Courageous Like a Lion

Avot (5:20) | Yisrael Bankier | 22 days ago

Yehuda ben Teimai said: "be bold like a leopard, light like an eagle, swift like a deer, strong (gibor) like a lion to do the will of your father in heaven." He would say: "someone who is brazen-faced for Gehinom, and one who is shamefaced for Gan Eden."

The Bartenura explains this Mishnah in the context of mitzvot. One should not be ashamed to ask questions, swift to review their learning, run to perform mitzvot and be brave overcoming the yetzer harah that attempts to turn one from mitzvot. Indeed, we have learnt that Ben Zoma taught, "Who is strong (gibor)? One who subdues his yetzer."

The Tifferet Yisrael however understands the Mishnah as referring to the four areas of personal. Firstly, one's involvement in the world is divided into what one should engage in and what one should avoid. They can also be broken down into two domains -- the external and internal. When it comes to positive actions, it is not a time for humility or self doubt. The Tur explains that confidence is necessary to perform mitzvot in the face of those that ridicule their observance. Moving to the internal, regarding the study of Torah where the depth can be overwhelming, one need not give up hope and rather raise himself up and "fly toward the sun". Avoiding bad spiritual threats, one needs to swiftly flee, like a deer escaping a hunter, and not simply rely on his intellect to avoid the challenge. Finally, facing physical threats and being enticed by the yetzer, requires great strength to subdue its hold.

The Tur, in the beginning of his sefer, however understands that that all these traits are defences against threats to keeping mitzvot. We mentioned that one needs to be bold in the face of ridicule. Flight helps one turn their eyes from evil. Courage is needed when the threat is in the heart and Speed is necessary to physically move away from it. Note that the Tur switched the order, placing the lion before the deer unlike it appears in our Mishnah. The Beit Yosef explains that the order in the Tur is the order of sin. The eyes see, the heart desires, then the body executes. The Beit Yosef explains that Yehuda ben Teima's order reflects a proactive approach: if one can control what they are exposed to, it becomes easier to pursue mitzvot. If not, then the eagerness will be tempered by the desire that has been created in the heart.

Interestingly, the Shulchan Aruch opens with only a reference to being strong like a lion and specifically related to getting up early in the morning to serve Hashem. The Mishnah Berurah explains that getting up early in the morning can be particularly challenging and takes strength to counter the yetzer trying to convince one to do the opposite. Indeed, the Midrash notes that Bilaam referred to our nation as "a nation that rises like a lion" and explains that we are unique in that we rise early to eagerly "snatch" mitzvot -- tallit, shema and tefillin.

The Lev Avot (R' Haber) notes that the Gemara comments that were it not for the Torah, one could learn positive character traits from all the creatures. He cites the Gra who explains that Adam was the final creation and embodied the qualities of all the creatures. The Lev Avot explains that one can therefore learn from nature the extent of his power -- his unrealised potential.

We can take this idea one step further. As we near the end of Pirkei Avot, its demands specifically and the world of mitzvot in general may appear a overwhelming. The Mishnah is asserting that while it may indeed be challenging, Hashem did not set us up for failure. All the means have been instilled in us to succeed. When all those internal powers are in order and realised, then we can enjoy success.

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