PIRKEI AVOS OF THE WEEK
An Outline of the Rebbe's Explanation of Pirkei Avos Chapter II
Likkutei Sichos Volume 4, Page 1200 ff.
פרק ב', משנה ט': חמשה תלמידים היו לו לרבן יוחנן בן זכאי, ואלו הן: רבי אליעזר בן הרקנוס, ורבי יהושע בן חנני', ורבי יוסי הכהן, ורבי שמעון בן נתנאל, ורבי אלעזר בן ערך.
הוא היה מונה שבחן: רבי אליעזר בן הרקנוס, בור סוד שאינו מאבד טיפה; רבי יהושע בן חנניה, אשרי יולדתו; רבי יוסי הכהן, חסיד; רבי שמעון בן נתנאל, ירא חטא; ורבי אלעזר בן ערך, מעין המתגבר...
Chapter 2, Mishnah 9: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, Rabbi Yossi the Kohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach. He would recount their praises. Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus is a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop. Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Chananya, it is fortunate that she gave birth to him. Rabbi Yossi the Kohen is a Chossid. Rabbi Shimon ben Nesanel fears sin. And Rabbi Elazar ben Arach is an ever-increasing wellspring.
The Simple Explanation
The second chapter of Pirkei Avos tells us of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and his five students. He would recount the special praise of each of his students. The Sages tell us that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai "supported" the Jewish nation for forty years, meaning he taught them the Torah. Furthermore, the Sages said he "sat in the shade of the Holy Temple and taught Torah throughout the entire day." From this, it is clear that he had more than five students and many disciples. The commentaries to this Mishnah reconcile these two ideas as follows. The Mishnah lists only those students who were the greatest. These five are the ones through whom he transmitted the chain of the Torah. As stated in the first chapter of Pirkei Avos, Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to his student Yehoshua, who passed it on to the Elders. When this chain of transmission reached Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, he gave the Torah over to these five students.
Rabban Yochanan praised each of these five for their individual qualities. He said that Rabbi
1. The meaning of a Chossid in this context is one who goes beyond what the law requires.
2. See the Sifri on the Parshah V’zos Haberochoh, Section 357.
3. See Talmud Pesachim Page 26, a.
4. See the commentary of the Tosfos Yom Tov to this Mishnah.
5. See Pirkei Avos, Chapter 1, Mishnah 1.
