים (יבמות עט.), כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתִּבְנֶה עִירְךָ וְכוּ':
"that Your city be rebuilt, speedily and in our days": Meaning to say, in the same way that You have graced us with this trait - since it is a sign [of people being] of the seed of Abraham that they are [easily] ashamed, merciful and doers of acts of loving-kindness (Yevamot 79a) - so may it be Your will that Your city be rebuilt, etc.
בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא. מֵעָרְלָה יָלְפִינַן, דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא יט) שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים וְגוֹ' וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים, שֶׁאָבִיו מְלַמְּדוֹ צוּרַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהֶכֵּר הַנְּקֻדּוֹת. וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ סְפֵי לֵיהּ כְּתוֹרָא:
"Five years [is the age] for [the study of] Scripture": We learn it from orlah (the prohibition to eat fruit from a new tree), as it is written (Leviticus 19:23-25), "three years will they be orlah, etc. And in the fourth year all of its fruit will be holy praises" - that his father should teach him the shape of the letters and recognition of the vowels [in the child's fourth year]. "And in the fifth year you shall eat its fruit; [so that] you will add to your produce" - from here and onward, stuff him like an ox.
בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה. שֶׁלּוֹמֵד מִקְרָא חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים מִשְׁנָה, וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים גְּמָרָא. דְּאָמַר מַר (חולין כד.) כָּל תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה סִימָן יָפֶה בְּמִשְׁנָתוֹ חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים שׁוּב אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר ח) זֹאת אֲשֶׁר לַלְוִיִּם מִבֶּן חָמֵשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה יָבֹא לִצְבֹא צָבָא, שֶׁבָּא וְלוֹמֵד הִלְכוֹת עֲבוֹדָה חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וּבֶן שְׁלֹשִׁים עוֹבֵד:
"Ten [is the age] for [the study of] Mishnah": As he studies Scripture five years, and Mishnah for five years, and Talmud for five years, as the Master said (Chullin 24a), "Any student who has not seen a positive sign in his study for five years will not see one further [than that]" - as it is written (Numbers 8:24), "This is [the rule] among the Levites; from twenty-five years and above, he should come to be of the service," that he should come to learn the laws of the service for five years and at thirty, he should serve.
בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת. דִּכְתִיב (שם ה) אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יַעֲשׂוּ מִכָּל חַטֹּאת הָאָדָם, וְגַבֵּי שְׁכֶם כְּתִיב (בראשית לד) וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אֲחֵי דִינָה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ, וְלֵוִי בְּאוֹתוֹ פֶּרֶק בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה, וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ אִישׁ:
"Thirteen [is the age] for [observing] commandments": As is written (Numbers 5:6), "a man or a women who have done from all of the sins of man." And regarding Shekhem, it is written (Genesis 34:25), "and the two sons of Yaakov, Shimon and Levi, took - each man - his sword." And at that time, Levi was thirteen years old, and [still, the verse] calls him a man.
בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה. תְּשַׁע עֶשְׂרֵה אָדָם כְּתוּבִים בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית מִן וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם עַד וַיִּבֶן ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע, חַד לְגוּפֵיהּ, פָּשׁוּ לֵיהּ שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר לִדְרָשָׁא:
"Eighteen [is the age] for the [wedding] canopy": [The word,] man is written nineteen times in Parshat Bereshit (the beginning of Genesis) from, "And God said, 'let us make man'" (Genesis 1:26), until "And the Lord God built the side" (Genesis 2:22, when Eve was created). One [use of the word, man] is for itself [such that] eighteen remain to be expounded [in this way].
בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף. אַחַר מְזוֹנוֹתָיו. לְאַחַר שֶׁלָּמַד מִקְרָא מִשְׁנָה וּגְמָרָא וְנָשָׂא אִשָּׁה וְהוֹלִיד בָּנִים, צָרִיךְ הוּא לַחֲזֹר וּלְבַקֵּשׁ אַחַר מְזוֹנוֹת. פֵּרוּשׁ אַחֵר, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף אוֹתוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְהַעֲנִישׁוֹ עַל מַעֲשָׂיו, שֶׁאֵין בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל מַעֲלָה מַעֲנִישִׁין פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים:
"Twenty [is the age] for pursuit": of his sustenance. After he has studied Scripture, Mishnah and Talmud, and married a woman and produced children, he must seek out sustenance. A different explanation: Twenty [is the age] of his being pursued from the Heavens and to punish him for his deeds; as the court Above does not punish [someone] less than twenty years old.
בֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים לַכֹּחַ. שֶׁהַלְוִיִּם הָיוּ מְקִימִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּמְפָרְקִין וְטוֹעֲנִין אֶת הָעֲגָלוֹת וְנוֹשְׂאִין בַּכָּתֵף מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה:
"Thirty [is the age] for [full] strength": As the Levites would put up and take down the Tabernacle and load the carts and carry on their shoulders from [the age] of thirty and above.
בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה. שֶׁלְּאַחַר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה (דברים כט) וְלֹא נָתַן ה' לָכֶם לֵב לָדַעַת וְעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת וְאָזְנַיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה:
"Forty [is the age] for understanding": Since after forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moshe said to them (Deuteronomy 29:3), "'And the Lord did not give you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear until this day.'"
בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּלְּוִיִּם (במדבר ח) וּמִבֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה יָשׁוּב מִצְּבָא הָעֲבוֹדָה וְלֹא יַעֲבֹד עוֹד וְשֵׁרֵת אֶת אֶחָיו וְגוֹ', וּמַהוּ הַשֵּׁרוּת, שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם עֵצָה:
"Fifty [is the age] for [giving] counsel": As it is stated with the Levites (Numbers 8:25), "And from fifty years, he shall return from service and not serve more; and serve his brothers, etc." - and what is the service? That he give them counsel.
בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה. דִּכְתִיב (איוב ה) תָּבֹא בְכֶלַח אֱלֵי קָבֶר. בכל"ח בַּגִּימַטְרִיָּא שִׁשִּׁים:
"Sixty [is the age] for mature age": As is written (Job 5:26), "You will come in your old age (bekhelach) to the grave." The numerical equivalent of [the letters in] bekhelach is sixty.
בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׁיבָה. דִּכְתִיב בְּדָוִד (דברי הימים א כט) וַיָּמָת בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה, וִימֵי חַיָּיו הָיוּ שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה:
"Seventy [is the age] for a hoary head:" As is written about David (I Chronicles 29:28), "And he died with a good hoary head"; and the days of his life were seventy years.
בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לִגְבוּרוֹת. דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צ) וְאִם בִּגְבוּרוֹת שְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה:
"Eighty [is the age] for [superadded] strength (gevurot)": As is written (Psalms 90:10), "and if with great strength (gevurot), eighty years."
בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ. הוֹלֵךְ שָׁחוּחַ וְכָפוּף. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, לְשׁוֹן שׁוּחָה עֲמֻקָּה:
"Ninety [is the age] for [a] bending [stature]": He walks stooping and bent over. And some say, it is an expression [similar to its usage in Proverbs 22:14], "A deep pit."
הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ. בַּתּוֹרָה:
"Search in it and search in it": in the Torah.
דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ. שֶׁהַכֹּל תִּמְצָא בָּהּ:
"since everything is in it": as you will find everything in it.
וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ. גַּם עַד זִקְנָה וְשֵׂיבָה לֹא תַּעַזְבֶנָּה:
and grow old and be worn in it": Even until your old age and hoary-headedness, do not leave it.
וּמִנַּהּ לֹא תָּזוּעַ. שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר לָמַדְתִּי חָכְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלֵךְ וְאֶלְמַד חָכְמַת יְוָנִית, שֶׁאֵין מֻתָּר לִלְמֹד חָכְמַת יְוָנִית אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַרְהֵר בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, כְּגוֹן בְּבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ אוֹ בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא. שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מַהוּ לְלַמֵּד אָדָם אֶת בְּנוֹ חָכְמַת יְוָנִית, אָמַר לָהֶם יְלַמְּדֶנּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא יוֹם וְלֹא לַיְלָה, דְּהָא כְּתִיב וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה:
"and from it do not move": [such] that you not say, "I have learned the wisdom of Israel, I will [now] go and learn Greek wisdom." As it is not permissible to learn Greek wisdom, except in a place that is forbidden to contemplate words of Torah - for example, in a bathhouse or in a bathroom. As they asked Rabbi Yehoshua, "What is [the law regarding] teaching one's son Greek wisdom?" He said to them, "He should teach it at a time which is not day and not night, as behold, it is written, 'and you will meditate upon them day and night.'"
לְפוּם צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא. כְּפִי רֹב הַצַּעַר שֶׁאַתָּה סוֹבֵל בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וַעֲשִׂיַּת הַמִּצְוָה, יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרְךָ מְרֻבֶּה:
"According to the pain is the reward": According to the greatness of the pain, that you endure in the study of Torah and in the performance of the commandments, will your reward be great.