Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 4:15-22)

Appendix - More Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 5:20-23)

This is Pt5 (the final part) of a 5-part series: “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-4:22)”.¹

List of Rabbis cited in this part

1. R' Yannai

2. R' Mattiah ben Heresh

3. R' Yaakov

4. R' Shimon ben Elazar

5. Shmuel HaKatan

6. Elisha ben Avuya

7. R' Yose bar Yehuda of Kfar Bavli

8. R' (Yehuda HaNasi)

9. R' Elazar HaKappar

Outline

List of Rabbis cited in this part

The Passage - Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 4:15-22)

1. R' Yannai - Human reason can’t explain theodicy—the success of the wicked or suffering of the righteous (4:15)

2. R' Mattiah ben Heresh - Greet everyone first; better to be a subordinate among the great than a leader among the small (4:15)

3. R' Yaakov

   1. This world is a hallway to the World-to-come; prepare here for the next world (4:16)

   2. One moment of repentance here is worth more than eternal life in the World-to-Come; and one moment of future tranquility surpasses all earthly life (4:17)

4. R' Shimon ben Elazar - Don’t attempt comfort or confrontation at emotionally charged times (4:18)

5. Shmuel HaKatan - Do not rejoice in your enemy’s downfall—God may be angered by your glee - Proverbs 24:17 (4:19)

6. Elisha ben Avuya - Learning young is like ink on new paper; learning old is like ink on erased paper (4:20)

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

8. R' Yehuda HaNasi - Don’t judge by appearances—some vessels are new but contain wisdom (4:20)

9. R' Elazar HaKappar

   1. Envy, desire, and honor-seeking destroy a person (4:21)

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

   3. Divine judgment is inescapable and total (4:22)

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

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

Appendix - More Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 5:20-23)

1. Yehuda ben Tema

   1. Animal metaphors for serving God (5:20)

   2. The arrogant go to Gehinnom and the bashful to the Garden of Eden (5:20)

   3. The 14 stages of life, from age 5 to age 100 (5:21)

2. Ben-Bag-Bag - the greatness of Torah (5:22)

3. Ben-He-He - reward is based on effort (5:23)

The Passage

Avot.4.15-22

R' Yannai - Human reason can’t explain theodicy—the success of the wicked or suffering of the righteous (4:15)

רבי ינאי אומר:

אין בידינו

1. לא משלות הרשעים

2. ואף לא מיסורי הצדיקים.

R' Yannai said:

it is not in our hands [to explain the reason] either of

1. the security (שלות) of the wicked,

2. or even of the afflictions of the righteous.

R' Mattiah ben Heresh - Greet everyone first; better to be a subordinate among the great than a leader among the small (4:15)

רבי מתיא בן חרש אומר:

1. הוי מקדים בשלום כל אדם.

2. והוי זנב לאריות,

3. ואל תהי ראש לשועלים

R' Mathia ben Harash said:

1. Be the first to extend greetings² to people,

2. And be a tail unto lions,

3. and not a head unto foxes.³

R' Yaakov

This world is a hallway to the World-to-come; prepare here for the next world (4:16)

רבי יעקב אומר:

העולם הזה דומה לפרוזדור בפני העולם הבא.

התקן עצמך בפרוזדור, כדי שתכנס לטרקלין

R' Yaakov said:

this world is like a vestibule⁴ before the world to come;

prepare yourself in the vestibule, so that you may enter the banqueting-hall⁵

One moment of repentance here is worth more than eternal life in the World-to-Come; and one moment of future tranquility surpasses all earthly life (4:17)

הוא היה אומר:

• יפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים בעולם הזה --

  • מכל חיי העולם הבא.

• ויפה שעה אחת של קורת רוח בעולם הבא --

  • מכל חיי העולם הזה

He [=R' Yaakov] used to say:

• more precious is one hour in repentance and good deeds in this world --

  • than all the life of the World-to-Come;

• [At the same time,] more precious is one hour of the tranquility (קורת רוח) of the World-to-Come --

  • than all the life of this world.

R' Shimon ben Elazar - Don’t attempt comfort or confrontation at emotionally charged times (4:18)

(See footnote.)⁶

רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר:

1. אל תרצה את חברך בשעת כעסו,

2. ואל תנחמנו בשעה שמתו מטל לפניו,

3. ואל תשאל לו בשעת נדרו,

4. ואל תשתדל לראותו בשעת קלקלתו

R' Shimon ben Elazar said:

1. Do not try to appease your friend during his hour of anger;

2. Nor comfort him at the hour while his dead still lies before him;

3. Nor question him at the hour of his vow;

4. Nor strive to see him in the hour of his disgrace (קלקלתו)

Shmuel HaKatan - Do not rejoice in your enemy’s downfall—God may be angered by your glee - Proverbs 24:17 (4:19)

(See footnote.)⁷

שמואל הקטן אומר:

“בנפל אויבך אל תשמח

ובכשלו אל יגל לבך,

פן יראה ה' ורע בעיניו

והשיב מעליו אפו” (משלי כד)

Shmuel Hakatan said:

“If your enemy falls, do not exult;

if he trips, let your heart not rejoice,

lest YHWH see it and be displeased,

and avert his wrath from him” (Proverbs 24:17).

Elisha ben Avuya - Learning young is like ink on new paper; learning old is like ink on erased paper (4:20)

(See footnote.)⁸

אלישע בן אבויה אומר:

• הלומד ילד למה הוא דומה?

  • לדיו כתובה על ניר חדש.

• והלומד זקן למה הוא דומה?

  • לדיו כתובה על ניר מחוק.

Elisha ben Avuyah said:

• He who learns when young (ילד), to what is he compared?

  • To ink written upon new paper⁹

• [But] he who learns when old (זקן), to what is he compared?

  • To ink written on a erasable (מחוק) paper

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

רבי יוסי בר יהודה איש כפר הבבלי אומר:

• הלומד מן הקטנים למה הוא דומה?

  • לאכל

    • ענבים קהות

    • ושותה יין מגתו.

• והלומד מן הזקנים למה הוא דומה?

  • לאכל

    • ענבים בשלות

    • ושותה יין ישן.

R' Yose ben Yehuda a man of Kfar HaBavli said:

• He who learns from the young, to what is he compared?

  • To one who

    • eats unripe grapes (קהות),

    • and drinks wine [directly] from the vat (גתו);

• [But] he who learns from the old, to what is he compared?

  • To one who

    • eats ripe (בשלות) grapes,

    • and drinks aged wine.

R' Yehuda HaNasi - Don’t judge by appearances—some vessels are new but contain wisdom (4:20)

רבי אומר:

אל תסתכל בקנקן, אלא במה שיש בו.

• יש קנקן חדש מלא ישן,

• וישן שאפלו חדש אין בו

R' [Yehuda HaNasi] said:

don’t look at the [wine] container¹⁰ but at that which is in it:

• there is a new container full of old wine,

• and an old [container] in which there is not even new [wine].

R' Elazar HaKappar

Envy, desire, and honor-seeking destroy a person (4:21)

רבי אלעזר הקפר אומר:

1. הקנאה

2. והתאוה

3. והכבוד --

מוציאין את האדם מן העולם

R' Elazar HaKappar said:

1. envy,

2. lust (תאוה)

3. and [the desire for] honor --

put a man out of the world.

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

הוא היה אומר:

1. הילודים למות,

2. והמתים להחיות,

3. והחיים לדון.

He [=R' Elazar HaKappar] used to say:

1. the ones who were born (ילודים) will die,

2. and the dead will be brought to life,¹¹

3. and the living are to be judged¹²

Divine judgment is inescapable and total (4:22)

1. לידע

2. להודיע

3. ולהודע

ש

1. הוא אל,

2. הוא היוצר,

3. הוא הבורא,

4. הוא המבין,

5. הוא הדין,

6. הוא עד,

7. הוא בעל דין,

8. והוא עתיד לדון.

[So that one]

1. may know,

2. make known

3. and have the knowledge

that

1. He is God,

2. He is the designer,

3. He is the creator,¹³

4. He is the discerner,

5. He is the judge,

6. He the witness,

7. He the complainant (בעל דין),

8. and that He will summon to judgment.

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

ברוך הוא,

שאין לפניו

1. לא עולה,

2. ולא שכחה,

3. ולא משוא פנים,

4. ולא מקח שחד, שהכל שלו.

Blessed be He,

before Whom there is

1. no iniquity (עולה),

2. nor forgetting,

3. nor favoritism,¹⁴

4. nor taking of bribes, for all is His.

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

ודע שהכל לפי החשבון.

ואל יבטיחך יצרך שהשאול בית מנוס לך,

ש

1. על כרחך אתה נוצר,

2. ועל כרחך אתה נולד,

3. ועל כרחך אתה חי,

4. ועל כרחך אתה מת,

5. ועל כרחך אתה עתיד לתן דין וחשבון לפני מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא

And know that all is according to the reckoning (חשבון).

And let not your [evil] impulse (יצרך) assure you that the grave¹⁵ is a place of refuge (מנוס) for you;

for

1. against your will were you formed,

2. against your will were you born,

3. against your will you live,

4. against your will you will die,

5. and against your will you will give an account and reckoning before the King of the kings of kings, God.

Appendix - More Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 5:20-23)

Avot.5.20-23

Yehuda ben Tema

Animal metaphors for serving God (5:20)

יהודה בן תימא אומר:

הוי

1. עז כנמר,

2. וקל כנשר,

3. ורץ כצבי,

4. וגבור כארי,

לעשות רצון אביך שבשמים.

Yehuda ben Tema said:

Be

1. strong as a leopard,

2. and swift as an eagle,

3. and fleet as a gazelle,

4. and brave as a lion,

to do the will of your Father who is in heaven.

The arrogant go to Gehinnom and the bashful to the Garden of Eden (5:20)

הוא היה אומר:

1. עז פנים -- לגיהנם,

2. ובשת פנים -- לגן עדן.

[…]

He used to say:

1. the arrogant (עז פנים) is headed for Gehinnom

2. and the bashful (בשת פנים) for the garden of Eden.

[…]

The 14 stages of life, from age 5 to age 100 (5:21)

הוא היה אומר:

1. בן חמש שנים למקרא,

2. בן עשר למשנה,

3. בן שלש עשרה למצות,

4. בן חמש עשרה לתלמוד,

5. בן שמנה עשרה לחפה,

6. בן עשרים לרדף,

7. בן שלשים לכח,

8. בן ארבעים לבינה,

9. בן חמשים לעצה,

10. בן ששים לזקנה,

11. בן שבעים לשיבה,

12. בן שמנים לגבורה,

13. בן תשעים לשוח,

14. בן מאה כאלו מת ועבר ובטל מן העולם

He used to say:

1. At 5 years [of age] -- [the study of] Bible (מקרא);

2. At 10 -- [the study of] Mishnah;

3. At 13 -- [subject] to the commandments;

4. At 15 -- [the study of] Talmud;

5. At 18 -- the bridal canopy;¹⁶

6. At 20 -- for pursuit [of livelihood];

7. At 30 -- [the peak of] strength;

8. At 40 -- wisdom;

9. At 50 -- [able to give] counsel;

10. At 60 -- old age;

11. At 70 -- fullness of years;

12. At 80 -- [the age of] strength;

13. At 90 -- a bent body;

14. At 100 -- [as good as] dead and gone completely out of the world.

Ben-Bag-Bag - the greatness of Torah (5:22)

בן בג בג אומר:

1. הפך בה והפך בה, דכלא בה.

2. ובה תחזי,

3. וסיב ובלה בה,

4. ומנה לא תזוע,

5. שאין לך מדה טובה הימנה

Ben Bag Bag said:

1. Turn it [=the Torah] over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein.

2. And look into it;

3. And become gray and old therein;

4. And do not move away from it,

5. for you have no better portion than it.

Ben-He-He - reward is based on effort (5:23)

בן הא הא אומר:

לפום צערא אגרא

Ben He He said:

According to the labor¹⁷ is the reward.

1. Previous parts:

1. Pt1 - “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-3:2)“.

2. Pt2 - “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 3:2-12)“

3. Pt3 - “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 3:13-4:4)“

4. Pt4 - “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 4:4-14)“

The intro can be found there at Part 1, where I discuss “The Major Relevant Literary and Rhetorical Formulas“.

2. מקדים בשלום - literally: “to precede with shalom”

‘Shalom’ (“peace"!) is the standard classical Hebrew spoken greeting (roughly equivalent to English “hello!”).

Compare the usage of this idiomatic phrase in Bava_Metzia.75b.5:

תניא,

רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר:

מנין לנושה בחבירו מנה,

ואינו רגיל להקדים לו שלום,

שאסור להקדים לו שלום?

תלמוד לומר: ״נשך כל דבר אשר ישך״

אפילו דיבור אסור.

It is taught in a baraita that

R’ Shimon ben Yoḥai says:

From where is it derived with regard to one who is owed by another (נושה בחבירו) a maneh [=100 dinars],

and the borrower is not accustomed to greeting (להקדים לו שלום) that lender,

that it is prohibited to start greeting him after being granted the loan?

The verse states: “Interest (נשך) of any matter [davar] that is lent with interest” (Deuteronomy 23:20),

which can also be read as indicating that even speech [dibbur] can be prohibited as interest.

3. See the extended discussion of this aphorism in Hebrew Wikipedia:

“היה זנב לאריות ואל תהיה ראש לשועלים“.

And compare the similar Talmudic metaphorical contrast of lion (exceptional) vs. fox (ordinary) in the story of R’ Yohanan and Rav Kahana, in my “Rav Kahana vs. R’ Yoḥanan, Babylonia vs. Eretz Yisrael: Rav Kahana’s Flight, Resurrection, and Recognition (Bava Kamma 117a-b)“, where I summarize:

In Eretz Yisrael, Rav Kahana observes Reish Lakish summarizing R' Yoḥanan’s lecture and offers alternative readings.

Impressed, Reish Lakish alerts R' Yoḥanan: “A lion has come from Babylonia (ארי עלה מבבל), the Master should examine (לעיין) [the discourse he will deliver] in the ‘sitting’ of tomorrow” […]

Rav Kahana is seated in the front row, but in deference to Rav’s charge, he does not raise any objections to R' Yoḥanan’s statements.

Each silence leads to his demotion by one row, until he reaches the back.

R' Yoḥanan concludes: “The lion has become a fox” (ארי […] נעשה שועל)

Compare also the modern English idiom “big fish in a small pond“. And compare the opposite assertion to that of the Mishnah in the modern English aphorism “better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion“, where “dog” is equivalent to “fox” (=ordinary) in the Mishnah’s aphorism.

And see Wikipedia, “Big-fish–little-pond effect“:

The big-fish–little-pond effect (BFLPE) is a frame of reference model introduced by Herbert W. Marsh and John W. Parker in 1984.

According to the model, individuals compare their own self-concept with their peers and equally capable individuals have higher self-concepts when in a less capable group than in a more capable group.

For example, it is better for academic self-concept to be a big fish in a little pond (gifted student in regular reference group) than to be a big fish in a big pond (gifted student in gifted reference group)

4. פרוזדור - from Greek.

Compare the usage of this word in my piece here, section “Appendix 4 - Architectural Metaphor for Female Reproductive Anatomy: Room, Corridor, Upper story (=Uterus, Vagina, and Bladder) (Mishnah Niddah 2:5 = Niddah 17b)“, and see my note there on the etymology.

5. טרקלין - from Greek triklī́nĭon: “A dining room with three couches“.

Compare Wikipedia, “Triclinium“:

A triclinium (pl.: triclinia) is a formal dining room in a Roman building.

The word is adopted from the Greek triklinion (τρικλίνιον)—from tri- (τρι-), "three", and klinē (κλίνη), a sort of couch, or rather chaise longue.

Each couch was sized to accommodate a diner who reclined on their left side on cushions while some household slaves served multiple courses brought from the culina, or kitchen, and others entertained guests with music, song, or dance.

In our context, the “banquet-hall” is a metaphor for the World-to-Come; see my discussion in a footnote in an earlier part of this series, here, on section “Life is a divine loan; accountability is constant; divine judgment is unavoidable and absolute (3:16)“.

Compare also the Greco-Roman dinner party known as symposium; see my extended note in “Pt1 Permissibility of Jewish Wine in the Hands of Non-Jews: Ten Talmudic Cases Explored (Avodah Zarah 69b-70b)“, on section “Non-Jewish Prostitute Scenario“.

6. All four lines follow an identical syntactic pattern:

1. Opening with a negative imperative: אל (“do not”)

2. A verb expressing an action to avoid

3. An object ("your friend" or "him")

4. A temporal phrase (בשעת - “at the time of”)

5. A circumstance representing vulnerability

To summarize, actions to avoid and when:

1. תרצה (appease) - בשעת כעסו (at the time of his anger)

2. תנחמנו (console him) - בשעה שמתו מוטל לפניו (when his dead lies before him)

3. תשאל לו (ask of him / annul his vow) - בשעת נדרו (at the time of his vow)

4. תשתדל לראותו (strive to see him) - בשעת קלקלתו (at the time of his misfortune)

7. This aphorism is unique for simply citing a verse in full. Presumably, Shmuel Hakatan was known to have been fond of citing this verse.

This verse is a popular one in the Talmudic literature, for example, see my piece here, section “Appendix - Timing the Disclosure of Illness to the Public: Balancing Avoiding Bad Luck and Harnessing Public Sympathy and Schadenfreude (Berakhot 55b)“, where I summarize:

A sick person should not disclose their illness on the first day to avoid bad luck (לתרע מזליה) but should reveal it after the first day.

Rava exemplified this, instructing his servant (שמעיה) to announce his illness publicly after the first day.

He explained that publicizing his illness would prompt his supporters to pray for him and his opponents to rejoice (לחדי). His opponents’ schadenfreude would aid him, as it would invoke divine displeasure—based on the verse in Proverbs 24:17–18 (בנפל אויבך אל תשמח)—thus aiding his recovery.

And see also my piece “Pt2 The Humiliation of Haman: The Dramatic Talmudic Elaboration of the Biblical Verse of Haman Carrying out King Ahasuerus's Orders to Honor Mordecai (Esther 6:11-12; Megillah 16a)“, section “Haman stooped down to help Mordecai mount the horse, and as he did, Mordecai kicked him“, where I summarize:

After trimming Mordecai's hair, Haman dressed him in the royal garments and instructed him to mount the horse. Mordecai, weakened from fasting, said he couldn't. Haman stooped down to help Mordecai mount the horse, and as he did, Mordecai kicked him.

Haman reminded Mordecai of the proverb "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls" (Proverbs 24:17). Mordecai responded that this applies only to Jews, while regarding Haman, it is written, "And you shall tread upon their high places" (Deuteronomy 33:29).

8. The next three sections give metaphors for studying while young vs. old, and from old vs. young.

9. ניר - literally: “papyrus”.

10. קנקן.

On the various Hebrew words for wine containers, see my extended note on the piece cited in a previous footnote (“Pt1 Permissibility of Jewish Wine in the Hands of Non-Jews: Ten Talmudic Cases Explored (Avodah Zarah 69b-70b)”), on section “Story: Non-Jew Enters House with Jewish Wine, Locks Door, but Visible Through Crack“

11. I.e. the mass resurrection in the messianic future.

Compare also in the Talmud the comparison of birth, death, and resurrection in my 2-part series “Scripture, Logic, and Polemic: Proofs for the Principle of the Mass Resurrection of the Jewish Dead in the Future Messianic Era (Sanhedrin 90b-91a)“, final part here.

See especially in the section there “Geviha ben Pesisa: If those who never existed were created, it is all the more logical to revive the dead“, where I summarize:

A heretic critiques the doctrine of Resurrection, stating: “Woe unto you (ווי לכון), the wicked (חייביא)!”, rhetorically asking: the living die (that is the observable pattern) so why expect the dead to live again?

Geviha flips the logic: if those who never existed can be created (i.e., birth from nonexistence), then surely those who once lived can be revived.

12. In the “Day of Judgement” (יום הדין) in the messianic era.

On this day in the Talmud, see especially my “Rome and the Final Judgment: The Messianic-Era Judgement Day in the Talmud and Rome's Role (Avodah Zarah 2a-b)“, and my intro there.

13

הוא היוצר, הוא הבורא.

These two descriptors of God’s creation are found throughout the Bible, and consequently they’re often paired throughout the Talmud.

See, for example, “Pt2 Defending God, Biblical Monotheism, and Jewish Distinctiveness: Twelve Dialogues Between Sages and Challengers in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 38b-39a)“, section “Dialogue #6 - Roman Emperor vs. Rabban Gamliel: Amos 4:13 - Different verbs imply two deities created different parts of creation“, where I summarize:

A Roman emperor argued to Rabban Gamliel that the use of different verbs in the Bible, in the Book of Amos—“forms” (יוצר) for mountains and “creates” (בורא) for wind—suggests that two deities were responsible for different parts of creation.

Rabban Gamliel countered by pointing out that, if that logic applied, one would have to believe that two deities were involved in creating the parts of Adam, as those same two verbs are also used in the Bible in the Book of Genesis in the story of the creation of Adam.

That same verse in Amos is the center of dialogue in my “Monotheism Defended: The Story of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi Debating a Theistic Dualist (Chullin 87a)“, where I summarize:

This sugya narrates a debate and its aftermath between Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and a heretic.

The heretic challenges the belief in a single deity (arguing for theistic dualism) by citing a Biblical verse from Amos, suggesting that different deities created mountains and wind.

R’ Yehuda HaNasi refutes this by pointing to the end of the same verse, which affirms that God is the sole creator.

14. משוא פנים.

This expression comes from the Bible, where it also refers to God and includes the assertions that He doesn’t have iniquity or accept bribes, just like in our Mishnah, in the context of Jehoshaphat’s speech to the judges that he appoints, in II_Chronicles.19.7:

ועתה יהי פחד־יהוה עליכם

שמרו ועשו

כי־אין עם־יהוה אלהינו

1. עולה

2. ומשא פנים

3. ומקח־שחד

Now let the dread of YHWH be upon you;

act with care,

for with YHWH our God there is no

1. injustice (עולה)

2. or favoritism (משא פנים)

3. or bribe-taking (מקח שחד)

And see Deuteronomy 10:17:

כי יהוה אלהיכם

[…]

לא־ישא פנים

ולא יקח שחד

For YHWH your God

[…]

doesn’t show favor (ישא פנים)

and doesn’t take a bribe (שחד)

And see also the same things mentioned in the context of human judges, in Deuteronomy.16.19:

לא־תטה משפט

לא תכיר פנים

ולא־תקח שחד

You shall not judge unfairly:

you shall show no partiality (תכיר פנים - literally: “recognize faces”)

you shall not take bribes (שחד)

Compare the usage of this idiom in regards to God judging, in my “Talmudic Interpretations of the Book of Esther: Esther 1:3-9 (Megillah 12a)“, section “The Reason for the Threat of Annihilation in the Time of Purim: for participating in Ahasuerus’ feast, or because they bowed to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol (Lamentations 3:33)“, where I summarize:

[R' Shimon’s] students then asked [R' Shimon]: If the Jews were guilty of idolatry [=bowing to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol], why did God save them? Was there favoritism (משוא פנים) at play?

15. שאול - Sheol.

16. חפה - chuppah; the standard metonym in Talmudic literature for marriage.

17. צערא - literally: “pain".