פירוש על ברכות 33:26

One who does them not for their own sake, preferable for him had he not been created - What about what the statement of Rav Yehuda in the name of Rav in the perek Makom Sh'Nahugu (Pesachim 50b) "A person should always do Torah and mitzvot even if he doesn't do them for their own sake, for thought doing them not for their own sake he will come to do them their own sake"? It is possible to say that over here we are dealing with someone learning only to vex his friends whereas over there it is someone who learns with the motivation that others should honor him.

The "household above" is the angelic host whose dissensions lead to quarrels on earth. The "household below" is either mankind generally or the Sages of Israel.

But for the prestige it brings them. Cf. Abot iv. 7: "Make not of the Torah a crown wherewith to aggrandise thyself, nor a spade wherewith to dig. So also used Hillel to say, He who makes a worldly use of the crown of the Torah shall waste away. Hence thou mayest infer that whosoever derives a profit for himself from the words of the Torah is helping on his own destruction." Singer, p. 196. See Schechter, Aspects, pp. 159 ff.

The evil impulse in man ; cf. I Corinth, v. 7.

Religious oppression.

Some edd. read : to humble them before and behind us.

M. adds : Raba the whole of the year and of.

It figures now in the Service of the Day of Atonement ; Singer, p. 263.

This sentence is omitted in M. as well as in the Prayer Book version ; see Singer, p. 54.

M. inserts here : Return their recompense upon their head; destroy them and humble them before me. And do Thou deliver me from calamities and adverse times, and from all kinds of punishments which are hastening to break forth upon the world.

M. inserts here : A certain disciple used to add at the conclusion of his prayer : Close mine eyes from looking on evil, mine ears from hearing idle words, my heart from reflecting on wickedness, and my reins from thinking of transgression. Make my feet to walk to Thy commandments and righteous ways ; and may Thy mercies be turned upon me so that I may be of those spared for life in Jerusalem.

"Said: R. Meir" added by M., probably correctly. See D.S. ad loc., A.T. II. p. 13 n. 1. This reference to R. Meir connects the series of prayers with the series of aphorisms which follows.

Jabneh (in Greek, Jamnia) is identical with Jabneel (Josh. xv. 11), and is situated in S. Palestine, near the coast. After the destruction of the Second Temple, the town sprang into great prominence, inasmuch as the Great Sanhedrin transferred its sittings there from Jerusalem ; and Rabban Johanan b. Zakkai founded a School which became famous. See Neubauer, pp. 73ff., J. E. vn. p. 18.

Cunning in devising ways of manifesting his fear.

By greeting them without waiting for their salutation, as Rabban Johanan did.

Some edd. read : all that learn thereafter.

He who learns only to display his knowledge by contradicting others is not one who practises Torah for its own sake.

See above p. 109 n. 2.

cf. Matt. xxii. 30.

I.e. their beholding God was the equivalent of eating and drinking. Thus it is said of Moses that, during his stay on Mt Sinai, he neither ate nor drank (Exod. xxxiv. 28) but was nourished from the lustre of the Shekinah. See Exod. Rab. 3:1.

"Our Rabbis have taught" is wanting in edd., but added by M.

The verse is given a complimentary sense which it does not possess in the context.

Since they are exempted from many religions duties incumbent upon men. See fol. 20 b, p. 132.

The reference is to the Schools at a distance from their homes. The classic example is that of 'Akiba's wife who induced him to leave her to prosecute his studies, and he remained away twenty-four years. See Ketubot 62 b.

At the conclusion of their studies.

M. : Rabbi.

I.e. enjoy the good things of life.

In the investigation of Torah.

Allufim means "oxen" (so R.V. here), but also "leaders."