It's all about how we access, understand, and apply the teachings of Torah.
The passage opens with a verse from Ecclesiastes (12:11): “The words of the wise are like goads, and like implanted nails are the collectors of wisdom; they were given from one shepherd.” Intriguing. What does it all mean?
The text then tells a story about Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka and Rabbi Elazar Ḥisma visiting Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Yehoshua, ever the curious mind, asks them what novel idea was taught in the study hall that day. They initially demur, but he presses them, emphasizing that every study hall must produce something new. They then share an insight from Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya regarding the portion of assembly: if men come to learn, and women come to hear, why bring the children? The answer? To reward those who bring them! Rabbi Yehoshua is delighted, exclaiming that they had a "fine pearl" and shouldn't have kept it hidden.
But the story is just the springboard. The passage then dives deep into the verse from Ecclesiastes, unpacking its rich layers of meaning.
So, what's with the goads and nails? The text explains that Torah, like a goad (a pointed stick used to guide animals), directs our hearts from paths of death to paths of life. It guides us, prods us in the right direction. But it's not just a fleeting prod. It's also like an implanted nail, something firm and lasting.
Now, things get interesting. What about all the disagreements and debates within Jewish tradition? One scholar says something is ritually impure, another says it's pure. One prohibits, another permits. How do we navigate this? The Bamidbar Rabbah offers a powerful image: “They were given from one shepherd.” Meaning, all these diverse opinions ultimately come from one source – God. We’re encouraged to open our minds, to listen to all sides, and to develop a heart that can hear all the different perspectives. "You, too, render your ears like a funnel," the text urges, "and acquire for yourself a heart that hears the statements of those who rule it ritually impure and the statements of those who rule it pure..."
Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba adds to the metaphor, explaining that the marde’a (another word for goad) imparts knowledge, causes understanding, and teaches us the ways of the Holy One. The words of the wise, like roots of a tree, take hold throughout our being when we truly observe them.
The text also touches on the delicate balance between Torah law and rabbinic law, suggesting that rabbinic law, while seemingly "lesser," is actually vital for understanding and applying Torah properly. Why? Because Torah is often vague, full of symbols. The Sages, through their interpretations, make it accessible and relevant to our lives. As the text says, "from statements of the Sages one can issue halakhic rulings properly, because they explain the Torah."
And there's a warning, too: "More than that, my son, be careful." Be careful not to get lost in endless books and contemplation. There's a point where it becomes "weariness of the flesh." Rabbi Abba of Sadronanya even suggests that the statements of the scribes weren't written down precisely because it would be impossible to capture them all! The sheer volume would be overwhelming.
But what if you heard something insightful from someone you consider "insubstantial?" Is it still valuable? Absolutely! The text emphasizes that hearing from any member of the community is like hearing from a Sage, and ultimately, like hearing from Moses, and even from God. It all comes from the same source.
The passage concludes with powerful imagery from the Song of Songs (7:5), comparing our leaders to eyes, pools of wisdom, and towers of strength. If we fulfill the Torah, we can aspire to the wisdom of Elijah the prophet.
So, what’s the takeaway? This passage from Bamidbar Rabbah is a reminder that the pursuit of Jewish wisdom is a lifelong journey. It requires openness, humility, a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives, and a deep appreciation for the tradition that connects us all. It's about letting the "goads" of wisdom guide us, and anchoring ourselves with the "implanted nails" of enduring truth. And, perhaps most importantly, remembering that all these teachings, no matter how varied, ultimately come from "one shepherd."
“On the seventh day…” – that is what is written: “The words of the wise are like goads, and like implanted nails are the collectors of wisdom; they were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11). It is taught: there was an incident involving Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka and Rabbi Elazar Ḥisma, who went to greet Rabbi Yehoshua in Pekiin. Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: ‘What novel idea was taught today in the study hall?’ They said to him: ‘We are your students and we drink from your water.’ He said to them: ‘Nevertheless, it is impossible for there to be a study hall without a novel idea.’ He asked them: ‘Whose week was it?’ ‘It was the week of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.’21See Berakhot 28a, where the arrangement that had Rabban Gamliel serving at the head of the yeshiva three weeks a month and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya one week is explained. ‘On what was the lecture today?’ They said to him: ‘It was regarding the portion of assembly.’ ‘What did he expound in its regard?’ ‘“Assemble the people, the men and the women and the children” (Deuteronomy 31:12). If men come to learn, and women come to hear, why the children? It is in order to reward those who bring them.’ He said to them: ‘You had this fine pearl in your hands, and you sought to conceal it from me?’ Moreover, he expounded: “You have elevated the Lord this day.… And the Lord has elevated you, this day…” (Deuteronomy 26:17–18) – the Holy One blessed be He said to the Jewish people: You have rendered Me a single entity in the world, as it is written: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4), and I will render you a single entity in the world, as it is stated: “Who is like Your people, like Israel, one nation on earth” (II Samuel 7:23). He also commenced and taught: “The words of the wise are like goads” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – why are matters of Torah likened to a goad? It is to tell you: Just as this goad directs the cow to its furrows to bring life to the world, so, matters of Torah direct the heart of those who study them from the paths of death to the paths of life. If so, just as this goad is movable, so too matters of Torah are movable? The verse states: “And like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11). If so, just as this nail diminishes and does not expand,22When the nail is removed from the wall, it leaves a hole. so, matters of Torah diminish and do not expand. The verse states: “Implanted [netuim]” – just as this sapling [netia] flourishes and multiplies, so too, matters of Torah flourish and multiply. “The collectors of wisdom [baalei asupot]” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – these are Torah scholars, who sit in many groups [asupot] and engage in Torah study. These rule it ritually impure and those rule it pure; these prohibit and those permit; these disqualify and those rule it valid. Lest a person say: Since these rule it ritually impure and those rule it pure; these prohibit and those permit; these disqualify and those rule it valid, how can I study Torah now? The verse states: “They were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11). One God gave them; one leader said them from the mouth of the Master of all creation, blessed be He, as it is written: “God spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1). You, too, render your ears like a funnel and acquire for yourself a heart that hears the statements of those who rule it ritually impure and the statements of those who rule it pure; the statements of those who prohibit and the statements of those who permit; the statements of those who disqualify and the statements of those who rule it valid. He said to them in this formulation: No generation that Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya is in its midst, is orphaned. Another matter: “The words of the wise are like goads [kadarvonot]” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba said: Just as this goad directs the cow to plow its furrow, so, the words of the wise direct this person to the paths of the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The Mishna called it marde’a, and the Bible called it darvan and malmad, as it is written: “A cattle goad [malmad]” (Judges 3:31), and likewise, “and to set the goad [darvan]” (I Samuel 13:21). Rabbi Natan said: Why is it called marde’a? It is because it imparts knowledge [moreh de’a] to the cow. Why is it called darvan? It is because it causes understanding to reside [dar bina] in the cow. Why is it called malmad? It is because it teaches [melamed] the cow to plow in its furrow. The same is true of the words of the wise; they cause wisdom to reside in people, impart knowledge in them, and teach them the ways of the Holy One blessed be He. “And like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – they are implanted in a person when he observes them. Why are they likened to a sapling [netia]? Just as the roots of a tree take root everywhere, so the words of the wise enter and take root throughout the body. “The collectors [asupot] of wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – when are they like implanted nails in a person? It is when a master of Torah enters to teach, and they gather [ne’esafim] to hear. “They were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – on the first day of the festival, Rabbi Yoḥanan would recite the blessing: Blessed are You, Lord our God, who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us regarding the taking of the palm branch [lulav]. The rest of the days: Regarding the mitzva of the elders. Rabbi Yehoshua would recite the blessing: Regarding the taking of the lulav, each day. Does Rabbi Yehoshua not concede to Rabbi Yoḥanan that the first day is an obligation by Torah law, as it is stated: “You shall take for you on the first day…” (Leviticus 23:40), and the rest of the days are by rabbinic law? Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: That is what Rabbi Yehoshua holds. Why, then, did he do so? It is because it is written: “The words of the wise are like goads…they were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – matters of Torah law and matters of rabbinic law were given from one shepherd. “More than that, my son, be careful: Making many books without end, and much contemplation is weariness of the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). “More than that, my son, be careful” – more than regarding matters of Torah law, be careful regarding matters of rabbinic law. Likewise it says: “As your love is better than wine” (Song of Songs 1:2) – the words of the beloved are better than the wine of Torah. Why? It is because one cannot issue halakhic rulings properly on the basis of matters of Torah, because it is vague, and it consists entirely of symbols, as it is stated: “Teach it to the children of Israel; place it [sima] in their mouths” (Deuteronomy 31:19), symbols [simanim] in their mouths. However, from statements of the Sages one can issue halakhic rulings properly, because they explain the Torah. That is why the statements of the Sages are likened to darvanot, because they cause wisdom [medayrin bina] to reside in people. Another matter: “More than that, my son, be careful” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) – Rabbi Abba of Sadronanya said: Were a person to say to you: Why were the statements of the scribes not given written, just as the matters of Torah were given; say to him: It is because it is impossible to write all their statements. That is what is written: “More than that [mehema], my son, be careful.” What is mehema? What [ma] enters you if you come to write the statements of the scribes? Why? It is because were you to write their statements, there is no limit or end to the statements that would enable producing books. That is what is written: “Making many books without end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). What, then, shall a person do? He shall greatly exert [meyage’a] his flesh to contemplate [lahgot] the statements of the Sages. That is what is written: “And much contemplation [velahag] is weariness [yegiat] of the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Another matter: “And much contemplation [is weariness [yegiat] of the flesh]” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) – if you exerted [yagata] yourself greatly in their statements, the Holy One blessed be He will remove the evil inclination from you. That is what is written: “Flesh,” just as it says: “[I will give you a new heart…and I will remove the stony heart from your flesh]; I will give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Another matter: “And much contemplation [velahag] is weariness [yegiat] of the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) – if you exerted [yagata] yourself greatly in contemplation of the statements of the Sages, the Holy One blessed be He will herald you good tidings [besorot]. That is, “flesh [basar].” Another matter: If you exerted yourself greatly in the statements of the Sages, you become like a ruler [basar]; that is what is written: “Flesh [basar]” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Likewise, it says: “Through me [bi] rulers rule [sarim yasoru]” (Proverbs 8:16). Another matter: “The words of the wise are like goads [kadarvonot]” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen said: A girl’s ball [kadur shel banot], like the sphere that children catch and throw from here to there. The statements of the Sages are the same; this states his reason and that one states his reason. Is it, perhaps, that because this one states one reason and that one says a second reason, perhaps their words are ephemeral? The verse states: “And like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11). It did not say “and like fixed nails,” but rather, “implanted.” Why? It is because he made them like nails, and a nail that has a head is easier to extract. That is why it said: “Like implanted nails.” Roots of a tree that are planted are difficult to uproot. Why are their statements likened to a nail? It is because an iron nail that has a head, even though it is hard, it is easy to extract, and the roots of a tree that are planted even though they are difficult to extract, but they do not have strength like the strength of iron. That is why it is stated: “Like implanted nails”; matters of Torah were accorded the strength of iron and are like the planted roots of a tree. Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen ben Rabbi said: We read it masmerot,23With the letter samekh. but it is written only masmerot.24With the letter sin. Just as the priestly and Levite watches [mishmarot] are twenty-four, so the books25Of the Bible. are twenty-four. It juxtaposed the statements of the scribes to matters of Torah, that they, like them, are true. Another matter: “And like [implanted] nails [ukhemasmerot]” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – masmerot is written; just as the priestly watches are twenty-four, so too, the nails are twenty-four. The question is asked: How many nails need there be in the sandal?26So it would be permitted to wear it on Shabbat. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Five, corresponding to the five books of the Torah. Rav Huna said: Seven, as it is stated: “Iron and bronze your padlocks, and all your days, shall be the flow of your oil” (Deuteronomy 33:25).27Your bronze nails in your sandals shall be like your days, seven. Rav Aḥa expounded in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Nine. Rabbi would allot eleven on this side and thirteen on that side, the number of priestly watches. Another matter: “Like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – you affix this nail, and even though you then extract it, its place is recognizable; so, anyone against whom the Sages extend their hand, even if they subsequently accepted him, ultimately he will receive his just deserts at their hand. Another matter: “Like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – when matters of Torah emerge properly from the mouths of their promulgators, they are pleasing to their listeners. “Like implanted nails [kemasmerot]” – when they emerge distorted, they are bitter for their listeners; “kemasmerot” – items that dissolve and are bitter [kemas marot]. “The collectors [asupot] of wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – when are matters of Torah implanted in this person? It is when their masters are taken [ne’esafim] from them. As long as his teacher is alive, he could be distracted and say: Whenever I need, my teacher is available to me and I can ask him. When his teacher dies, he must toil day and night to sustain his studies. He knows that he has no one to ask. That is, when is it that they are implanted in this person? It is when their masters are taken [ne’esafim] from them. “They were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – even though this one states his reason and that one states his reason, the statements of this one and that one, all of them were given from Moses, what he received from the single One of the universe. Another matter: “The words of the wise are like goads” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – it is taught: From where do you say that if a person heard a matter from an insubstantial one of Israel that it should be in his eyes as though he heard from a Sage of Israel? The verse states: “It will be if you hear My commandments that I command you today” (Deuteronomy 11:13), not as one who hears from the mouth of a Sage, but rather, as one who hears from the mouths of Sages, as it is stated: “The words of the wise are like goads.” Just as this goad directs the cow to its furrows to bring life to the world, so, matters of Torah direct the knowledge of a person to know the Omnipresent. And not as one hears from the mouths of Sages, but rather as one who hears from the mouths of Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “Collectors of wisdom [asupot]” (Ecclesiastes 12:11). Asupot is nothing other than Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16). And not as one who hears from the mouths of Sanhedrin, but rather, as one who hears from the mouth of Moses, as it is stated: “Were given from one shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11), as it is stated: “And His nation remembered the days of old, Moses” (Isaiah 63:11), and it says: “And Moses shepherded” (Exodus 3:1). And not as one who hears from the mouth of Moses, but rather as one who hears from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Were given from one shepherd.” “Shepherd of Israel, listen” (Psalms 80:2) – “one,” as it is stated: “The Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). It says: “[Your neck is like an ivory tower;] your eyes are pools in Ḥeshbon, by the gate of Bat Rabim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus” (Song of Songs 7:5). “Your eyes” – these are the elders, who are appointed over the congregation. Likewise it says: “For the Lord poured upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and He closed your eyes; [He covered the prophets and your leaders, the seers]” (Isaiah 29:10).28It refers to their leaders as “eyes.” “Pools” – just as this pool, a person does not know what is in it, so, a person cannot reckon the statements of the Sages. “In Ḥeshbon” – as their conclusions are drawn through counsel and thought [maḥshava]. Where are these conclusions drawn? It is in the study halls at the gate of Bat Rabim.29Traditionally the courts, including the judges and their disciples, would assemble at the city gates. “Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus” – if you fulfill the Torah, aspire to Elijah, to whom I said: “Return on your path to the wilderness of Damascus.” And it says: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant.… Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet…” (Malachi 3:22–23). “More than that, my son, be careful” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) – the Holy One blessed be He said: I have written for you twenty-four books, be careful not to add to them. Why? “Making many books without end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) – anyone who reads a verse that is not from the twenty-four books, it is as though he read the books of heretics. That is, “be careful making many books,” as anyone who does so has no share in the World to Come. That is what is written: “Without end,” just as it says: “But you, go to the end […at the end of the days]” (Daniel 12:13).30End here is taken to refer to the time of salvation. One who is not worthy of salvation does not merit the World to Come. You see what is the punishment of one who adds a book. From where is it derived that one who contemplates them becomes wearied from them? “And much contemplation is weariness of the flesh” – as the flesh will not be roused from the dust, like what we learned: These have no share in the World to Come…and one who reads heretical literature.31Sanhedrin 90a. Another matter: “The words of the wise are like goads, and like implanted nails” (Ecclesiastes 12:11) – just as this nail that is implanted in the door sustains the boards, so, when the righteous issue a decree, the Holy One blessed be He fulfills their words. Know that it is so from Jacob, as when he blessed Manasseh and Ephraim, he had the younger precede the elder, and the Holy One blessed be He fulfilled his decree. In his regard it is stated: “The words of the wise are kadarvonot” – do not read it as kadarvonot, but rather as kadrabanut, as, when Jacob decreed that the authority [rabanut] would be with Ephraim, the Holy One blessed be He fulfilled his words like an implanted nail. The Holy One blessed be He said: Since Jacob decreed regarding Ephraim that he would be first, I too will place him first regarding all matters: regarding judges, regarding banners, regarding kings, and regarding offerings. Regarding judges,32Judge in the sense of leader, as it is employed in the book of Judges. Joshua, as he was a judge: “For the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun” (Numbers 13:8); and thereafter, Gideon son of Yo’ash, who was from the tribe of Manasseh. Regarding the banners, “the banner of the camp of Ephraim” (Numbers 2:18), and then, “with it is the tribe of Manasseh” (Numbers 2:20). Regarding kings, Yerovam son of Nevat was from Ephraim, and then Yehu son of Nimshi, from Manasseh. The offerings of the princes, too, when they came to present their offerings: Ephraim presents his offering first, on the seventh day, and Manasseh later, on the eighth day. Accordingly it says: “On the seventh day, prince of the children of Ephraim” and then, “on the eighth day, prince of the children of Manasseh" (Numbers 7:54). In his [Jacob’s] regard, the verse states: “You will decide something, and He will fulfill it for you” (Job 22:28).
