Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

~Level 1~
Rashi - "liable for his soul" - ie he puts himself in danger. For when he is occupied in torah, the Satan does not have permission to harm him. But once he interrupts for idle talk, the Satan is granted permission.

~Level 2~
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim - "as if he is liable for his soul" - some explain (Rashi) because on the road mazikim (damaging agents) are common and the weapon to save oneself from them is torah, to study it on the road. But if he interrupts his study, he is left without a weapon such that the mazikim are able to harm him. Therefore, he said: "as if he is liable for his life". For his blood is on his head for giving himself over to the mazikim with this interruption. He did not say: "he is liable for his life", but rather "scripture regards him as if he is liable for his life". For it is only possible that the mazikim will hurt him and not a certainty.

~Level 1~
Bartenura - "how beautiful is this tree" - so too for all idle talk (sicha beteila). He is speaking on the common. For it is common for travellers on the road to speak on what their eyes see..

~Level 2~
Rabeinu Yonah - R. Yonah for while a man studies, he should not talk idle speech. For one must stand in awe and fear before the torah. This is as our sages said: "any scholar who sits before his teacher and his lips do not drip bitterness, they shall be burnt" (Shab.30b). For since he is using the crown of torah, he must stand in awe, fear, and fright, not to speak idle words. And if he becomes lightheaded to interrupt his learning - he is liable for his life..

~Level 2~
Rabeinu Avraham Pritzel - this wise man came to strengthen the greatness of torah for all those who hold on to it. So that their eyes and hearts will be on it constantly and they will not abandon it to speak and think on other things all the time they are toiling in it. For that would demonstrate that it is not important in the eyes of he who toils in it. For he turns his heart to other things [in the middle]. This teaching is also to strengthen and support the previous mishna of Rabbi Chaninah ben Chachinai who said: "one who walks on the road alone, etc."..

~Level 2~
Tiferet Yisrael - "one who walks on the road.." - even though it is forbidden to delve [deeply] into torah on the road, nevertheless, he is under obligation to learn simple things which won't distract him so much, as stated in the torah: "and when you walk on the road" (Shema). He chose "road" because all roads are dangerous. But so too for one in his home. When he pauses in the middle of his learning, there is nevertheless a prohibition..

"how beautiful is this tree" - so too for other idle talk, only that he taught these (tree, etc.) to teach that it is so even though they are the praise of G-d, blessed be He (who created them).

Even though in truth, he is not liable for his life since he is praising the Holy One, blessed be He. But nevertheless he demonstrates that his eyes and heart are not bound with the words of the living G-d (torah).

~Level 2~
Misgeret Zahav - he exchanges gold for copper in turning from the wisdom of torah to the wisdom of nature..

~Level 3~
Emunat Yisrael, Grodzisk - it seems just the opposite [ie it is a mitzvah to look at the tree]. For our sages instituted an extra blessing when one sees beautiful trees (ilanot tovot). Rather, the intent is that he interrupts from his divine learning (torah), and looks only at the physicality (gashmiut) of the tree, and on its external beauty, not on the divine power within the tree which maintains its existence. In this he is liable for his intellectual soul which longs always to look at the inner aspect of the matter.

~Level 3~
Maharal - since he said previously that G-d is with man when he learns (torah).. and he spoke of the greatness of the connection of G-d with man when he learns, thus: "one who walks on the road..how beautiful is this tree..". That is to say, when man separates from torah, he separates from He who is with him when he learns torah.

For when a man stands before a king and speaks to the king and then a person passes and he interrupts his conversation with the king and speaks to the other person, this is separating from the king, to not want to be with him. Without a doubt, this is [an affront] against the king.

Similarly for our case and due to this "scriptures considers it as if he is liable for his soul". For one who commits something against the king is liable for his life. This is the matter of "rebelling against the king" (mored b'malchut) which is a capital offense.

Furthermore, when a person learns torah, he is on the level of Intellect (sichlit). And when he separates from this, he brings death on himself.. And the opposite of this, one who toils in torah, due to the greatness of the level of Intellect he clings to, inexistence (death) does not rule over him. This is as our sages said in many places that the angel of death is unable to rule over a person who does not pause from torah study, such as by David (Shab.30b), Rabba bar Nachmani (Bava Metziah 86a), and other places.

All this is because the Intellect has a complete existence. If he clings to this level, the inexistence which clings to the physical does not cling to him. And the opposite of this for one who separates from this (torah), his existence is pushed away...

"liable for his soul" - certainly the explanation is as we explained. For whoever separates from something is against and antagonistic to the thing he separates from. If he were not against it, he would not have separated from it. For things which are connected do not separate. On the contrary, the similar loves that which is similar to it.

And since the torah is Intellect (sichlit) and the Intellect has complete existence, inexistence (he'eder) does not cling to it, therefore, the torah is called: "your life and the length of your days". And one who separates from torah is against life and one who is against life is certainly liable for his soul. Therefore, "scripture considers it as if he is liable for his soul".

~Level 4~
Matanat Avot - we are not speaking here aout a man who does not learn at all. But rather on a very diligent scholar such that even when he walks on the road, he utilizes the time to learn mishnayot by heart.. Only to such a diligent person who appreciates the value of each second of life, is it possible to give the lesson in this mishna. For a man who does not learn at all and wastes most of his days and years in vanity and worthlessness, there is no way to begin to explain to him the important foundation here.

Thus, the Tanna began: "one who walks on the road and reviews..". For only such a person can understand why if he interrupts his learning in order to say: "how beautiful is this tree", does he enter the category of "liable for his soul".

Our sages famously concluded: "man was created to toil in torah" (Sanhedrin 99). Thus, if he was created for this, then this is his primary purpose and duty in his world. And even if a person needs to toil in his physical needs, livelihood, family, and many other matters he needs, but nevertheless, every free moment, when there is nothing pressing to do now, he is under duty to toil in torah. For this is the purpose for which he was sent to this world.. And since his time in this world is limited, then even if he interupts this learning time for a few seconds, this is an eternal loss which he can never pay back or make up the time. For the fixed time allotted to him to learn torah includes the time he wasted and he cannot make it up since the future time is already a new obligation on him.

Thus it seems the Tanna used the term "liable for his soul". For there is indeed an obligation here and since it is an obligation, it is a debt he can never pay back. This debt will remain engraved in his soul forever.

I am sure dear reader you are thinking: "if so, you have not left any life to any creature". For who can possibly use every second without interruption!? Can we say that a person who spoke once to his friend is already "liable for his soul"??..

You're right. It's not for nothing that I wrote earlier that I am not worthy to give you mussar in this. For I am also a big batlan (lazy) and very much afflicted with this problem.

But I will explain to you an important foundation regarding the mitzvah of talmud torah and guarding one's time for this. Regarding the mitzvah of torah study, we were not given a clear amount for every person. We find in the talmud (Menachot 98b): "Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: 'even if a person read the shema morning and evening, he already fulfilled the mitvah of 'you shall contemplate in it day and night' (Yehoshua 1:8)".

On the other hand, we find Rabbi Yishmael said to his nephew who wanted to study greek: "go and find a time which is neither day nor night, as written: 'you shall contemplate in it day and night' (Yehoshua 1:8)".

Many pens have been broken to try to explain this argument between Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Rabbi Yishmael. What appears to me in my humble opinion is that the matter is as we said. Namely, each person is obligated to toil in torah every free second of his life besides the time he needs for his physical needs and matters.

How much time is needed for this? This varies from person to person. Certainly, it is not the same for a yeshiva bachur (unmarried yeshiva student) who has no distractions and has abundant free time versus a married man with a family and many pressing needs he must take care of.

Likewise, the Rambam wrote in Hilchot Talmud Torah (1:8): "every Jewish person is obligated in talmud torah, whether poor or rich, healthy or suffering, young or very old... even one who has a wife and family - is obligated to fix times for talmud torah day and night".

According to this, one who merits to reach the level where he uses his time properly, and loves to learns, and nothing prevents him from learning torah always, then he is in truth under great obligation to learn torah every free moment such that if he interrupts his study for one moment and says: "how beautiful is this tree, etc." this is already considered a lacking he cannot rectify. For he will have new obligations every second.

But one who did not yet merit to reach this amazing level, and he does not yet have the strength to utilize every moment of his time, and he must at times "get some air" in the middle of his learning, and if he forces himself to learn long hours without interruption, he will go crazy from the pressure, then without a doubt, he has no obligation to learn every second like the exalted man we mentioned earlier.

For he has other needs he must tend to and at those times he is exempt from talmud torah. For he is obligated to toil in "getting air" for his physical and mental health. Thus, for this person, the exalted level mentioned in this mishna does not apply to him.

The summary of all this is that all that a man needs to interrupt his learning for his physical or mental health - this is not considered bitul torah (wasting time from torah). Rather, it is like all other daily needs of a person which he has throughout his life, whereby when he is occupied with them, it is impossible for him to learn. Thus, it is not included in the time allotted to him to learn torah.

However and this is a big "however", the moment he has "aired out" sufficiently for his mental peace, certainly the obligation to learn torah as much as he can is upon him. And he should not say: "wonderful, I am not able to learn and thus it is permitted for me to 'air out' as much as I want".

For certainly, every intelligent person understands that the reward for learning torah is far greater than the reward for that "airing out" he needs. Who is so foolish to think it is worth increasing the time for "airing out" during which he loses the infinite reward of torah study itself?

Thus, it is proper for every person to strive with all his strength and also pray to G-d to grant him strength to utilize all his time as much as possible for torah study. So that he will not need to go out more than necessary between every few minutes of torah study so that he merits as much as possible the unimaginably immense reward of torah study.

~Level 4~
B'Tov Yerushalayim, Rav Ben Tzion Yadler, ch.6 - I went to Rabeinu Yehoshua Leib Diskin of Brisk and asked him: "Rabeinu teach us what things are defined as idle talk and how far does bitul torah extend?" (ma hen hadevarim asher yugderu k'sicha beteila v'ad heichen shiuro shel bitul torah).

The Rav asked me: "what times are you asking on? Your talk in the yeshiva or outside of it?"

I answered him: "I am asking generally".

Immediately, he got up from his chair and went to the bookshelf and pulled out a book of mishna Nezikim. He showed me with his finger in tractate Avot the words of our sages: "one who walks on the road while reviewing (his torah study) and then stops his study and says: 'how beautiful is this tree', etc. scripture regards him as if he is liable for his soul", and in the Bartenura commentary he writes: "even though through this, he blesses 'shekacha lo bolamo', even so, 'scripture regards him as if he is liable for his soul' since he interrupted his learning".

The Rav of Brisk ended off: "it is a kol v'chomer (logical inference) - if for one who is going on the roadway whose learning is not fixed, if he turns his heart even for a mitzva he is liable for his soul, one who sits in yeshiva whose entire time is fixed for torah study, how much more so is he liable for his soul if he interrupts his study. (see previous Matanat Avot commentary).

~Level 4~
Translator - why such a big deal for a little interruption? Perhaps the answer is that he did not do all that is in his power to do and then as the Vilna Gaon wrote (Orot HaGra sec.Avodah):

Says Rabbi Shimon ben Lekesh (Talmud Sukah 52 quoting the verse in Tehilim 37:32) "man's evil inclination strengthens on him each day...and if not for the Holy One blessed be who aids the man, the evil inclination would overpower him."

(Vilna Gaon explains:) Our sages had intent with this to a great and important fundamental principle (ikar gadol vnichbad) in which all the success of a man depends on (kol osher hatzlachas haenoshi tolei alav). And the matter is as follows: Even though the Creator gave a man the power to vanquish his evil inclination through the (holy) spirit which dwells within him (his soul), nevertheless, the act cannot be completed through man's hands. And it is very difficult for a man to come to its tachlisa (full purpose), and the only thing in his hand to do is to start the work and to do everything that it is in his power to do. And the completion of the work is through the help from the Al-mighty who accompanies the man to bring him to the completed work.

And G-d yisborach examines the heart, etc. and determines when a man has done his part and what is he capable of doing. And when He sees that the man has done all that he is capable of doing and that he is not capable of doing more, and all his desire is to the good (has pure intentions), then the Al-mighty's help from on high will accompany him and will finish for him and complete what he lacked from it.

And without this, the Al-mighty will not send help from holiness (i.e. some help may come but very little and from a lower place).

And this is the intent of the Sages saying 'if not for the Holy One blessed be who aids the man, the Yetzer would overpower him'. - that when does the Holy One help him? Only when a man has done all that is in his power to do, to vanquish his inclination, and he has reached the level now where 'if G-d did not help him, he will not be able to do more' because he has already come to the end of the limits of his capability in his actions - then G-d will send His help from holiness, and G-d will not abandon the man to his clutches. However, if there is still a capacity for the man to do more than he did and he does not do more, so too G-d will not help him. (from Kovetz Eliyahu sukka 52, Oros HaGra sec.Avodah)