The six chapters of Avot, a tractate of Mishnayot.
The six chapters of Avot which are studied by many in the spring and summer. The first five are Masechet Avot from the Mishna.
Questions tagged [pirke-avot-ethicsof]
154 questions
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What is the difference between Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah and Schar Mitzvah Mitzvah?
The Mishnah in Avos (4:2) says:
בן עזאי אומר הוי רץ למצוה קלה ובורח מן העבירה שמצוה גוררת מצוה ועברה גוררת עברה ששכר מצוה מצוה ושכר עברה עברה
Ben Azai says, “Run toward a light mitzvah and flee from an aveirah, for a mitzvah leads to a mitzvah, and…
DonielF
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Pirkei Avot 5:17 - Did they mean Bet Hillel and Bet Shamai?
In Pirkei Avot 5:17, when citing an example of a controversy that is for the sake of Heaven, the Mishnah uses the terms "Hillel and Shamai". Many translations that I have seen - including Aish.com and Art Scroll as well as Rabbeinu Yonah's…
DanF
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Applying Precepts of Pirkei Avot 2:5 vs. Pirkei Avot 4:14
In Pirkei Avot 2:5, Hillel suggest, "In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man."
One idea that I infer is that if you are in a place where there are no leaders, you should attempt to be the leader. So, if you are in a place where there…
DanF
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Pirkei Avot 2:1 - What does "major" and "minor" mean in terms of mitzvot?
Avot 2:1
והוי זהיר במצווה קלה כבחמורה שאין אתה יודע מתן שכרן של מצוות והוי מחשב הפסד מצווה כנגד שכרה ושכר עבירה כנגד הפסדה
Be as careful with a minor mitzvah as with a major one, for you do not know the rewards of the mitzvot. Consider the cost of…
DanF
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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, where you are going, and before whom you are…
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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, מַעְיָן הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר
and then comments on their teaching…
Avrohom Yitzchok
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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 that knows this well please post a few examples of…
TheTribeOfJudah
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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 is in order to make the wicked accountable for…
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Good v.s Bad Heart
In Pirkei Avot 2:9 it's Rabbi Elazar Ben Arach who states that a Lev Tov (good heart) is the greatest good - the best "acquisition" (or best trait for a person to acquire, or which should be the goal or aim of a person in this life). More literally,…
Levi
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Why was the statement of Ben Hei Hei added at the end of Pirkei Avos 5?
The Alter Rebbe of Lubavitch writes:
ואף גם זאת דבן ה' למקרא היא
ברייתא שלא הובאה בגמרא, ואינה משנה לגירסת הרמב"ם בפירוש המשניות עיין שם במדרש
שמואל
That the statement of Ben Hei Hei commonly printed at the end of chapter 5 is not part of the…
Yishai
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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?
Gary Huber
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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.
From the previous 2 statements, is it okay to…
Mars Sojourner
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What are the different "versions" of Pirkei Avot?
There is the Pirkei Avot that contains 5 chapters that are part of the Mishnah in the order of Nezikin. This is the version that is typically studied on Shabbat afternoons between end of Pesach to just before Rosh Hashanna (the 6th chapter is from…
DanF
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