Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-3:2)

This is the first part of a 5-part series: “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-4:22)”.¹

Ethical Wisdom and Rhetorical Artistry: Major Themes in Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-4:22)

Tractate Avot ([Ethics of the] Fathers) represents one of the most distinctive collections in the Tannaitic corpus. Unlike other tractates of the Mishnah that focus primarily on legal matters, Avot preserves ethical maxims, theological principles, and practical guidance attributed to the rabbinic sages.

Major themes are as follows:

Torah Study as Central to Spiritual Life

The primacy of Torah study emerges as perhaps the most consistent theme throughout these sections. The rabbis emphasize both the rewards of diligent study and the dangers of neglecting it. R' Dostai ben Yannai teaches (3:8):

Whoever forgets one word of his study — scripture accounts it to him as if he were mortally guilty

The text presents Torah study not merely as an intellectual exercise but as a transformative practice that shapes character. R' Ḥanina ben Dosa articulates this relationship between study and personal development (3:9):

Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom — his wisdom is enduring,

[but] anyone whose wisdom precedes his fear of sin — his wisdom is not enduring

Similarly, the proper motivation for study affects its outcome. R' Yishmael teaches (4:5):

He who studies Torah in order to teach — it is granted to him to study and to teach;

[But] he who studies [Torah] in order to practice — it is granted to him to study and to teach and to guard and to practice

Others:

• R' Ḥanina ben Teradyon - If two sit without Torah, it's a session of scorners; if they do, Shekhina rests among them - Psalms 1:1 (3:2)

• R' Ḥalafta ben Dosa of Kefar Ḥanania - studying Torah—Shekhina present; same for five people, three, two, even one - Psalm 82:1, Amos 9:6, Malachi 3:16, Exodus 20:21 (3:6)

• R' Shimon - Three who eat and do not speak Torah—like eating sacrifices to the dead; if they do—it’s as if they ate from God’s table - Isaiah 28:8, Ezekiel 41:22 (3:3)

• R' Neḥunya ben HaKanah - Accepting Torah removes the yoke of government and labor; rejecting it brings both (3:5)

• R' Yaakov / R’ Shimon - One who interrupts Torah study to admire nature is mortally guilty (3:7)

• R' Dostai ben Yannai citing R' Meir (3:8) - One who forgets his studies is as if guilty with his life - Deuteronomy 4:9

• R' Yishmael son of R' Yohanan ben Beroka - One who studies to act is enabled to teach and preserve Torah; study for its own sake is insufficient (4:5)

• R' Yose - Honoring Torah brings personal honor; degrading it leads to disgrace (4:6)

• R' Yonatan - Keeping Torah in poverty leads to wealth; abandoning Torah in wealth leads to poverty (4:9)

• R' Meir - Minimize business and focus on Torah; humility and perseverance bring reward (4:10)

• R' Yehuda - Be precise in study—errors in study are like willful transgressions (4:13)

• R' Nehorai - Move to a place of Torah; don’t expect it to come to you; others sustain your learning - Proverbs 3:5 (4:14)

• Elisha ben Avuya - Studying young is like ink on new paper; studying old is like ink on erased paper (4:20)

• R' Yose bar Yehuda of Kfar Bavli - Learning from youngsters is like eating unripe grapes; from elders, like drinking aged wine (4:20)

Divine Reward and Punishment

• The day is short, the task is great, the workers lazy, the reward abundant, and the master insistent (2:15)

• It’s not your task to finish, but you must not desist; you will be rewarded; know that reward is given in the (messianic) future (2:16)

• Life is a divine loan; accountability is constant; divine judgment is unavoidable and absolute (3:16)

• All are born to die, dead will be revived and divinely judged (4:22)

• Divine judgment is inescapable and total (4:22)

• God doesn’t forget or take bribes (4:22)

• Birth, life, death, and divine judgement are all involuntary (4:22)

The Relationship Between This World and the World-to-Come

The aphorisms consistently frame earthly existence in relation to the World-to-Come (עולם הבא). R' Yaakov offers perhaps the most famous formulation of this perspective (4:16):

This world is like a vestibule before the world to come; prepare yourself in the vestibule, so that you may enter the banqueting-hall

This perspective extends to a vision of divine judgment that awaits all. R' Elazar HaKappar states (4:22):

The ones who were born are to die, and the ones who have died are to be brought to life (=resurrection), and the ones brought to life are to be judged

The relationship between present actions and future consequences is emphasized throughout. R' Akiva employs a powerful extended metaphor of life as commerce (3:16):

The store is open, and the storekeeper allows credit, and the ledger is open, and the hand writes, and whoever wishes to borrow — may come and borrow; the collectors go round regularly every day and exact dues from man, either with his consent or without his consent

The Nature of Ethical Character

The aphorisms present numerous reflections on the qualities that constitute ethical character. Ben-Zoma offers a series of striking redefinitions of conventional values (4:1):

Who is wise? He who learns from every man.

Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination.

Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot.

Who is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings

Humility emerges as a particularly valued trait. R' Levitas of Yavneh teaches: "Be exceeding humble in spirit, for the end of man is the worm" (4:4). Similarly, proper social relationships are emphasized, as in R' Elazar ben Shammua's teaching (4:12):

Let the honor of your student be as dear to you as your own,

and the honor of your colleague as the reverence for your teacher,

and the reverence for your teacher as the reverence of heaven

The sages identify specific behaviors and attitudes that destroy ethical character. R' Elazar HaKappar succinctly states (4:21):

Envy, lust (תאוה) and [the desire for] honor — put a man out of the world

The Major Literary and Rhetorical Formulas

Attribution and Framing Devices

The Tannaitic aphorisms exhibit consistent framing patterns.

Nearly all aphorisms begin with the formula "Rabbi X says/said" (Rabbi X omer). Subsequent teachings from the same sage often employ the transitional phrase "He used to say" (Hu hayah omer).

Numeric Structures: The Rule of Three

Triadic formulations dominate the rhetorical landscape of these aphorisms, reflecting the "Rule of Three."²

This pattern appears in multiple variations:

1. Simple triads: R' Eliezer's three principles: "Honor your friend as yourself; don't be quick to anger; repent one day before death" (2:10)

2. Expansive triads: Akavya ben Mahalalel's reflections on "where you came from, where you're going, and before whom you'll give account" (3:1), each followed by detailed elaboration

3. Metaphorical triads: The sages' dangers described as "their bite is the bite of a fox, their sting is the sting of a scorpion, their hiss is the hiss of a serpent" (2:10)

This tripartite structure creates mnemonic patterns that facilitate oral transmission while suggesting completeness and comprehensiveness.

Parallelism and Antithesis

Parallelism constitutes perhaps the most pervasive structural device throughout these aphorisms, appearing in several forms:³

1. Antithetical parallelism: Contrasting ideas juxtaposed for rhetorical effect. For example:

   • "It is not your duty to finish the work, [but] neither are you at liberty to neglect it" (R' Tarfon, 2:16)

2. Synthetic parallelism: Building statements that add meaning with each clause. For example, this extended metaphor:

   • "The day is short, the work is plentiful, the laborers are lazy, the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent" (R' Tarfon, 2:15)

3. Chiastic structures:⁴ ABBA patterns creating rhetorical symmetry. For example:

   • "If there is no Torah, there is no right conduct (דרך ארץ); if there is no right conduct, there is no Torah" (R' Elazar ben Azariah, 3:17)

These parallel constructions create rhythmic, memorable formulations while establishing conceptual relationships between ideas.

Conditional Rhetorical Patterns

Conditional formulations appear frequently, establishing cause-effect relationships between behaviors and consequences:

1. Direct conditionals: "[If] two sit together and there are words of Torah between them, [then the] Shekhina dwells (שרויה) among them" (R' Ḥanina ben Teradion, 3:2).⁵

2. Contrasting conditionals: "Whoever takes upon himself the yoke of the Torah, they remove from him the yoke of government (מלכות - “monarchy”) and worldly concerns (דרך ארץ), [but] whoever removes (פורק) from himself the yoke of the Torah, they place upon him the yoke of government and worldly concerns" (R' Neḥunya ben HaKanah, 3:5)

3. Consequence and evaluative conditionals: "One who interrupts [Torah] study (משנתו) to admire nature (“how fine (נאה) is this tree! [or] how fine is this newly ploughed field (ניר)!”) → is mortally guilty (מתחיב בנפשו)" (R' Yaakov, 3:7)

These conditional structures establish ethical principles through logical relationships, making abstract values concrete through behavioral implications.

Prooftexts and Scriptural Anchoring

Many aphorisms culminate in scriptural citations introduced by "as it is said" (she-ne'emar), following a pattern of:

1. Rabbinic statement

2. Explanation or elaboration

3. Scriptural proof

This pattern embeds rabbinic innovation within biblical authority, simultaneously preserving tradition while enabling its creative expansion. The scriptural proofs often employ creative readings of biblical texts, recontextualizing them to support rabbinic ethical and theological positions.

Metaphorical Systems

Metaphors in these aphorisms typically draw from several domains:⁶

1. Agricultural metaphors: "Like a tree whose branches are numerous but roots few" vs. "a tree whose branches are few but roots many" (R' Elazar ben Azariah, 3:17-18)

2. Commercial/economic metaphors: "The store is open and the storekeeper allows credit... the ledger is open and the hand writes" (R' Akiva, 3:16)

3. Bodily/physiological metaphors: "From a putrid drop... to a place of dust, worm and maggot" (Akavya ben Mahalalel, 3:1)

These metaphorical systems make abstract ethical principles tangible through concrete imagery, while often employing stark contrasts to emphasize ethical choices.

Progressive Numerical Sequences

Some passages employ descending numerical sequences, as in R' Ḥalafta's teaching (3:6):

• Ten people studying Torah → Shekhinah

• Five people → Shekhinah

• Three people → Shekhinah

• Two people → Shekhinah

• One person → Shekhinah

Each step is supported by an appropriate scriptural proof, creating a layered argument that combines numerical precision with textual authority.

List of Rabbis cited in this part

1. R' Eliezer (mid-2nd century CE)

2. R' Yehoshua

3. R' Yose

4. R' Shimon

5. R' Elazar

6. R' Tarfon

7. Akavya ben Mahalalel⁷

8. R' Ḥanina Segan HaKohanim⁸

Outline

Intro - Ethical Wisdom and Rhetorical Artistry in Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-4:22)

Major Themes

1. Torah Study as Central to Spiritual Life

2. Divine Reward and Punishment

3. The Relationship Between This World and the World-to-Come

4. The Nature of Ethical Character

Major Literary and Rhetorical Formulas

1. Attribution and Framing Devices

2. Numeric Structures: The Rule of Three

3. Parallelism and Antithesis

4. Conditional Rhetorical Patterns

5. Prooftexts and Scriptural Anchoring

6. Metaphorical Systems

7. Progressive Numerical Sequences

List of Rabbis cited in this part

The Passage - Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-3:2)

1. R' Eliezer (2:10)

   1. Honor your friend as yourself; don’t be quick to anger; repent one day before death

   2. Warm yourself by the fire of Sages but beware their danger

2. R' Yehoshua - An evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred of others drive a person out of the world (2:11)

3. R' Yose - Value others’ property as your own; prepare yourself to study Torah—it’s not inherited; act for the sake of heaven (2:12)

4. R' Shimon - Be careful with Shema and prayer; pray with sincerity, not rote; don’t see yourself as wicked (2:13)

5. R' Elazar - Be diligent in Torah; know how to respond to a heretic; remember before whom you labor and that the Employer will reward you (2:14)

6. R' Tarfon

   1. The day is short, the task is great, the workers lazy, the reward abundant, and the master insistent (2:15)

   2. It’s not your task to finish, but you must not desist; you will be rewarded; know that reward is given in the (messianic) future (2:16)

7. Akavya ben Mahalalel - Reflect on where you came from, where you’re going, and before whom you’ll give account—to avoid sin (3:1)

8. R' Ḥanina Segan HaKohanim - Pray for government welfare—without its fear, people would destroy each other (3:2)

Appendix - Akavia ben Mahalalel’s Dissent and Legacy (Mishnah Eduyot 5:6-7)

1. Akavia ben Mahalalel’s Refusal to Recant four minority halakhic positions, despite being offered the presidency of the Sanhedrin if he would recant

2. Akavia was excommunicated and died in niddui; his coffin was symbolically stoned

3. R' Yehuda disputes this, insisting Akavia’s character was beyond reproach; the excommunication was actually against Eliezer ben Ḥanokh, who challenged the laws of hand purification

4. Upon his death, the court placed a stone on his coffin to mark his excommunicated status

5. Akavia on his deathbed told his son not to adopt his four positions—although Akavia had inherited them from a reliable tradition, the majority view also came with its own authoritative chain of transmission. Since the son had heard both versions, he should follow the majority

6. When the son asked for a recommendation to Akavia’s colleagues, Akavia declined, explaining that personal merit, not connections, determines a person's standing

The Passage

Avot.2.10-3.2

R' Eliezer (2:10)

Honor your friend as yourself; don’t be quick to anger; repent one day before death

הם אמרו שלשה דברים

רבי אליעזר אומר:

1. יהי כבוד חברך חביב עליך כשלך,

2. ואל תהי נוח לכעס.

3. ושוב יום אחד לפני מיתתך.

They⁹ [each] said three things:

R' Eliezer said:

1. Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own;

2. And be not easily provoked to anger;

3. And repent one day before your death.

Warm yourself by the fire of Sages but beware their danger

והוי מתחמם כנגד אורן של חכמים,

והוי זהיר בגחלתן שלא תכוה,

ש

1. נשיכתן נשיכת שועל,

2. ועקיצתן עקיצת עקרב,

3. ולחישתן לחישת שרף,

וכל דבריהם כגחלי אש

And [he also said:]

warm yourself before the fire (אורן) of the wise,

[but] beware of being singed (תכוה) by their glowing coals,¹⁰

for

1. their bite is the bite of a fox,

2. and their sting is the sting of a scorpion,

3. and their hiss (לחישתן) is the hiss of a serpent,¹¹

and all their words are like coals of fire.

R' Yehoshua - An evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred of others drive a person out of the world (2:11)

רבי יהושע אומר:

1. עין הרע,

2. ויצר הרע,

3. ושנאת הבריות,

מוציאין את האדם מן העולם

R' Yehoshua said:

1. an evil eye,

2. the evil inclination,

3. and hatred for humankind

put a person out of the world.

R' Yose - Value others’ property as your own; prepare yourself to study Torah—it’s not inherited; act for the sake of heaven (2:12)

רבי יוסי אומר:

1. יהי ממון חברך חביב עליך כשלך,

2. והתקן עצמך ללמד תורה, שאינה ירשה לך.

3. וכל מעשיך יהיו לשם שמים

R' Yose said:

1. Let the property of your fellow be as precious unto you as your own;

2. Make yourself fit to study Torah for it will not be yours by inheritance;

3. And let all your actions be for the sake of heaven.

R' Shimon - Be careful with Shema and prayer; pray with sincerity, not rote; don’t see yourself as wicked - Joel 2:13 (2:13)

רבי שמעון אומר:

1. הוי זהיר בקריאת שמע ובתפלה.

2. וכשאתה מתפלל, אל תעש תפלתך קבע,

   1. אלא רחמים ותחנונים לפני המקום ברוך הוא,

   2. שנאמר (יואל ב): “כי חנון ורחום הוא ארך אפים ורב חסד ונחם על הרעה.

3. ואל תהי רשע בפני עצמך

R' Shimon said:

1. Be careful with the reading of Shema and the prayer,

2. And when you pray, do not make your prayer [something] automatic,¹²

   1. but a plea [for] compassion before God,

   2. for it is said: “for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and renouncing punishment” (Joel 2:13);

3. And be not wicked in your own esteem.

R' Elazar - Be diligent in Torah; know how to respond to a heretic; remember before whom you labor and that the Employer will reward you (2:14)

רבי אלעזר אומר:

1. הוי שקוד ללמד תורה,

2. ודע מה שתשיב לאפיקורוס.

3. ודע לפני מי אתה עמל.

   1. ונאמן הוא בעל מלאכתך,

   2. שישלם לך שכר פעלתך

R' Elazar said:

1. Be diligent in the study of the Torah;

2. And know how to answer a heretic,¹³

3. And know before whom you toil,¹⁴

   1. and your employer is faithful,

   2. He will pay you the reward of your labor.¹⁵

R' Tarfon

The day is short, the task is great, the workers lazy, the reward abundant, and the master insistent (2:15)

רבי טרפון אומר:

1. היום קצר

2. והמלאכה מרבה,

3. והפועלים עצלים,

4. והשכר הרבה,

5. ובעל הבית דוחק

R' Tarfon said:¹⁶

1. the day is short,

2. and the work is plentiful,

3. and the laborers are indolent,

4. and the reward is great,

5. and the master of the house is insistent.¹⁷

It’s not your task to finish, but you must not desist; you will be rewarded; know that reward is given in the (messianic) future (2:16)

הוא היה אומר:

1. 1. לא עליך המלאכה לגמר,

   2. ולא אתה בן חורין לבטל ממנה.

2. 1. אם למדת תורה הרבה,

   2. נותנים לך שכר הרבה.

3. 1. ונאמן הוא בעל מלאכתך שישלם לך שכר פעלתך.

   2. ודע מתן שכרן של צדיקים לעתיד לבא

He [=R' Tarfon] used to say:

1. 1. It is not your duty to finish the work,

   2. [but] neither are you at liberty to neglect it;

2. 1. If you have studied much Torah,

   2. you shall be given much reward.

3. 1. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor;¹⁸

   2. And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the (messianic) future.¹⁹

Akavya ben Mahalalel - Reflect on where you came from, where you’re going, and before whom you’ll give account—to avoid sin (3:1)

עקביא בן מהללאל אומר:

הסתכל בשלשה דברים, ואי אתה בא לידי עברה:

דע

1. מאין באת,

2. ולאן אתה הולך,

3. ולפני מי אתה עתיד לתן דין וחשבון.

1. מאין באת --

   1. מטפה סרוחה,

2. ולאן אתה הולך --

   1. למקום עפר רמה ותולעה.

3. ולפני מי אתה עתיד לתן דין וחשבון --

   1. לפני מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא

Akabyah ben Mahalalel said:

mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin:

know

1. from where you come,

2. and where you are going,

3. and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning.

1. From where do you come?

   1. From a putrid drop.²⁰

2. Where are you going?

   1. To a place of dust, of worm and of maggot.

3. Before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning?

   1. Before the King of the kings of kings, God.

R' Ḥanina Segan HaKohanim - Pray for government welfare—without its fear, people would destroy each other (3:2)

רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים אומר:

הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות,

שאלמלא מוראה --

איש את רעהו חיים בלעו

R' Hanina, the vice-high priest said:

pray for the welfare of the government,²¹

for were it not for the fear it inspires --

every man would swallow his neighbor alive.

Appendix - Akavia ben Mahalalel’s Dissent and Legacy (Mishnah Eduyot 5:6-7)

Mishnah_Eduyot.5.6-7

Akavia ben Mahalalel’s Refusal to Recant four minority halakhic positions, despite being offered the presidency of the Sanhedrin if he would recant

Akavia ben Mahalalel²² maintained four minority halakhic positions.

The court offered him the presidency of the Sanhedrin if he would recant.

He refused, insisting that integrity before God outweighed status or reputation. He feared people would assume he changed his views for political gain.

עקביא בן מהללאל העיד ארבעה דברים.

אמרו לו:

עקביא!

חזר בך בארבעה דברים שהיית אומר

ונעשך אב בית דין לישראל

אמר להן:

מוטב לי להקרא שוטה כל ימי,

ולא לעשות שעה אחת רשע לפני המקום,

שלא יהיו אומרים: בשביל שררה חזר בו.

[...]

Akavia ben Mahalalel testified concerning four things.

They said to him:

Akavia!

retract these four things which you say,

and we will make you the head of the court in Israel.

He said to them:

it is better for me to be called a fool all my days

than that I should become [even] for one hour a wicked man before God;

So they shouldn’t say: “he withdrew his opinions for the sake of power.”

[...]

Akavia was excommunicated and died in niddui; his coffin was symbolically stoned

ונדוהו,

ומת בנדויו,

וסקלו בית דין את ארונו.

They excommunicated him;

and he died while he was under excommunication,

and the court stoned his coffin.

R' Yehuda disputes this, insisting Akavia’s character was beyond reproach; the excommunication was actually against Eliezer ben Ḥanokh, who challenged the laws of hand purification

אמר רבי יהודה:

חס ושלום שעקביא נתנדה!

שאין עזרה ננעלת בפני כל אדם מישראל בחכמה וביראת חטא כעקביא בן מהללאל.

ואת מי נדו?

אליעזר בן חנוך,

שפקפק בטהרת ידים

R’ Yehuda said:

God forbid [that one should say] that Akavia was excommunicated!

for the courtyard is never locked for any man in Israel who was equal to Akavia ben Mahalalel in wisdom and the fear of sin.

But whom did they excommunicate?

Eliezer ben Hanoch

who cast doubt against the laws concerning the purifying of the hands.

Upon his death, the court placed a stone on his coffin to mark his excommunicated status

וכשמת,

שלחו בית דין והניחו אבן על ארונו.

מלמד ש:

כל המתנדה ומת בנדויו --

סוקלין את ארונו

And when he died

the court sent and laid a stone on his coffin.

This teaches that

whoever is excommunicated and dies while under excommunication --

his coffin is stoned.

Akavia on his deathbed told his son not to adopt his four positions—although Akavia had inherited them from a reliable tradition, the majority view also came with its own authoritative chain of transmission. Since the son had heard both versions, he should follow the majority

בשעת מיתתו אמר לבנו:

בני!

חזר בך בארבעה דברים שהייתי אומר.

אמר לו: ולמה לא חזרת בך?!

At the time of his death he said to his son,

“My son!

Retract the four opinions which I used to declare.”

He said to him, “Why didn’t you [yourself] retract them?”

אמר לו:

• • אני שמעתי מפי המרבים,

  • והם שמעו מפי המרבים.

• • אני עמדתי בשמועתי,

  • והם עמדו בשמועתן.

אבל אתה --

• • שמעת מפי היחיד,

  • ומפי המרבין.

• • מוטב להניח דברי היחיד,

  • ולאחז בדברי המרבין.

He said to him,

• • “I heard them from the mouth of the many,

  • and they heard [the contrary] from the mouth of the many.

• • I stood fast by the tradition which I heard,

  • and they stood fast by the tradition which they heard.

But you --

• • have heard [my tradition] from the mouth of a single individual

  • and [their tradition] from the mouth of the many.

• • It is better to leave the opinion of the single individual

  • and to hold by the opinion of the many.”

When the son asked for a recommendation to Akavia’s colleagues, Akavia declined, explaining that personal merit, not connections, determines a person's standing

אמר לו:

אבא!

פקד עלי לחבריך.

אמר לו: איני מפקיד.

אמר לו: שמא עילה מצאת בי?!

אמר לו:

לאו.

• מעשיך יקרבוך

• ומעשיך ירחקוך

He said to him,

“Father!

commend me to your colleagues.”

He said to him, “I will not commend you.”

He said to him, “Have you found in me any wrong?!”

He said,

“No;

• your own deeds will cause you to be near,

• and your own deeds will cause you to be far.”

1. The breakdown of the parts will be as follows:

1. Avot 2:10-3:2

2. Avot 3:2-12

3. Avot 3:13-4:4

4. Avot 4:4-14

5. Avot 4:15-22

On this project, compare my formatted Mishna tractates, at my Academia page. And see my 3-part series on Mishnah literary structure, “Revealing the Order: Literary Structure and Rhetoric in the Mishnah“, final part here.

And compare my 3-part series on rabbinic advice in Talmud tractate Pesachim, “Rabbinic Advice: Practical Guidance from the Talmud (Pesachim 112a-114a)“, final part here; see the outline/summary of the statements in that sugya in Part 1 of that series here.

There too, there are large number of aphorisms; however, those lean more practical, while these are more targeted to wisdom and avoiding sin.

2. In fact, the first cited statement in tractate Avot explicitly states, Avot 1:1:

הם אמרו שלשה דברים

They [=the Men of the Great Assembly] said three things

And see also later in the tractate, Avot.2.10 (the first section that I quote in this piece, see the later footnote):

הם אמרו שלשה דברים

They [=the students of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai] [each] said three things […]

3. Compare the excellent book on parallelism in Biblical poetry, by Adele Berlin, The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism (1992).

Here in the Mishnah—as opposed to the Bible—the parallelism is often even more explicit and formulaic.

I plan to discuss parallelism in Talmudic literature more.

I generally indicate the most extreme parallelism via bullet points, as opposed to numbered lists.

4. More specifically: antimetabole, defined by Wikipedia as:

the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order

5. It’s important to note that the “if...then” is often implicit, not explicit. Meaning, although contrastive parallels are found extensively throughout tractate Avot, the contrastive word for “but, however, yet” (אבל) is rarely used; instead, a simple “and” (prefix vav) is used. The contrast is meant to be inferred by the listener/reader.

(Compare the concept of parataxis - placing clauses side by side without explicit subordination.)

See my brackets in the statement.

The same is true for the rules of three.

As well as for "antithetical parallels”, in the previous section and in the next part, where “but, yet” is implicit, not explicit.

6. See also my short piece (from a while back) on metaphors in tractate Avot.

7. See the extended Mishnaic story about him in Mishnah_Eduyot.5.6-7, which is quoted in the appendix at the end of this piece.

8. רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים.

On this occupation/title, see Wikipedia, “Segan“:

The Aramaic term segan (סגן) or segan hakohanim (Hebrew: סגן הכהנים) is a title used in the Talmud to refer to the priest serving as the deputy to the High Priest of Israel […]

The form segan is Aramaic (סְגַן), appearing 5 times in the Hebrew Bible in the Aramaic sections of the Book of Daniel to refer to officers of the Babylonian government.

The Hebrew form sagan (סָגָן) occurs a further 17 times in Nehemiah and elsewhere, again to refer to officials of the Babylonian rulers.

9. Meaning, the five students of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai (who were all active in early/mid-2nd century CE):

1. R' Eliezer

2. R' Yehoshua

3. R' Yose

4. R' Shimon

5. R' Elazar

See the previous Mishnah sections on Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai and his five disciples in Avot 2:8-9; I plan to discuss that extended passage in a separate piece.

10. Compare the verse in Isaiah.47.14, for collocation of the same terms—“warming” (מתחמם), “fire” (אור), and “coal” (גחלת):

הנה היו כקש

אש שרפתם

לא־יצילו את־נפשם

מיד להבה

אין־גחלת לחמם

אור לשבת נגדו

See, they are become like straw,

Fire consumes them;

They cannot save themselves

From the power of the flame;

This is no coal for warming oneself,

No fire to sit by!

11. שרף - a biblical word for a type of poisonous snake, unusual in Talmudic literature.

Compare Numbers.21.6-8:

וישלח יהוה בעם את הנחשים השרפים

וינשכו את־העם וימת עם־רב מישראל

YHWH sent seraph serpents (נחשים השרפים) against the people.

They bit the people and many of the Israelites died.

[…]

ויאמר יהוה אל־משה:

עשה לך שרף

ושים אתו על־נס

והיה כל־הנשוך

וראה אתו וחי

Then YHWH said to Moses,

“Make a seraph figure

and mount it on a standard.

And if anyone is bitten

he shall look at it and recover.”

12. קבע - literally: “established”.

13. On this line, compare my “Refuting Heresy: Talmudic Responses to Heretical Claims of Divine Multiplicity in Scripture (Sanhedrin 38b)“, section “Responding to Heresy: R' Eliezer and R' Yoḥanan on Engaging with Non-Believers“, and see my note there on the word “Epikoros”.

And see also my “Barred from the Afterlife: Heretics, Biblical Sinners, and Groups Denied a Share in the World-to-Come (Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1-4)“, section “Which Jews Have a Share in the World-to-Come? Exceptions According to the Mishnah“, where an Epikoros is listed as having no share in the World-to-Come.

14. דע לפני מי אתה עמל.

Likely based on the verse in Ecclesiastes.4.7-8:

ושבתי אני ואראה הבל תחת השמש:

יש אחד ואין שני

גם בן ואח אין־לו

ואין קץ לכל־עמלו

גם־[עינו] (עיניו) לא־תשבע עשר

ולמי  אני עמל

ומחסר את־נפשי מטובה?!

גם־זה הבל וענין רע הוא

And I have noted this further futility under the sun:

the case of the man who is alone, with no companion,

who has neither son nor brother;

[yet] there is no end to his toil (עמלו - i.e. to accumulate wealth),

and his eye is never sated with riches.

For whom am I toiling (למי  אני עמל)

while denying myself enjoyment?!

That too is a futility and an unhappy business.

15. ישלם לך שכר פעלתך.

Likely based on the verse in Jeremiah.31.16:

כה  אמר יהוה:

מנעי קולך מבכי

ועיניך מדמעה

כי יש שכר לפעלתך

נאם־יהוה

ושבו מארץ אויב

Thus said YHWH:

Restrain your voice from weeping,

Your eyes from [shedding] tears;

For there is a reward for your labor (יש שכר לפעלתך)

—declares YHWH:

They shall return from the enemy’s land.

16. An extended metaphor about life, comparing it to physical labor (מלאכה). The same metaphor is continued at the beginning of the next section.

17. דוחק - literally: “pushing”.

18. ונאמן הוא בעל מלאכתך שישלם לך שכר פעלתך.

The same exact line as at the end of two sections earlier, in section “R' Elazar - Be diligent in Torah; know how to respond to a heretic; remember before whom you labor and that the Employer will reward you (2:14)“.

19. לעתיד לבא - the standard rabbinic term for the messianic future.

See for example here, section “Appendix: Five Divine Punishments of Twelve Months' Duration (Mishnah Eduyot 2:10)“:

אף הוא היה אומר:

חמשה דברים של שנים עשר חדש:

[…]

משפט גוג ומגוג לעתיד לבא --

שנים עשר חדש

[…]

Also he [=R’ Akiva] used to say that

there are 5 things that last 12 months:

[…]

The judgment of Gog and Magog in the (messianic) future (לעתיד לבא) —

[will continue] 12 months

[…]

20. טפה סרוחה - i.e., semen.

I cite this Mishnah section in an extended note in “Pt2 Thief-Catching, Corpulence, and Virility: Stories of R' Elazar ben Shimon and R' Yishmael ben Yosei (Bava Metzia 83b-84a)“, on section “R' Elazar ben Shimon and the Laundryman: A Tale of Moral Judgment, Regret, and Divine Validation“, sub-section “Part 2“.

And see also the this same usage of the word in my “‘A Non-Jew Has No Father’: The Halachic Status of Convert Brothers and Their Wives in the Context of Levirate Marriage and Sexual Prohibitions (Yevamot 97b-98a)“, section “... Proof: twins who convert still do not perform ḥalitza or yibbum with each other's wives if one dies — even though they clearly share the same biological father“:

דהא שני אחין תאומים,

דטפה אחת היא,

ונחלקה לשתים

The proof is from the case of two twin brothers,

who were one drop (טפה - i.e. of semen)

that was divided into two

[and obviously have the same father]

And see my note there.

21. מלכות - literally: “monarchy, kingship”.

22. This patronymic - “Mahalalel” (מהללאל) - is likely a clan name; the name is biblical, both as a pre-Flood patriarch in the Book of Genesis, as well as a patronym in Nehemiah.11.4-6:

ובירושל͏ם ישבו מבני יהודה ומבני בנימן

מבני יהודה:

עתיה

1. בן־עזיה

2. בן־זכריה

3. בן־אמריה

4. בן־שפטיה

5. בן־מהללאל

מבני־פרץ

ומעשיה

1. בן־ברוך

2. בן־כל־חזה

3. בן־חזיה

4. בן־עדיה

5. בן־יויריב

6. בן־זכריה

7. בן־השלני

כל־בני־פרץ הישבים בירושל͏ם —

ארבע מאות ששים ושמנה אנשי־חיל

in Jerusalem some of the Judahites and some of the Benjaminites lived:

Of the Judahites:

Athaiah

1. son of Uzziah

2. son of Zechariah

3. son of Amariah

4. son of Shephatiah

5. son of Mahalalel (מהללאל)

of the clan of Perez,

and Maaseiah

1. son of Baruch

2. son of Col-hozeh

3. son of Hazaiah

4. son of Adaiah

5. son of Joiarib

6. son of Zechariah

7. son of the Shilohite.

All the clan of Perez who were living in Jerusalem—

468 valorous men.