Mark Of A Great Teacher

email commentary regarding Pesachim 22:

The Meaning of “Et” (את), and the Meaning of Truth

The Talmud relates the story of Shimon [or Nechemyah] HaImsuni, who expounded the meaning of the word “et” every time it appeared in the Torah. He abandoned the endeavor, however, when he tried to address the verse (Devarim 10:20), “You shall fear “et” the Lord thy God”, stating, “Just as I have merited reward for the interpretation, I will likewise merit reward for abandoning [the apparently untrue interpretation]. However, R. Akiva came along and salvaged the interpretative process, explaining that the word “et” in that verse comes to include a Torah scholar under the obligation of “fear”, or reverence.

R. Chaim Ya’akov Goldvicht commented on the fact that Shimon HaImsuni, who had become the expert on the meaning of “et”, was stymied by this verse, while R. Akiva was able to interpret it. He explained that at first, the challenge of understanding what other being could be included within the fear of God was too great, even for one expert in this area. R. Akiva, however, had the advantage of witnessing Shimon HaImsuni’s unwavering commitment to truth. When he saw how one who had devoted so much labor to a project was nonetheless ready to abandon that project when it appeared inconsistent with truth, R. Akiva was inspired to realize that Torah scholars also deserve to be included in the commandment of reverence. R. Daniel Feldman, YUTorah Daily Daf

My understanding is that the word "et" comes to add - and this would make sense since "et" is of the expansive "order of chesed" (alef to tav). In contradistinction to "et", the word "ta" (תא cell, like a cell in the temple is completely dark, tav to alef) alludes to the "order of gevurah".

The thing that has me stymied is the sentence "Akiva came along and salvaged the interpretative process, explaining that the word “et” in that verse comes to include a Torah scholar under the obligation of “fear”, or reverence."

What does this statement mean? Is this Torah verse (Devarim 10:20) some sort of fuzzy pivot point where chesed and gevurah merge into one another? And to "merge" the two attributes successfully, one is under "the obligation of fear"?

Melech answered:

Iyov 6:14

לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד; וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזוֹב

I responded:

Iyov 6:14 To him that is ready to faint kindness is due from his friend, even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Devarim 10:20 Thou shalt fear the L-rd thy G-d; Him shalt thou serve; and to Him shalt thou cleave, and by His name shalt thou swear.

אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, אֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד; וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק, וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ.

Were the two sages (Shimon/Nechemya HaImsuni and R. Akiva) contemporaries? And why is the former not called a rabbi?

Melech answered:

Some say Shim'on/Nechamya Imsuni is the same guy as Nachum of Gimzo, which would would make him a teacher of R. Akiva.

My conclusions given this critical byte of information:

1. The mark of a great teacher is that his/her students become greater than the teacher.

2. Iyov 6:14 represents Shimon's level of understanding, where the first and last letters of the pasuk encapsulate its explicit order, the Written Torah - לב

3. Devarim 10:20 represents R. Akiva's level of understanding, where the first and last letters of the pasuk encapsulate its implicit order, Sitre Torah, dancing between one and no thing - אע

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