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Why does Rabbi Shimon's answer 'roeh es hanolad' seem focused on intellectual foresight rather than relationships like the other responses in Avos 2:9? The shiur redefines this phrase as the sensitivity to see how others perceive our words and actions. True wisdom means adjusting our communication to their world rather than forcing them to decode our intentions.
Rav Zweig examines Pirkei Avos 2:9-10, where Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai asks his students to identify the proper path for a person. When Rabbi Shimon suggests 'roeh es hanolad' (one who sees what is born/the future), this appears to be about intellectual ability rather than interpersonal relationships like the other responses. The Rav resolves this apparent contradiction by redefining roeh es hanolad not as intellectual foresight, but as sensitivity to how others perceive our words and actions. The core insight is that roeh es hanolad means being aware that what we say and what others understand may be entirely different. A wise person makes the effort to enter the other person's world, adjusting their communication style to ensure understanding rather than forcing others to decode their intentions. This represents a fundamental choice in all relationships: do I expect you to adjust to me, or do I adjust to you?
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Pirkei Avos 2:9-10
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