Knowledge Is Peace

The Gemara in Kerisus ends off with this famous dictum—“Rebbe Elazar said in the name of Rebbe Chanina: Torah scholars increase peace in this world.” A simple explanation is offered by the Iyun Yaakov. Torah scholars who are well versed in monetary laws can settle financial disputes. This will make shalom between the parties.

Rebbe Shaul Altar, shlita, rosh yeshiva, offered a somewhat different approach. It has been said throughout the ages that a rav who wants to ensure that he doesn’t have too many Pesach she’eilos should learn hilchos Pesach thoroughly. If he neglects to cover a few areas of Pesach law, then those specific situations are bound to pop up. Thus, concludes Rebbe Altar, a rav who learns business halachos thoroughly is providing a segulah that disputes won’t arise. If he fails to learn Choshen Mishpat, then he will surely be presented with questions arising from that study area that he neglected. Talmidei chachamim who learn all areas of Torah increase shalom by providing a segulah that disputes will not arise.

However, these explanations fail to explain why our Gemara concludes with this particular dictum. It seemingly has no bearing on the passage of Gemara that immediately precedes it. That passage deals with the following story:

Yissachar from the village of Barkai was the kohein gadol. He would wrap his right hand in silk while performing the priestly service to prevent them from being soiled. This seemingly minor innovation actually disqualified the service. Nothing is allowed to come between the kohein’s own flesh and the sacrifices he is offering. As Divine retribution, his right hand was ordered severed by King Yannai.

How did this come about?

King Yannai and his queen were talking when an argument broke out between them: Which meat tastes better—goat or lamb? King Yannai opined that goat meat is superior, while his wife disagreed. They decided to ask the kohein gadol since he partook of goat and lamb sacrifices. Yissachar declared, “If goat would be superior then it would be used for the tamid offering.” He also made a dismissive gesture with his hand, indicating that he viewed the king’s position as being ridiculous. The king was deeply offended and ordered that Yissachar’s right hand be cut off as punishment for the gesture. Yissachar bribed the king’s officer to cut off his left hand instead. When the king found out, he ordered that both hands be severed.

Rav Ashi commented that it was Yissachar’s ignorance of Torah knowledge that caused him to err. The mishnah at the end of Kerisus states specifically that lambs are not considered superior to goats; either one is equally acceptable as a sacrifice.

After concluding the above incident, the Gemara records the dictum that Torah scholars increase peace in this world. The connection is not readily apparent. The ArtScroll Talmud suggests that after just concluding a story about the dangers of ignorance of Torah knowledge, the Gemara wanted to contrast it with the positive benefits of Torah knowledge. The Ikvei Aharon offers a much more direct connection. The Gemara is pointing out that had Yissachar been knowledgeable in Torah, he could have resolved the dispute between King Yannai and his wife amicably.

Their argument might have been a heated one, causing both of them much distress. The answer Yissachar should have given them is that potentially both types of meat can be equal. That would have validated both of their opinions and resulted in matrimonial harmony. Whereupon the Gemara is pointing out that a Torah scholar would have been able in this situation to use his knowledge of Torah to make peace between a man and his wife.

Alternatively, perhaps the Gemara chose this dictum to end off the tractate because it didn’t want to end on a sour note with the tragic story of Yissachar from Barkai. Perhaps this particular dictum was chosen because it connects to an earlier passage. The Gemara was discussing a korban oleh v’yored. A korban oleh v’yored has a unique feature that a person’s means determine his type of sacrifice. A wealthy individual must offer an animal sacrifice, while a poorer individual may offer a pair of birds. The Chinuch rules that a poor individual is not allowed to offer an animal sacrifice if it is beyond his means. The Chinuch writes further that the Torah is teaching us a lesson that we should always live within our means. An individual who lives beyond his means may be forced into thievery if he cannot maintain his lavish lifestyle. A Torah scholar who teaches this lesson will generate much tranquility.