These questions, and more, bubble to the surface as we delve into a fascinating passage from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes.
Our story begins with Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, a towering figure in Jewish history. He had five exceptional disciples, each a luminary in their own right. You might recognize their names from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers 2:8): Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkanos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, Rabbi Yosei HaKohen (a priest), Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh. While Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai lived, these students sat at his feet, absorbing his wisdom. But what happened after his death?
The text tells us they relocated to Yavne, a center of Jewish learning after the destruction of the Second Temple. All except one, that is. Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, seduced by the allure of a tranquil life, retreated to Emmaus with his wife, a place blessed with good water and scenic views. He expected his colleagues to seek him out. But they didn't.
Eventually, Rabbi Elazar wanted to rejoin his fellow scholars, but his wife dissuaded him. "Who needs whom more?" she shrewdly asked. He insisted they needed him. Her response? A memorable analogy: "A leather container [of food] and mice – which goes to which? The mice to the container, or the container to the mice?" In other words, Rabbi Elazar, the "container" of wisdom, was waiting for the "mice" (his colleagues) to come to him. But his wisdom, like food left too long, began to spoil.
The tragic result? When his former colleagues finally visited, they tested him on a complex point of Jewish law (halakha) regarding ritual purity and the consumption of bread. The question involved the concept of liftan, which means a relish or food item eaten with bread. Rabbi Elazar couldn't answer. He'd forgotten the meaning of liftan! The brilliant student, once overflowing with knowledge, had allowed his learning to atrophy.
The story of Rabbi Elazar serves as a cautionary tale. It highlights the importance of continuous engagement with learning and the dangers of intellectual complacency. It's easy to see the appeal of a peaceful life, but at what cost?
The passage then shifts to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, also known simply as "Rabbi," another key figure in Jewish history, renowned as the compiler of the Mishnah (the earliest code of rabbinic law). We learn about the process of appointing leaders in the academy (yeshiva) and the court. Rabbi typically appointed two individuals each year – one to head the yeshiva and another to preside over the court. If they proved worthy, they remained. If not… well, let's just say their tenure was short-lived.
As Rabbi's death approached, he advised his son to appoint all the leaders at once and to appoint Rabbi Ḥanina as their head. But why hadn't Rabbi appointed him himself during his lifetime?
Rabbi Yosei bar Zevid explains that the residents of Tzippori had spoken negatively about Rabbi Ḥanina. But Rabbi Bon offers a more specific reason, found in the Jerusalem Talmud (Ta’anit 4:2). It seems Rabbi Ḥanina publicly corrected Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi's pronunciation of a word from the Book of Ezekiel (7:15) during a lecture. Imagine the audacity! Rabbi Ḥanina had corrected the head of the Sanhedrin (the supreme rabbinic court) in public!
Rabbi, understandably embarrassed, asked where he'd learned that pronunciation. Rabbi Ḥanina replied that he'd learned it from Rav Hamnuna, a renowned Bible expert in Babylon. Rabbi then told him, "When you go there, tell him that I appointed you to serve as an elder.” But Rabbi Ḥanina knew this was not going to happen during Rabbi’s lifetime.
After Rabbi’s death, his son sought to appoint Rabbi Ḥanina, but he declined, deferring to Rabbi Afes of the south. Another elder present declared that if Rabbi Ḥanina was appointed first, he would be second, and if Rabbi Afes was appointed first, he would be second. Rabbi Ḥanina then agreed to be appointed third and lived a very long life! He attributed his longevity either to his act of deference or to his habit of detouring to visit Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta on his journeys. It's a beautiful reminder that humility and honoring others can bring unexpected blessings.
Finally, the passage turns to Moses and his frustrations with the Israelites in Egypt. "For exploitation disconcerts a wise man," the text states, referencing the rebellion of Datan and Aviram. Their actions, according to this interpretation, caused Moses to lose his patience, even leading him to question God's plan.
God, in turn, reminds Moses of his own limitations, saying, "You are flesh and blood and unable to bear them." God then assures Moses that He, the merciful Lord, will ultimately redeem the Israelites. This section emphasizes the importance of patience and understanding, even in the face of adversity. It also highlights the contrast between human limitations and divine mercy.
So, what can we take away from these interwoven stories? Perhaps it’s a reminder that wisdom isn't a static possession, but something that requires constant cultivation. Maybe it's a lesson in humility, recognizing that even the most learned among us can benefit from respecting others. Or perhaps it's a call to remember that even in moments of frustration and doubt, divine mercy and understanding are always present.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai had five disciples.45They are listed in Avot (2:8): Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkanos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, Rabbi Yosei HaKohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel ,and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh. As long as he was alive, they would sit before him. When he died, they went to Yavne, but Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh went to his wife in Emmaus, a place with good water and a beautiful view. He waited for them to come to him, but they did not come. When they did not come, he sought to go to them, but his wife did not allow him to do so. She said: ‘Who is in need of whom?’ He said to her: ‘They are in need of me.’ She said to him: ‘A leather container [of food] and mice, which typically goes to which; the mice to the container, or the container to the mice?’ He heeded her and remained until he forgot his learning. Sometime later they came to him and asked him: ‘A wheat loaf or a barley loaf, which can be eaten faster with a relish?’46The garments of one who enters a leprous house become ritually impure only if he remains in the house long enough to recline and eat half a loaf of wheat bread, not barley bread, with a relish. They asked Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh: When the Sages clarified that this halakha is determined by the time it takes to eat wheat bread, is that a leniency because it takes longer to eat wheat bread than it takes to eat barley bread, or is it a stringency because it takes less time to eat wheat bread than barley bread? He did not know how to respond to them, or the meaning of “with relish [liftan].” Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yosei say: It is two food items joined [lefutin] together.47When one eats bread with another food, the food accompanying the bread is referred to as liftan. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] would appoint two appointees each year.48One served as head of the yeshiva and one as president of the court (Matnot Kehuna). If they were worthy, they would endure; if not, they would die. As Rabbi’s death neared, he said to his son: ‘Do not do so, but rather, appoint them all at once,49Appoint the two new appointees, as well as the order of who will take over for them upon their passing (Matnot Kehuna). and appoint Rabbi Ḥanina as leader [of them all].’ Why had [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi himself] not appointed him? Rabbi Yosei bar Zevid said: It is because the residents of Tzippori denounced him. Did [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi decide how to] act based on their denunciations? They denounce many in this way; if we heed them in his regard, we must heed them regarding others as well. Rabbi Bon said:50Some commentaries add detail that appears to be missing from the midrash here, but is mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud (Ta’anit 4:2): Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was delivering a public lecture and cited a verse in Ezekiel (7:15), and Rabbi Ḥanina corrected his pronunciation of the Hebrew word homot, which Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had pronounced homiyot. This caused public embarrassment to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (Matnot Kehuna). [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] said to [Rabbi Ḥanina]: ‘Before whom did you learn that reading?’ He said to him: ‘Before Rav Hamnuna, the Bible expert of Babylon.’ He said to him: ‘When you go there, tell him that I appointed you to serve as an elder.’ [Rabbi Ḥanina] knew that he would not be appointed in [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s] days. When [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] died, his son sought to appoint [Rabbi Ḥanina], but he did not accept it upon himself. He said: ‘I do not accept, but rather defer to Rabbi Afes of the south.’ There was one elder there who said: ‘If Rabbi Ḥanina is first, I am second. If Rabbi Afes is first, I am second.’ Rabbi Ḥanina accepted upon himself to be appointed third, and he was privileged to live a very long life. He said: ‘I do not know why I was privileged to live a very long life, whether it was because of this matter,51That I deferred to Rabbi Afes and to the other elder. or whether it was because when I would ascend from Tiberias to Tzippori I would take a detour to visit Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta. I do not know which of these two [is the reason.]’ Another matter: “For exploitation disconcerts a wise man” – the exploitation of Datan and Aviram, exploiting Moses their master, caused his wisdom to be lost from him. “And destroys the gift of [matana] understanding” – [the word matana] is written [in such a way that it can also be vocalized] metuna, patience. Had Moses been patient, he would have been spared. However, because they provoked him and caused him to become upset, and they said to him: “May the Lord look upon you [and judge, for you have made us loathsome in the eyes of Pharaoh]” (Exodus 5:21), he could not tolerate it, and, as a result, he became upset in his anger and said [to God]: “Since I came [to Pharaoh to speak in Your name…You have not rescued Your people]” (Exodus 5:23). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I wrote about you that you are wise, and you become upset and say this to me? By your life, you should know and inform others that the ultimate fate of My children will be better than the beginning that I provided them in Egypt,’ as it is written: “Now you will see [what I will do to Pharaoh, as with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them from his land]” (Exodus 5:24). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Woe for those who are lost and cannot be found. I lost Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who never doubted Me, and I have not found anyone who is their equal.’ At that moment, the attribute of justice sought to harm [Moses], as it is stated: “God [Elohim] spoke [to Moses]” (Exodus 6:2), and Elohim [indicates] nothing other than the attribute of justice. And it is stated: “And He said to him: I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:2).52This second half of the verse refers to God as the Lord [Y-H-V-H], which indicates the attribute of mercy. This indicates that after considering harming Moses, God acted mercifully toward him. He said to [Moses]: ‘You are flesh and blood and unable to bear them.53You are unable to bear their suffering, and that is why you criticized Me. I am the Lord, merciful, the Master of mercy, with My attributes, I will have mercy,’ as it is stated: “I have made and I will bear” (Isaiah 46:4).
