(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy men.” This text is related (to Eccl. 12:11), “The words of the wise are like goads (kedarbanot) [...].” Kedarbanot [signifies] kadur shel banot (a ball for girls). Just like a ball for girls is thrown here and there, so were the words [of Torah] thrown at Sinai. Another interpretation of “like goads.” Just as a goad brings living (hayyim) [animals] to their yoke (l'wlm) so do the words of Torah bring life (hayyim) to the world (l'wlm).58See ySanh. 10:1 (28a); Numb. R. 14:4; 15:22; Eccl. R. 12:11:1; PR 3:2. It is so written (in Deut. 30:20), “[To love the Lord your God, heed His commands, and hold fast to Him] for that is your life and your length of days.” [Another interpretation (of Eccl. 12:11), “The words of the wise are like goads”:] Just as the goad directs the cow to plow and even out the furrows;59TSot. 7:11; Sifre to Deut. 11:13 (41); Hag. 3b; ARN A 18. so do the words of Torah direct those who study them to say, “Forbidden,” over what is forbidden, [to say,] “Permitted,” over what is permitted; and [the words of the wise also] show interpretations and directives from the Torah. (Eccl. 12:11:) “The words of the wise are like goads.” Three names are applied to it (i.e., to a goad), darban, mardea', malmad.60PRK 23:7; Lev. R. 29:7. Why is it named malmad (mlmd)? Because it teaches (mlmd) the cow to plow. Mardea'? Because it teaches knowledge (moreh de'ah) to the cow for plowing. Darban? Because it (the goad) dwells (dar) in it (bah, i.e., in the cow) as understanding (binah) for plowing.61See Targum Eccl. 12:11. And therefore the words of the wise are compared to goads, as it teaches knowledge and understanding to people. And if you say, “Just as the goad is removable, so are the words of Torah removable,” the text reads (ibid. cont.), “and like implanted nails (msmrwt).” (Eccl. 12:11, cont.:) “Those that are gathered in collections.” What is the meaning of “those that are gathered in collections?” When are they implanted in a man? When their masters are gathered (dead) from them. The whole time that his master is alive, [the student] asks him. [When] his teacher dies, he toils day and night to fulfill his teaching, as there is no one for him to ask. Hence it is written, “those that are gathered in collections.” (Eccl. 12:11:) “And like implanted nails (msmrwt).” R. Berekhya the Priest Berabbi said, “It is written, ‘like the watches (mshmrwt),’ but we read it ‘like nails (msmrwt).’ [This is to teach that] just as the watches (mshmrwt) of the priests number twenty-four, so also do the books [of the Bible] number twenty-four.” Another interpretation: Why is it written, “like the watches (mshmrwt),” but we read it “like implanted nails (msmrwt)?” To teach you that if you have implanted them like a nail in your heart, they will watch you. Another interpretation (of Eccl. 12:11 cont.), “and like implanted nails.” From here the sages have said, “It is forbidden to read in the profane (chitzoniot) books.” It is therefore stated (ibid.), “and like implanted nails (msmrwt).” (Ibid. cont.:) [“(The masters of) collections.”] These [masters] are the Sanhedrin.62Gk.: synedrion. And if you say, “This person permits what another forbids, this one declares unfit what another declares fit, this one declares unclean what another declares clean, R. Eliezer obligates while R. Joshua exempts, and Bet Shammai prohibits while Bet Hillel permits; to whom should I listen?” [That is why] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Nevertheless (according to Eccl. 12:11 end) ‘all of them were given from one shepherd.’” This [shepherd] was Moses, as stated about him (in Exod. 3:1), “And Moses was a shepherd.” [And] he received it from the One of the world. And they are unified words, except that this one gives one explanation, and that one gives another explanation. Hence it is stated, “all of them were given from one shepherd.”
אֶסְפָה לִי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים כְּדָרְבָּנוֹת וּכְמַשְׁמְרוֹת נְטוּעִים בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפוֹת נִתְּנוּ מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד (קהלת יב, יא). כְּדָרְבָּנוֹת, כַּדּוּר שֶׁל בָּנוֹת. מָה הַכַּדּוּר שֶׁל בָּנוֹת מְזָרְקִין לוֹ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן, כָּךְ הָיוּ הַדִּבְּרוֹת מְזָרְקִין בְּסִינַי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּדָרְבָּנוֹת. מָה הַדָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה מֵבִיא חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם, אַף דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה מְבִיאִין חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ (דברים ל, כ). דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה הַדָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה מְכַוֵּן אֶת הַפָּרָה לַחְרֹשׁ לְשַׁוּוֹת אֶת הַתְּלָמִים, אַף דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים מְכַוְּנִין אֶת לוֹמְדֵיהֶם לוֹמַר עַל דָּבָר הָאָסּוּר אָסוּר וְעַל הַמֻּתָּר מֻתָּר, וּמַרְאִין פָּנִים וְהוֹרָאוֹת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים כְּדָרְבָּנוֹת, שְׁלֹשָה שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ לוֹ, דָּרְבָּן, מַלְמָּד, מַרְדֵּעַ. לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מַלְמָּד, שֶׁהוּא מְלַמֵּד אֶת הַפָּרָה לַחְרֹשׁ, מַרְדֵּעַ, שֶׁמּוֹרֶה דֵּעָה לַפָּרָה לַחְרֹשׁ. דָּרְבָּן, שֶׁהוּא דָּר אֵצֶל הַפָּרָה לָתֵת לָהּ בִּינָה לַחְרֹשׁ. וּלְכָךְ נִמְשְׁלוּ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה לְדָרְבָּן, שֶׁמּוֹרֶה דֵּעָה וּבִינָה לִבְנֵי אָדָם. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַדָּרְבָּן מִטַּלְטֵל, כָּךְ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה מִטַּלְטְלִין. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כְּמַשְׂמְרוֹת נְטוּעִים. בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפוֹת. מַהוּ בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפוֹת. אֵימָתַי הֵן נְטוּעִים בָּאָדָם, בִּזְמַן שֶׁבַּעֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱסָפִין מֵהֶם. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁרַבּוֹ קַיָּם, הוּא הָיָה שׁוֹאֲלוֹ. מֵת רַבּוֹ, הֲרֵי יָגֵעַ בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה לְקַיֵּם תַּלְמוּדוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לְמִי הוּא שׁוֹאֵל. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפוֹת. וּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹת נְטוּעִים, אָמַר רַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה הַכֹּהֵן בְּרַבִּי, כְּמַשְׂמְרוֹת כְּתִיב: וְאָנוּ קוֹרִין מַסְמְרוֹת, לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה מִּשְׁמְרוֹת כְּהֻנָּה עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, אַף סִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה כְּתִיב כְּמִשְׁמָרוֹת, וְאָנוּ קוֹרִין מַסְמְרוֹת, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁאִם קָבַעְתָּ אוֹתָם כְּמַסְמֵר בְּלִבְּךָ, הֵם מְשַׁמְּרִין אוֹתְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹת נְטוּעִים, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לַבְּרָכָה, אָסוּר לִקְרוֹת בַּסְּפָרִים הַחִיצוֹנִים, שֶׁכָּתוּב נְטוּעִים. אֵלּוּ הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, הֲרֵי זֶה מַתִּיר וְזֶה אוֹסֵר, זֶה פּוֹסֵל וְזֶה מַכְשִׁיר, זֶה מְטַמֵּא וְזֶה מְטַהֵר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְחַיֵּב וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ פּוֹטֵר, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹסְרִים וּבֵית הַלֵּל מַתִּירִין, לְמִי אֶשְׁמַע. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, כֻּלָּם נִתְּנוּ מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד, זֶה מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ: וּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה רֹעֶה (שמות ג, א), שֶׁקִּבֵּל מִיְחִידוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים הֵם, אֶלָּא זֶה אוֹמֵר טַעַם אֶחָד, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר טַעַם אַחֵר. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כֻּלָּם נִתְּנוּ מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד.
(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy men.” This text is related (to Eccl. 12:11), “The words of the wise are like goads (kedarbanot) [...].” Kedarbanot [signifies] kadur shel banot (a ball for girls). Just like a ball for girls is thrown here and there, so were the words [of Torah] thrown at Sinai. Another interpretation of “like goads.” Just as a goad brings living (hayyim) [animals] to their yoke (l'wlm) so do the words of Torah bring life (hayyim) to the world (l'wlm).58See ySanh. 10:1 (28a); Numb. R. 14:4; 15:22; Eccl. R. 12:11:1; PR 3:2. It is so written (in Deut. 30:20), “[To love the Lord your God, heed His commands, and hold fast to Him] for that is your life and your length of days.” [Another interpretation (of Eccl. 12:11), “The words of the wise are like goads”:] Just as the goad directs the cow to plow and even out the furrows;59TSot. 7:11; Sifre to Deut. 11:13 (41); Hag. 3b; ARN A 18. so do the words of Torah direct those who study them to say, “Forbidden,” over what is forbidden, [to say,] “Permitted,” over what is permitted; and [the words of the wise also] show interpretations and directives from the Torah. (Eccl. 12:11:) “The words of the wise are like goads.” Three names are applied to it (i.e., to a goad), darban, mardea', malmad.60PRK 23:7; Lev. R. 29:7. Why is it named malmad (mlmd)? Because it teaches (mlmd) the cow to plow. Mardea'? Because it teaches knowledge (moreh de'ah) to the cow for plowing. Darban? Because it (the goad) dwells (dar) in it (bah, i.e., in the cow) as understanding (binah) for plowing.61See Targum Eccl. 12:11. And therefore the words of the wise are compared to goads, as it teaches knowledge and understanding to people. And if you say, “Just as the goad is removable, so are the words of Torah removable,” the text reads (ibid. cont.), “and like implanted nails (msmrwt).” (Eccl. 12:11, cont.:) “Those that are gathered in collections.” What is the meaning of “those that are gathered in collections?” When are they implanted in a man? When their masters are gathered (dead) from them. The whole time that his master is alive, [the student] asks him. [When] his teacher dies, he toils day and night to fulfill his teaching, as there is no one for him to ask. Hence it is written, “those that are gathered in collections.” (Eccl. 12:11:) “And like implanted nails (msmrwt).” R. Berekhya the Priest Berabbi said, “It is written, ‘like the watches (mshmrwt),’ but we read it ‘like nails (msmrwt).’ [This is to teach that] just as the watches (mshmrwt) of the priests number twenty-four, so also do the books [of the Bible] number twenty-four.” Another interpretation: Why is it written, “like the watches (mshmrwt),” but we read it “like implanted nails (msmrwt)?” To teach you that if you have implanted them like a nail in your heart, they will watch you. Another interpretation (of Eccl. 12:11 cont.), “and like implanted nails.” From here the sages have said, “It is forbidden to read in the profane (chitzoniot) books.” It is therefore stated (ibid.), “and like implanted nails (msmrwt).” (Ibid. cont.:) [“(The masters of) collections.”] These [masters] are the Sanhedrin.62Gk.: synedrion. And if you say, “This person permits what another forbids, this one declares unfit what another declares fit, this one declares unclean what another declares clean, R. Eliezer obligates while R. Joshua exempts, and Bet Shammai prohibits while Bet Hillel permits; to whom should I listen?” [That is why] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Nevertheless (according to Eccl. 12:11 end) ‘all of them were given from one shepherd.’” This [shepherd] was Moses, as stated about him (in Exod. 3:1), “And Moses was a shepherd.” [And] he received it from the One of the world. And they are unified words, except that this one gives one explanation, and that one gives another explanation. Hence it is stated, “all of them were given from one shepherd.”