Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

~Level 1~
Midrash Shmuel - "Five possessions has the Holy One, blessed be He, [specifically] acquired in His world" - the intent is to highlight their great importance and preciousness in the eyes of G-d. Thus he called them kinyanim (acquisitions). For whatever a man acquires and pays money to acquire it, if it were not important to him, he would not have paid money for it. Thus he used the analogy of (acquisitions) kinyanim, as if G-d purchased them with precious money to show their preciousness before Him.

~Level 2~
Yachel Yisrael - "Five possessions has the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world" - the special importance of these five things stems from their being the foundation stones for the fulfillment of the main purpose of creation. By examining what are these five things, we can determine what is the goal of the entire creation, as brought next beraitha - the revealing of G-d's kingdom in the world and doing His will.

The five are listed in chronological order. First is Torah which preceded the creation of the world (Midrash Genesis Rabba 1:1). Afterwards, heaven and earth were created. Then Avraham, father of the Jewish people. Afterwards, the people of Israel and in the end the Temple built by them when they settled in the land of Israel..

According to the pious Yaavetz, specifically Israel is the primary acquisition. For the purpose of creation is the indwelling of the Shechina (divine presence) in the world which is the revealing of the glory of G-d's kingdom in the world as stated next Beraitha. This purpose is attained through the people of Israel. All the other acquisitions were created in order to help the people of Israel to reach this purpose.

Thus the purpose of the torah is in order that the people of Israel will come and fulfill it and the Shechina will dwell in the land. Heaven and earth were created to serve as a place and vessel for those who would fulfill the torah. Avraham began the revelation of G-d in the world.. Even the Temple is a vessel for revealing G-d's glory through the Temple service of the people of Israel, as the Yaavetz emphasizes: "Israel is primary and the Temple is secondary."..

~Level 2~
Sfat Emet, lech lecha 5657 - "Five possessions has the Holy One, blessed be He, [specifically] acquired in His world" - for it is impossible to grasp or cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, due to His exalted holiness and divestment [of the physical]. Therefore, G-d prepared five "acquisitions" (kinyanim) through which one can cleave to Him, blessed be He. Namely, through the torah, the holy temple, etc. and also through the creations of heaven and earth. This is also a path. Through contemplating the creation as written: "G-d established the earth with wisdom" (Mishlei 3:19). Also through Avraham who prepared a path. Namely, the covenant of Avraham our forefather. Thus it is called an acquisition (kinyan), as our sages said: "Avraham acquired (hikne) to the Holy One, blessed be He, heaven and earth". This is what the Midrash expounds (Bereisheit Rabba 39:3) "'achot lanu' - she'icha all humanity, for he prepared a path to cleave to G-d, blessed be He.

~Level 2~
Einei Kol Chai - "Israel, one acquisition" - for if there were not Israel, there would be no torah as the Yalkut Shimoni says on the torah (siman 872): "the torah was created only for the honor of Israel". see there.

~Level 2~
Tiferet Yisrael - "Five possessions has the Holy One, blessed be He, [specifically] acquired in His world" - i.e. all the five things are especially precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, as if He acquired them for Himself. And all of these things depend on each other.

"Torah" - it is most precious before G-d.
"Heaven and earth" - G-d made the world in the best way for torah. Namely, that the world endures only through guarding the commandments of the torah. Also that nature does not impede in fulfilling the torah and that on the contrary it becomes a cause to fulfill it. The world was also created in such a way as to support the righteous and punish the wicked who do not fulfill the commandments of the Torah.

"Avraham" - he was the first to light the holy candle of recognizing G-d and he walked in G-d's ways. This giant went and shone the light in the dark and obscure world and illuminated the earth.

"Israel" - after the sunset of Avraham and the subsequent nightfall, his descendants shone light in the world like the stars - to illuminate the world to recognizing G-d and His ways.

This occurred whether during their success such as when G-d performed miracles for them or whether during their troubles when they were exiled in the world. Everywhere they are as priests and teachers. For they bring the torah with them. This is as written: "you shall be unto Me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Shemot 19:6). All the fundamental principles that the nations learned was from the torah the Jews brought with them in their exile.

~Level 3~
Sforno - "Five possessions has the Holy One, blessed be He, [specifically] acquired in His world" - the purpose which G-d intended to acquire and attain for creating the world is fulfilled through five things.

The first is the torah. Through it, the man of free will can attain wholeness (Shleimut), to become in G-d's image and form (btzalmo ubidemuto). He brought a proof from the verses which begin: "I (the torah) am wisdom.." (Mishlei 8:12-22).

The second is heaven and earth. Through them, the human race is ready to become that "whole man" G-d intended when creating the world. He brought a proof from the verse: "the heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool... [but to this man only will I gaze, to him who is poor and broken in spirit and trembles (Chared) at My word]" (Isaiah 66:2).

Thus, the Chared (G-d fearing) who strives in the word of G-d which is the torah - he fulfills the intent of heaven and earth..

The third kinyan (acquisition) is Avraham who was the only person in his generation who became that intended [whole] person. He brought a proof from: "Blessed be Avraham of the most high G-d, possessor of heaven and earth" (Bereisheit 14:19), i.e. through Avraham, G-d became exalted (elyon), possessor of heaven and earth. For G-d attained their intended purpose.

"Israel" - of all the nations, G-d's intent was not fulfilled. But it was fulfilled through Israel..

"Temple" - of all places in the world, there alone G-d acquired and attained His divine desire and acquisition...

"G-d will reign forever.." (Shemot 15:17-18). For the intent of all that He made was to reign forever and ever and that His glory will fill the whole earth, amen ve'amen.

~Level 4~
Maharal - "Five acquisitions (kinyan)..." - the word "kinyan" applies to many things. But that which is called a "kinyan gamur" (complete kinyan), this is when the thing is completely acquired from all sides and does not go out at all from the domain of the one acquiring.

Even though everything belongs to G-d, but nevertheless you will find only five things which are complete acquisitions on their own intrinsic aspect and which are indispensable..

These five things serve G-d's divinity.. The Torah is G-d's divine decree on the creation as the torah opens (at Sinai): "I am the L-ord your G-d who took you out of Egypt" (Shemot 20:2). Heaven and Earth are the world and G-d's Name is called upon them as written: "the G-d of Heaven and Earth" (Bereishet 24:3). G-d's Name was called on Avraham.. Even though G-d's Name was called also on Yitzchak and Yaakov, but it opens and seals only on Avraham (Pesachim 117b). Likewise G-d's Name is called on Israel (Shemot 5:1) and the Temple (Kings I 8:43)..

Thus, these things are called "kinyan" (acquisition) to G-d like one who acquires something he needs completely..

The Torah is sichlit (transcendent intellect) and singular in this level. Afterwards heaven and earth which are the physical world..

Avraham is the beginning of the human race. Thus, he was called "Avraham, av hamon goyim (father of multitude nations)" (Bereisheit 17:5), i.e. the beginning of the klal haumot (congregation of the nations).

R.Hartman commentary - in Gur Aryeh (Shemot 4 ot 14) the Maharal writes: Avraham was the father of the whole world, not like Yitzchak and Yaakov who were fathers only to Israel..

And in Siman 1864 R. Hartman writes: it is an important foundation in the Maharal's books that the primary creation was Avraham. For him the world was created as the Midrash expounds: "these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created (behibaram)" (Bereisheit 2:4) - behibaram (spells Avraham) - the world was created in the merit of Avraham" (Bereisheit Rabba 12:9).

And in the Talmud: "the world will exist 6000 years. Two thousand years of Tohu (void)..", i.e. from creation until Avraham was 52 years old everything was "void", there was no torah. And when he was 52, he toiled in torah.. thus all the previous generations were void and did not have creation.. for Avraham was the primary existence of the world (ikar metziut haolam).. For Avraham was the foundation of the world.. he had the trait of Chesed (kindness) and this is first and closer to G-d than anything. For G-d is the good itself and thus the trait of Chesed which is the good is closer to G-d than everything. And when the world was created, it was created for something which is first and close to G-d while other things were created for this. Thus everything was created for Avraham whose trait was kindness.. without Avraham, the world would not have been created..

Afterwards Israel is a separate level. the Jews were chosen among all nations to be for G-d and are singular in this.

The fifth level is the temple which was chosen from all places on earth..

And in the talmud (Pesachim 87b) only four acquisitions of G-d are brought: torah, heaven and earth, Israel and the Temple. Avraham is not mentioned for the talmud holds that it is only proper to count Israel as an acquisition since Avraham was the beginning of Israel and its head and is included in them.

These four things, when you understand wisdom, begin with torah as the highest level. Afterwards, heaven and earth, then Israel and the temple.

All these things are very much in order. Thus it is proper for them to be acquisitions of the Holy One blessed be He. It is proper for you to understand the things we hinted to her...

R.Hartman: the four correspond to the four letters of the Tetragramaton while Avraham is the crown of the Yud. They hint to the 10 sefirot: Avraham keter-crown, torah chochma-wisdom, etc.)