Attentive readers will have noticed the similarities between the mishna in Pirkei Avot comparing a righteous man to various animals, and the animals of the chariot of Yechezkel. In the mishna (Avot 5:20), Yehuda ben Teima says one should be cunning like a leopard, soar like a bird of prey, swift as a gazelle, and bold as a lion. He then goes on to say, interestingly enough, that the cunning one is bound for Gehennom and the shy and unassuming one for Gan Eden. This seems on the surface to be contradictory, because the first part of the mishna promotes cunning while this second part rejects it.
In the vision of Yechezkel (Chapter 1), each of the “beasts” has the face of four animals – an ox, a raptor, a lion, and a man. These are each, respectively, the “king” of their group of animals. In Pirkei Avot, Yehuda ben Teima follows this pattern, but the ox is traded for a gazelle and the leopard stands in place of the human.
In general, in Jewish literature, association with animals is seen in a pejorative light. While certainly not anti-animal, classical Judaism sees humanity unequivocally as superior to the animals, following the account of Creation in the Torah. For a human to act like an animal or to be compared to an animal is usually a sign that that individual or group has descended into more primitive behaviors and is falling short of their human dignity.
However, in our mishna, the animals are being used to symbolize the positive traits of a person dedicated to performing the will of Hashem. The Vilna Gaon explains, among various other commentators, that although cunning is typically a negative attribute, a wise and righteous individual can use even this attribute for good. He develops this theme at length and also references the idea that Bnei Yisrael receive the Torah by virtue of being cunning as leopards. In his commentary on the mishna, Menachem Azaria di Fano attributes this statement to Yalkut Shimoni. The Maharal also discusses the importance of cunning in acquiring Torah, while fully acknowledging the danger of lapsing into animal-like qualities. But when an individual is great in Torah, he or she may manifest this greatness even, and especially, in leopard-like qualities. It thus becomes evident that the base, animal-like qualities have been transcended through the power of Torah.
The Vilna Gaon further explains that the descriptors for the remaining three animals are examples of other animalistic traits that can be elevated in the service of Hashem. For example, one unique quality of the deer (or gazelle) is that when it flees, it turns around to see where it’s come from. This corresponds to the aspect of the Torah scholar who runs “to and fro” (as do the “beasts” in Yechezkel’s vision) between temptation and inspiration. Presumably this is opposed to the ox which just always pushes steadfastly forward. And this is why the gazelle was chosen over the ox as the example for our mishna.
The Shela HaKadosh comes closest to connecting our mishna directly with the vision of Yechezkel. He emphasizes that the individual who perfects himself in service of his Creator makes of himself a merkava (divine chariot). He makes the point in association with the Golden Calf but it is applicable to our mishna. He also makes a connection between the creation of man “in our image” (Bereishit 1:26) to the image of the divine chariot. (i.e., that individual humans or the totality of humanity are constructed in the likeness of the chariot). So following his reading, one might say that the person in whom all the qualities described in the mishna are manifested – and who has mastered them for spiritual greatness – is most reflective of the divine imprint in whose image humanity is cast.
The Torah scholar should embody or personify these four animals specifically, in the refinement of his or her character and in devotion to bettering his or her mind and soul. In doing so, that scholar becomes a merkava, although one that differs in some of its particulars from the one described by Yechezkel.
