Description: Chapter 6 - 08
Pirkei Avos
Chapter 6 – 08
The third Mishnah says:
הלומד מחבירו פרק אחד, או הלכה אחת, או פסוק אחד, או דבור אחד, אפילו אות אחת צריך לנהוג בו כבוד, שכן מצינו בדוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים בלבד, וקראו רבו, אלופו, ומיודעו, שנאמר ואתה אנוש כערכי אלופי ומיודעי.
Someone who learns from his friend, one chapter, one halachah, one pasuk, or one statement, even one letter, has to treat him with respect, as we find that Dovid Hamelech only learned two things from Achitofel yet he called him his rebbi, his friend, and his confidant.
It’s interesting to note, that Achitofel eventually became Dovid’s enemy, as he joined Dovid’s son Avshalom in his rebellion against Dovid. If Hashem hadn’t caused Avshalom to ignore Achitofel’s advice, Dovid would have been killed and lost the war. He betrayed Dovid to a great degree, and was ‘moraid bi’malchus,’ and is classified as a rashah who perhaps lost his portion in the world-to-come. This pasuk is actually said by Dovid Hamelech, as he is davening to Hashem to save him from Achitofel’s betrayal, and he curses and decries Achitofel for his rebellion.
It is here, where Dovid treats Achitofel with respect – since he taught him two things! This is quite amazing!
What did Achitofel teach Dovid?
It is the next pasuk in Tehillim:
אשר יחדו נמתיק סוד בבית אלוקים נהלך ברגש
He taught that one should not learn alone – that’s what it means – that together we can sweeten the secret – learning with a chavrusa allows one to catch mistakes, to delve deeper and understand better, than when one learns alone. He taught him that when you go to learn in Beis Medrash or to daven – you should run! That’s to Hashem’s house, you must travel with emotion, with fervor, demonstrating this by running!
Compared to the amount of Torah that Dovid knew, and the level of kedushah and holiness he possessed – this was not much. But it required him to show respect to Achitofel – even when he was his sworn enemy, had betrayed him, had transgressed a sin which condemned him to death, and possibly made him lose his portion in the world-to-come.
This was a tremendous display of humility on the part of Dovid Hamelech.
That’s the holiness of every single word of Torah.
The Mishnah continues:
ואין כבוד אלא תורה שנאמר כבוד חכמים ינחלו, ותמימים ינחלו טוב, ואין טוב אלא תורה שנאמר כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו
There’s no honor other than Torah, as it says, the respect of wise people they shall inherit, and the perfect people shall inherit what is good. ‘Good’ refers to the Torah, because only the Torah is ‘good’ as it says, I gave you a good purchase, don’t abandon my Torah!
Pirkei Avos
Chapter 6 – 08
The third Mishnah says:
הלומד מחבירו פרק אחד, או הלכה אחת, או פסוק אחד, או דבור אחד, אפילו אות אחת צריך לנהוג בו כבוד, שכן מצינו בדוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים בלבד, וקראו רבו, אלופו, ומיודעו, שנאמר ואתה אנוש כערכי אלופי ומיודעי.
Someone who learns from his friend, one chapter, one halachah, one pasuk, or one statement, even one letter, has to treat him with respect, as we find that Dovid Hamelech only learned two things from Achitofel yet he called him his rebbi, his friend, and his confidant.
It’s interesting to note, that Achitofel eventually became Dovid’s enemy, as he joined Dovid’s son Avshalom in his rebellion against Dovid. If Hashem hadn’t caused Avshalom to ignore Achitofel’s advice, Dovid would have been killed and lost the war. He betrayed Dovid to a great degree, and was ‘moraid bi’malchus,’ and is classified as a rashah who perhaps lost his portion in the world-to-come. This pasuk is actually said by Dovid Hamelech, as he is davening to Hashem to save him from Achitofel’s betrayal, and he curses and decries Achitofel for his rebellion.
It is here, where Dovid treats Achitofel with respect – since he taught him two things! This is quite amazing!
What did Achitofel teach Dovid?
It is the next pasuk in Tehillim:
אשר יחדו נמתיק סוד בבית אלוקים נהלך ברגש
He taught that one should not learn alone – that’s what it means – that together we can sweeten the secret – learning with a chavrusa allows one to catch mistakes, to delve deeper and understand better, than when one learns alone. He taught him that when you go to learn in Beis Medrash or to daven – you should run! That’s to Hashem’s house, you must travel with emotion, with fervor, demonstrating this by running!
Compared to the amount of Torah that Dovid knew, and the level of kedushah and holiness he possessed – this was not much. But it required him to show respect to Achitofel – even when he was his sworn enemy, had betrayed him, had transgressed a sin which condemned him to death, and possibly made him lose his portion in the world-to-come.
This was a tremendous display of humility on the part of Dovid Hamelech.
That’s the holiness of every single word of Torah.
The Mishnah continues:
ואין כבוד אלא תורה שנאמר כבוד חכמים ינחלו, ותמימים ינחלו טוב, ואין טוב אלא תורה שנאמר כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו
There’s no honor other than Torah, as it says, the respect of wise people they shall inherit, and the perfect people shall inherit what is good. ‘Good’ refers to the Torah, because only the Torah is ‘good’ as it says, I gave you a good purchase, don’t abandon my Torah!