1:
This is the last mishnah in the series which brings teachings in the name of Hillel. Despite the fact that it is comparatively long it is, in fact, quite straightforward. It is so straightforward that in his commentary on Tractate Avot Rambam does not relate to this mishnah at all!
2:
Hillel compares here assumed values with true values – as he sees it. The first half of our mishnah gives a list of things that people of his day and age thought that it was important to have; Hillel seeks to show that not only are they really unimportant but that they are also harmful. The second part of our mishnah seeks to do the opposite: most people apparently considered the items listed not to be desiderata, when they are, in fact, most beneficial.
3:
The more flesh the more worms: Rabbi Ovadyah of Bertinoro understands the word translated as flesh as referring to the human body and when it is in the grave it will be devoured by worms. Correctly, in my opinion, the Commentary Tosefot YomTov quotes views that find this interpretation illogical: a dead body does not feel, so what possible difference could it make to a living person to worry about what will happens to their physical body after death? He goes on to give a metaphysical explanation which is not really much better than the one given by Rabbi Ovadyah. It seems to me that it is best to understand this first item in Hillel's list as referring to animal meat rather than human flesh: most people obviously went out of their way to procure meat for food; but in an age that lacked technical refrigeration we can well imagine that the ones who most enjoyed the meat were the worms that fed on it when it became putrid. So, suggests Hillel, what is the point in making a great effort to acquire meat?
To be continued.
In Avot 109 (explanation #12) we had occasion to describe several essential differences in the way that Jews traditionally study and the Western pattern of study.
Jacob Chinitz takes this a stage further:
Another difference between secular study and Talmud Torah is the status of the mouth. In a university library the emphasis is upon silence. It is assumed that thought is in the mind, and speech and noise are inconsistent with cogitation, mediation, thought. But the Torah considers the mouth and speech as spiritual. It is amazing that the conclusion of one of the passages that deals with Tefillin [Phylacteries] should say: Lemaan Tiheye Torat Adonai Befikha ["So that the teaching of the Lord should be in your mouth"]. One could expect that the heart would be the focus of purpose, not the mouth. Al Pi Adonai, ["by the mouth of the Lord"], is how Torah expresses Divine inspiration. Peh El Peh Adaber Bo, ["I speak to him mouth to mouth"]. The mouth is not the demeaning beginning and end of the alimentary canal exemplifying the material man, but the mouth is a spiritual organ, by way of inspiration, revelation, prophecy, and on the other hand, in study, dialogue, debate. The Bet Midrash is far from the quiet intellectualism of the secular library. It is noisy, full of enthusiastic shouting, as the truth of Torah is hammered out by speech, debate and conversations.
In Avot 110 we discussed the meaning of Hillel's comment that I translated as Not everyone who amassed riches is wise. (I mentioned how difficult it was for me to know how best to translate that phrase.) David Sieradzki writes:
Perhaps by "amassed riches" Hillel means "amassed technical Torah learning." Just because someone has memorized volumes and volumes of texts doesn't mean he has true wisdom. Hillel may be contrasting mere book-learning with deeper insight. This would be consistent with other sayings in Avot where the message seems to be that Torah learning alone may be worthless unless combined with other activities or character attributes. E.g., 2:2 (Torah with work/engagement with society – Torah 'im derekh eretz); 1:17 (actions, not mere words – lo ha-midrash ha-ikkar ela ha-ma'aseh).
I respond:
I find both of these contribution, Jacob's and David's, to be beautiful and require no comment from me. Thanks to both of you for some lovely Torah.
