Weekly DAFootnotes
Bava Batra 72-78
Issue #45
21-27 Sivan, 5762 / June 1-7, 2002
By Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
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TORAH FRIENDSHIP

In one of the closing passages of Shir Hashirim (8:13) King Solomon speaks of 
"chaverim who listen to your voice".

Who are these chaverim and whose voice do they hear?

In his commentary on Shir Hashirim Rashi defines the chaverim as the Heavenly 
angels who come to hear the voice of the Jews – Divine princes like themselves 
as they pray in their synagogues before they offer their own song of praise to 
Hashem.

In our gemara, however, Rabbi Yochanan defines the chaverim as talmidei 
chachamim (Torah scholars). Why is this particular title associated with the 
talmid chacham here and in many places throughout the Talmud?

Maharsha refers us to the commentary of Rambam on a mishneh in Mesechta 
Demai (2.3). There he writes that talmidei chachamim are called chaverim 
because their friendship is a faithful one since it is maintained for Heaven's sake.

To gain a better understanding of what is meant by a friendship for Heaven's 
sake, we must refer to the commentary of Rabbeinu Yonah on Mesechta Avot 
where he explains the counsel of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Prachyah to "buy yourself 
a friend" (1:6). One must have a friend not only for the obvious human need for 
companionship but also because of the benefit he gains from a friend in terms of 
learning Torah and in maintaining spiritual discipline. "Much have I learned from 
my teachers," said the great Sage Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi (Rebbi), "but even 
more from my friends" (Mesechta Makkot 10a). This value of gaining a better 
understanding of Torah through the give-and-take of learning with a peer is 
matched by the value which a friend provides in strengthening a person when he 
falters in his self-discipline and is tempted to submit to his passions. The friend is 
able to do so because he does not necessarily share that weakness at that time, 
and the befriended person reciprocates by giving his friend moral support when 
the friend is weak.

This is truly friendship for Heaven's sake and justifies endowing the Torah 
scholar who thinks in such terms with the glorious title of "friend".

Bava Batra 75a

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OUT OF THE MAZE

"Therefore, say the moshlim, come to Cheshbon…" (Bamidbar 21:27)

In the literal context of this passage moshlim refers to the heathen prophets 
Bila'am and Be'or, who raised their voices in prophetic parables (mashalim) and 
were responsible, through their cursing of the Moabite forces, for the success of 
the Emorite King Sichon in capturing the major city of Cheshbon. This is related 
by the Torah as historical background for the Israeli conquest of Cheshbon and 
all of Sichon's territories, and also serves as prelude to Balak's hiring of Bila'am 
to curse the Jews.

In our gemara, however, Rabbi Yochanan is quoted as interpreting this passage 
as a valuable guideline for spiritual success. The word moshalim is translated as 
rulers rather than parables, and Cheshbon is translated as calculation rather than 
just the name of a city. The message he derives from this is that those who rule 
over their evil inclination say "Come and let us make the cheshbon (calculation) 
of life in this world – the financial loss incurred by fulfilling a mitzvah as opposed 
to the great reward to be gained from it in the hereafter, and the gain one 
acquires from a transgression as opposed to the loss he will sustain in the 
hereafter".

In his classic ethical work "Mesillat Yesharim" (Chapter Three), Rabbi Moshe 
Chaim Luzatto offers a mashal for understanding this gemara. Noblemen of old 
were fond of constructing mazes on their palatial grounds and challenging 
visitors to find their way through confusing lanes to a tower in the middle of the 
maze. Some of these lanes, of course, led directly to the goal, while others, 
which were identical in appearance, confused the walker and actually led him 
away from the goal. The person walking through the maze had no way of 
knowing whether he was on the correct path or a misleading one since they all 
looked the same. The one who had already succeeded in reaching the tower was 
familiar with the paths and could readily see from his vantage point which were 
the right paths and which were the wrong ones. Given the opportunity to do so he 
was capable of warning those wandering in the paths which way to go. Those 
who heeded his counsel would succeed in reaching their goal while those who 
ignored it would continue to aimlessly wander.

So, too, he concluded his parable, is the situation of man in his world. One who 
has not yet gained control over his evil inclination is like the man wandering 
aimlessly through the paths in the maze, unable to distinguish between the right 
ones and the wrong ones. Only those who have reigned over their inclination, 
have already succeeded in finding their way through the maze and recognize the 
direction of each path, can guide whoever is willing to listen to them. And what is 
it that they tell us? "Come and let us make the calculation of life in this world." For 
they have already examined and concluded that this is the only true path which 
will lead a man to the goal he seeks.

Bava Batra 78b

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