The focus, structure, and theme of the first chapter of Pirkei Avot can be summed up in one word—Mesorah (Tradition). In fact it is the very first Mishna that sets this tone by clearly delineating the chain of transmission of the Torah from Moshe to Yehoshua all the way down to the Men of the Great Assembly. Throughout the rest of the chapter this chain of tradition continues with one Rabbi receiving the tradition from his teacher and passing it on to the next generation. Yet despite this dominant chronological and historical theme, when it comes to the second chapter of Pirkei Avot the theme of Mesorah is remarkably absent. In fact, the only mention of one Rabbi receiving and transmitting the Mesorah can be seen in Mishna 9 with the mentioning of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his students. We see that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai receives the tradition from his teachers Hillel and Shammai and passes it along to five of his star students. Despite what seems to have a similar feel to the first chapter, following these Mishnayot, the clear chronological chain of transmission from one Rabbi to the next is broken. In other words, following Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his students, the remaining Mishnayot of Pirkei Avot abandon the chronology and historical references to a chain of transmission. Why? What changes with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai?
To best understand this sudden shift, a careful analysis of the Mishnayot that feature Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his students must be done. Following the introduction of his five students, Rabban Yochan ben Zakkai lists their praises:
- Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenos – A cemented pit which never loses a drop
- Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya – Fortunate is she who bore him
- Rabbi Yossi the Priest – Pious
- Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel – Fears sin
- Rabbi Elazar ben Arach – An increasing river
Strangely, Mishna 12 continues by sharing two conflicting traditions as to who was the greatest student of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai—Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenos or Rabbi Elazar ben Arach. This Mishna is strange for a number of reasons. What does Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai hope to teach by identifying one Rabbi as being greater than his fellow? If there was in fact one Rabbi that was greater than all the rest, how could there be conflicting traditions? Would it not be obvious? After all, the Mishna doesn’t just describe these two Rabbis as being greater than the others, but rather greater than all of the others combined. Would such a fact not be obvious and known to all?!
Finally, in Mishna 13 we find Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai asking his students to go out and see what is the proper way in which someone should live. After hearing from all of his students Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai says that he “prefers the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arach over your (the other Rabbis) words, for included in his words are your words.” Said differently, Rabbi Elazar ben Arach seems to offer not only the best answer to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s initial inquiry, but the most complete answer as well. One would think that perhaps this Mishna (and the one that follows) would serve as proof as to who was the greatest Rabbi. Obviously it was Rabbi Elazar ben Arach! How could there be a different tradition in Mishna 12 that could suggest that Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenos outweighed all the other Rabbis?!
What emerges are some challenging questions that are fundamental to our understanding of not only these Mishnayot in particular, but the theme and flow of Pirkei Avot in general. It is, therefore, necessary that we ask perhaps a more basic question—who were these Rabbis and what did they contribute to Jewish history?
Perhaps the most well known story of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai can be found in the Gemara in tractate Gittin (56b). The holy Temple had been destroyed and the city of Jerusalem was under siege by the Romans. At the time there were a group of radical Jews named the Biryoni that ruled the city. The situation and hardship of the siege quickly escalated when the Biryoni burnt all the stores of wheat and barley in response to those that wanted to go out and make peace with the Romans. Facing the growing harsh conditions of famine, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai with the help of Abba Sikra, the head of the Biryoni (and his nephew) devised a plan to escape Jerusalem to meet with the Roman General Vespasian. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai pretended to be dead and was carried out of Jerusalem in a coffin. [Interesting side note – the Rabbis and students that carried Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai out of Jerusalem in a coffin are the very same students—Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Eliezer—mentioned in our Mishnayot in Pirkei Avot!]. In the same moment that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was granted an audience with Vespasian, news arrived informing Vespasian that Caesar was dead and that Vespasian would be the next emperor. Not seeing this as a coincidence, Vespasian offered a “reward” to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai to fulfill any request he may desire. In that moment, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai courageously turned to Vespasian and shared the immortal words, “Tein Li Yavneh ViChachameha” ;”Give me Yavneh and its sages.” Instead of asking for Vespasian to save the Jewish people and Jerusalem, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instead requests to be given the city of Yavneh where he would now reestablish the Sanhedrin and restart Jewish life in a post-Temple world.
The question of whether Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai made the right decision in his request is certainly up for debate. In fact, the Gemara itself quotes the opinion of Rabbi Akiva who suggests that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai should have asked for more—he should have asked to save the rest of the Jewish people and Jerusalem. Interestingly, at the end of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s life the Gemara in tractate Brachot (28b) teaches that when his students came to pay their final respects, Rabban Yochanan broke down in tears. Some have suggested that throughout his life, and in particular in these last moments, that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai carried the weight and guilt of this history-altering decision. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai at the time felt that the only way to guarantee the survival of the Torah for generations to come would be move to Yavneh. Now at the end of his life, he is brought to tears uncertain if perhaps there was another option.
Seen from this perspective, the chronological break in the second chapter of Pirkei Avot is easier to understand. Until this point, the Mesora and tradition was transmitted in the same way to each generation. By moving the Jewish community and its sages to Yavneh, by reestablishing the Sanhedrin outside of Jerusalem, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai created a sharp change in Mesorah. From this point forward, the Mesorah would flow out of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his students and this new community.
Next week we will attempt to answer our other questions to understand not only why the Mesorah now changes, but more importantly, how it changes.