Avodah Zarah 19a (יט.) — the Talmud in English

This

Abraham our forefather, who did not

follow the counsel of the generation of the Dispersion.

This was when Abraham our forefather was forty-eight years old. And we interpret “the counsel of the wicked” as referring to the generation of the Dispersion,

for they were wicked, as it is stated [

Genesis 11]

“Come, let us build ourselves a city.”

“Nor stood in the way of sinners” –

for he did not stand

Abraham our forefather

in the standing

of the

people of Sodom, who were sinners, as it is stated [

Genesis 13] “

And the people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.”

“Nor sat in the seat of the scornful” –

for he did not sit

Abraham our forefather

in the seat of the Philistines,

when he lived among them,

because they were scorners, as it is stated [

Judges 16]

“And when their hearts were merry, they said: Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.”

The Maharsha brings in the name of the Midrash an explanation of this exposition, that “a man” alludes to Abraham our forefather, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, called by that designation: “And now restore the man’s wife.” The Midrash further explains “the counsel of the wicked” as referring to the people of the generation of the Dispersion, since they said “come,” which is an expression of counsel, as it is stated [Judges 20]: “Give yourselves a matter and counsel.” The Maharsha explains: With the generation of the Dispersion he did not “go” with them when they went to seek a valley, as it is stated there: “And it came to pass, when they journeyed from the east.” With the people of Sodom he did not “stand” with them in their war, but only afterward, in order to save Lot. And although he went to live with the Philistines, because they were not as greatly wicked as the people of Sodom and the generation of the Dispersion, nevertheless he did not “sit” with them.

The Gemara continues to expound another verse in Psalms [

112]: “ Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord,

who greatly desires His commandments.”

The verse does not say “fortunate is the man,” with the definite article, referring to a specific man about whom the verse speaks; rather, it says “a man.” Seemingly, this indicates exclusion: a man, but not a woman.

This is puzzling: Is it possible to say

“Fortunate is a man”

who fears the Lord,

“but not fortunate is a woman”?

But surely a woman who fears the Lord will also be praised! Rather,

Rav Amram said that Rav said:

The verse does not come to exclude a woman; rather, it says:

Fortunate is one who repents

and becomes God-fearing

when he is “a man,”

in his strength and vigor, and does not wait until the days of his old age.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Fortunate is one who overcomes his inclination

with strength

like a man

who is mighty.

It is further stated there: “

Who greatly desires His commandments.”

Rabbi Elazar said:

His commandments

he greatly desires; he serves God out of love for His Name and love for His commandments,

and not

serves God

for the

sake of

the reward for His commandments.

And

this exposition

is what we learned—

as we learned in the Mishna in tractate Avot [1:3]:

He,

Antigonus of Sokho,

would say: Do not be like servants who serve the master

their master

in order to receive a reward. Rather, be like servants who serve the master

out of love for the master,

not in order to receive a reward!

That is, your loyalty to the Holy One, blessed be He, should be wholehearted; serve Him with love, and be prepared to say that even if we will ultimately receive no reward, we love our Creator and desire His commandments.

The Gemara continues to expound the verses in the first chapter of the book of Psalms.

“Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord” – [

It was taught],

Rabbi said: A person studies Torah only from a place toward which his heart is drawn.

A teacher should teach his student only the tractate that the student currently desires to study. If he teaches him another tractate, his learning will not remain with him, since the student does not desire it. As it is stated:

“Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord.” “His desire” means “his own desire,” his will, for it does not say “he desires.”

The Gemara relates an incident connected with this:

The Gemara relates an incident in this connection:

Levi and Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi [

the son of Rabbi],

were sitting before Rabbi,

sitting as students before Rabbi,

and they were reciting sections,

studying passages of Scripture.

They completed a book,

they finished one of the books and wished to begin another.

Levi said: Let them bring [

us]

so that we can begin the book of

Proverbs.

Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi said: Let them bring [

us]

Psalms.

The book of Psalms.

He compelled Levi,

Rabbi compelled Levi to study as his son Rabbi Shimon desired,

and they brought Psalms

and brought the book of Psalms, and began reading it from the beginning.

When they reached here,

when they reached this verse,

“Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord,” he expounded

explained

Rabbi, and said: A person studies Torah only from a place toward which his heart is drawn.

Levi said: Rabbi!

By this

you have given me permission to stand

and interrupt my study of the book of Psalms, because I desire to study the book of Proverbs.

The Gemara cites further expositions of the verse “Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord.”

Rav Avdimi bar Hama said: Anyone who engages in Torah—

the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills his desires,

his wishes and needs,

as it is stated: “Rather, in the Torah of the Lord,

which fulfills

his desire.”

Rava said: A person should always study Torah in the place toward which his heart is drawn, as it is stated: “Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord.”

And the Maharsha explains that Rava’s statement is not Rabbi’s statement. For Rabbi said that the teacher should teach his student the tractate the student desires, whereas Rava said that the student should choose for himself the teacher with whom he desires to study.

And

further,

Rava said: At first,

when a person begins his study,

the Torah is called

the Torah

by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, but ultimately,

after he has studied it and reviewed it,

it is called by his name,

the name of the student who exerted himself in its study.

As it is stated

at first,

“His desire is in the Torah of the Lord,”

but afterward it says,

“And in his Torah he studies day and night.”

The verse does not say “and in the Torah of the Lord he studies,” but rather “in his Torah,” for from then on it is called “his Torah,” the Torah of the one who studies it.

And

further,

Rava said: A person should always study Torah

from his teacher, until the wording of the Talmud and its interpretation are fluent in his mouth,

and afterward he should study it analytically,

examining his learning, comparing one matter with another, raising difficulties and resolving them, drawing parallels and distinguishing between cases.

As it is stated: “In the Torah of the Lord,”

which is the Torah transmitted to him by his teacher,

and afterward,

and afterward it says,

“And in his Torah he studies,”

which is the Torah that he understood through his own analysis.

And

further,

Rava said: A person should always first recite and memorize,

study from his teacher,

even though he forgets

what he has learned,

and even though he does not know what he is saying,

for his teacher is unable to explain anything to him and only teaches him the text.

As it is stated [

Psalms 119]: “

My soul is crushed with longing,”

and we expound:

“Crushed” is written,

in the language of crushing, which means breaking grain into small pieces, into two or four parts, in a “mill for crushed grain” for use as food [and it is not suitable for kneading],

and it is not written, “ground,”

which means grinding very finely.

And so King David said: My soul crushes the Torah, “with longing,” because of my great desire for words of Torah; I crush it according to my present ability, even though I am still unable to grind it thoroughly and enter into its depths.

The Gemara cites another statement of Rava concerning this matter.

Rava raised a contradiction,

asking that there seemingly is a contradiction between two verses—

In the book of Proverbs [chapter 9]

it is written: “

Wisdom [the wisdom of Torah] exalts [those who study it]

on wings

of the heights of the city”—on the wings of the heights of the city.

But

later in that same chapter,

it is written: “

Upon a throne

of the heights of the city.”

Seemingly, these verses contradict one another, since “wings” are not a fixed place of residence, whereas a “throne” is a fixed place of honor.

And he resolves it:

At first,

at the beginning of one’s study, Torah elevates him in a manner that is not permanent,

on wings

of the heights of the city

. But ultimately,

after he has studied it, it elevates him in a permanent manner,

upon a throne.

Rashi offers another interpretation: The contradiction is that at first it says “wings,” from the expression “wing,” which is singular—for at the beginning of his study he has no students—and in the end he sits upon a throne of honor [surrounded by students]. And the Maharsha explains: At first the Torah appears to be flying on wings, difficult to reach, and in the end it is found upon a throne, close to him, in the place where he sits.

Rava further expounds:

It is written in the book of Proverbs [8]: “Does not wisdom call, and understanding give forth its voice

And

at the head of the heights?”

And

later

it is written, “Upon the way.”

This is seemingly a contradiction, for “at the head of the heights” refers to the summit of lofty mountains, which is not accessible to everyone, whereas “upon the way” refers to a place in full view of all.

And he resolves it:

At first, at the head of the heights,

the one who studies it exerts himself over it as though it withdraws from him and hides itself atop high mountains.

But ultimately, upon the way.

He issues rulings before the eyes of all who see.

Now the Gemara cites a similar exposition taught by Ulla.

Ulla raised a contradiction,

asking that there seemingly is a contradiction between two verses.

It is written [

Proverbs 5]: “

Drink water from your cistern,”

and the reference is to the wisdom of Torah, which in this verse is compared to a cistern of water.

But

later

it is written: “

And flowing waters from your well.”

This is seemingly a contradiction: A cistern contains gathered water, and it is depleted when one draws from it, whereas a well continues to produce living water at all times, and its water does not cease when one draws water from it.

And he resolves it:

At first, drink

water

“from your cistern,” but ultimately, “flowing waters from your well.”

The Gemara continues and cites another exposition concerning the methods of Torah study.

Rava said that Rav Seḥora said that Rav Huna said: What

is the meaning of this

that is written [

Proverbs 13]: “

Wealth gained through vanity shall diminish, but one who gathers little by little shall increase”?

We expound “vanity” as “bundle,” in the sense of “bundle”—

If a person makes his Torah into bundles of bundles,

studying a great deal at once and being unable to review his learning many times,

it diminishes,

he forgets his learning.

But if he gathers little by little,

studying a small amount and reviewing it, then a little more and reviewing it,

it increases!

Rava said: The Sages know this matter,

the students know this,

but they transgress it,

ignoring it and failing to observe it.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: I practiced it;

I did this—gathering little by little and reviewing my learning until I retained it, and afterward I studied more and reviewed it—

and it endured in my hands,

my Torah remained established within me.

The Gemara cites another exposition concerning this matter.

Rav Shizvi said in the name

of

Rabbi Elazar

ben Azarya: What

is the meaning of this

that is written [

Proverbs 12]: “

The deceitful hunter does not scorch his prey” [

The plain meaning of the verse is: The hunter singes the tips of the birds’ wings so that they will not fly away, but the deceitful person does not do this, because he wishes to deceive the purchasers when the birds appear beautiful. In the end, however, he loses because of his deceit, as they fly away from him]—

We expound “scorch” as an acronym for “he will live and enjoy length of days”—

The deceitful hunter will neither live nor enjoy length of days,

that is, one who studies a great deal in order to display his wisdom and deceive people, but ultimately forgets his learning and his days are shortened, in contrast to the genuine study concerning which it is stated [Deuteronomy 30]: “For it is your life and the length of your days.”

Rav Sheshet expounds “deceitful” as praise, referring to one who knows how to employ clever devices to retain his learning, studying little by little and reviewing it extensively.

And Rav Sheshet said: “The deceitful hunter”—

will scorch

the birds that he has in his possession, to scorch and eat them.

And he expounds the verse rhetorically: Is it so that the deceitful hunter will not scorch?!

When Rav Dimi came

from Eretz Yisrael,

he said: This is analogous to a person who hunts birds.

Birds:

If he breaks the wings of the first one

so that it will not escape,

all of them

all the birds with broken wings

remain in his possession; but if not,

none remain in his possession.

The Gemara returns to expound the verse: “Fortunate is the man who did not follow the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord, and in his Torah he studies day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted beside streams of water.”

We expound “planted”: A tree that is planted, uprooted, and planted elsewhere—

The school of

the academy of

Rabbi Yannai said: “Like a planted tree”—

and not like “a tree planted”

in one place—

This teaches us that a student should go and study from everyone, and not from only one teacher, because

anyone who studies Torah from a single teacher—

will never see a sign of blessing

in his learning

ever.

From the words of Rabbeinu Hananel it appears that he expounds this exposition from the fact that it is stated in the plural, “beside streams of water.” And this is his language: “And he shall be like a planted tree, sending out roots and branches, and not merely fixed and standing. ‘Streams of water’—that is, planted beside many rivers. From here they said: Anyone who studies from one teacher never sees a sign of blessing.”

The Gemara relates an incident in this connection:

Rav Hisda said to the Sages: “I wish to say a matter to you,

I would like to tell you something,

but I am afraid

that I fear

that you will leave me

that you will abandon him

and go away

and leave!

And he said this to them:

Anyone who studies Torah from a single teacher—

will never see a sign of blessing.

And indeed,

they left him

they abandoned him

and went

and went away

before

before

Rava [

Rabba].

He said to them: “These matters

are matters that should also be heard from another teacher, matters of the amoraim concerning

reasoning

for learning sharp analysis and cultivating the mind;

but

before that, to study

Gemara,

the wording of the Talmud—

it is preferable to study from one teacher

so that it will be fluent in his mouth,

so that

the formulations will not be divided

so that the expressions will not differ; that is, every teacher has his own wording, text, and traditions, and the student may become confused by this.