Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod Tet, Part 4

 

Introduction

Today s section continues to interpret Psalms 1:3.

 

"על פלגי מים": א"ר תנחום בר חנילאי לעולם ישלש אדם שנותיו שליש במקרא שליש במשנה שליש בתלמוד.

מי ידע איניש כמה חיי? כי קאמרינן ביומי

 

By streams of water : R. Tanhum b. Hanilai: One should divide one’s years [of study] into three: one third of them devoted to Scripture, one third to Mishnah, and one third to Talmud.

But does a person know how many years he will live?

When they said this they were referring to days.

 

A person should divide his days between the study of the different branches of Jewish learning, Scripture, Mishnah and Talmud. Interestingly, elsewhere in the Bavli they remark that in Babylonia, since their Talmud includes Scripture (which might include Midrash), Mishnah and Talmud, they fulfill this injunction by learning the Bavli alone. This was the path taken often throughout Jewish history the Bavli has dominated the Yeshiva curriculum for a thousand years.

 

(תהלים א, ג) "אשר פריו יתן בעתו" אמר רבא אם פריו יתן בעתו ועלהו לא יבול ואם לאו על הלומד ועל המלמד עליהם הכתוב אומר לא כן הרשעים כי אם וגו’

 

That brings forth its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalms 1:3): Rava said: If he brings forth his fruit in its season, then, his leaf will not wither, otherwise, concerning the one who learned and the one who taught the verse says, Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away (vs. 4).

 

One who brings fruit out of his learning is one who acts in accordance with that which he learns. Such a person s learning will be sustained. But if one learns and does not bring forth fruit, not only does the person s learning disappear, but so does that of the teacher.

 

אמר רבי אבא אמר רב הונא אמר רב מאי דכתיב (משלי ז, כו) "כי רבים חללים הפילה" זה תלמיד שלא הגיע להוראה ומורה "ועצומים כל הרוגיה" זה תלמיד שהגיע להוראה ואינו מורה

ועד כמה עד מ’ שנין

והא רבא אורי

התם בשוין

 

R. Abba said in the name of R. Huna, in the name of Rav: What is meant by what is written, For she has cast down many wounded (Proverbs 7:26). This refers to the student who has not yet reached the age of instruction and yet issues an instruction; Mighty are all those that she has slain: this refers to the student who has reached the age of instruction but does not yet issue instruction.

And what is the age? Forty years.

But did not Rava issue instruction?

That was a case of being equal [to anyone].

 

Generally, a student should not begin to issue legal instruction until they have reached the ripe old age of 40. Rava was an exception because there was no one older than him. In such a situation, he had no choice but to act as a master of instruction. I ll add in here a personal note. I began to teach Talmud at the age of 27. There was no doubt that I was too young, but there was no one else willing to teach, so I took the job.