The Complete Text of the Five Pairs

Before proceeding with analysis, let us examine the complete text of the Five Pairs as it appears in Avot 1:

Pair	Nasi (President)	Av Beit Din (Chief Justice)
First Pair	Yose ben Yoezer of Zereda said: "Let your house be a meeting place for the Sages; sit in the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily."	Yose ben Yohanan of Jerusalem said: "Let your house be open wide; let the needy be part of your household. Do not speak too much with women." They said this of one's own wife; how much more is it true of another man's wife. Hence the Sages said: "When a man speaks too much with women he brings evil upon himself, neglects the study of the Law and in the end will come to perdition."
Second Pair	Joshua ben Perahia said: "Get yourself a teacher, acquire a comrade, and give the benefit of the doubt."	Nittai the Arbelite said: "Stay away from an evil neighbor, do not associate with the wicked, and do not despair of retribution."
Third Pair	Judah ben Tabbai said: "Act not the part of counsel; while the litigants stand before you, regard them as guilty, but as they leave, regard them as innocent, for they have accepted the verdict."	Simon ben Shetah said: "Examine the witnesses thoroughly, and watch your words, lest they learn from them to lie."
Fourth Pair	Shemaia said: "Love labor, hate domination, and do not make yourself known to the ruling powers."	Avtalion said: "Sages, watch your words, lest you incur the penalty of exile, and be banished to a place of evil waters, and the disciples that follow you drink and die, and the Heavenly Name be profaned."
Fifth Pair	Hillel said: "Be of the students of Aaron, loving peace, pursuing peace, loving one's fellowmen and drawing them close to the Torah." He also said: "He who invokes the Name will lose his name; he who adds not will be taken away; he who studies not deserves death; and he who makes use of the Crown will soon be gone." He also said: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me; and if I am only for myself, what am I; and if not now, when?"	Shammai said: "Make regular your [study of the] Torah; say little and do much; and greet everyone cheerfully."

Pseudo-History as Literary Device

The five Pairs are presented within a historical framework, with each Pair "receiving tradition" from the previous one. However, this chronological presentation raises immediate questions for the careful reader. The five Pairs enumerated in Avot as consecutive generations could not possibly have spanned the nearly four hundred years they occupy in Avot's chronology. This discrepancy suggests that the author's primary concern was not historical accuracy but rather creating a literary structure that would support deeper philosophical and theological insights.

The use of pseudo-history as a literary device immediately alerts us to look beyond the surface presentation. If the aphorisms are arranged according to a principle other than strict chronology, what might that principle be? The Maharal of Prague offers a solution to this conundrum by suggesting that the Pairs passage must be read as a philosophical composition rather than a historical record.

Moreover, it is likely that the aphorisms themselves are pseudepigraphical—constructed by the author of Avot rather than being the authentic words of the historical figures to whom they are attributed. This becomes evident when we examine how carefully crafted each saying is to fit into the overall structure. It seems implausible that these ten statements should happen to be the only ones preserved from these leaders, perfectly arranged to create the sophisticated pattern we are about to uncover.

The Maharal's Insight: A Composition with Rules

In his commentary Derekh Hayyim, the Maharal of Prague viewed the Mishnah not as a collection of disparate elements but as an intentional composition whose parts relate to each other according to deliberate principles. His analysis reveals two primary organizational rules in the Five Pairs passage:

The Static Rule: Love and Fear

The Maharal identifies a consistent pattern in the relationship between the members of each Pair. The first member of each Pair, who historically held the title of Nasi (President), consistently speaks from a perspective of love (אהבה), while the second member, the Av Beit Din (Chief Justice), speaks from a perspective of fear or awe (יראה).

This distinction is not arbitrary but reflects the different roles these officials played in Jewish society. The Nasi, as the exalted leader, naturally serves from love and gratitude for his elevated position. The Av Beit Din, responsible for justice, necessarily operates from a perspective of fear, ensuring that laws are properly observed. As the Maharal explains:

"You must know that the first, Yose ben Yoezer, was the President and [the second,] Yose ben Yohanan, was the Chief Justice. Now the presidency is exalted, and one whom the Lord has exalted and glorified will love the Lord for the exaltation bestowed upon him and will serve Him out of love, for he must be thankful for the goodness done to him, and therefore his instruction concerns the love of the Lord. The Chief Justice, as is implied by his title, is responsible for justice, and his instruction is connected with fear. For insofar as his characteristic quality is justice, it is based on fear."

This pattern is evident throughout the text. The President typically offers positive instructions ("acquire a comrade," "love labor"), while the Chief Justice tends toward negative injunctions and warnings ("do not associate with the wicked," "watch your words"). This consistent distinction establishes a fundamental dyad that runs through the entire composition.

The Dynamic Rule: Expanding Circles of Concern

While the static rule establishes a fixed relationship between the members of each Pair, the Maharal also identifies a dynamic flow from Pair to Pair. Each succeeding Pair "adds to" the previous one by expanding the circle of social concern:

• First Pair: Focuses on the home and immediate household
• Second Pair: Expands to close personal contacts (teachers, friends, neighbors)
• Third Pair: Addresses formal legal relationships in court
• Fourth Pair: Concerns relationships with the powerful and with disciples
• Fifth Pair: Encompasses all of humanity

The Maharal describes this movement as "spreading out" (התפשטות)—a progression from the individual's private domain to an increasingly wide social sphere. This progression creates a parallel to the historical flow described in the opening of the chapter, with both sequences sharing a sense of development over time.

The Academic Pyramid: Roles and Audiences

Building upon the Maharal's insights, we can identify a deeper pattern embedded in the Five Pairs structure. Each Pair addresses a specific audience corresponding to a role in what might be called an "academic pyramid":

• First Pair: Addresses the layman or householder (בעל הבית)
• Second Pair: Addresses the student or associate (חבר)
• Third Pair: Addresses the judge (דיין)
• Fourth Pair: Addresses the sage (חכם)
• Fifth Pair: Addresses the self-actualized individual

This progressive hierarchy is not explicitly stated but emerges from careful analysis of the content of each Pair's statements. The first Pair's focus on the home clearly addresses the householder. The third Pair explicitly addresses judges with specific guidance for court proceedings. The fourth Pair includes Avtalion's direct address to "Sages" (חכמים).

As we move up this pyramid, each role becomes more restricted, containing fewer individuals but wielding greater influence. The householder represents the broadest class, while judges and sages form progressively smaller elite groups. This creates a pyramidal structure with the self-actualized individual—represented ultimately by Hillel and Shammai, whose "houses" or schools would shape Jewish thought for generations—at the apex.

The Progression of Literary Devices: A Sophisticated Sequence

One of the most subtle aspects of the Five Pairs structure is the progression of literary devices used to establish the common subject of each Pair's statements. This progression mirrors the academic hierarchy and demands increasingly sophisticated interpretative skills from the reader:

First Pair: Identical Language

The statements of the first Pair begin with identical words: "Let your house be" (יהי ביתך). This creates an absolute parallel that leaves no doubt about their common subject. The repetition is so obvious that even the most basic reader cannot miss it. Beyond this linguistic parallel, the statements also share a structural similarity—both have three parts and deal with conversation in their third element ("drink in their words" and "do not speak too much").

Second Pair: Similar Structure and Terminology

The statements of the second Pair lack the obvious linguistic parallel of the first but share both structural and terminological similarities. Each has precisely three parts, and both use forms of the root "חבר" (connect) in their second elements ("comrade" and "associate"). While these parallels are less obvious than those of the first Pair, they still provide clear signals of connection.

Third Pair: Common Subject Matter Only

The statements of the third Pair share neither linguistic nor structural parallels. Their connection is purely through subject matter—both clearly address judges in a courtroom setting. The reader must focus entirely on content rather than form to recognize their commonality. This represents a shift from superficial parallels to substantive ones, requiring deeper engagement from the reader.

Fourth Pair: Recognition Through Pattern

The statements of the fourth Pair appear disparate on the surface. However, Avtalion directly addresses "Sages" (חכמים), providing a clue that both statements address those in leadership positions. The reader must apply the pattern established by the previous Pairs to recognize that both members are addressing the same audience. This requires active participation in the interpretive process—the reader must become "wise" enough to recognize the pattern.

Fifth Pair: Creative Integration

The fifth Pair challenges the reader to create an integrative reading that encompasses both the pattern of the previous Pairs and the unique position of Hillel and Shammai as founders of schools that would shape tradition itself. At this level, the reader is no longer merely recognizing patterns but actively creating meaning—mirroring the role of Hillel and Shammai as creators of tradition through their interpretive schools.

This progression of literary devices transforms the reader from a passive recipient of obvious parallels to an active creator of meaning—exactly mirroring the transformation from dependent student to independent sage described by the academic pyramid.

Special Structural Elements: First and Last

The structure contains special elements that mark its beginning and end, providing a framework for the entire composition and offering essential clues to its interpretation:

The First Pair: Three Speakers

The statement attributed to Yose ben Yohanan (1B) is unique in that it contains three distinct voices:

1. Yose ben Yohanan himself: "Let your house be open wide; let the needy be part of your household. Do not speak too much with women."
2. An anonymous source: "They said this of one's own wife; how much more is it true of another man's wife."
3. The collective voice of the Sages: "Hence the Sages said: When a man speaks too much with women he brings evil upon himself..."

This three-speaker structure emphasizes external authority and dependence on others' interpretations—perfectly fitting the beginning of a developmental sequence that moves toward increasing independence.

The Fifth Pair: Three Speeches

The statement of Hillel (5A) is unique in containing three distinct speeches:

1. "Be of the students of Aaron, loving peace, pursuing peace, loving one's fellowmen and drawing them close to the Torah."
2. "He who invokes the Name will lose his name; he who adds not will be taken away; he who studies not deserves death; and he who makes use of the Crown will soon be gone."
3. "If I am not for myself, who will be for me; and if I am only for myself, what am I; and if not now, when?"

This three-speech structure emphasizes internal development and self-sufficiency—perfectly fitting the end of a sequence that has moved from dependence to independence.

The chiastic relationship between these special elements—three external voices in 1B and three internal speeches in 5A—frames the entire composition and reinforces the transformation from external dependence to internal independence that defines the five-stage process.

The Names: A Progressive Simplification

Even the names of the Pairs undergo a process of simplification that parallels the conceptual flow:

• First Pair: Yose ben Yoezer of Zereda and Yose ben Yohanan of Jerusalem (three-part names with place of origin)
• Second Pair: Joshua ben Perahia and Nittai the Arbelite (mixed format)
• Third Pair: Judah ben Tabbai and Simon ben Shetah (standard "X ben Y" format)
• Fourth Pair: Shemaia and Avtalion (first names only)
• Fifth Pair: Hillel and Shammai (shorter first names only)

This progressive simplification from elaborately specific identifiers to the simplest possible designation mirrors the process of התפשטות (spreading out or simplification) that the Maharal identifies in the conceptual content. It reinforces the sense that the entire composition moves from complexity toward essence, from elaborate external definitions toward simple internal truths.

The Two Columns: Internal and External Orientation

While the Maharal describes the distinction between columns as one of "love" and "fear," further analysis reveals it can also be understood as a distinction between internal and external orientation:

• Column A (Presidents): Focuses on the individual's inner development, self-realization, and positive engagement with the world
• Column B (Chief Justices): Focuses on boundaries, limitations, proper speech, and interactions with others

Several textual patterns support this distinction:

1. Four of the five speeches in Column B contain warnings regarding speech ("Do not speak too much," "watch your words," "say little"), while none in Column A do so.
2. The root "רב" (meaning both "much" and "master/authority") appears in alternating columns with different meanings—in Column A as "teacher" or "authority," in Column B as "much."
3. Column B consistently focuses on consequences of actions, while Column A focuses more on principles and positive actions.

This distinction between internal and external orientation creates a complementary relationship between the columns, with each Pair presenting both aspects of the same subject or role.

The Process of Self-Actualization

When the horizontal distinction between columns (internal/external) is integrated with the vertical progression of the Pairs (laymen to sages), a unified process emerges. This process can be understood as a five-stage journey of self-actualization, in which the individual moves from complete dependence on external input to creative independence:

1. Stage 1 (First Pair): The individual is a tabula rasa, dependent on external input. The metaphor of the house represents a vessel to be filled. Even the inner-directed member of this Pair (1A) speaks of "drinking in" the words of others.
2. Stage 2 (Second Pair): The individual forms connections with teachers and peers, beginning to develop discernment between beneficial and harmful relationships.
3. Stage 3 (Third Pair): The individual develops judgment and the ability to evaluate evidence, distinguishing between true and false testimony.
4. Stage 4 (Fourth Pair): The individual assumes leadership responsibilities, recognizing the potential dangers of power and influence.
5. Stage 5 (Fifth Pair): The individual achieves full self-actualization, balancing self-reliance ("If I am not for myself, who will be for me?") with social responsibility ("If I am only for myself, what am I?").

This process transforms the private "house" of the first Pair into the "houses" (schools) of Hillel and Shammai in the fifth Pair—institutions that would shape Jewish tradition for generations to come. The fully actualized individual does not merely receive tradition but becomes capable of creating it.

Hillel and Shammai: The Apex of the Pyramid

The fifth Pair, Hillel and Shammai, differ significantly from the previous four Pairs. While we know relatively little about the earlier Pairs, whose rulings had minimal influence on the development of Jewish law, Hillel and Shammai are foundational figures whose disputes constitute the bedrock upon which the oral law developed during the rabbinic period. Over three hundred of their disputes are recorded in the Talmud.

This historical reality suggests that the five-Pair structure might have been constructed specifically to present Hillel and Shammai as the culmination of a developmental process. The house (בית) of the first Pair is transformed through the five-stage process into the "houses" (בתי) of Hillel and Shammai—schools of thought that would transcend their founders and shape tradition for centuries.

Hillel's unique three-part statement reinforces this interpretation. His first speech invokes Aaron, the High Priest—the holder of the highest formal office in the biblical hierarchy. But Hillel transforms the meaning of this office by inventing a previously unmentioned category: "the students of Aaron." This creative reinterpretation of tradition exemplifies precisely the capacity for innovation that the fifth stage develops.

Hillel's third statement, with its use of the first person ("If I am not for myself, who will be for me?"), directly addresses the reader in a way that invites personal application. It places the responsibility for self-actualization squarely on the individual, completing the transformation from passive recipient to active creator.

Exoteric and Esoteric: Two Levels of Reading

The structure of the Pairs passage brilliantly demonstrates the distinction between exoteric and esoteric readings that characterizes much of rabbinic literature:

• Exoteric Reading: Treats each aphorism as an independent unit, focusing on its moral or philosophical content in isolation. This reading is accessible to all readers and provides valuable ethical guidance.
• Esoteric Reading: Recognizes the five-Pair structure as a unified composition with multiple layers of meaning embedded in its organization. This reading is accessible only to those who can perceive and interpret the subtle patterns of the text.

This distinction is explicitly addressed in Avtalion's cryptic warning: "Sages, watch your words, lest you incur the penalty of exile, and be banished to a place of evil waters, and the disciples who follow you drink and die, and the Heavenly Name be profaned." Read esoterically, this can be understood as a warning about the dangers of revealing esoteric knowledge to those unprepared to receive it.

The ambiguous term "גלות" (galut/galot) in Avtalion's statement can be read either as "exile" or "revelation"—suggesting a warning against revealing too much to unprepared disciples. The metaphor of knowledge as water connects back to Yose ben Yoezer's statement about "drinking in their words thirstily" and forward to the "evil waters" that might harm unprepared disciples.

The entire Pairs structure thus embodies the very process it describes—the transmission of esoteric knowledge from generation to generation. By embedding this knowledge within a structure that can be read on multiple levels, the author ensures that it remains accessible only to those prepared to receive it while providing valuable ethical guidance to all readers.

Conclusion: From Collection to Composition

Our analysis of the Five Pairs structure in Avot 1 reveals that what initially appears to be a collection of disconnected aphorisms is in fact a sophisticated literary composition with multiple layers of meaning. The framework of the chapter—the transmission of esoteric knowledge from Moses at Sinai—is perfectly consonant with its content, which demonstrates a method of transmitting esoteric knowledge through structural patterns that invite increasingly active participation from the reader.

The five-stage process embedded in the structure transforms the reader from passive recipient to active creator—mirroring the historical transformation from the reception of revelation at Sinai to its creative development in the schools of Hillel and Shammai. In this way, the text not only describes but enacts the process of tradition, inviting each reader to become part of the chain of transmission that began with Moses.

The author of Avot has created what Leo Strauss called "writing between the lines"—a text that can be read on multiple levels, providing valuable guidance to all readers while reserving its deepest insights for those capable of perceiving its subtle patterns. This sophisticated literary technique raises fascinating questions about the relationship between the structure of the Mishnah and earlier texts that also employ two-dimensional structures to convey meaning—particularly the Decalogue, which similarly employs a paired arrangement to communicate on multiple levels simultaneously.