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Session Four
Jewish Chess: Talmud
TEXTS: Part III
This may be the point to say something about the content of this
text. It comes out of a culture of learning, in which the teacher-disciple
relationship was central. (This probably was not the culture of
all Jews or even most Jews at the time -- or at any time before
or since -- but it was the culture of the Sages who created the
Talmud, and those who created the Mishnah before them, and it
became more and more influential over the following centuries.)
The Sages were immersed in study of the Bible and, especially,
the Mishnah, and every phrase was important to them -- so someone
who told you what a word in the Mishnah, like "zuhama listron",
meant, would truly be important in your life. But learning Torah
for them went far beyond the words in those texts. You would learn
Torah by being around your teacher as much as possible and serving
them in various ways; somewhat like an apprentice to a master
tradesperson, also somewhat like a disciple to a guru in Hindu
traditions. The fellow students of your teacher would be your
closest friends. So it really would be a question who was more
entitled to your respect: your teacher or your parents.
We may find the extreme honour and respect given to teachers unfamiliar
or objectionable. A better model for us may be the community of
"disciples of the wise in Babylon" in which fellow students treated
each other with much of the honour due to teachers, recognizing
that we all learn from -- and teach -- each other.
The final stage in reaching a basic understanding of a passage of Talmud is to consult Rashi and perhaps some other commentators. (Advanced study can go far beyond this, to more in-depth commentaries, comparing one passage of Talmud with another, resolving contradictions between different passages and different commentaries, etc. etc....) Our friend Rashi not only wrote the essential commentary on the Bible but the essential commentary on the Talmud as well. It is practically impossible to really understand a page of Talmud without Rashi -- although it's very important to try! Based on what he learned from his teachers in years of study in the great yeshivas of France and Germany in his time -- only a few hundred years after the Talmud was completed -- Rashi has something to say about nearly everything that a student who knows how to study Talmud could still be puzzled by.
The following text is the same one as before, but with Rashi's commentary and some other information from classical and modern commentaries. Before reading it, review for yourself what questions you still have about the text, in terms of the kind of straightforward understanding we are trying to achieve. Then, be prepared to work once again, to try to understand the text as completely as possible as you read it with Rashi [in colour] as your guide.
Print out this page because it is hard enough to understand on
paper; to try to look at them on screen and think them through
is even more difficult. MISHNAH Your own lost object and your father's lost object -- your own
lost object takes precedence. Your father and your teacher were carrying a burden -- put down
your teacher's and afterwards put down your father's. Your father and your teacher are in captivity -- redeem your teacher
and afterwards redeem your father***. But if your father is a
person of wisdom, redeem your father and afterwards redeem your
teacher. *Sefer Chasidim (Germany 12th century): Therefore, if your father
paid for your Torah education, he takes precedence over your teacher
in all cases mentioned here. **variant reading: a person of wisdom equal to your teacher. ***Rashash (Lithunia, 19th century): "Redeem your teacher and
afterwards redeem your father" implies that it is possible to
redeem them both. But if it is only possible to redeem one of
them, redeem your father. Lechem Mishneh (Salonika, 16th century): "Redeem your teacher
and afterwards redeem your father" implies that it is possible
to redeem them both. But if it is only possible to redeem one
of them, redeem your teacher, unless your father is as great a
scholar as your teacher. GEMARA Where in the Bible- as interpreted by the rabbis- is there proof
or support for this statement1? [The Mishnah said]: "Your father and your teacher were carrying
a burden etc." A Baraita says: 1) that "your own takes precedence." 2) be careful to avoid poverty 3) Even though scripture does not require it, you ought to go
beyond the letter of the law and not insist on "your own takes
precedence" unless you are facing a major loss. If you do always
insist on it, you are shaking off the yoke of lovingkindness and
justice and in the end you will be needy, dependent on others. Rabbenu Chananel (11th century, North Africa): If you insist on
avoiding poverty, in the end you will fall into it. 4) Thinking through the reasons of the Mishnah, and the understanding
that one Mishnah does not contradict another, and the reasons
for prohibitions and permissions and obligations and exemptions
-- and this is called Talmud. 5) The text itself, without clarification of its reasons. 6) whether in Bible, Mishnah or Talmud. 7) Who explained to you the reason of one Mishnah you couldn't
understand. [Later responses to the Baraita] Rava said8: Like Rav Sechorah, who explained to me, 'zuhama listron.9' Shmuel10 tore his garment in mourning11 for the death of one of the rabbis who explained to him: 'one
goes down to the armpit12 and one opens directly.13'
8) Rabbenu Chananel: In accordence with Rabbi Yosé. 9) This is a term found in the Mishnah --Keylim 3:3, 25:3 -- and
I didn't know what kind of utensil it was, and he taught me that
it is a big spoon which they huse to remove the foam (Zuham) from
a pot. 10) Rabbenu Chananel: In accordence with Rabbi Yosé. 11) With a tear which would not be mended, as required of a disciple
on the death of his teacher. 12) This is a phrase from the Mishnah (Tamid 3:6) describing how
the gates to the Temple were opened by the Kohanim each morning.
The first lock could be opened only by inserting one's entire
arm, up to the armpit, through a hole beside the gate and opening
the lock from the inside. 13) Directly means 'quickly, without any trouble' as it does elsewhere
in the Talmud -- Pesachim 371. The second lock opened normally,
with a key, like all other doors. Ulla said: The disciples of the wise in Babylon stand up to give
each other honour14 one before the other and they tear their garments in mourning
one for the other; but on the subject of returning a lost object,
instead of one's father's first, they do not return first except
to one's foremost teacher.15" Rav Chisda asked a question of Rav Huna: A disciple whose teacher
needs him16 -- what is the halakah17? Either: You need me for forty years.18 They were angry with each other and did not visit each other. Or: You need me. For forty years they were angry with each other and did not
visit each other.19 Rav Chisda fasted forty times because Rav Huna had felt insulted. There was a dispute between amoraim: But did Rabbi Yochanan say this?! Surely Rabbi Yochanan stated
the general rule: The halakhah is in accordance with an anonymous
Mishnah. And the Mishnah under discussion says: 'your teacher
who taught you wisdom20.' What is 'wisdom?' -- Most of your wisdom.21
14) As required of a disiple before a teacher. They were always
studying together, raising difficulties and resolving them, and
they all learned from each other. 15) from which most of one's wisdom comes -- in accordance with
Rabbi Yehudah 16) In order to hear from the disciple traditions which the disciple
learned from others. Rabbenu Chananel: It means : A sharp-witted student whom the teacher
delights in, and from the disciple's questions and investigations
the teacher gains wisdom, as the Talmud says elsewhere -- Sanhedrin
68 -- "I have learned much from my teachers, and from my disciples
most of all." 17) Does the teacher take precedence over this disciple's father when it comes to returning lost objects? 18) Rabbenu Chananel: Chisda, Chisda! I do not need yuour sharp-wittedness
or your subtle distinctions. you need to receive from me, until
you have completed forty years before me. It takes forty yers
for a disciple to understand his teacher's thinking, as the Torah
says, "I led you through the desert for forty years... before
Adonai gave you a heart to understand." (Deuteronomy 29:31) 19) Marasha (16th century Poland): Rav Huna's reprimand was so
severe that it required forty years to be corrected, as did the
sin of the Jews in the wilderness, which also involved a revolt
of disciples against their teachers. This would also explain the
forty fasts. [As cited by Adin Steinsaltz, Bava Metzia II, pg.
198] 20) Anonymously, in accordance with Rabbi Meir. 21) If in the Bible -- in Bible. If in Mishnah -- in Mishnah. If you've made it this far, you may or may not have enjoyed the
experience but you have had an experience of what it's like to
sit in a yeshiva (or a university classroom) and learn Talmud.
To me it is one of the great pleasures. Conclusion: Dedication and Prayer
Your own lost object and your teacher's lost object -- your own
takes precedence.
Your father's lost object and your teacher's lost object -- your
teacher's takes precedence, because your father brought you into
this world but your teacher who taught you wisdom brings you into
the life of the world to come.* But if your father is a person
of wisdom** your father's takes precedence
Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: Scripture (Deuteronomy 15:4) says
"only there shall be no poor by you" (bekha) 2--that is, yours (shelkah) comes before anyone's.
Rav Yehudah also said that Rav said: Whoever fulfills this for
himself ultimately comes to this3.
" 'Your teacher' in the Mishnah means your teacher who taught
you wisdom4, but not your teacher who taught you Bible or Mishnah5; so says Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehudah says: Anyone from whom most of your wisdom comes6.
Rabbi Yosé says: Even a person who enlightened your eyes about
only one paragraph of the Mishnah7 is your teacher."
Rabbenu Chananel: It is the ladle with which you turn the meat
in a pot.
Various commentators on the Mishanh in Kelyim: It is a utensil
with a ladle at one end and a fork at the other end, used to scrape
leftover food from a pot.
Etymological note in Steinsaltz Talmud: It is a soup-spoon, from
the Greek zomos-mustron.
He answered: Chisda, Chisda! I do not need you.
Rav Huna fasted forty times because he had suspected Rav Chisda.
Rav Yitzchak son of Yosef said, 'Rabbi Yochanan said: The halakhah
is in accordance with Rabbi Yehudah.'
Rav Acha son of Rav Huna said, 'Rav Sheshet said: The halakhah
is in accordance with Rabbi Yosé.'
DISCUSSION
At this point in getting to know the text it's appropriate to discuss
its ideas and explore what it means to you. That's best done through
discussion, which the Forum of this course is for. Here are some
questions -- feel free to post yours.
Who are your teachers?
How do you give them honour?
In what ways would you like to see our Jewish communities becoming
more like the ones described in this text? In what ways are we
better off today?
And also: -- What was this experience of Talmud study like for
you?
(c) Justin Lewis, instructor
course offered through the department of Interactive Technology
@Kolel