Avos 5:21

בס׳ד

אבות ה:כא

He used to teach: Five years old?  Ready for Bible. Ten years old?  Ready for Mishnah. Thirteen years old?  Ready for Mitzvahs. Fifteen years old?  Ready for Talmud. Eighteen years old?  Ready for marriage. Twenty years old?  Ready for a trade. Thirty years old?  Reaching strength. Forty years old?  Reaching insight. Fifty years old?  Reaching counsel. Sixty years old?  Rich in experience. Seventy years old?  Getting gray. Eighty years old?  Some energy is left. Ninety years old?  Bending over. A Hundred years old?  Nearly dead and gone!

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם:

        The first line of this mishnah, “he used to teach”, suggests that before us is another statement from Yehudah ben Tema.  But many authorities believe that this is actually a teaching of Tiny Shmuel.  In fact, Makhzor Vitri’s version of Pirkei Avos includes Tiny Shmuel’s teaching at Avos 4:19.

        In any event, the Tanna offers us a powerful picture of the pattern of a Jewish life.  He sees life as unfolding in three basic stages: the preparation for life, the exercise of our fullest powers, and the preparation for our departure from life in dignity.

        The years from 5 until 20 are occupied with major elements of Torah learning, the beginning of a family, and the development of a trade.  As we have already learned: “Torah study goes best with a worldly occupation” (Avos 2:2). These are the years in which a foundation in both are best laid.

        

In popular American culture, the years from 30-60 are usually called the “peak earning years”.  See how differently our Sages look at the middle part of life!  There is nothing here about what you earn. Everything is about your developing powers of wisdom and discernment.  Our aging, according to the mishnah, is an opportunity for us to place our accumulated experience and wisdom at the disposal of our families and communities.

        The years from 70-100 are the years if winding down and preparation for receiving the life of the Coming World.  With God’s help, the foundations of Torah that have shaped our middle years will support us in our aging in the form of children and grandchildren who will treat us with love and dignity as our powers wane.

        As I was writing my comments on Mishnah Avos, my Mother was entering her final illness.  I thought many times about this mishnah, as I talked to her over the phone, and watched as every possible effort was made to treat her with love, dignity, and care.  She died at the age of 77, with family members at her side, surrounding her with loving attention.  I have often felt I missed something by being so far away when she passed.  But it is beautiful to realize that she had a “good death”, a death in which her last moments were shared with words of Torah and gazes of love and care.

&&&