Sometimes, when a computer freezes up, we wonder what’s going on inside this mystery machine. Personally, I imagine that the computer and my mind share a kinship with this passage as there is so much to unpack that if I do it all at once, my brain locks up. To avoid this, I’m hoping to steer us to take this bit by bit so we can swallow the wisdom without overextending ourselves.

We are in the midst of an interesting era of names. There are global brands, both individuals and corporations, that dominate our discourse and who have increasingly impacted our economy, government, and our daily lives. Six months ago, Elon Musk’s opinion on anything other than X/Twitter would have been of little relevance in my morning routine. Now I find that he is able to single-handedly sway congressional measures, boost or tank my investments, and soon he will shape the size, scope, and composition of the federal bureaucracy that underpins the strongest economy, military, and cultural force known in history. He has done this against, or in spite of the wisdom of the first part of this pirke, albeit we can grant him some grace since it is indeed in ancient Aramaic. Regardless of how the next 4+ years go, Elon Musk’s name will be recorded for at least a few generations, spoken of in the same breath as Rockefeller, Ford, and Edison. Donald Trump will likewise be a major name until the end of the democratic experiment that is the United States, and likely beyond. For both of these men, promoting their names has led to great success, so the implication of part 1 of the pirkei is that their names will be lost even if we can’t yet see it. Ideas and policies will be ascribed to them regardless of involvement, and in time, some of these will bear fruit for good or ill, but once they pass on from relevance, or life, will their self-promoted names live on, the way Lincoln, Regan, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, do? If we accept the wisdom offered here, the answer is clear: no. The latter group relied on history to tell their stories, literally and figuratively white-washing their records, but importantly not creating brands of and for themselves.

Despite examining this in our modern context, I’d like to steer us to consider this advice for its time and place. Long, long, (long!), before the advent of internet everywhere and social media, a name was the way anyone knew anyone. The men, and occasionally women, of this era relied on people to spread their message, information, CV, etc. so that when they issued statements, proclamations, or arrived in-person to adjudicate decisions people knew who they were. But much like the spectre of self-interest that hangs over many decision-makers and arbitration officials, if one promotes themselves for this position, there is a ‘stink’ or ‘air’ of corruption through which we lens our opinions. This is generally true of anyone for whom we have incomplete information, or roughly 99.9999% of the individuals on the planet wherein the wise view with skepticism those who benefit directly from their brand name.

He [also] used to say: one who makes his name great causes his name to be destroyed; one who does not add [to his knowledge] causes [it] to cease; one who does not study [the Torah] deserves death; one who makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] shall pass away.

Open Mishnah

Er spricht ferner: Wer seinen Namen auszubreiten strebt, verliert seinen Namen; wer nicht zunimmt (an Wissen), nimmt ab; wer nicht lernt , ist des Todes schuldig, und wer sich der Krone bedient, schwindet dahin.

Mischnajot mit deutscher Übersetzung und Erklärung. Berlin 1887-1933 [de]
Source: talmud.de
Digitization: Sefaria License: [missing]

ER SAGTE FERNER: WER SEINEN NAMEN GROSS MACHEN WILL, VERNICHTET IHN; WER NICHT ZUNIMMT, NIMMT AB; WER NICHT LERNT, IST DES TODES SCHULDIG; UND WER SICH DER KRONEBEDIENT, SCHWINDET HIN.

Talmud Bavli. Lazarus Goldschmidt. 1929 [de]
Source: nli.org.il
Digitization: Sefaria License: Public Domain

Hillel disait aussi: «Celui qui veut se faire un nom en perd sa renommée. Celui qui n’ajoute plus rien est à son terme. Celui qui ne cherche pas à s’instruire est passible de mort. Celui qui instrumentalise la couronne de la Tora en périra.»

Él mismo solía decir: Quien busca la grandeza de su nombre la pierde. Aquél que no amplía sus estudios los disminuye. El que no estudia compromete su existencia y aquél que hace un uso indebido de la corona de la Torá perecerá.

 Ele dizia: “Espalha um nome, perde o teu nome. E quem não aumenta [o conhecimento] pára. E quem não estuda está sujeito a morrer. E aquele que faz uso da coroa [da aprendizagem] passa (NT: vive) .