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Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos

The Aleph, Beis, Gimmel of Judaism

By Rabbi Heschel GreenbergApril 20, 20177 min read

The Three-fold Nature of Existence

Pirkei Avos is punctuated with teachings that revolve around the number three. However, the three-fold nature of Avos is actually rooted in the very nature of Torah itself. The Talmud states: “Blessed is the Merciful one Who gave a three-fold Torah to a three-fold people, through a third [child] during the third day in the third month.”1 We must understand what is the reason so much emphasis is placed on the number three in relation to Torah? And how does it relate specifically to Pirkei Avos?

To comprehend the significance of the number three in relation to Torah we must first establish the premise that everything was designed by G-d to comprise three parts or stages:2 Everything has a head, middle and end. The head not only comes first, but it also contains within it (the intent and objective of) the entire thing that it is the head of. Following the head comes the actual thing itself; the body, center and core through which the ultimate purpose—the third stage—is realized, as we say in our Friday night prayers: The end of action arose first in thought.”3 These three components as it relates to all of existence correspond to Torah, creation and Redemption.

The Torah is the foundation and genesis of everything. Our Sages thus refer to Torah4 as “the beginning of His way,”5 for it preceded the creation of the universe.6 And the very purpose of everything is the Torah. Thus, “Bereishis,”(which is usually translated as “in the beginning”) is interpreted to mean, “because of the Torah that is called reishis, the beginning, G-d created heaven and earth.”7 Then follows the actual creation of the world and the subsequent activities that the world must engage in, in order to live up to the purpose for which it was created (for the purpose of Torah).

When all of this is completed, when the world performs all of the functions that it was commissioned to do, we then arrive at the completion of the process with the onset of the genuine and complete Redemption, at which time “the very purpose of the creation of the world”8 will be fully realized.

A Lesson in Hebrew Letters

One may suggest that these three levels inherent in creation are represented by the first three letters of the Hebrew Alphabet: aleph, beis and gimmel.

The aleph is the initial of the word Anochi-I, the very first letter of the first commandment. Generally speaking, it is understood that all of Torah is contained within the Ten Commandments.9 We also know that all of the Ten Commandments are included in the first word Anochi,10 which, in turn, is contained within and represented by the very first letter – the aleph.11 Hence the aleph encapsulates the entire Torah, the source and head of everything else that exists.

Creation of the universe, as described in the Torah, begins with the letter beis of the word Bereishis: “In the beginning (Bereishis) G-d created heaven and earth.” Indeed, our Sages stress the fact that the Torah begins with the letter beis and not with aleph.12 And the Hebrew word used to denote the Redemption is geulah, beginning with the letter gimmel.13 Three Stages of Torah Since Torah is the very blueprint of creation14 one must be able to trace these three components of existence to the Torah itself.

The opening word of the Torah, Bereishis, as stated earlier, is interpreted to mean that the world was created for the sake of Torah. In other words, the first word of the Torah— that describes the beginning of creation— actually points towards that which preceded creation—the aleph.

From that point onward, the Torah—from Genesis through Deuteronomy—delineates the actual creation of the universe and the events that followed, as well as the instructions how to live within this universe in a way that will lead inexorably to the fulfillment of the purpose for which the world was created. That goal and is objective is, of course, the third stage of existence, the geulah.

Where is the geulah found at the end of the Torah?

Near the very end of the Torah G-d shows Moses all that will transpire “until the last day.” This is an allusion to the Age of Redemption. In the last two verses of the Torah, it heaps lavish praise on Moses and refers to, “all the signs and wonders… and awesome power that Moses performed before the eyes of all of Israel.” These signs and wonders and his awesome power also includes the final Redemption, for “Moses is the first redeemer and he is the final redeemer.”15 In that era of Redemption there will once again be great wonders that “all the eyes of Israel” will behold, as it is written, “as in the days that you left Egypt I shall show them wonders.”16 And the power of Moshiach to bring about the Redemption through these wonders is derived from Moses and the divine energy he possessed that reference is made at the very end of the Torah.

These three stages that are hinted in the Torah can also be found hinted in Pirkei Avos:17 The beginning of Pirkei Avos corresponds to the first stage, the genesis level that is the source of everything that follows: “Moses received the Torah from Sinai,” is a reference to the idea of Torah in its most general sense, wherein every teaching of Torah, “even that which a worthy student shall innovate was included in that which Moses received at Sinai.18 The continuation of that statement—where the Mishnah details the way the Torah was transmitted to Joshua, and from him to subsequent generations until it was received by the Men of the Great assembly, who said, among others, “Raise many students”— corresponds to the second stage. This is the framework of worldly existence that provides for the mechanism for Torah to carry out its mission and realize the objective that was set forth at the very beginning. This second stage is where the goals that were originally latent are being fleshed out, and the worthy student is revealing those hidden teachings of Torah.

And all of this leads to the concluding quote at the very end of Pirkei Avos,” G-d will reign for ever and ever”19 This relates to the end of time, “in the future to come, when the entire Kingdom will be exclusively His,”20 and the purpose for which the Torah was received, passed down and studied through the generations will come to fruition.

And this also explains why the Torah21 is connected to the number three. Since Torah is the means by which the drama of existence—which comprises three parts—unfolds from the original plan that preceded creation through its fulfillment and completion, the Torah is, therefore, also divided into three, aleph beis and gimmel.2223

From the book Introduction to Pirkei Avos (Biurim L’Pirkei Avos) by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, adapted from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and published by the Jewish Discovery Center.

Footnotes

  1. Shabbos 88a. See commentary of Rav Nissan Gaon where he adds several other aspects related to Torah that come in three. ↩

  2. See talk of Shabbos parshas Behar-Bechukosai, 5750, sec. 4, for a more extensive treatment of the significance of the number three with respect to Torah. . ↩

  3. Lecha Dodi hymn ↩

  4. Rashi and Ramban, beginning of Bereishis. See Tanchuma ad loc. ↩

  5. Mishlei 8:22. ↩

  6. Shabbos 88b. ↩

  7. See n. 4. ↩

  8. Tanya, chapter 36. ↩

  9. Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1. Rashi, Shemos 24:12. Tanya, beginning chapter 53. See also Torah Shleimah, volume 16, supplement, sec. 1. ↩

  10. The word “Anochi” comprises all of the specifics of the entire statement Anochi [the first of the “Ten Comandments,”as is well known (See Poras Yosef (23d) in the name of the Ba’al Shem Tov), and Anochi and Lo yiheye l’cha encapsulate the entire Torah (Tanya, beginning chapter 20. See Torah Shelemah ibid. See there for crossreferences). Moreover, The statement of Anochi encapsulates the statement of lo yihye l’cha as well (See Toras Menachem – Hadranim on Rambam and Shas, end of p. 48ff.) ↩

  11. See Panim Yafos (by the author of Hafla’ah), Shemos 20:2. ↩

  12. Yerushalmi Chagigah 2:2. Bereishis Rabbah 1:10. Tanchuma (Buber) Shemos 16 and other sources cited in Torah Shleimah, beginning of Bereishis. ↩

  13. Creation itself can also be divided into three stages: (a) The original thought to create; (b) the actual creation; (c) the completion and perfection of creation that will occur at the time of the Redemption through “our work and labor” that we have and continue to perform in the period of exile to introduce G-dliness to the world (Tanya chapter 37). In Kabbalistic terminology: (a) The Infinite light filled all of the space, before the contraction (tzimtzum) is followed by, (b) the contraction of the light to allow for a vacuum, the purpose of which was for the ultimate revelation of the light within that vacuum; (c) the ultimate revelation where the infinite light that preceded the tzimtzum fills the vacuum, and the vacuum-world becomes a “dwelling place” (See Tanchuma, Bechukosai 3. Naso 16 and other sources. Tanya, beginning chapter 36) for His very essence (See Sefer HaMaamarim 5765, volume 1, p.489 and references cited in Sefer HaMaamarim-Melukat, volume 2, p. 241, n. 32.). ↩

  14. See Bereishis Rabbah, beginning. Zohar II, 161a-b. ↩

  15. See Shemos Rabbah 2:2; 2:6. Zohar I 253a. Shaar Hapesukim, parshas Vayechi. Torah Or,Mishpatim 75b. ↩

  16. Micha 7:15. ↩

  17. [Finding a parallel hint in Pirkei Avos to the hint that is found in the Torah can be better understood in light of the approach to Avos that it is a general treatise and introduction to all the others. It follows from that premise that whatever paradigms can be found in the Torah, should also be found, explicitly or implicitly, in Avos. See next essay. – Translator’s note.] ↩

  18. See Megillah 19b. Yerushalmi Peah, chapter 2:4. Shemos Rabbah, 47. References in Likkutei Sichos, volume 19,p. 252. ↩

  19. Shemos 15:18. ↩

  20. Rashi, ad loc. verse 17. ↩

  21. [And much of the teachings of Avos as well are divided into three segments – Translator’s note.] ↩

  22. See commentary of Rav Nissim Gaon ad loc.: “Torah, whose letters are in segments of three, aleph, beis gimmel.” ↩

  23. Adapted from Sefer HaSichos, 5752, volume 2, p. 426. ↩

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Rabbi Heschel Greenberg Teacher, scholar and author of Tefillin — Judaism’s Crown. About the Rabbi

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