[1] This is Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel the Elder, who was the head of the ninth generation of the Mishnaic sages. Now, a great difficulty arises from what he said here — namely, his statement that among the sages he found nothing better than silence. For the study and recitation of Torah cannot be accomplished in silence, but only through speech. As it is written, "the advantage of man over the beast" (Kohelet 3:19) — there is no difference between them except speech. It is for this reason that Onkelos translated "and man became a living soul" (Bereshit 2:7) as le-ruach memalela — "a speaking spirit." And although this refers to the inner faculty that apprehends through thought and contemplation, by virtue of which man is called a rational being, nonetheless external speech is its partner and its spokesman, going forth to communicate to others what is in one's heart — whether through question, or answer, or through study — as the prophet said (Yeshayahu 50:4): "Hashem God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to the weary." And it is written (Mishlei 16:1): "The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Hashem." And the Holy One, blessed is He, already gloried in this when He said (Shemot 4:11): "Who has made man's mouth, or who makes one mute?" It is well known that a mute who does not speak is likened to the beasts and is considered to resemble them, even though he possesses an intellectual spirit — for external speech is a great distinction of the human being. It is for this reason that it is said (Iyov 12:20): "He removes speech from the trustworthy and takes away the discernment of the elders" — for the tongue serves as a faithful messenger for wisdom, and conversely, "the heart of the wise instructs his mouth." How, then, could this perfect man declare that when he was among the sages — where each man engages his fellow face to face in dialectical exchange and study — he found nothing better than "silence," which is the very absence of speech and learning? Indeed, Dovid gloried (Tehillim 119:13–15): "With my lips I have recounted all the ordinances of Your mouth... I will speak of Your precepts," and many similar verses stand with him — yet he never praised himself for remaining silent in matters of wisdom and Torah. There is a further difficulty in the phrase "and I found nothing better for the body" — for he said "for the body," when it would have been more fitting to say "I found nothing better for a person than silence."

[2] The Rambam, in his commentary on this Mishnah, wrote in praise of silence, speaking true words when he said that most speech is superfluous, excessive, and sinful, as the wisest of men said (Mishlei 10:19): "In a multitude of words, transgression is not absent" — and that most speech is an indication of foolishness, as it is said (Kohelet 5:2): "and the voice of a fool comes through a multitude of words." The Sages went so far as to say that silence is a sign indicating nobility of lineage and wholeness of family, as they said (Kiddushin 71b): the sign of the distinguished families of Babylonia is their silence. The Rav further wrote that he heard of a certain man who, when sitting in a gathering of people, remained silent, and they asked him why he was silent. He answered that he observed that speech is divided into four parts: The first — that which is entirely and completely bad, such as cursing Hashem, degrading one's fellow, tale-bearing, lashon hara, and all manner of foul speech and the like. The second — that which is bad from one side and good from another, such as speaking in praise of people in order to receive reward. The third — that which is neither bad nor good, such as most of the talk of the masses concerning accounts of events that have already passed and chronicles of former times. The fourth — speech that is entirely good, concerning wisdom and virtues. He said that whenever he heard anything from the first three categories, he remained silent, and only if he heard something of the fourth category would he speak. The Rav himself then divided the categories of speech according to the obligations of the Divine Torah into five parts: the commanded, the cautioned-against, the beloved, the contemptible, and the permitted. The first — the commanded — such as the recitation of Shema, the study of Torah, and prayer. The second — the cautioned-against — such as false testimony, tale-bearing, blaspheming Hashem, cursing one's fellow, and the like. The third — the beloved — such as praising intellectual virtues and denouncing base qualities, in order to arouse the soul toward perfection. The fourth — the contemptible — which is the idle chatter prevalent among the masses, amounting to wasteful talk and the squandering of time. The fifth — the permitted — that which a person needs to speak about regarding his commerce, his livelihood, his food and drink: it is neither commanded nor cautioned-against, neither beloved nor contemptible, but is permitted and left to the person's discretion — if he wishes to speak of it, he may, and if not, let him refrain. It is well known that the cautioned-against and the contemptible categories are forbidden to a person by the Torah, while the commanded and the beloved categories are a mitzvah to engage in even all day long if it were possible. However, it is fitting that two conditions be observed with regard to these good forms of speech: The first — that one's deeds be consistent with one's words, as they said, "fitting are the words that come from the mouth of those who practice them," and it is regarding this that it was stated: "It is not study that is the primary thing, but rather action" (Avot 1:17) — meaning that a person should be one who teaches well and fulfills well. The second — that a person teach his students in a concise manner, with few words. As for permitted speech, it is a matter of discretion, and one who minimizes such speech is praiseworthy. This is the essence of the Rav's cherished words; and though he elaborated within them on the warning against lashon hara and tale-bearing among people — yet with all these good and upright teachings, the Rav did not explain the statement of Shimon according to the precise meaning of its words.

[3] It seems fitting to interpret this passage in light of these very words that were stated: "I have found nothing better for the body than silence" — this refers to the category of speech that is to be avoided and despised, speech whose absence is preferable to its presence, and it is in regard to such speech that silence is praised. The statement "and it is not study that is the primary thing, but rather action" is to be interpreted as referring to the category of speech that is commanded and cherished — speech that is good when accompanied by the two conditions the master mentioned: the first is that it be aligned with one's conduct and deeds, and regarding this he said, "it is not study that is the primary thing, but rather action"; and the second is that it be expressed briefly, and regarding this he said, "and whoever speaks excessively brings sin." This is what seems to me to be the proper interpretation of the Mishnah, and the resolution of the difficulty, in accordance with the master's foundational principles and core teachings.

[4] However, in my view this is insufficient. For regarding speech that is guarded and repugnant, it would not have been appropriate to say that he found nothing better than silence — which implies that such speech is good, and that silence is merely better than it. And regarding the category of speech that is commanded and beloved, he did not state that it is proper to perform it; he mentioned the conditions but omitted the essential principle. Furthermore, the Rav did not explain why the text says "and I found nothing better for the body" — that is, why the matter is attributed specifically to the body.

[5] I therefore saw fit to explain this passage by means of several different approaches:

[6] The first point is that this Sage inclined his view toward that of Rabban Gamliel his father — namely, that action is the essential thing, not study alone, in perfecting the human being, given that he is also flesh. It is therefore necessary that his perfection be expressed in physical deed. This is what he means by saying: "All my days I was raised among the Sages." And although for this reason I believe that the study of Torah and its wisdom is the highest perfection in relation to the soul, nonetheless, in relation to the body and its dimension, I have found nothing better than silence. "And the exposition is not the essential thing" — for a person insofar as he is a bodily being; rather, it is the deed, in accordance with the view of Shammai and the view of Rabban Gamliel. For in relation to the body and its dimension, silence accompanied by action is better than study and keen argumentation in matters that yield no practical deed. As the Torah itself states (Devarim 4:5): "See, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as Hashem my God commanded me… to do so in the midst of the land." For what benefit is there in expounding the laws of the sukkah if we refrain from building it? The same applies to all the other mitzvot. And as our Sages of blessed memory said (Shabbat 106b): "If it is mere study, let it be a mere song" — a statement expressed as if in astonishment: Can Torah study be like a song, something heard by the ear and then left undone? Rather, we must both observe and perform. He therefore said that "one who multiplies words brings sin," which serves as an argument for what he stated earlier — that the majority of mitzvot cannot, by any means, lead to harm or sin. However, the multiplication of words, even when they are words of Torah, may cause the one who speaks them to sin; and from this it follows that action is better than exposition.

[7] Accordingly, the verses that praise speech refer to the perfection of the soul. Whereas the statement of this sage is directed toward that which is corporeal — for it is the deed that is primary in his view. This is the first approach in the explanation.

[8] The second point is that speech is fitting and proper for the teacher who instructs his students, so that the words of his wisdom may enter their ears and be inscribed upon their hearts — something the teacher can accomplish only through the words of his lips. The student, however, ought not to speak, but only to listen and to understand. For the teacher stands at the level of form, and the student stands at the level of matter and body; form is the active force upon the body, while the body is the passive receiver. Regarding this, Shlomo said (Mishlei 14:33): "In the heart of one who has understanding, wisdom rests" — for the discerning student will receive and learn wisdom precisely by not speaking. The opposite is expressed in the continuation: "but in the midst of fools it makes itself known" (ibid.) — referring to students who, having acquired but a little knowledge, cannot rest or be still: "like a crane or a swallow, so do they chatter; they coo like a dove" (Yeshayahu 38:14). This is likewise the meaning of what he says elsewhere (Mishlei 18:2): "A fool takes no delight in understanding" — only in the revealing of his own heart. As our Sages of blessed memory said (Bava Metzia 85b): "An empty vessel makes a great noise." And because silence is fitting for a student while he is listening to his teacher, it is said (Mishlei 17:27–28): "One who restrains his words possesses knowledge, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit; even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise; he who shuts his lips is considered a man of understanding." The teacher who instructs, however — Hashem has given him a learned tongue and a ready reply, to bestow upon his students. I believe it is to this very point that the Psalmist alluded when he said (Tehillim 119:11): "I have hidden Your word in my heart, so that I might not sin against You" — for this was when he was a student, and he kept silent. But after his learning was complete, and speaking in the manner of prayer (Tehillim 119:12): "Blessed are You, Hashem; teach me Your statutes" — then, after the learning, he said (Tehillim 119:13): "With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth."

[9] Here, then, the praise of speech and its commendation is true with respect to the Rav, who stands at the level of form and soul; while the praise of silence is true with respect to the student, who stands at the level of matter and body. It is concerning this that the perfect one, Rabban Shimon, said: "All my days I grew up among the Sages." For since Shammai had said "Say little and do much," and likewise Rabban Gamliel his father had said "Make for yourself a teacher and remove yourself from doubt," his son Shimon declared that this approach befits students, and that such had been his own way all his days — as expressed in his words: "All my days I grew up among the Sages." This was during his youth, when he was a student in their academy; it is for this reason that the Mishnah refers to him as "Shimon his son," to indicate that this teaching was spoken in his youth. He said that for the body — that is, the student who receives from his teacher as a body receives from the soul — there is nothing better than silence. He should say little and learn much, for learning takes place through the ears or the heart, not through the tongue or lips. And that which our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Eruvin 54a) — "to those who find them" (lemotz'eihem) is interpreted as "to those who bring them forth with the mouth" (lehotzi'eihem) — this does not apply within the house of study, but rather afterward, when a person speaks with his fellow. But in the presence of one's teachers, silence is far preferable, as Shimon himself practiced when he was among the Sages learning from them. And should your heart ask: if I do not speak in the academy before my teachers, my intellect will not be recognized and my understanding will not be seen — they will not honor me nor draw me close if I sit in silence — to this he responded: "It is not study that is the essential thing, but rather action." That is to say, you will be valued, beloved, and drawn near not according to the words you speak — which are called midrash, give-and-take discussion — but rather according to your deeds, as Akiva ben Mehalalel said to his son in Tractate Eduyot: "Your deeds will bring you near and your deeds will distance you." Moreover, when a student speaks excessively he will sin with his lips and be put to shame — as expressed in his words: "Whoever multiplies words brings about sin." Concerning this very matter it is stated in Vayikra Rabbah: Rabbi Hoshaya said, "A word is worth a sela, but silence is as a precious stone" — and he derived scriptural support for this from the Torah: (Devarim 6:4) "Hear, O Yisrael, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One" — meaning: hear, and then act.