הוּא (שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק) הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. (א:ב)
רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ח) אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם: (א:יח)
An Existential Opening
Masechet Avot’s second Mishna presents a foundational statement of Shimon HaTzaddik, one of the last members of the Great Assembly.
Shimon HaTzaddik’s statement is central to our understanding of the world. Unlike most of Masechet Avot, which consists of directives on the best way to live, Shimon HaTzaddik addresses the more fundamental question of why the world exists. He asserts that the world stands on three pillars: Torah (learning), avodah (service of Hashem), and gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness).
Shimon HaTzaddik’s teaching underscores the significant role of human action and behavior in sustaining the world. Hashem’s creation of the world was not merely an act of benevolence, but a call to humanity to live meaningful lives.
The meforshim associate these three pillars with different aspects of personal development. The Tiferes Yisrael, for example, sees the three as representing our need to develop ourselves as well as our relationships with others. Torah learning is how we enrich ourselves, avodah is how we relate to Hashem, and gemilut chasadim reflects healthy relationships with other people.
The Rambam saw all three pillars as modes of internal growth. Torah develops our intellectual ability, avodah our observance, and gemilut chasadim our character.
Both interpretations agree that the pillars are essential not just to the world but also to 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 perform chesed on its own. Its purpose is realized through our actions.
Pillars of Diversity
The existence of multiple pillars explains the diversity of human interests. Some are drawn to Torah, others to avodah, and still others to gemilut chasadim. This diversity is not random, but a reflection of the world’s need for all three components.
Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) and the Chasidim HaRishonim were excellent examples of this phenomenon. The Gemara (Shab. 11a) tells us that Rashbi and his colleagues focused almost exclusively on Torah learning. They were excused from the responsibility to pray, the central form of avodah in their time and ours. The Chasidim HaRishonim were a stark contrast. They would spend nine hours, the majority of each day, praying (Ber. 30b). Rabbi Yochanan went even further and exclaimed that ideally, people should daven all day!
Which approach is correct — Rashbi’s, Rav Yochanan’s, or something in between? How could there be such a stark contrast?
Shimon HaTzaddik helps us answer these questions. The world’s three pillars symbolize its multiple purposes. To fulfill these different goals, Hashem creates people interested in each of them — some focus on Torah, others on avodah, and a third group on gemilut chasadim.
Harmonic Integration
The Akeidat Yitzchak (Naso 74) and Rav Kook utilize this concept to explain the deeper meaning of the word shalom. Avot’s first perek concludes with a statement by Rabban Shimon Ben Gamliel patterned after that of Shimon HaTzaddik.
Like Shimon HaTzaddik, Rabban Shimon lists three factors upon which the world depends. Unlike Shimon HaTzaddik, who focused on the world’s purpose, Rabban Shimon identifies the elements that sustain the world by maintaining healthy societal interaction — din (justice), emet (truth), and shalom.
What does Rabban Shimon mean by “shalom”? The Akeidat Yitzchak explains shalom as more than just a lack of hostility. It connotes people working together to achieve shared goals.
Rav Kook takes this idea further and defines shalom as people appreciating and finding an appropriate role for each other’s strengths. The example he gives sharpens the connection between the parallel statements of Rabban Shimon and Shimon HaTzaddik. Shalom, explains Rav Kook, is the ability of those involved in chesed to appreciate and find the appropriate place for those passionate about avodah and for the two to integrate themselves with those dedicated to Torah learning. The existence of people focused on different pillars necessitates shalom — our successful integration with one another.
Recognizing the world’s multiple pillars should not only help us appreciate the existential importance of the efforts of those different from ourselves, but also inspire us to seek to integrate our efforts with theirs, fostering a sense of collective purpose and unity.
Internal Integration
Rav Kook applies this integrative perspective to our internal mindset as well. People should appreciate the importance of their involvement in all aspects of the world’s purpose.
Rav Kook sees Rav Hamnuna as exemplifying this idea. The Gemara (Shab. 10a) tells us that Rava criticized Rav Hamnuna for devoting excessive time to prayer. Rava felt that Rav Hamnuna should have focused on Torah learning, which earns one a place in the next world, instead of praying for his needs in this fleeting one.
The Gemara explains that Rav Hamnuna’s opinion was that “z’man tefillah lechud u’zman Torah lechud — both tefillah and Torah have their appropriate time.” Rav Kook understands Rav Hamnuna’s response as reflective of a broader principle. The pasuk, “B’chol derachecha da’eihu — Know Hashem in all your pursuits,” teaches us to appreciate and focus upon whichever avenue of Avodat Hashem we are presently involved in without concern for other forms of worship.
Rav Kook uses Shimon HaTzaddik’s pillars to present this idea. Though Torah learning may be the most crucial activity, when one is involved in tefillah, he should not think about the need to learn Torah or perform chesed. Similarly, when engaged in Torah learning, one should not be distracted by the need to daven or do chesed. Z’man tefillah lechud u’zman Torah lechud.
May Shimon HaTzaddik’s teaching focus us on accomplishing what Hashem created the world and us for.
May the multiple pillars help us appreciate the importance of those whose focus differs from our own and inspire us to develop ourselves properly!
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, is available at rabbireuventaragin.com.
