Pirkei Avot is comprised not only of a wealth of teachings on how to live the best ethical, moral, and Jewish life, but it is also comprised of many different and even at times competing values as taught by different Rabbis. More than that, however, what is most striking about Pirkei Avot is that there is really no one set of formula in how to share these many teachings. In other words, every Mishna has its own flavor, format, and structure while maintaining the over-arching macro goals of Pirkei Avot. For example, some Mishnayot emphasize what to do or how to live, whereas others might focus on what not to do or how not to live. Some Mishnayot use the consequences of actions (or inactions) to emphasize their points, while others share their teachings in a more simple and direct way. Based on this, it is clear that Chapter 3 Mishna 14 certainly fits into a unique type of category in terms of its structure and layout compared to other Mishnayot.
Mishna 14 begins with the teaching of Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas that sleeping late in the morning, drinking wine in the afternoon, chattering with children, and sitting in gatherings of the ignorant can drive a person from this world. What is fascinating about this Mishna is its choice of language to describe the consequence of one’s action of “Motziin et HaAdam Min HaOlam” ; “Driving a person from the world.” Interestingly, there are two other locations in Pirkei Avot in which we can find the exact same language and phrasing. The first can be found in Chapter Two of Pirkei Avot in Mishna 16 where Rabbi Yehoshua taught that the evil eye, Yetzer Hara (evil impulses), and hatred of humanity are “Motziin et HaAdam Min HaOlam” ; “Drive a person from the world.” Similarly, Chapter Four Mishna 28 of Pirkei Avot shares that Rabbi Elazar HaKappar taught that envy, lust, and seeking of honor are “Motziin et HaAdam Min HaOlam” ; “Drive a person from the world.” This shared phraseology and structure indicates a shared theme between these three Mishnayot. It is obvious that all three Mishnayot are discussing actions and character traits that have severe consequences. Yet, two things stand out as strange in comparing Mishna 14 in Chapter 3 to the other two Mishnayot. First, the list of actions in Mishna 14 seem to pale in comparison to the seriousness of the other lists. For example, how can ‘drinking wine in the afternoon’ be as bad as ‘hating humanity’? How can they both be in the same category of things that remove a person from this world? Why does Rabbi Dosa use such strong language in Mishna 14 in describing four actions that while less than ideal, are seemingly not as serious as others listed using the same description of “Motziin et HaAdam Min HaOlam” ; “Driving a person from the world”? In other words, what is so bad about these four actions? Secondly, Mishna 14 seems to be focused on very specific actions, whereas the other two Mishnayot are focused on character traits such as envy and the evil eye. Why use the same description both for actions as well as character traits? Why does Rabbi Dosa emphasize the actions and not the character traits that these actions embody?
When looking closer at Mishna 14, it is clear that Rabbi Dosa is emphasizing the importance of how to spend our time. Sleeping late, drinking wine in the afternoon, chatting with children, and sitting in gatherings of the ignorant all share and bring to mind ‘better’ things that a person should do instead of these actions. What we do with our time, how we manage time, and most importantly time in general, all take high priority for mankind. A simple example of how valued time is for man throughout the world can be seen in the way people celebrate the passage of time such as at birthdays and New Years celebrations. More than that, people are always hustling to get to their next appointment on time, checking their time on parking meters, or even adjusting timers in the kitchen. While it is clear that all of mankind is acutely aware of ‘time,’ there is an even deeper connection to ‘time’ for Jews.
Judaism identifies two distinct types of holiness—sacred space and sacred time. The notion of sacred space is relatively easier to understand, as there are many holy spaces in Judaism that are familiar including synagogues and other holy sites in Judaism such as the Western Wall. Perhaps the most famous sacred space of all is the Temple. On the other hand, sacred time can be more difficult to define. The most basic example of sacred time comes from the very first time in which the Torah discusses holiness at all—Genesis (2:3): “G-d blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” The creation of Shabbat and its spiritual observance is the ultimate example of sacred time. Interestingly, when we compare these two types of holiness, sacred space is no match to the high and holy levels of sacred time. In fact, many of the commentators explain the juxtaposition of the laws of Shabbat (sacred time) in the middle of the Torah’s description of the building and erection of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle (sacred space), as a means of teaching that even working on the most sacred of spaces, the Mishkan, is not a good enough reason to violate sacred time, the Shabbat.
Throughout the Torah, Jewish Law, and Jewish Philosophy, this focus on the importance of sacred time becomes clearer. The very first commandment given to the Jewish people (in this week’s Parsha of Bo) as they prepare for the Exodus from Egypt is the Mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh, sanctifying the New Month. More than that there are commandments such as the obligation to remember the Exodus from Egypt that are to be performed on a daily basis. Religious articles such as Matzah must be baked within an exact amount of time. Throughout the calendar year, times in Jewish history are remembered on specific dates with specific observances. The entire week and the names of each day of the week correspond to Shabbat and its sacred time. In fact, the Gemara in Tractate Gittin (77a) teaches that the first three days of the week are connected to the previous Shabbat (hence why one can make Havdala until Tuesday) whereas the last three days of the week are connected to the upcoming Shabbat. Each and every day a unique Psalm is recited as part of the morning service in the format of, “HaYom Yom X LiShabbat” ; “Today is the X day until Shabbat”
If, as has been shown, Judaism puts a tremendous focus on sacred time, then the question that must be answered is, ‘Why?’ On its most basic level the holiness of sacred time surrounds us in every single moment. One need not visit a specific location on the globe to be able to experience Kedusha, holiness of sacred time. Similarly, sacred time is what unites Jews around the world. Regardless of where a Jew might be, all Jews celebrate sacred times together at the same time—even if they are not in sacred spaces. Shabbat happens each and every week whether or not one travels to the Kotel.
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, offers another explanation to the importance of time in Judaism. He references the law as brought down by Maimonides in his Mishna Torah (Hilchot Edut 9:7) that a slave cannot testify in a Jewish court. Rabbi Soloveitchik explains that the reason for this law is directly related to the notion of ‘time.’ Because ‘time’ is an essential element of testimony, a slave cannot testify, as he or she has no real sense of ‘time.’ For a slave, each day is exactly the same with no alternative future in sight. In other words, a sense of time indicates freedom. Perhaps, this can also help better explain why the first Mitzvah given to the Jewish people as they were preparing for the Exodus from Egypt was Kiddush HaChodesh. The only way for the Jewish people to truly be free, was for them to understand and to sanctify their time with the blessings of the New Month.
Of all the many examples of sacred time, in addition to Shabbat, it is the annual Jewish holidays that are of great focus and importance. The Torah teaches in Vayikra (23:2-4) that just like Shabbat, the annual Jewish holidays are imbued by G-d with holiness, creating more sacred time throughout the calendar year. Yet, what is most interesting about the sacred time of the holidays is that there is potential room for errors in establishing the proper dates for when the holiday and time might be observed. In other words, with primitive technology, the Rabbis used testimony from witnesses to determine the dates of holidays and the rest of the calendar year. In theory, this could mean that unlike the sacred time of Shabbat that comes on a specific day every week, the sacred time of Passover could be held one day earlier or later in different parts of the world depending on the testimony of witnesses.
In fact, such a situation is recorded in the Mishna in Tractate Rosh Hashana (2:8-9). Two witnesses came to Rabban Gamliel to testify that they saw the new moon at its proper time (i.e. on the 30th), however, the following evening (the 31st) they did not see it. After careful consideration Rabban Gamliel accepted the testimony of these witnesses. When Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas (the same Rabbi from our Mishna in Pirkei Avot!!!) heard this news, he exclaimed that the witnesses must be liars. Word of Rabbi Dosa’s comments reached Rabbi Yehoshua who agreed, and decided that the month started one day later. This disagreement about the start of the month led Rabbi Yehoshua to observe the Jewish holidays one day later than Rabban Gamliel. When Rabban Gamliel heard that Rabbi Yehoshua had rejected the decision made by his court, he demanded that Rabbi Yehoshua arrive to the study hall carrying a money pouch on the day that Rabbi Yehoshua had declared and calculated to be Yom Kippur. Uncertain of what to do, Rabbi Yehoshua turned to Rabbi Dosa who advised him that a court of any people that sit as judges is like the court of Moshe Rabbeinu and as such its decisions must be followed. Despite the fact that Rabbi Yehoshua had calculated and believed that the sacred time would occur at a later moment, because the court of Rabban Gamliel had decided differently, the holiday and this sacred time would be observed at the earlier date. In the end, Rabbi Yehoshua followed the advice of Rabbi Dosa and arrived in front of Rabban Gamliel carrying the money purse.
Interestingly, this story is actually codified into law by Maimonides in his Mishna Torah (Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh 2:10) where he writes, “A court that sanctifies the month whether by accident, whether they were mistaken, whether they were forced, it is sanctified and everyone is obligated to fix the festivals on the day they sanctified.” In other words, when it comes to holidays, man plays a role in establishing that sacred time. It is based on this that Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes (Covenant and Conversation Emor 5771) that:
Holy time itself comes in two forms. There is Shabbat and there are the festivals, and the two are announced separately. Shabbat was sanctified by G-d at the beginning of time for all time. The festivals are sanctified by the Jewish people to whom was given the authority and responsibility for fixing the calendar. Hence the difference in the blessings we say. On Shabbat we praise G-d who “sanctifies Shabbat”. On the festivals we praise G-d who sanctifies “Israel and the holy times” – meaning, it is G-d who sanctifies Israel but Israel who sanctify the holy times, determining on which days the festivals fall.
Unlike the sacred time of Shabbat that G-d creates, when it comes to the holidays, man plays an essential role in creating that sacred time.
Perhaps this can shed light on the questions and difficulties found in Pirkei Avot Chapter 3 Mishna 14. The endeavors listed in this Mishna all relate to the notion of sacred time. One who sleeps late or drinks wine in the afternoon puts at risk the ability to participate in the sacred time of prayer services. Chatting with children and spending time with scoffers and those that are ignorant is a missed opportunity to sanctify that time as well. Spending time with children should not be limited to idle chatter, but rather should be focused on teaching them Torah and good Jewish values. Nor should spending time with adults be focused on just ‘schmoozing.’ The punishment of ‘being removed from this world’ is certainly fitting for someone that does not take seriously the importance of sacred time.
In addition, when compared to the other two Mishnayot that share the same structure and format, Rabbi Dosa specifically discusses actions and not characteristics, because the sanctification of time can require man’s active participation. One’s character traits are not what can make a moment in time sacred. Rather, it is one’s actions that have the ability to sanctify time spent each and every day. After all, it is the same Rabbi Dosa in the Mishna in Rosh Hashana that teaches and highlights the importance of man’s role in the sanctification of time. In Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Dosa is teaching that the ability to sanctify time is not just an opportunity, but rather an obligation incumbent on each and everyone of us throughout the day. How will you choose to spend your time?