Chapters of the Fathers according to R. Nathan (Avot de-Rabbi Natan)

Version A, Chapter 14

R. Yoḥanan ben Zakkai had five students. He gave names to each of them. He called Eliezer ben Hyrcanus a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop, a tarred pitcher that preserves its wine. He called Joshua ben Ḥananiah a threefold cord, not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). He called Yosi ha-Kohen the pious of the generation. He called Simeon ben Nethanel an oasis in the desert that retains its water. Happy is the student whose teacher acknowledges him and testifies [such] about him. And he called Eleazar ben ‘Arakh an overflowing stream (Isaiah 30:28), a spring that grows in strength, whose waters gather force and spread outward, in fulfillment of the verse: Let your springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets (Proverbs 5:16).

He would say: If all the sages of Israel were on one scale of a balance, and R. Eliezer ben Hyrcanus were in the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Saul said in his name: If all the sages of Israel were on one scale of a balance, and R. Eliezer ben Hyrcanus with them, and if R. Eleazar ben ‘Arakh were in the other, he would outweigh them all.

He said to them: Go and see what is a good path to which a person should adhere, so that through it he will enter the world to come. R. Eliezer entered and said: A good eye. R. Joshua entered and said: A good friend. R. Yosi entered and said: A good neighbor, a good inclination, and a good wife. R. Simeon said: One who anticipates consequences. R. Eleazar entered and said: A good heart toward heaven and a good heart toward people. He said to them: I prefer the statement of R. Eleazar ben ‘Arakh to yours, as your statements are included in his.

He said to them: Go and see what is an evil path which a person should avoid, so that through it he will enter the world to come. R. Eliezer entered and said: An evil eye. R. Joshua entered and said: An evil friend. R. Yosi entered and said: An evil neighbor, an evil inclination, and an evil wife. R. Simeon entered and said: One who borrows and does not repay, for one who borrows from a person is like one who borrows from the Omnipresent, as it is stated: The wicked borrows and does not pay, but the righteous deals graciously and gives (Psalms 37:21). R. Eleazar entered and said: An evil heart toward heaven, an evil heart toward the commandments, and an evil heart toward people. He said to them: I prefer the statement of R. Eleazar ben ‘Arakh to yours, as your statements are included in his.

When R. Yoḥanan ben Zakkai’s son died, his students entered to comfort him. R. Eliezer entered, sat before him, and said to him, “My teacher, if you please, I will say one thing before you.” He replied, “Speak.” He said to him, “Adam, the first man, had a son who died, and he accepted comfort for him. From where do we know that he accepted comfort for him? As it is stated: And Adam knew his wife again (Genesis 4:25). You too should accept comfort.” He retorted, “Is it not enough for me that I myself am grieving, that you have reminded me of the sorrow of Adam, the first man?”

R. Joshua entered, sat before him, and said to him, “If you please, I will say one thing before you.” He replied, “Speak.” He said to him, “Job had sons and daughters, all of whom died on the same day, but he accepted comfort for them. You too should accept comfort. From where do we know that Job accepted comfort? As it is stated: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).” He retorted, “Is it not enough for me that I myself am grieving, that you have reminded me of the sorrow of Job?”

R. Yosi entered, sat before him, and said to him, “My teacher, if you please, I will say one thing before you.” He replied, “Speak.” He said to him, “Aaron had two adult sons, both of whom died on the same day, but he accepted comfort for them, as it is stated: Aaron was silent (Leviticus 10:3). Silence denotes nothing other than comfort. You too should accept comfort.” He retorted, “Is it not enough for me that I myself am grieving, that you have reminded me of the sorrow of Aaron?”

R. Simeon entered, sat before him, and said to him, “My teacher, if you please, I will say one thing before you.” He replied, “Speak.” He said to him, “King David had a son who died, and he accepted comfort. You too should accept comfort. From where do we know that David accepted comfort? As it is stated: And David comforted Bathsheba his wife and went in to her and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24). You too should accept comfort.” He retorted, “Is it not enough for me that I myself am grieving, that you have reminded me of the sorrow of King David?”

R. Eleazar ben ‘Arakh entered. Upon seeing him, [R. Yoḥanan] said to his attendant, “Pick up my belongings and follow me to the bathhouse, as he is a great man, and I cannot stand up against him.” He entered, sat before him, and said to him, “I will present you with a parable. To what is this comparable? To a person with whom the king had entrusted a deposit. Each and every day he would weep and cry, saying, ‘When will I get away from this deposit in peace?’ You too, my teacher, you had a son who read Torah—the Bible, the Prophets, the Writings—the Mishnah, halakhot, and aggadot, and he departed from the world without sin. You should accept comfort for him, as you have returned your deposit whole.” He replied, “R. Eleazar, my son, you have comforted me in the manner that people give comfort.”