The Good Road

by Brachie

Pirkei Avot 2:10 states:

He said to them: Go out and see which is the good path to which man should cleave. R’ Eliezer said: A good eye. R’ Yehoshua said: A good friend. R’ Yosei said: A good neighbor. R’ Shimon said: One who foresees the consequences of his actions.

R’ Elazar said: A good heart. (Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai) said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Aruch to all of yours, for his words include your own.

There are two questions on this Mishnah. First, what does the path set forth by each sage mean? And second, for what purpose were all these opinions brought forth when it merely could have stated the correct path of “a good heart”?

R’ Eliezer says the correct path is to have a good eye. To have a good eye means to view the world optimistically and to give freely and generously. Having a good eye also refers to a person who has a knack for noticing beauty when others can’t see it. In other words, R’ Eliezer is saying the correct path is to learn from the Artisan how to view the world in an open and positive light.

R’ Yehoshua says the correct path is to be a good friend. A good friend is able to differentiate between right and wrong. A good friend encourages good behavior and points out, at times admonishing, behavior that requires modification. In other words, R’ Yehoshua is saying the correct path is to learn from the Guardian how to judge and value right versus wrong.

R’ Yosei says the correct path is to be a good neighbor. A good neighbor brings over a freshly baked pie to show caring and friendship. A good neighbor is one who advocates peace and harmony in his community and neighborhood. In other words, R’ Yosei is saying the correct path is to learn from the Idealist how to feel empathy for others and bring society to greater unity.

R’ Shimon says the correct path is to see the consequences of one’s actions. This means to have the ability to visualize sequences of events in the mind’s eye. A person with such foresight will only make proper choices in order to bring about positive results. In other words, R’ Shimon is saying the correct path is to learn from the Rational how to think strategically and how to act purposefully.

The above four sages are in truth of the same opinion regarding the proper path. In essence they are saying that the ultimate goal is to learn from each temperament and acquire the positive traits of each one. Their colleague R’ Elazar was of a different opinion.

R’ Elazar says the correct path is to have a good heart. Having a good heart is to be able to put aside one’s own needs and desires and put someone else’s needs and desires in their place. This requires learning humility, a lessening of self, and becoming “selfish” for another person. In other words, R’ Elazar is saying that there is a quality we can achieve that trumps temperament; the quality of humility. When we aim to follow this path of putting the people in our relationships before ourselves, we are on the good road.