Pirkei Avos 1:1 – As It Is Taught in Heaven
Pirkei Avos is dedicated to the teaching of ethics. The very first Mishnah—after delineating the order in which the Torah was transmitted from Sinai through Moses and subsequent generations—contains three inaugural teachings that were imparted to us by the Men of the Great Assembly: “Be deliberate in judgment; Raise up many students; and make a fence around the Torah.”
Our Sages teach us that whatever G-d commands us to do, He also performs.1 Accordingly, since these three teachings were given to us by G-d, it follows that He would observe them as well.
“Be deliberate in judgment” can be applied to the way we are judged from “Above.” If our generation, which is so spiritually wanting, were to be judged hastily and superficially, it would not fare that well.
When, however, we are judged deliberately and one reflects on the causes that led to the lowly state in which we are situated, the results will be significantly different.
The first thing that can be said in our defense is the general state of enhanced spiritual darkness in which the world is now shrouded.
Second, even before the decline of our generation, we already had a valid defense. The mere presence of the soul in a physical body has a numbing effect on the soul due to the body’s ability to compromise Divine truth. As the famous Chosid, Rashbatz once quipped that a human being is “Supernal wisdom contained in a sack of meat, bones and seething blood.”
When one considers the above, and particularly, when one considers the increased measure of darkness in our own day and age, we could expect to be judged rather favorably. Not only should we not be blamed for our wanting behavior, moreover, we will be commended for the little good that we do possess This minimal amount of good should evoke a sense of amazement. It is incredulous that notwithstanding all of the spiritual constraints and obstacles, how incredible it is that we managed to do so well.
This positive assessment of our situation leads to yet a more far-reaching conclusion— encapsulated in the words “And Raise up many students.” This means that G-d is not content with those of us who are presently “Your children, G-d’s students,”2 but He incorporates within His circle of students and raises up “many” others who are presently in the category of evil-doers or even worse.3 All of them are converted into the category of “Your children, the students of G-d.”
How does one who has been so far from G-d, come closer? What is the mechanism for G-d to bring even the “outsiders” into His fold?
To answer these questions, the Mishnah continues with its third directive: “Make a fence around the law,” which simply means to enact new laws. Frequently, the impediments to getting closer to Judaism lie in the formidable nature of certain of its demands. One may have an aversion to the standard practices of Torah, or is “turned off” to certain basic Mitzvos, to use the vernacular.
To facilitate every Jew’s going in the right path, G-d has provided us with more opportunities. If one avenue of Torah was closed to an individual because, that individual may find a new law—that was enacted by the rabbis and sanctioned by the Torah—and thus a new avenue to Judaism4.
While the system works in the order that it is delineated in the Mishnah, first G-d is deliberate in how He judges us. This generous mode of judgment, in turn, leads to greater inclusion, that G-d includes even the ones who have strayed the most from Him. To facilitate their return to Judaism, G-d sees to it that there are more opportunities and avenues, by “making fences for the Torah,” new laws and new opportunities.
One could also see how this process works in the reverse. By enacting new laws as a fence around the Torah, we can attain the goal of “raising up many students,” which, in turn leads to “being deliberate in judgment.”
By erecting fences around the Torah, and extending the frontiers of Jewish observance, the Jewish people were provided with more opportunities to serve G-d. Even those, for whom Judaism had no appeal, will find something they can embrace when they realize the added requirements, which are, in actuality, added opportunities. As a result, there will be the fulfillment of “Raise up many students,” that many more Jews will overtly become “Your children, G-d’s students.”
With the added opportunities to be connected to G-d and with the concomitant increase in the number of G-d’s students, the Jewish people will experience the third ideal of “Be deliberate in judgment,” a reference to the future Redemption, about which the Prophet states, “With peace and tranquility you shall be saved.” With the future Redemption, as opposed to the Exodus from Egypt, there will be no need to rush. With deliberate steps we will all march to the Geulah.5 (Adapted from the talk of Shabbos Mevorchim Iyar, 5717. Published in Likkutei Sichos, volume 4, p. 1180-1181.)
From the book Essays on Pirkei Avos: Chapter One, Mishnah One by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, adapted from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
Footnotes
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Shemos Rabbh 30:9. ↩
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Isaiah 54:13. ↩
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See general letter for Passover 5717, and Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, Passover, p. 252. ↩
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This idea is consonant with the Talmudic statement, (Makkos 23b): “G-d wanted to bestow merit on the Jewish people, He therefore multiplied the amount of Torah and Mitzvos. See Maimonides’ Commentary on Mishnah and Chidushei Agados there. ↩
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[The Exodus from Egypt happened hastily as the Torah emphasizes. Chassidus explains that that was because the Jews were not sufficiently refined. If they had tarried they would have been overcome by the deleterious influences of Egypt and would not have been worthy of being redeemed. Not so with regard to the future Redemption. At that time we will have undergone the proper refinement necessary for redemption. In this essay, the Rebbe provides the explanation how this can be so in considering that there are so many Jews who do not seem to be within the fold. To allay this concern, the Rebbe establishes that by virtue of the rabbinical enactments of the Sages, even those who were estranged from Judaism can find a “hook” on which to hold on to, to be included among G-d’s students. -Trans. note.] ↩
