Torah [is acquired] through forty-eight ways: ... By attending to sages, By critical give and take with friends, By fine argumentation with disciples, By settling in... [One] who asks and answers, Who listens [to others], and [himself] adds [to his knowledge], Who learns in order to teach, Who learns in order to practice, Who makes his teacher wiser, Who is exact in what he has learned, And who says a thing in the name of him who said it. Thus you have learned: everyone who says a thing in the name of him who said it, brings deliverance into the world, as it is said: “And Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name” (Esther 2:22).

By attending to sages - By means of being around [one's teachers] all the time, in attending to them, one will learn a lot from their behaviour in terms of how to apply Torah, as the Talmud says, "Serving Torah is greater than its study." (Berachot 7b)

Through faith in the Sages - [This does] not mean that one should believe every thing you hear/learn from them, as that is a quality of foolishness, to believe everything. But one should believe in one's teachers through one's faith in Torah, even if one does not understand it all [at the moment] with one's intellect.

In critical give-and-take with friends - As it is said, "[I have learned] more from my friends than from my teachers." This is because one's heart is expansive with them, and thus one pays even greater attention to [what they share] to understand their insights, even more than with one's teacher. Because of the fear/anxiety a student can have [before their teacher], it's common that they rush in their learning to get back to class. But with friends, one is relaxed, and one's only intention to to figure out the truth [of what they are saying]...

By fine argumentation with fellow students - As it says "and from my students, most of all." Because students, since they have not yet fully developed in their wisdom, and also so they can show [off] their ability, that they, too, are worth [paying attention to] with one's heart, worth listening to with one's ears, they have greater passion and perspicacity than anyone else to discern between truth and falsehood and error.

This is what Rabbi Ḥanina said: I have learned much from my teachers and even more from my friends, but from my students I have learned more than from all of them.

... It seems to me that this is the reason every chacham (sage / Torah scholar) is called a talmid chacham (student of a scholar), as it hints at the essence of the fulness of a scholar comes from the power of the disciple. Accordingly, one's learning is through these three aspects: teacher, peer, and student. This is hinted at in the Rabbinic comment on the verse "Engraved (charut) on the tablets," (Ex. 32:16), as charut is an acronym for: Chaver (peer), Rav (teacher), Talmid (student), and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

Two are better than one - "It is better for two" to toil in Torah together, "than one," each person working on their own. "For if they fall, their friend will pick them up," if someone forgets a halachah, their friend will return it to them. "A threefold cord is not easily broken," this [third element] refers to a teacher, who can help you get back on track, if you've gone astray.

"Hasket [(be silent) and hear]" (Deut. 27:9) [really means] "asu," (make) "kitot," (groups) and study Torah, for Torah is only acquired through study in a group. This is accords with Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “A sword is upon the boasters [habaddim], and they shall become fools [noalu]” (Jeremiah 50:36)? A sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars (i.e. the bad apples), who sit alone [bad bevad] and study Torah. Furthermore, those [who study alone] become foolish...

And this is what Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: What is the meaning of “A sword is upon the boasters [habaddim], and they shall become fools [no'alu]” (Jeremiah 50:36)? There is a sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars, a euphemism for Torah scholars themselves, who sit alone [bad bevad] and study Torah. And not only that, but they grow foolish as it is stated: “And they shall become fools.”

Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend?” (Proverbs 27:17) This verse comes to tell you that just as with these iron implements, one sharpens the other, so too, when Torah scholars study together, they sharpen one another in halakha. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: Why are matters of Torah compared to fire, as it is stated: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord?” (Jeremiah 23:29) To tell you: Just as fire does not ignite in a lone stick of wood but rather in a pile of kindling, so too, matters of Torah are not retained and understood properly by a lone scholar who studies by himself, but by a group of Sages.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Why are Torah matters likened to a tree, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them who lay hold upon it” (Proverbs 3:18)? This verse comes to tell you that just as a small piece of wood can ignite a large piece, so too, minor Torah scholars can sharpen great ones... R' Ḥanina bar Pappa raised a contradiction. In one verse it is written: “To one who is thirsty bring them water,” (Isaiah 21:14) but it is written elsewhere: “Ho, anyone who thirsts, come for water.” (Isaiah 55:1) If one is a worthy student, “to one who is thirsty bring them water,” but if not, then “Anyone who thirsts, come for water."

(1) "Make for yourself a mentor": He means to say even if he is not fit to be your mentor; still place him upon you as a mentor, so that you can give and take (discuss and argue) with him, and as a result of this the study of wisdom will come to your hand. As the study of a man on his own is good, but his study from someone else will be better established in his hand and it will be more clear - and even if he is like him in wisdom or below him. And so did they elucidate the explanation of this commandment. And he said, "acquire for yourself a friend". He said it with an expression of acquisition and he did not say, "Make for yourself a friend," or "Befriend others." The intention of this is that a person must acquire a friend for himself, so that all of his deeds and all of his matters be refined through him, as they said (Taanit 23a), "Either a friend or death." And if he does not find him, he must make efforts for it with all his heart, and even if he must lead him to his friendship, until he becomes a friend. And [then] he must never let off from following [his friend's] will, until his friendship is firmed up. [It is] as the masters of ethics say, "When you love, do not love according to your traits; but rather love according to the trait of your friend." And when each of the friends has the intention to fulfill the will of his friend, the intention of both of them will be one without a doubt. And how good is the statement of Aristotle, "The friend is one." And there are three types of friends: a friend for benefit, a friend for enjoyment and a friend for virtue. Indeed, a friend for benefit is like the friendship of two [business] partners and the friendship of a king and his retinue; whereas the friendship for enjoyment is of two types - the friend for pleasure and the friend for confidence. Indeed, the friend for pleasure is like the friendship of males and females and similar to it; whereas the friend for confidence is when a man has a friend to whom he can confide his soul. He will not keep [anything] from him - not in action and not in speech. And he will make him know all of his affairs - the good ones and the disgraceful - without fearing from him that any loss will come to him with all of this, not from him and not from another. As when a person has such a level of confidence in a man, he finds great enjoyment in his words and in his great friendship. And a friend for virtue is when the desire of both of them and their intention is for one thing, and that is the good. And each one wants to be helped by his friend in reaching this good for both of them together. And this is the friend which he commanded to acquire; and it is like the love of the master for the student and of the student for the master.

(1) It was taught in Pirkei Avot (1:6), "Acquire for yourself a friend." The Rabbis also said, "Friendship or death!" (Taanit 23a) The Sage (King Solomon) said, "A person without a friend is like a left hand without a right." (Prov. 17:17) And the pious Rabbeinu Yonah wrote that when it comes to the path of teshuvah, one needs a companion to speak with, if one has gotten off track, to give each other constructive criticism, how to get through/over temptation. Regarding them it is said, "Those who revere G-d will speak, one friend to another..." (Mal. 3:17)

(2) And similarly [is it best to have a companion] in learning Torah... for friends are needed to review the material, what one misses the other will reveal. There are two kinds of companionship that chevrutas can be: a) If both are advanced students, with special relationships with their teachers, who have joined up to sharpen (challenge) each other... as R' Yirmiya reported Reish Lakish's teaching, "Two Torah students sharpen each other in Halachah..." (Shabbat 63a) They must make sure to be studying together for its own sake, and not for social prestige, contextualizing what they know as a drop in the ocean.

(3) Further, on that teaching: R' Yirmiya said that Reish Lakish said, "Two Torah students who are gentle with each other in [studying] Halachah (Jewish law), G-d attends to them, as it was said, "Then those who fear G-d will speak, [and G-d] will pay attention." (Mal. 3:19) ... Rashi interprets this to mean that [the chevrutas] argue with calmness, engaging with each other so that each can learn from the other... Another take: those who speak gently with each other behave in such a way as to facilitate better understanding in Halachah, as in "Go, lead (n'chei)," to be gentle means to lead.

(4) The first understanding implies that if their pilpul (sharp dialectics) is gentle and not shouted, they will be better able to understand their chevruta's words and can accordingly recognize its truth. The second interpretation entails that one will help the other. If one's study stumbles into a challenge or obstruction, their companion will help them solve it, as we see in the Talmud, in which Abaye translates an opinion of Rava's, even though they were often in disagreement.

(5) The second kind of chevrutas: b) in which each member has growth areas, and drawing from the power of their partnership, they want to come to better understand the matters [they study]. This accords with Shabbat 63a, in which R' Aba said R' Shimon b. Lakish said, "Two Torah students who attend to each other in Halacha, G-d hears their voice, as it was said, 'You Who lingers in the garden, friends attend to Your voice.'" (Song 8:13) Rashi interprets "attending" to mean that each chevruta teaches the other, helping their friend understand. "Gardens" means batei midrash.

(6) Further, R' Aba reported R' Shimon b. Lakish said, "Two Torah students who cause each other to err (madgilim) in Halachah, the Holy One [still] loves them, as it was said, 'On me, his flag (diglo) is love.'" (Song 2:4) Rashi interpreted "causing to err" to mean enthusiastically encouraging the chevruta to assemble, saying, "Let's go learn, and between the two of us, we'll understand, even though there's no rabbi to teach us." They keep on meeting until they understand the basics, and continue to advance in their understanding. And G-d is with them.

(7) Another aspect of a good friend is what Rabbeinu Tam wrote in his Sefer haYashar (beginning of the 4th gate), that one of the aspects of the labour of religious life is befriending those who will stoke in you service...

It is known, that when the time of a tzadik arrives, one who seeks to bestow unto their generation, it is of necessity that another arises to challenge them, for there are many ministers, and each one's authority is exclusive of the other. But if the generation's righteous do not want this kind of appointment [model], but rather to have chevruta, friends with whom to serve G-d together, each encouraging and reinforcing the other in their respective worship, then no one will have to oppose anyone anymore.

We see sign of this in the skies, if you look to the stars. Unlike the sun and moon, in which the latter depends on the former for light, no star bestows on another, rather each one has its own station and special quality unique to it. All the stars are united as friends and worship G-d together.

In this manner will you be like stars, who perdure through the cosmos; so will you be established in eternity, a time in which the example of the stars, who are all friends in harmony and concert, will be fulfilled. No one having to challenge another, as it was said, "In the future no person will teach their fellow." Pay attention and understand.

Thus, [R' Yehoshua b. Perachya] said, "Make for yourself a teacher." In phrasing it that way, he did not mean that this would be your most dear mentor. Rather, you must initiate and make for yourself a teacher, even if this person is not fit, per se, to be one. You have to "make it [happen] for you," for it is impossible, in any event, that you would not learn something from them, and that, ultimately, is sufficient to consider them a teacher. And similarly, "acquire for yourself a friend;" with a friend, it makes sense to use acquisition language, since a friend is something you acquire... as they will at times do what is needed, as is the way of friends, and thus one must [actively] "acquire for yourself a friend." In both cases, even if one's "teacher" is not entirely at the level a teacher can be, or if your friend is not ideally perhaps what a friend could be, still, "Two are better than one," (Eccl. 4:9) and you should make that friendship happen. [The Mishnah concludes by] saying that one should judge each person with the benefit of the doubt, because if you perceive something in a person, they will be who they're going to be, and it's on you to judge them with the benefit of the doubt. Do not push them away saying that they are a bad guy.

These three aspects teach us interpersonal behaviour with those beyond our households: [The Mishnah] tells us to make for ourselves a teacher, even when they are not necessarily up to snuff to be a teacher. And to acquire for yourself a friend, even if they are not always perfect. And for other people [you encounter] who are fallible, or not at your level, do not push them away; you must at least judge them with the benefit of the doubt...

The general principle in this, is that it is teaching us a fundamental ethic in interpersonal interactions, for it is impossible for a person to be alone; one must have a connection with other people per what is in their capacity, whether as a teacher, a friend, or just another human being. This quality is found in a person when they bring other people close and love them. Through this, one can regard another as a teacher, even if they are not fit, and judge each person gently... not saying, "What is this person to me? They are fit to be my teacher, not fit to be my friend. They've sinned, they're wicked!" One cannot do this; rather, bring others close, do not push them away.

This quality branches out of one's love for G-d, even stemming from one's love for the Sages. One who loves G-d loves human beings, since they are G-d's creation. And one who loves one will come to love all who are related to you and connected to you... Thus, [the Mishnah] concludes with "Judge each person with the benefit of the doubt," for in your regular interactions with your teacher or friend, it is impossible that you will not see them as having done you wrong, because one is so close with them, and it can lead you to become estranged. Thus, [the Mishnah] tells us to "judge every person with favour," that is, you're going to judge someone, and when that happens, do it with charity, and estrangement will not occur between you and your teacher, or between you and your friend, when you judge them charitably when you think they have done something against you. This matter is clear.