What the World Stands Upon

Pirkei Avot’s second mishnah presents a foundational statement of Shimon HaTzaddik that is critical to our worldview. Unlike most of Avot, which advises how to live life well, Shimon HaTzaddik addresses the more fundamental question of what sustains the world. He explains that the world stands on three pillars: Torah (learning),^[1] avodah (service of Hashem), and gemilut chassadim (acts of kindness).

Shimon HaTzaddik teaches us that the world’s sustenance hinges upon human action and behavior. Because Hashem created the world to offer humanity the opportunity to live meaningful lives, He conditioned its existence on us doing so.

The meforshim associate these three pillars with our personal development.

The Tiferet Yisrael sees them as representative of the need to develop ourselves as well as our relationships with others: Torah learning enriches us, avodah is how we serve Hashem, and acts of kindness reflect healthy relationships with other people.

The Rambam associates all the pillars with modes of our internal development: Torah develops our intellectual ability, avodah our observance, and gemilut chassadim our character.^[2]

Both interpretations agree that the pillars are essential not only for the world, but also for us. They teach us not just what the world needs to exist, but also what our lives are meant to be about. The world cannot learn, daven, or do acts of chessed on its own. Its purpose is realized through our actions.

Torah

Though all the pillars are essential, Torah learning reigns supreme. We declare this each morning when we conclude our recital of the berachot linked to Torah learning by exclaiming that “Talmud Torah k'neged kulam—The significance of Torah learning is equal to that of all other mitzvot.”^[3] Understandably, the Gemara^[4] asserts that Torah learning is of greater value than building the Beis Hamikdash, honoring one’s parents, and even saving a life.^[5]

Chazal^[6] derived this centrality from the Torah’s very first word — “Bereishit.” Talmud Torah is the “reishit” that Hashem created the world to facilitate. This is why the world's very existence hinges upon Torah learning. The Torah describes the sixth day of creation as “yom hashishi”^[7] because Hashem conditioned creation on a future special sixth day — the sixth day of Sivan, when He gave the Torah. Had we not committed ourselves to Torah, Hashem would have returned the world to nothingness.^[8]

Rav Chaim Volozhin^[9] adds that the world’s existence not only initially hinged upon the original Kabbalat HaTorah, but also continues to depend upon constant Torah learning. If there were even one moment completely bereft of Torah learning, the world would cease to exist.^[10]

Talmud Torah is not just the world’s purpose; it is also the unique purpose and mission of the Jewish people. As the mishnah tells us in Avot’s second perek, “If you have learned much Torah, do not take special credit; it is [simply] why you were created.”^[11] Hashem created the world to be a context for Torah learning; He created the Jewish people as the vehicle. This explains why one who does not study Torah deserves to die.^[12] Torah study is a central reason for our existence. If we do not commit ourselves to it, we do not deserve to exist.

Why is Talmud Torah so important?

Firstly, it is the one pursuit to which we can and should devote our free time. As opposed to chessed, which we perform only in appropriate situations, and the tefilot we recite three specific times a day, we are able to study Torah at any and every free moment. It is the constant that should continuously fill our lives with meaning.

Additionally, through Torah learning, we transcend our world and meet Hashem through His wisdom. Although we connect to Hashem through the performance of all mitzvot and all forms of Avodat Hashem, when we study Torah, we achieve a more profound connection because we immerse ourselves in His thoughts. We understand and connect to Hashem by appreciating the way He “thinks” and what He values.

Avodah

But Torah is not the only pillar. Avodah is also important. Studying alone is not enough for the world or for us. This is why man’s presence, even in self-sufficient Gan Eden, included his responsibility to work.^[13]

What does the mishnah mean by “avodah”?

The meforshim focus on korbanot, which the Torah refers to as avodah.^[14] Korbanot express our appreciation of Hashem’s role in the world and our lives, as well as our interest in giving to and sacrificing for Hashem. As with all relationships,^[15] we reinforce our commitment and closeness to Hashem through gift and sacrifice.

Kayin and Hevel were the first people the Torah records as having brought korbanot.^[16] When Noach subsequently offered a korban upon exiting the ark, Hashem responded with His promise to continuously sustain the world.^[17] When we show our appreciation of and commitment to Hashem, He commits Himself to us and our world.

Of course, we are no longer able to bring korbanot. We offer our tefilot instead.^[18] The Gemara^[19] teaches that the offering of the Korban Tamid used to sustain the world; today, our tefilot play this role.^[20] In many ways, tefilot are even more significant than korbanot.^[21] Petitioning Hashem for our needs expresses recognition of our dependence upon Him and our interest in a relationship with Him.^[22] 

The Rambam^[23] extends the pillar of avodah beyond korbanot and tefilah by explaining that the mishnah uses korbanot as a paradigm for mitzvot in general. Korbanot are significant because they are how we fulfill Hashem’s commandment (to sacrifice them). We similarly serve Hashem by observing any of His mitzvos.^[24]

Gemilut Chasadim

The third pillar is chessed. One might have thought personal development and commitment to Hashem would be enough to sustain the world. Our mishnah teaches us that this is not the case.^[25] In fact, the Nevi’im Micha^[26] and Yeshayahu^[27] present care for others (in contrast to korbanot) as central to what Hashem wants from us. Korbanot and Avodat Hashem are important, but Hashem wants us to serve Him by (also) caring about and for His creations — particularly those He created in His image.^[28] 

By doing so, we emulate Hashem, who created the world as an act of chesed.^[29] He, of course, does not need the world; He made it for us.

Our acts of chessed are also our way of giving back to Hashem. Rav Avraham Chaim Feuer explains that this is why the mishnah uses the term gemilut chasadim: our chessed is a way of “paying Hashem back” for His chessed. By assisting others created in His image, we show our appreciation that we, too, were made this way.

Torah and Ma’asim Tovim 

Chessed is an essential complement to Talmud Torah. The Gemara^[30] compares one involved in only Torah learning but not chessed to one who has no G-d. One focused only on himself lacks a meaningful relationship with Hashem. As we saw, Torah learning can be “gadlus,” greater than other mitzvot,^[31] but if taken to a self-centered extreme, it can also be godless. Torah learning is only gadlus when it inspires us to care for Hashem’s other creations.

This is why we celebrate Torah and ma’asim tovim as the goals and epitome of life, the life goals we wish for newborn babies, and that mothers daven for each week when they light candles. The two together are how we serve Hashem in the fullest sense of the word.

This is why Rebbe Yossi ben Kisma rejected a substantial monetary offer to move to a city lacking a strong Torah presence. He explained that he prioritized Torah learning and good deeds over money because we take only the former with us to the next world.^[32] 

The Three-Legged Stool

Taken together, these three foci – Torah, avodah, and gemilut chassadim – are what the world exists for and what we, therefore, should focus upon. May appreciating this help us maximize our lives and our contribution to sustaining the world!

 Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.

His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com.

^[1] Though the word “Torah” often refers to Torah observance, as the continuation of this mishnah mentions examples of observance, the meforshim understood that “Torah” in this mishnah refers to Torah learning.

^[2] Similarly, Rabbeinu Bachaye sees Torah learning as employing the mouth, avodah (prayer) as the work of the heart, and gemilut chassadim as the realm of action. The Maharal (Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha’Avodah) explains that Torah is how we use our sechel (intellect), avodah is how we use our regesh (emotions), and gemilut chassadim is our ma’asim (actions).

Rav Asher Weiss (Minchas Asher, Avot pg. 19) adds that the three pillars are parallel to the three Avot and to the Mishkan’s three main klei avodah (Menorah, Mizbeichot, and Shulchan).

^[3] Pe’ah 1;1.

^[4] Megillah 16b.

^[5] Though one should interrupt his learning to save a life, Torah learning is of greater significance.

^[6] Bereishit Rabbah 1:6.

^[7] This is as opposed to “shishi” like the description of previous days — “yom echad,” “yom sheni,” “yom shlishi,” etc..

^[8] Avodah Zarah 3a.

^[9] Nefesh HaChayim, Sha’ar 1:16.

^[10] This understanding motivated Rav Chaim to arrange for the students of his Volozhin Yeshiva to take shifts learning throughout the day and night.

^[11] Avot 2:8.

^[12] Avot 1:13.

^[13] Bereishit 2:15. See Ohr HaChayim (Bereishit 2:15), who explains that man’s responsibility to work there was meant to serve as a model for the work we need to invest on the spiritual plane.

^[14] Shemot 12:25–26 and 13:5. See also Divrei HaYamim I 23:28. See also Bereishit Rabbah (16:4), which explains that man’s “avodah” responsibility in Gan Eden was to offer korbanot, and the Ramban to Bereishit 2:8.

^[15] See Bava Metzia 32a, which teaches that we combat feelings of dislike towards others through helping them. Michtav Mei'Eliyahu points out that the relationship of strongest love for another — that of a parent towards a child — is fostered through complete (one-sided) giving. This is why the word “ahavah” centers upon the two-letter-word “hav — to give.” Lord Jacobowitz explained that this is why specifically the Mizbei’ach cries when there is a divorce (Gittin 90a). Marriage hinges upon sacrifice. When marriage fails because of the lack of sacrifice, the Mizbei’ach, which symbolizes sacrifice, cries.

^[16] Bereishit 3:3–4. The fact that this is the only one of their activities the Torah tells us about highlights their korbanot.

^[17] Ibid., 8:20–22. See Bartenura (Avot 1:2), who quotes this as a basis for our mishnah. See also Ta’anit 27b.

^[18] See Berachot 26a.

^[19] Ta’anit 27.

^[20] See the commentary of Rabbeinu Yonah on our mishnah, who sees Tehillim 51 as a source for this shift.

^[21] See Berachot 32b.

^[22] Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha’Avodah 1,3. See also Sifri (Ekev 5), which presents Torah learning and tefillah as the two primary forms of avodah (she’ba’lev).

^[23] Peirush HaRambam L’Mishnah, Avos 1:2.

^[24] Rashi (Shemot 29:18, Vayikra 1:9) explains that korbanot generate a “rei’ach nichoach” (beautiful smell) to Hashem (only) because He receives nachat from the fulfillment of His request. This idea, of course, applies to all mitzvot. Rav Yochanan’s famous words (Berachot 17a) about one who grows in Torah generating “nachat ruach l’Yotzro” may be the source for Rashi’s idea.

^[25] Avot D'Rebbe Nosson points out that though we do not have the kapparah (atonement) of korbanot available, we can always achieve kapparah through chessed.

^[26] Micha 6:8.

^[27] Yeshaya 58.

^[28] See Mishlei 16:6, which links atonement to chessed. See also Kohelet Rabbah, which defines one who denies the importance of gemilut chassadim as a kofer b’ikar, for it is one of Hashem’s most basic expectations from us.

The Gemara (Sotah 14) points out that Torah begins with gemilut chassadim (Hashem’s fashioning of clothing for man and woman) and ends with gemilut chassadim (Hashem’s burial of Moshe Rabbeinu). Chazal tell us that the reason Moshe Rabbeinu was known by the name Moshe — given to him by Bas Pharaoh —  is to show appreciation for the chessed that she did for him.

See also Shaarei Teshuvah (3:13), which presents gemilut chassadim as a prime example of a critical, yet underappreciated, area of Judaism.

^[29] See Avos D'Rebbe Nosson (4:5). As it says in Tehillim 89, “Olam chessed yibaneh.” In fact, the midrash (Tehillim 89) tells us that G-d's throne stands on chessed. His existence in the world is based on His chessed and our chessed.

^[30] Avodah Zarah 17b. See also Sanhedrin 98a.

^[31] See Avot 6:6-7, Megillah 3b and 16b, Eiruvin 63b, Kiddushin 40b, and Sanhedrin 44b.

^[32] Avot 6:10.