Avos 3:6

בס׳ד

אבות ג:ו

Rabbi Halafta ben Dosa of Kfar Hananiah says: If ten sit and engage in Torah, the Shekhina will descend upon them, as it is said: “God is present in the Congregation of God” (Tehillim 82:1). How do we know that this applies to even five? As it is said: “He has established his handful on Earth” (Amos 9:6). How do we know this applies to even three? As it is said: “ Among the judges He shall render judgement” (Tehillim 82:1). How do we know this applies to even two?  As it is said: “Then the Fearers of HaShem spoke, each to the other, and HaShem took heed and listened” (Malakhi 3:16). How do we know this applies to even one: As it is said: “Wherever I hear my name mentioned I will come to you and bring you blessings” (Shmos 20:24).

רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא בֶן דּוֹסָא אִישׁ כְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב) אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל. וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ חֲמִשָּׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ט) וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ. וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁלשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב) בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט. וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה' וַיִּשְׁמָע וְגוֹ'. וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ) בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ:

        After the Bar Kokhba rebellion of 132-135 CE many Sages from Yehudah became refugees, fleeing north into the Galilee.  The town of Usha became an important center of Rabbinic learning in those years, and attracted many followers from the Galilean countryside.  Rabbi Halafta was one of many young men from small, Galilean villages who attached themselves to Sages.  He is recalled as a disciple of Rabbi Meir in particular.  His son, Rabbi Yose ben Halafta, became an important master in the Ushan academy.

        Rabbi Halafta’s teachings build on those of Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradion and Rabbi Shimon (Avos 3:2-3), but is even more ambitious. He is able to cite a series of psukim to prove that the study of Torah draws the Divine Presence to any number of students from the formal minyan of 10 all the way down to one. His interpretations are pretty clever and worth taking a look at more closely.

        What is it, for example, about “God being present in the congregation of God” that proves that the Divine Presence is invoked when 10 study Torah?  You have to know the the Hebrew word edah (“congregation”) used here also appears in Bamidbar 14:27 in a very specific sense.  There Moshe has sent 12 spies to scout out the Land of Israel prior to Israel’s entry.  When they return, 10 of them (with the exception of Yehoshua bin Nun and Kalev ben Yefuneh) try to persuade Israel that the conquest is impossible. At this, HaShem says: “How long must I put up with this wicked congregation!”  This is, of course, the reason why we had to wander around for 38 years in the desert waiting for that wicked generation to die off.  According to Mishnah Sanhedrin 1:6, at any rate, this use of “congregation” is the basis for the idea that any minyan must be composed of 10.  And that’s the point assumed by Rabbi Halafta.  HaShem is present in the congregation of 10 who gather together in His Name for the study of Torah.

        The proof for five is a fine one.  If HaShem has established his “handful” of righteous ones on Earth, it follows that there is one tzaddik for each finger.  This is the same idea we find in the Hagaddah, when the Sages debate how many plagues struck the Egyptians at the Sea.

        The proof for the Divine Presence attending to any group of three Torah learners is based on the idea that the smallest Beis Din must be composed of a minimum of three judges (Mishnah Sanhedrin 1:1).  So where there are three “judges” meditating upon the halakhos of the Torah, there HaShem joins in the discussion.  This is an entirely different proof for three than the one offered by Rabbi Shimon at Avos 3:3, but it works just as well.

        Rabbi Halafta’s proof for two should be familiar.  It’s the same as offered by Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradion at Avos 3:2.  This reminds me of a bit of practical wisdom which is NOT found in Avos: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

        Finally, how do we know that HaShem sends His Presence even down to a solitary person who studies Torah?  The verse from Shmos requires no interpretation at all.  Apparently, Rabbi Halafta thought that Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradion’s proof from the Prophet Yehezkel was a bit too much of a stretch!

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