Questions tagged [pirke-avot-ethicsof]
The six chapters of Avot, a tractate of Mishnayot.
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Source for a drush in lemaaleh mimecha
There is a famous drush that is brought by Nefesh haChayim in the beginning of the 4th chapter of shaar 1, and also discussed in Ruach Chayim. The mishnah in Pirkei Avos 2:1 says da ma lemaaleh mimeka ...
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How is the kal vachomer in Avos 6:3 valid?
וַהֲלֹא דְבָרִים קַל וָחֽוֹמֶר, וּמַה דָּוִד מֶֽלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא לָמַד מֵאֲחִיתֹֽפֶל אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים בִּלְבָד, קְרָאוֹ רַבּוֹ אַלּוּפוֹ וּמְיֻדָּעוֹ, הַלּוֹמֵד מֵחֲבֵרוֹ פֶּֽרֶק אֶחָד, ...
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“He who exploits the crown [of Torah for his own ends] shall perish.” (4:5) What is a good example of this?
I am struggling to understand the meaning of Perkei Avot Chapter 4 Paragraph 5
“He who exploits the crown [of Torah for his own ends] shall perish.” (4:5)
What does this mean exactly?
can someone ...
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Judge The “Entirety of a Person” or “Each Person” Favorably?
In Avos 1:6 it says …והוי דן את כל האדם why כל האדם and not כל אדם? Are we being told to judge the “entire” person favorably or “each” person favorably?
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The reward for the creation of spiritual benefits (Pirkei Avot)
I am reading the wonderful collection of sichos of the Rebbe זי"ע called Torah Studies edited by Rav Jonathan Sacks ז״ל. In the lecture on the parashah of Chayei Sara, the Rebbe says "the ...
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Was Antigonus of Socho a student of Shimon HaTzadik?
Have any commentaries on Pirkei Avot 1:2-3 questioned whether Antigonus of Socho was a student of Shimon HaTzadik or cast doubt on whether the two were contemporaries?
Premise of the question: In The ...
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Why would the world be created with ten statements to mainly punish the wicked?
B"H
Pirkei Avos chapter 5 Mishnah 1 says:
The world was created with ten utterances. What does this come to teach us? Certainly, it could have been created with a single utterance. However, this ...
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Uknei Lecha Chaveir- let the pen be your chavrusa
In the article "How to Build Enthusiasm in Learning" by Rabbi Yosef Peretz, it writes at point #12 the following:
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt'l said on the mishna in pirkei avot "kenei lecha ...
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How does Torah learning without working fit in to Jewish thought?
Recently I posted a question on the order of removal of tefillin. I am most grateful for the responses. I subsequently read in ETHICS FROM SINAI by Reb Irving M. Bunim Z”TL. Perek II, Mishnah 2 the ...
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Korach, Chukas, Balak - The mouth of the earth, well & donkey
I noticed something this week when reciting Pirkei Avos...
In Perek 5, Mishna 6 - the mishna famously says:
עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, פִּי ...
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Pirkei Avoth's definition of a Rasha might not be the worst of his kind
So one of the Pirkei Avoth talks about how שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלָּךְ שֶׁלָּךְ, זוֹ מִדָּה בֵינוֹנִית, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם.
It also says that שֶׁלָּךְ שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע.
...
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Why did the Chachamim cite Pirkei Avot 2:9 and not 4:1 in the dialogue with Alexander?
In Pirkei Avot, Ben Zoma teaches us in Pirkei Avot 4:1 this oft-cited maxim,
בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי ...
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Book review pirkei avot [closed]
Does anyone know anything about the artscroll Yad Avraham Pirkei Avot? Please feel free to write a few comments!
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Looking for a Midrash about the point that one can learn from everybody
I’m looking for (the source of) a Midrash I once heard. It was about a Talmid Chacham who didn’t let himself be lectured by others except for his own Rabbi (or the Rabbi’s). Then he had this encounter ...
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Kemach and Solet, please explain
See Pirkei Avos- how does a sieve retain the fine flour? for background to this question, reproduced here.
Avos 5(15):
אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּיוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵי חֲכָמִים. סְפוֹג, וּמַשְׁפֵּךְ,
...
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On what basis are chapters divided in Pirke Avot?
Is there any sort of thematic basis for how chapters are divided in Avot? Who divided it into chapters? Is it chronologcial?
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Chofetz Chaim Story
Asking for someone else:
In the Artscroll "Pirkei Avos Treasury" they bring a story on the mishnah "All Israel has a share in Olam Haba." Someone asked the Chofetz Chaim if all ...
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Why does Rabbi Akiva in Avos 3:14 quote Genesis 9:6 and not Genesis 1:27?
Rabbi Akiva says in Avos 3:14 to prove that man was created with "Tzelem Elokim":
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, ...
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Who is the “Ahavas Avos”?
I have a Sefer on Pirkei Avos that has a commentary from the Ahavas Avos. I can’t seem to find who wrote this fantastic commentary, however.
Some helpful additions: the top of the Sefer says “Breslov” ...
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Some questions about the Talmud [closed]
I have some questions about the way the Gemara is formulated. Feel free to answer all, some, or just one!
What exactly is the Vilna Shas? Is it the only type of Shas used today?
I Know there are 2,...
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Who was Rav Nechunya ben HaKanah?
The Mishna Avos (3:5) writes
רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל
תּוֹרָה, מַעֲבִירִין מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. וְכָל
הַפּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל תּוֹרָה, ...
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Why does Pirkei Avos 3:1 divide the three things into three statements?
In Chapter 3 of Pirkei Avos, the first Mishnah says:
1 Akavia the son of Mahalalel would say: Reflect upon three things and you will not come to the hands of transgression. Know from where you came, ...
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Why was Shimon Hatzadik so-called?
In Pirkei Avot 1:2, Shimon is called Hatzaddik (the righteous). I gathered a couple of questions about this fact:
Why was [only] he called so and not other Rabbis? Was he called so by the Greeks (...
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Why the opening of Avot does not introduce the whole Mishnah?
“Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be ...
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Are the names of the zugot disclosed to us in other masechtot?
Am I correct in saying that the identities of the zugot are only revealed to us within masechet Pirkei Avot?
Or are the names of the zugot also disclosed to us in other masechtot of the Mishnah? If so,...
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What are the limits of what we should try to learn?
In the Mishnah, Ben Zoma famously said:
אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם -- Who is wise? He who learns from every man. [Avot 4:1]
What does it mean?
(1) That every individual who enters your ...
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Difference between Sefaria and Artscroll in enumerating Pirkei Avos
There seems to be a difference in the splitting of a Perek in Pirkei Avos. On sefaria the perek I am referring to is Perek 3 where the Perek in Sefaria groups certain Mishnayos in that Perek together ...
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Seeking advice from our Sages and Tanach about the dangers of 'national polarity'
Regardless of where you sit on the political divide regarding the situation in the United States it seems as if the country is being devoured by polarity. I am searching for advice from chazal ...
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Was there ever a Talmudic tractate on Avot?
Are there sources that we ever had such a tractate in either JT or BT? Were there debates and discussions over its propositions?
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Yose b. Yoezer and Yose b. Yohanan received from them. Who does "them" refer to?
Avot 1:2-4:
שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מִשְּׁיָרֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה....
אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אִישׁ סוֹכוֹ קִבֵּל מִשִּׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק...
יוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה וְיוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹחָנָן אִישׁ ...
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Did the Tiferet Yisrael say that Jenner, Drake and Gutenberg believed in the Torah?
In Tiferet Yisrael (Boaz) to Avot 3, number 1, it says:
ואנחנו רואים כמה מחסידיהן שמלבד שמכירין יוצר בראשית, ומאמינין בתה"ק שהיא אלהית, ועושין ג"ח גם לישראל, וכמה מהן שהיטיבו ביותר לכל באי ...
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Don't disparage the entirety of another person
Me'am Loez on Pirkei Avos 4:3 quotes a Sefer called Divrei Yechezkel to explain the words
אל תהי בז לכל אדם
as meaning "Don't disparage the entirety of a human being." Even if you see ...
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What does "נגללים" mean about the tablets?
The commentary of the Rav (R. Ovadya) to Avos chapter 5 "והלחות" reads:
של סנפרינון היו ארכן ששה ורחבן ששה ועבין שלשה כאבן אחת שארכה ורחבה ועביה שוין ונחלקה לשנים ונגללים היו וחצובים מגלגל ...
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Not consoling mourners during shiva?
We read in pirkei avos (4:18) the following:
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו, וְאַל ...
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If Elozor ben Aruch's teaching includes all the others why is he not the בּוֹר סוּד? Avos 2(8 &9)
REFLECTIONS ON PIRKEI OVOS 2(8 & 9)
Rabbi Yochanon ben Zakkai sums up his talmidim:
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, בּוֹר סוּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְאַבֵּד טִפָּה
וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, ...
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Which of the *Zugos* were in charge during the Chanukah story?
Pirkei Avos tells us of a chain of Torah leadership from Shimon HaTzadik (who lived in the times of Alexander the Great), to Antignos Ish Socho, to the pairs of leaders after that.
On whose watch did ...
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Does Pirkei Avot establish we can find morality separately from the law? [duplicate]
One of the more notable things about Pirkei Avot is that it's empty of Halacha for the most part.
It establishes a series of ethical ideals and opinions written by our sages but these ethics and ...
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Who were the zekeinim mentioned in Pirkei Avot?
In Pirkei Avot, in chapter one mishna 1 it says that Yehoshua passed on the Torah to the zekeinim. Who were they? For how long did they exist?
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Why are tractates in Shas apparently out of order?
The Sdarim of the Shas are (in general) by subject. That is, in each Order, there are discussions on a general topic and its ramifications.
But in each one of them (I think) there is a tractate that ...
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Is declaring that you don’t want to do a sin “for now”, a chillul hashem?
If someone proposes doing a sinful act (e.g Avoda zara) and you respond by saying that you are not interested “for now”, is that considered a chillul hashem, as you may want to sin in the future?
In ...
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Is "everything" really in the Torah?
The Mishnah says:
הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ
Turn it and turn it [the Torah], for everything is contained in it. [Pirkei Avot 5:22]
What does it mean?
(1) That absolutely every bit ...
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קיים vs עומד in Avot 1:18
I occasionally see Pirke Avot 1:18 recited as saying that on three things העולם קיים, and occasionally as on three things העולם עומד. Is there a reason for the discrepancy between Kayam and Omeid?
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What does מעלה עליו הכתוב mean in this Mishnah?
There are two consecutive Mishnayos in Pirkei Avos that use the phrase "מעלה עליו הכתוב", which loosely translates to 'scripture treats him as...'
The first is:
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, ...
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What are the "major" and "minor" commandments?
The Mishna says:
Be quick in performing a minor commandment as a major one. [Avot 4:2]
But we do not rank the commandments. The Mishna also says:
Be as scrupulous in observing a minor ...
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What is the mitzvah of tzedakah dependent on?
We learn in the Rambam commentary on Avos (3:19) that it is preferable to give a little bit of tzedakah to many people than a few large amounts to a few people.
When does one fulfil the mitzvah of ...
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Why were masechtot of mishna without gemara included (or not) in Talmud Bavli and daf yomi?
I would like to better understand why certain tractates of mishna which don't have gemara were selected or not for inclusion in Talmud Bavli and/or daf yomi?
Here is what I understand
most tractates ...
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Mouth of the donkey ("פִי הָאָתוֹן"): how can the Rambam seem to contradict the mishnah in Pirkei Avos?
NOTE: I heard this question raised in R' Hershel Schachter's parsha shiur (YUTorah - Balak 5779 from 23:28-24:17)
The Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim 2:42 writes:
וכן ענין בלעם כולו 'בדרך' ודברי ה'אתון' ...
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While it says in Kiddushin 40b that torah is the more important than Mitzvot in Pirkei Avot it says otherwise?
It says in Kiddushin 40b נענה ר"ע ואמר תלמוד גדול נענו כולם ואמרו תלמוד גדול שהתלמוד מביא לידי מעשה (Rabbi Akiva answered and said: Study is greater. Everyone answered and said: Study is greater, as ...
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Kehuna 'acquired' by 24?
In the (abusely so-called) 6th pereq of avot,
גדולה תורה יותר מן הכהונה ומן המלכות, שהמלכות נקנית ב30 מעלות, והכהונה ב24, והתורה נקנית ב48 דברים. ואלו הן בתלמוד בשמיעת האוזן וכולי
While one must '...
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Are we supposed to know which transgressions are light or severe?
I remember learning that we cannot know which commandments are more important than which others -- God gave them all to us and we don't say that we prioritize some over others (aside from the special ...
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