Outline of the Rebbe's Explanation of Pirkei Avos Chapter VI
Likkutei Sichos Volume 36, Pages 184 - 186
Chapter 6, Mishnah 6: Torah is greater than the priesthood or kingship, for kingship is acquired with thirty virtues, the priesthood with twenty-four, and Torah with forty-eight qualities ...one who says something in the name of its speaker. As we have learned, one who says something in the name of its speaker brings redemption to the world, as stated, "And Esther told the king in the name of Mordechai."
The Simple Explanation
The sixth and concluding chapter of Pirkei Avos is called Kinyan Torah, the Acquisition of Torah. Its teachings focus on how we can make Torah a part of ourselves. The teaching we focus on spells out all forty-eight qualities one needs to acquire the Torah.
Difficulties in Understanding the Mishnah
We must understand the connection between repeating a teaching in the name of the one who said it and acquiring the Torah. The other forty-seven attributes are necessary to internalize the Torah; "study, listening, verbalizing, etc." However, the forty-eighth item would seem to require an explanation. How does it facilitate the acquisition of the Torah? Additionally, what relevance is that one brings redemption to the world through this virtue?
The Explanation
As mentioned above, this is the concluding chapter of Pirkei Avos. This work began by teaching that "Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and gave it to Yehoshua. Yehoshua gave it over to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets gave it over to the Men of the Great Assembly, etc." In other words, the Torah study is based on a tradition. I received the knowledge of the Torah from my teacher. He received the Torah from his teacher, etc., going back to Moshe Rabbeinu, who received the Torah directly from G-d. Remembering this is a fundamental principle of Torah study and must constantly be engraved in everything we learn. This is one of the forty-eight virtues needed to acquire the Torah.
That is also why doing so brings redemption to the world. Mentioning the one who first made the statement redeems the Torah. It reveals that all Torah is a tradition that began with the Almighty transmitting the Torah to Moshe. The Torah is the basis and foundation of the entire world. As a result of redeeming the Torah, we bring redemption to the world. May we experience complete and true redemption through our righteous Moshiach now!
Adapted from the Sichos of Shabbos Parshas Tisa, 5740 and Shabbos Parshas Balak, 5743
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