RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 2:10-13
By: Yehudah ben Shomeyr
"Rabban Yochanan the son of Zakkai
had five disciples: Rabbi Eliezer the son of
Hurkenus, Rabbi Joshua the son of Chananya, Rabbi Yossei the Kohen,
Rabbi Shimon the son of Nethanel, and Rabbi Elazar the son of Arach. He would recount their
praises: Rabbi Eliezer the son of Hurkenus is a
cemented cistern that loses not a drop; Rabbi Joshua the son of
Chananya---fortunate is she who gave birth to him; Rabbi Yossei the Kohen---a chassid (pious one); Rabbi Shimon the son of
Nethanel fears sin; Rabbi Elazar ben Arach is as an ever-increasing wellspring.[Rabbi
Yochanan] used to say: If all the sages of Israel
were to be in one cup of a balance-scale, and Eliezer the son of Hurkenus were
in the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul
said in his name: If all the sages of Israel were to be in one cup of a
balance-scale, Eliezer the son of Hurkenus included, and Elazar the son of
Arach were in the other, he would outweigh them all.[Rabbi Yochanan] said to
them: Go and see which is the best trait for a person to acquire. Said Rabbi
Eliezer: A good eye. Said Rabbi Joshua: A good friend. Said Rabbi Yossei: A
good neighbor. Said Rabbi Shimon: To see what is born [out of ones actions].
Said Rabbi Elazar: A good heart. Said He to them: I prefer the words of Elazar
the son of Arach to yours, for his words include all of yours.He said to them: Go
and see which is the worst trait, the one that a person should most distance
himself from. Said Rabbi Eliezer: An evil eye. Said Rabbi Joshua: An evil
friend. Said Rabbi Yossei: An evil neighbor. Said Rabbi Shimon: To borrow and
not to repay; for one who borrows from man is as one who borrows from the
Almighty, as is stated, ``The wicked man borrows and does not repay; but the
righteous one is benevolent and gives'' (Psalms
37:21). Said Rabbi Elazar: An evil heart. Said He to them: I prefer the word of
Elazar the son of Arach to yours, for his words include all of yours."
Yeshua had
talmidim too and praise them for their traits and encouraged them to admire and
strive for the traits others have mastered for themselves.
John
1:47 Jesus saw
Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom
is no guile!
Matt.
16:16-20 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living GodAnd Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his
disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben
Shomeyr
