Having Our Double Latté-extra Shot with the Maharal
As we sit down with the Maharal this morning, we find him pondering the First Mishnah of Chapter Four in the Pirkei Avot. We see that it says: “Ben Zoma says- Who is wise… strong… rich… Honored?” or:
?dbkm____ ?okx vhzya .rmva amvz [b
And the root for that is:
dbk
weigh; be important
Being heavy; 2) Giving honor [Ex. 28:2 “You shall make vestments of sanctity for Aaron your brother, for glory and splendor.” Stone Ed. Chumach p.467]; 3) be(ing) serious; 4) being stubborn; 5) dimming… 6) being difficult; 7) being wealthy; 8) spiritual greatness.
cm Be open/receptive; cut; connect/disconnect; wonder.
Khavod Rav (or “Yours Truly”) can be above your signature as in:
Respectfully Yours, Chaim Yankel
So: Rashi, it might have bothered. The Maharal though, was contemplating the various external measures of the qualities [wise; strong; rich; honored]. As we join him in our studies and our Double Latté-Extra Shot, we see that he is seeing academic success, physical prowess, assets and honor as not reflecting the true nature of a person but that Ben Zoma was looking at the very essence of a person.
What is truly “us” and what are the parts which have been acquired? Our essence is but body and soul [haGuf, v’haNefish]. Possessions, as we discovered last week, do not really belong to “us” - they are our gifts from “Mother Earth” (if you will) - from G-d. Even our knowledge is acquired and each to his own is to do with it to his/her best, and the same with our talents. While we can and do acquire possessions and knowledge and that is important too, they do not constitute our essence. In one way or another, with misfortune or the ways of man, we can lose our possessions, our physical assets, our mental capacities - but we remain human to our very last breath.
“Who is wise? He who learns from every person.”
No. Not he who has learned much Torah. Knowledge, remember, is just another acquisition. The indication, the Maharal is telling us through his understanding of the reading of Ben Zoma, is seeing he who searches for knowledge. Here is where you can see if a person’s soul is secure from being mislead by external measures of success!
“He who learns from every person.”
If a man is wise; by his very nature, he yearns for knowledge - wherever he may find it. He can, and does, learn from everyone and anyone. It is part of the fabric of his being.
Is the student a product of his abilities or the teacher’s skill? We do not know, when we observe this, we cannot see the wisdom of the student or the expertise of the teacher. But when we observe the student gleaning knowledge and wisdom from everyone he comes into contact with, clearly that success is his own.
“He who learns from every person.”
Knowledge is acquired, as mentioned above, and it is not the essence of the individual. The loving pursuit of it however enriches the soul. Then does it not follow that if you truly desire knowledge and wisdom in the hope and desire that it will make you a better person… then you are, indeed, wise.
“He who learns from every person.”
And how, exactly, does this ‘prove’ that a wise person seeks wisdom? In the ‘olden days’ (you remember, back when we were all kids and asked dad or mom about those ‘olden days’) there were far fewer teachers throughout life.[1] The reason a wise person has many teachers is that he searches for Torah from everyone who can teach him something. There is a passion for knowledge in his being.
“From all my teachers I grew wise.” [1]
The proof that a man seeks out wisdom? That person yearns for knowledge in a way that enhances his very being. Selah.
[1] The proof-verse was composed by King David. Today, students have a different rabbi every year. In ‘earlier times’, one studied with his father and then went to study with more accomplished rebbis, only moving to a new rebbi when he needed to match his own Torah proficiency.
“Who is rich?”
He who is happy with his lot.
“Who is rich?”
“When you eat of the labor of your hands, you are happy and all is well with you.
“You are happy”- in this world.
The self-sufficient personality enjoys this world more than a person who merely “owns” wealth. For two reasons: quantity and quality.
“And all is well with you”- in the World to Come.
That person does not depend upon material possessions (which are not really his in the first place and which will certainly return to the earth themselves) for happiness; that person’s personality is well suited for the spiritual life. The life of the World to Come. Should you question that World, it may be that - for you - it is a living heritage which you will never lose, that wisdom and knowledge that continues to live in your family.
“Who is honored?” He who honors others.
Scripture refers to G-d as Melech HaKavod. dvbkh jlm
The King of Honor (Glory) [but the Hebrew word is the same - kavod related as we know to: Honored] because He confers honor upon those who revere Him - and one who confers honor upon others is, himself, called honorable.
Shalom
Bechukotai 5771
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