with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 3 Mishna 21
with select commentaries
Commentaries used in this translation:
Rashi Commentary (1040-1105)
Rambam Commentary (1135-1204)
Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura Commentary (1445-1515)
Tiferet Yisrael commentary (1782–1860)
Rabeinu Yonah (1180-1263)
Derech Chaim - Maharal of Prague (1525-1609) (hebrewbooks.org/14193)
Biur HaGra of Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna - (1720-1797)
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai commentary - (1570-1643)
Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azoulai (Chida) commentary - (1724-1806)
Chatam Sofer commentary - (1762-1839), along with Ktav Sofer, and others
Ben Ish Chai commentary - (1835-1909)
and many more..
Commentary Level:
- Min - (level 1) for basic commentaries as relating to the plain meaning (Pshat).
- Med - (level 2) elaborates more into the theme.
- Max - (level 3) deeper in, Maharal of Prague.
- Max+ - (level 4) more themes in the text.
- ShortMix - (recommended) short version of level 4.
Link to this page:
+ Increase Font Size | - Decrease Font Size
Chapter 3 Mishna 21פרק ג משנה כא
| Rabbi Eliezer ben Chasma says: the laws of kinim (bird offerings) and pitchei niddah (order of menstrual periods) - they are the body (essentials) of the halachot. But astronomy and gematrias, they are but desserts of wisdom. | רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן חִסְמָא אוֹמֵר, קִנִּין וּפִתְחֵי נִדָּה, הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת. תְּקוּפוֹת וְגִימַטְרִיאוֹת, פַּרְפְּרָאוֹת לַחָכְמָה: |
Bartenura - the bird offerings are called "kinim", from the term "ken tzipor" (bird nest). These have complicated laws such as when an obligatory offering was mixed with a voluntary offering...
"they are [the body of the halachot]" - i.e. the primary oral law which one receives reward for [studying].
"astronomy (Tekufot)" - the paths of the constellations
"gemartriot" - numerical calculations of the letters.
"desserts of wisdom" - like a dessert which one eats at the end of the meal, as a dessert for pleasure, so too these wisdoms grant honor in the eyes of the public.
Tiferet Yisrael - they are like the dessert at the end of a meal to the wisdom of torah. For the torah is as bread to the soul. The soul is nourished from the torah, similar to "come eat of my bread" (Mishlei 9:5). And when the bread is tastier, through adding flavorings such as butter, so too the torah will become sweeter when one adds other wisdoms (Rambam Yesodei Torah, end of ch.4). But if one eats butter without bread, he will be disgusted and not satiated. So too, one who makes other wisdoms primary, his soul will not be satiated by them and will not survive through them...
Rashi - "kinim.." - i.e. they should not be light in your eyes. Rather, put your heart to them. For they are very severe and you will find great depth in them.
"Tekufot (astronomy) and Gematriot" - the calculation of letters and acronyms (notrikon). One does not receive reward for them like other Halachot. For they are but parparot, i.e. [secondary] matters of wisdom. This is similar to "[the blessing on bread] exempts the parparot after the meal" (Berachot 42a).
"Parparot" - something that draws the heart, [an appetizer] brought before the meal which draws a man's heart to eating. So too one who toils in the constellations in the sky or expounds the numerical values of the torah - they draw a person to wisdom. For they contain great wisdom.
Maharal - in the previous mishna, he said: "he whose wisdom exceeds his deeds is like a tree with many branches and few roots..etc." After he compared wisdom and deeds to a tree, and since the roots and the tree are together one thing, then what is the connection between wisdom and deeds, that we should consider them both as one thing?
If wisdom refers to human wisdom or the like (ex. math or science), which the nations also know, then how could wisdom be considered like branches and the deeds like roots of the tree?
For the roots of a tree and its branches are one thing.
How then are the deeds related to this human "wisdom" which is not torah wisdom.
On this he said that the "wisdom" mentioned here is certainly [wisdom] of the deeds, namely, the Halachot (laws) of the mitzvot (torah commandments).
This kind of wisdom is one with the deed itself (unlike math and science), such that the deed is regarded as the root and the wisdom which is the Halachot of the mitzvot is considered like the branches. For the intellect (sechel) spreads out above like the branch from the root of the tree. And when man has deeds, he reaches wisdom. From this aspect, wisdom stems from deeds.
(for torah wisdom resides according to purity of deeds and traits - see R.Hartman's commentary)
Therefore, he said "kinim and pitchei niddah.." He brought these two things. For in Tractate kinnim it was taught "ken stuma" (an unspecified pair of birds). Namely, the woman bought two birds without specifying which one is a Chatat (sin-offering) and which one is an Olah (burnt offering). Afterwards one escaped and flew away. The Halacha in that case is one may purchase another bird to complete the pair. In that chapter, the Tanna brings very many laws for when a doubt occurred and the birds got mixed up.
Likewise for "Pitchei Niddah". Namely, when a Niddah lost her petach, i.e. she has a doubt whether she is in the days of Zivah or the days of Niddah..
Both of these things, even though they are Halachot, but they refer to a doubt which arose. One needs to consider them even though they are only for doubts and thus not the guf (main) Halacha. For only a matter which is certain can be considered a Guf (main) halacha. But for a doubt, who says it will arise? Furthermore, the person should not have entered in a doubt to let the bird escape and be lost.
Such a thing cannot be called intellect and wisdom, for it was only said on a doubt. It is proper for all wisdom to be only certainty. But something which is of doubt should not enter in the category of wisdom. For it is proper to talk only of things which are definite, not things which are maybes. The latter should not enter into the category of wisdom.
Therefore, one may think that this is not the primary of torah. For this, he said that this matter is "the body of Halacha".
The Tekufot refers to the trajectory of the constellations. Gematriot refers to geometry and math.
These two things are the opposite of kinim and pitchei niddah. For the latter are not primary halacha. They come only because of a doubt and mixup that arose.
On the other hand, these two wisdom, tekufot and gematriot (math), are definite and exact. Doubts do not at all apply.
Nevertheless, they are not complete wisdom. Rather, they are like parparot (appetizers) to wisdom. For an appetizer is only a preparation for eating and does not nourish (mefarnes) a man.
So too these two wisdoms, namely, Tekufot and Gematriot. Even though they are great wisdoms, but nevertheless they do not nourish the soul. For wisdom is the sustenance of the soul, as we explained by "if there is no flour, there is no torah" (previous mishna).
But these wisdoms, namely, Tekufot and Gematriot, they do not nourish the soul and are like appetizers which are not the main course of a meal, but only as preparation for a meal..
This was the intent of the Sage in saying "kinim..halachot". He did not say they are "gufei torah" [but rather "gufei halachot"].
This is because the primary torah is halacha, as our sages said: "Tana d'Bei Eliyahu whoever learns Halachas is assurred of being a ben Olam Haba.." (Megilah 28b).
The reason is that it is the torah which brings a man to the life of Olam Haba. And when the Halacha is Halacha pesuka (final law), it does not veer away from the point of truth, not to the right, nor to the left.
Therefore, it is called "Halacha". For one who walks (Holech), goes in the straight path, not veering right nor left. Thus, this road which does not veer right or left - it is the road which brings a man to Olam Haba completely.
But one who veers to the right or to the left - he veers to one end and he has a leaning towards death. Because an end has a limit and end. Thus, this does not bring to Olam Haba completely. Only the road which does not veer at all to the ends, it is fitting for the world which is eternal, without limit or end.
Our sages hinted to this saying: "if he reaches the crossroads, he is saved from all of them" (Sotah 21a).
The explanation is that "crossroads" refers to the path which is already differentiated from the other paths which veer to the right or to the left end. But this person walks in the straight and sure path, not veering until the path brings him to Olam Haba.
The talmud explains there: "what is 'crossroads'? Mar Zutra says: 'this refers to a talmid chacham who attains the teaching (Shmata) according to halacha"
That is to say, when one learns teaching (Shmata) according to Halacha, it is called that this path is differentiated from the other paths which veer to the right or left. But this path goes straight to where it is proper to go.
So too for a Talmid Chacham "who attains the teaching according to halacha". This path goes straight to the Olam Haba completely.
Therefore, one who learns halacha pesuka (clear halacha) - he does not veer from the truth right or left. This does not mean that one whose learning is not halacha pesuka, it will not bring him to Olam Haba. It is not so. But halcha pesuka is the world which is completely clear.
This is what he said here: "kinim and pitchei niddah are the body of halacha", whereby a man merits Olam Haba completely through them..
This is why the Torah is called "Torah", from the term "Horaah" (teaching). For the Torah teaches the proper path to Olam Haba, as written: "if he reached the cross-roads, he is saved from all of them.."
This path needs instruction for it is very narrow..
Therefore, that which the Tana chose kinim and pitchei niddah which are doubts and the halacha clarifies the action to do and the path to take in a case of mixup and doubt. This is as one who chooses the straight path among other paths. Therefore, they are gufei halacha. For Halacha clarifies the walking among several possible paths, as we explained and this is why it is called Halacha.
Because of this, they are gufei halachot.. and whoever toils in halacha merits olam haba. But tekufot and gematriot are not the path of halacha at all which brings to olam Haba...
These things are well explained. But the first explanation is clear. If people knew how to understand the matters, they would not veer from the halacha to examine other books which the sages hate..