Why Do the Number of Teeth Allude Only to Torah and Avodah but Not to Gemilus Chasadim
With great pleasure, I would now like to share with my esteemed readership a question which I have contemplated at length. We have an explicit teaching in the Mishnah (Avos 1, 2):
"שמעון הצדיק היה דולה. הוא היה אומר, על שלשה דברים העולם עומד, עלגְהת סִכנמשירי דים"סִמילות חגְועל התורה ועל העבודה —Shimon HaTzaddik was among the survivors of the Great Assembly. He used to say: The world depends on three things—on Torah study, on the avodah (religious service), and on gemilus chasadim (acts of kindness). Therefore, I find it extremely surprising that when a person eats with his upper and lower teeth, it only alludes to the first two items mentioned in the Mishnah—Torah and avodah—but neglects the third item—gemilus chasadim. As we have learned, the upper 16 teeth allude to the 16 men called up to the Torah in a week, and the 16 lower teeth allude to the 16 korban Tamids. Why did HKB”H choose not to include an allusion to gemilus chasadim in the teeth, as well?
I would like to propose a satisfactory explanation based on the incident described in parshas Vayeira. When the three malachim approached Avraham Avinu as guests, he said to them (Bereishis 18, 5): "ואקחה פת עדו לבכם"סִלחם ו—I will fetch a morsel of bread that you may nourish your heart. Rashi comments in the name of the Midrash (B.R. 48, 11): “Nourish your heart”—In the Torah, in the Neviim, and in the Ketuvim, we find that bread is the nourishment of the heart. Why does Scripture emphasize that eating bread nourishes the heart?
To explain the matter, we will refer to the Mishnah (ibid. 2, 9). Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai addresses his disciples:
"אמר להם, צאו וראו איזו היא דרך טובה שידבק בה יסִהאדם. רבי אליעזר אומר עין טובה, רבי יהושע אומר חבר טוב, רבי יו אומר שכן טוב, רבי שמעון אומר הרואה את הנולד, רבי אלעזר אומר לב טוב. אמר להם רואה אני את דברי אלעזר בן ערך מדבריכם שבכלל דבריו דבריכם". He said to them: Go out and find the best path a person should follow. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yossi says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who foresees the outcome of his actions. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He (Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai) said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach over your words, for his words incorporate your words.”
Rabeinu Ovadiah of Bartenura provides the following clarification: The heart activates all of the other faculties. All actions arise from the heart. As such, “a good heart” incorporates all of the other good qualities; it is the ultimate “tov.”
This enlightens us as to how the 32 teeth allude to the tikun of all three pillars upon which the world stands. We have already explained that the 16 upper teeth correspond to the Torah, and the 16 lower teeth to the avodah. Thus, those two pillars have their tikun. In truth, the tikun of the third pillar—“gemilus chasadim”—is included with them. This is apparent from Avraham Avinu, the pillar of “gemilus chasadim.” For, he said to the malachim: “I will fetch a morsel of bread that you may nourish your heart”—teaching us that bread nourishes the heart. Therefore, when a person chews bread with both sets of teeth (32= ל"ב) to rectify the pillar of Torah and the pillar of avodah, he is also rectifying the heart (ל"ב), ensuring that it will qualify as a “lev tov.” As we learned from the Mishnah in Avos, a “good heart” encompasses all of the positive midos inspiring a person to perform “gemilus chasadim”—acts of chesed.
Thus, the combined efforts of the two sets of 16 teeth provide tikun for all three vital pillars—Torah, avodah, and “gemilus chasadim.” Additionally, a person acquires a ל"ב טוב. So, it turns out that the ל"ב (32) teeth are associated magnificently with all three pillars upon which the world depends. As we know, a three-plied cord is not easily severed.
