Pirkei Avos 1:1 – Joining Opposites

I. Order of Transmission

When the author of the first Mishnah in Avos describes the order of Torah’s transmission it states: Moses received the Torah from Sinai.” Why, commentators ask, was it necessary to stress that Moses received the Torah and that he received it at Sinai? Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate for the Mishnah to state, “G-d gave the Torah?” Why stress that it was received by Moses and that it was given at Sinai? This question is particularly strong in light of the fact that G-d is everywhere, not just at Sinai.

The answer lies in a better understanding of why G-d selected Mount Sinai as the location for Mattan Torah, the Giving of the Torah.

According to the Midrash¹ all of the mountains vied for the privilege to be the mountain for the giving of the Torah. Mount Tabor complained that it was the best suited for it was the highest mountain. Mount Carmel that it was better qualified because it assisted in the splitting of the Reed Sea. G-d’s response to these mountains was that their arrogance was actually what disqualified them. Only Mount Sinai that was the lowest of all mountains was worthy of being the mountain upon which the torah would be given.

This Midrashic explanation however begs the obvious question. If “lowness” is a quality, the Torah should have been given in a valley, at least on level ground. Why give it on any mountain? And if the characteristic of a mountain is desirable why not give it on a higher mountain?

The answer to this anomaly lies in the very purpose of the giving of the Torah to synthesize two diametrically opposed entities, the physical and the spiritual, “lowness” and “highness” together. Torah’s objective thus is to take the physical and transform it into something spiritual. And this process is hinted in the paradox of giving the Torah on the lowest of Mountains, the high and low combined.

We can now appreciate why the Mishnah emphasizes that the Torah was given at Sinai. By stressing the role of Sinai—the fusing of high (spiritual) and low (physical)—it helps us understand what the significance of the revelation at Sinai had.

Even before Sinai there were Mitzvos. What was so novel about the idea that G-d was commanding them to do Mitzvos? True, the Patriarchs performance of the Mitzvos was optional, but there were also the Seven Noahide Commandments that were given as commandments to the entire human race and several commandments that were given shortly before Sinai in Marah? What— besides the quantitative increase in the number of Mitzvos—did Sinai accomplish?

To answer this question, we must refer to the Midrash² that describes the difference between pre-Sinai existence and post-Sinai existence. Before Sinai there was a “decree” or partition that heaven and earth shall never meet. The verse, “The heaven’s are the heavens for G-d and the earth was given to humans,”³ was meant quite literally that the two realms couldn’t possibly meet. That is until Sinai, when all that changed for good. The novel thing about Sinai was that it effected a complete synthesis between the physical and the spiritual.

Hence, the Torah was given at Sinai, to underscore that conceptually, Mattan Torah was about unifying two opposite entities.

If one were to argue how can one unite two opposites, the answer is Sinai. We were empowered by Sinai. If an inanimate object, the lowliest of all of creation, can unify opposites, how much more so, can a human being, the highest of all classes, accomplish this goal of making this “lowly” physical world a “dwelling-place” for G-d.

II. Humility and Pride

One can take the concept of synthesizing the two opposite entities of the physical and spiritual represented by the model of Sinai and apply it to the two opposite attitudes of pride and humility and their unification in the study of Torah and observance of the Mitzvos.

Several messages can be conveyed by this fusion:

First, to receive the Torah, two conditions are necessary: On the one hand one must possess assertiveness and pride, so as not to be deterred by the mockers. Indeed, the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) begins with the admonition not to be deterred by anyone who might try to cool down one ardor for the study of Torah and the observance of the Mitzvos.

On the other hand, one must be self-effacing and humble. Arrogance and an inflated ego are a contradiction to having a relationship with G-d. As the Talmud states that G-d says concerning an arrogant person, “I and he cannot live together.”⁴ To be receptive to Torah one must have humility. “My soul shall be as dust for all, open my heart in your Torah and Mitzvos.”⁵ First one must be like the dust of the earth, only then can one’s heart can be opened to receive the Torah.

While it might seem that these two traits are mutually exclusive, in truth they can be complementary. One’s assertiveness in this case is not because of his ego. On the contrary, this individual knows very well what his shortcomings are. He even feels that everyone else is superior to him. He epitomizes the characteristic of Sinai—lowest of all the mountains. Despite all this, this person possesses the strength and firmness when it comes to doing Torah and Mitzvos because he is about to do G-d’s will. His devotion to and obsession with the fulfillment of G-d’s will so energizes him to do things with the greatest of force and determination. All obstacles just fade away.

This individual epitomizes the synthesis between utter humility on one side and pride and firmness on the other side.

A second and more profound lesson can be derived from the story of the mountains. The very fact that the other mountains approached G-d with the argument that their height warranted that the Torah be given on them proves that being a mountain is a virtue.

If the mountain is purely a metaphor for a vacuous ego, these mountains would certainly not have entertained the thought that they should be the mountains selected for the giving of the Torah. “Torah will not be found among the ones with the inflated egos.”⁶ We are compelled to say that there is a virtue in being a mountain.

Indeed, in Chassidic literature a mountain represents the inanimate world as it rises to a higher level and is defined as the “vegetative aspect of the inanimate world.” The mountain metaphor is therefore a positive one, representing the more refined and elevated individual.

However, notwithstanding the positive status of a high mountain, the mountain individual must be utterly self-effacing and humble.

There are certain individuals who are spiritually wealthy⁷ because they possess much knowledge. Even this “wealthy” individual needs to preface “my soul shall be as dust for all” before “Open my heart for your Torah and commandments.” Even while he knows his wealth he must also be sincerely and genuinely humble.

This idea that even when a person knows his superior qualities he can and must still be See Sefer HaMaamarim 5704, p. 214.

humble derives from Moses. Moses is described by the Torah, “The man Moses is the most humble man on the face of the earth.”⁸ Although Moses was well aware of his qualities, that he was the one through whom the Torah was given, nevertheless he regarded himself lower than all the people on the face of the earth, even lower than the lowliest generation referred to as “the heels of Moshiach.” Knowing his own qualities was not a contradiction to his humility because he reckoned that his qualities were a gift that came from G-d. If some other individual had been endowed with the same talents and qualities, they would have surpassed Moses.

Because of his humility and total selfabnegation, feeling absolutely no sense of aloofness or condescension, notwithstanding his incredible virtue of which he was aware, Moses was therefore the proper instrument through whom the Torah was given.

We can now answer the first question as to why the Mishnah stresses that Moses received the Torah at Sinai.

By emphasizing Moses’ role we can derive the same lesson as the emphasis that the Torah was given at Sinai. Every Jew has the capacity to actualize the spark of Moses, the Moses potential that exists within each and every one of us.⁹ When this spark is ignited one can internalize Moses’ characteristics n both levels that e=were discussed earlier.

First, one can synthesize the two diametrically opposite characteristics of assertiveness and humility. Moses was the very embodiment of these two traits inasmuch as Moses as a king, as it says: “And there was a king in Jeshurun,”¹⁰ referring to Moses.¹¹ But simultaneously, Moses was also the most humble self-effacing person.

And second, one must possess both the quality of humility even as one knows their own virtues. Both of these paradoxical combinations were exhibited by Moses and are accessible to us by virtue of the Moses quality that is embedded in our soul..

By studying Pirkei Avos before the Festival of Shavuos, the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, we prepare ourselves to receive the Torah anew. Our very first preparation is the need to incorporate the characteristics of Moses and Sinai. This enables us to receive the Torah with joy and to internalize its teachings.

(Adapted from the talks of Shabbos Parsha Behar 5718 and Shabbos Mevorchim of the month of Iyar, 5716-printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, p. 276-279.)

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

1. Midrash Tehillim 68”17 (Buber edition). See also Megillah 29a. ↩

2. Shemos Rabbah 12:3. ↩

3. Psalms 115:16. ↩

4. Sotah 5a. ↩

5. Prayer following the Amidah. ↩

6. Eiruvin 55a. ↩

7. See Nedarim 41a: “There is no poor person except in knowledge.” By extension it follows that there is no truly rich person except one who is rich in knowledge. ↩

8. Numbers 12:3. ↩

9. See Tanya, chapter 42 and beginning of chapter 44. ↩

10. Deuteronomy 33:5. ↩

11. See Likkutei Torah, Devarim 45a. ↩