עשו כתות כתות ועסקו בתורה לפי שאין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה
Form many groups and study Torah, for the Torah is only acquired through study in a group.
(טז) רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַסָּפֵק, וְאַל תַּרְבֶּה לְעַשֵּׂר אֹמָדוֹת:
(16) Rabban Gamliel says, "Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt and do not frequently tithe by estimation."
(ב) רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן תְּרַדְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים....אֲבָל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם
(2)Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon says: Two who are sitting together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, this is a session of foolish ones...But two who are sitting together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, the Divine Presence rests with them
(יד) רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי גוֹלֶה לִמְקוֹם תּוֹרָה, וְאַל תֹּאמַר שֶׁהִיא תָבֹא אַחֲרֶיךָ, שֶׁחֲבֵרֶיךָ יְקַיְּמוּהָ בְיָדֶךָ. וְאֶל בִּינָתְךָ אַל תִּשָּׁעֵן (משלי ג):
(14) Rabbi Nehorai says: Exile yourself to a place of Torah, and do not say that it will follow after you, that your colleagues will make it yours. Do not rely on your understanding.
(ח) רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי קִבֵּל מֵהִלֵּל וּמִשַּׁמָּאי. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, אַל תַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמְךָ, כִּי לְכָךְ נוֹצָרְתָּ. חֲמִשָּׁה תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ. הוּא הָיָה מוֹנֶה שִׁבְחָן. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, בּוֹר סוּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְאַבֵּד טִפָּה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, אַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, חָסִיד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, יְרֵא חֵטְא. וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, מַעְיָן הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם, וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר מִשְּׁמוֹ, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס אַף עִמָּהֶם, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם:
(8) Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received [the tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have learned a lot of Torah, do not credit it favorably for yourself, because for this you were created.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had five students: Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, Rabbi Yosi the Priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh.
He would recount their praises: Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos is a cistern covered in plaster that does not lose a drop. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya--happy is the one who gave birth to him! Rabbi Yosi the Priest is pious. Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel fears sin. And Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh is an ever-strengthening spring
He [Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai] used to say: If all the sages of Israel were on one side of a balance scale, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos were on the other side, he [Rabbi Eliezer] would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul (presents another tradition of what Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai used to say, which is) that if all the sages of Israel, including Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, were on one side of a balance scale, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh were on the other side, he [Rabbi Elazar] would outweigh them all.
1) Who are the characters in this text? What is their relationship to one another?
2) Each of the five students are described by their teacher in a different way. What are the qualities or characteristics of someone who could be described this way? Who is someone you know who could be described by some of these categories?
-A cistern covered in plaster that does not lose a drop
-Happy is the one who gave birth to him!
-Pious
-Fears sin
-An ever-strengthening spring
3) There is a disagreement about which of his two students Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai felt outweighed the others. Based on the descriptors, which of the two do you think is better/more important? If you could choose one of these five Rabbis to be your teacher, who would you choose?
(ט) אָמַר לָהֶם, צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בָּהּ הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן טוֹבָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר טוֹב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן טוֹב. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב טוֹב. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ רָעָה שֶׁיִּתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנָּה הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן רָעָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר רָע. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן רָע. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַלֹּוֶה וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם. אֶחָד הַלֹּוֶה מִן הָאָדָם, כְּלֹוֶה מִן הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לז) לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם, וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵן. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב רָע. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם:
(9) He said to them: Go out and see what is a straight path that a person should cling to. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: Seeing the consequences of one's actions. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, because your words are included in his. He said to them: Go out and see what is an evil path that a person should distance himself from. Rabbi Eliezer says: A bad eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A bad friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A bad neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who borrows but does not repay. Borrowing from a person is like borrowing from the Omnipresent blessed be He, as it says (Psalms 37:21) "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous one gives graciously." Rabbi Elazar says: A bad heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, for your words are included in his.
1) How do each of their answers to the questions change the way you would describe each of these Rabbis/archetypes?
2) Why do you think that both "good" and "evil" are given here? Couldn't we have used just one set of answers to make the same point?
3) What is the purpose of the use of the biblical verse at the end?
כשיצאו מלפניו, הוא אמר אלך לדמסית, למקום יפה ומים יפים ונאים, והם אמרו נלך ליבנה למקום שתלמידי חכמים מרובים אוהבים את התורה. הוא שהלך לדמסית, למקום יפה ומים יפים ונאים, נתמעט שמו בתורה. הם שהלכו ליבנה, למקום שתלמידי חכמים מרובים ואוהבים את התורה - נתגדל שמם בתורה
When they left his presence (that of Yochanan Ben Zakkai, after his death) Rabbi Elazar said, "I shall go to Dyomset, a beautiful place with beautiful and delightful waters." But they said, "We shall go to Yavneh, where there are scholars in abundance who love the Torah."
Because he went to Dyomset--a beautiful place with beautiful and delightful waters---his name was made least in the Torah. Because they went to Yavneh, where there are scholar in abundance who love the Torah, their names were magnified in the Torah
1) What kind of place is Dyomset? What are the dangers of a place like that?
2) Where (geographically) in your own life have you found yourself happiest? Where have you found yourself most productive academically? How can location influence your work ethic?
3) What happens to Rabbi Elazar Ben Arakh? Why do you think he forgets his studies?
And that is what we learned in a mishna that Rabbi Nehorai says: Exile yourself to a place of Torah and do not say that it will follow you, as if you are in a place of Torah, your colleagues will establish it in your hands, and do not rely on your understanding alone. It was taught: Rabbi Nehorai was not his name, but rather...Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was his name. And why was he called Rabbi Nehorai? It was because he would illuminate [manhir] the eyes of the Sages in halakha.
1) Who is the real Rabbi Nehorai? How does this change our understanding of this text, as well as Pirkei Avot 4:14 (above)?
2) Why, do you think, that the Rabbis believe that Rabbi Nehorai is, in fact, Elazar Ben Arakh? What about Elazar Ben Arakh's biography suggests that this statement might have come from him?
3) In what ways did Elazar Ben Arakh illuminate the eyes of the sages?