Chapter Four

perek ד

פֶּרֶק ד

Chabad: ' is a reduced vowel — every vocal shva, always pronounced. - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Hebrew

הַסַּנְדְּלָר אוֹמֵר: כָּל כְּנֵסִיָּה
שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם סוֹפָהּ
לְהִתְקַיֵּם, וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם
אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם.

Chabad

hasand'lor oymeir: kol k'neisiyoh
shehi l'sheim shomayim soyfoh
l'hiskayeim, v'she-einoh l'sheim shomayim
ein soyfoh l'hiskayeim.

Hebrew

יב רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ
אוֹמֵר: יְהִי כְבוֹד תַּלְמִידְךָ
חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ, וּכְבוֹד
חֲבֵרְךָ כְּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ, וּמוֹרָא
רַבָּךְ כְּמוֹרָא שָׁמָיִם.

Chabad

יב rabi Elozor ben shamua
oymeir: y'hi ch'voyd talmid'cho
choviv olecho k'sheloch, uch'voyd
chaveir'cho k'moyro raboch, umoyro
raboch k'moyro shomoyim.

Hebrew

יג רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי זָהִיר
בְּתַלְמוּד, שֶׁשִּׁגְגַת תַּלְמוּד¹
עוֹלָה זָדוֹן. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן
אוֹמֵר, שְׁלֹשָׁה כְתָרִים הֵן:
כֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה,² וְכֶתֶר כְּהֻנָּה,
וְכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת, וְכֶתֶר שֵׁם טוֹב
עוֹלֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן.

Chabad

יג rabi Y'hudoh oymeir: hevei zohir
b'salmud, sheshiggas Talmud
oyloh zodoyn. rabi Shimoyn
oymeir, sh'loyshoh ch'sorim hein:
keser Toyroh, v'cheser k'hunoh,
v'cheser malchus, v'cheser sheim toyv
oyleh al gabeihen.

Hebrew

יד רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי
גּוֹלֶה לִמְקוֹם תּוֹרָה, וְאַל
תֹּאמַר שֶׁהִיא תָבוֹא אַחֲרֶיךָ,
שֶׁחֲבֵרֶיךָ יְקַיְּמוּהָ בְיָדֶךָ, וְאַל
בִּינָתְךָ אַל תִּשָּׁעֵן.³

Chabad

יד rabi n'hoyrai oymeir: hevei
goyleh limkoym Toyroh, v'al
toymar shehi sovoy acharecho,
shechaveirecho y'kay'muho v'yodecho, v'al
binos'cho al tisho-ein.

Hebrew

טו רַבִּי יַנַּאי אוֹמֵר: אֵין בְּיָדֵינוּ
לֹא מִשַּׁלְוַת הָרְשָׁעִים, וְאַף לֹא
מִיִּסּוּרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים. רַבִּי מַתְיָא בֶּן
חָרָשׁ אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי מַקְדִּים בִּשְׁלוֹם
כָּל אָדָם, וֶהֱוֵי זָנָב לָאֲרָיוֹת, וְאַל
תְּהִי רֹאשׁ לַשּׁוּעָלִים.

Chabad

טו rabi yanai oymeir: ein b'yodeinu
loy mishalvas hor'sho-im, v'af loy
miyisurei hatzadikim. rabi masyo ben
chorosh oymeir: hevei makdim bishloym
kol Odom, vehevei zonov lo-aroyoys, v'al
t'hi roysh lashu-olim.

Hebrew

טז רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה
דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם
הַבָּא, הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בִּפְרוֹזְדוֹר
כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין.

Chabad

טז rabi Ya-akoyv oymeir: ho-oylom hazeh
doymeh lifroyz'doyr bifnei ho-oylom
habo, haskein atzm'cho bifroyz'doyr
k'dei shetikoneis lat'raklin.

Hebrew

יז הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: יָפָה שָׁעָה
אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים
בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם
הַבָּא, וְיָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁל
קוֹרַת רוּחַ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִכָּל
חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.⁴

Chabad

יז hu hoyoh oymeir: yofoh sho-oh
achas bisshuvoh uma-asim toyvim
bo-oylom hazeh, mikol chayei ho-oylom
habo, v'yofoh sho-oh achas shel
koyras ruach bo-oylom habo, mikol
chayei ho-oylom hazeh.

Hebrew

יח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר:
אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִּשְׁעַת
כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֵהוּ בְּשָׁעָה

Chabad

יח rabi Shimoyn ben Elozor oymeir:
al t'ratzeh es chaveir'cho bishas
ka-asoy, v'al t'nachameihu b'sho-oh

Commentary

1 The term שִׁגְגַת תַּלְמוּד is specifically referring to the study of the Talmud, i.e. Gemara. Since Gemara demands independent thinking and comparing etc. (in contrast to the study of Chumash or even Mishnah), which is where you are most likely to make an error.

2 The mishnah doesn't count the "crown of a good name" as a "fourth" crown because it is not in addition to the other three, but rather an integral part of them. As long as one lacks a good name, his other three crowns will remain incomplete.

3 The mishnah can also be referring to someone who is already learned in Torah and only needs Torah scholars to "lean" on, not for constant support. Even such a person should be careful to lean on the advice of Torah scholars, and not rely on his own understanding.

4 Both this world and the World to Come have advantages over each other. This world has the advantage of the opportunity to perform God's commandments, thereby connecting to His Essence. The disadvantage is that you can't feel the connection in this physical world. The World to Come has the advantage of feeling and enjoying (קוֹרַת רוּחַ) God's radiance. The disadvantage is that it's a lower level, not God's essence.