Why the Words of the Wise Are Like a Goad That Plows

(Numbers 11:16:) GATHER ME [seventy men of the elders of Israel]. This is what Scripture says (Ecclesiastes 12:11): THE WORDS OF THE WISE ARE LIKE GOADS. Just as this goad brings living [creatures] into the world, so do the words of Torah bring life into the world, as it is written (Deuteronomy 30:20): FOR HE IS YOUR LIFE AND THE LENGTH OF YOUR DAYS. [Another interpretation of LIKE GOADS:] Just as this goad directs the cow to plow, to make the furrows even, so do the words of Torah direct [those who study them] to declare the forbidden forbidden and the permitted permitted, and they show interpretations and rulings from the Torah. THE WORDS OF THE WISE ARE LIKE GOADS. It is called by three names: darban, mardea, malmad. Why is it called malmad? Because it teaches (melammed) the cow to plow. Mardea—because it teaches knowledge (moreh deah) to the cow for plowing. Darban—because understanding (binah) dwells (dar) in it (bah). Therefore it is said: THE WORDS OF THE WISE ARE LIKE GOADS. And should you say: just as the goad is movable, so the words of Torah are movable—the text teaches (Ecclesiastes 12:11, continued): AND LIKE IMPLANTED NAILS (masmerot). It is written [as] "like guards" (mishmarot): if you have fixed them like a nail, they are guarded, and they guard you.