LESSON 1 Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers) 1:1
By Rabbi
The Ultimate Self Help Book
Introduction
Google “self-help,” and you will find over 250 million responses. Take a stroll through your local Barnes & Noble and you’ll soon realize that the largest section in the store is dedicated to “self-help,” where you’ll even find a title, “How to Find the Right Self-Help Book.” This booming industry is fueled by the fact that today, more than ever, people are striving to lead both successful and meaningful lives.
As Jews, we have the extremely good fortune to have been presented with the ultimate self-help guide in the form of the Torah, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning “a guide book” or “instruction manual.” While all Torah texts provide some form of instruction, the one most focused on self-improvement is Pirkei Avos, also known in English as “Chapters of the Fathers,” which contains many fundamental principles for Jewish living.
To paraphrase a classic Jewish question, why is this self-help guide different from all other guides? Simple. It comes directly from G-d. What are the ramifications of this distinction? Read on.
Text of Mishna
“Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua; and Joshua to the Elders; and the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly.”
“They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make safeguards for the Torah.”
Quick Questions
1. Mishnayos (plural of Mishna) offer teachings that range from the proper observance of Shabbat, to tort damages, the laws of usury, and the proper blessing to be recited before eating a banana. Why is it that only in Pirkei Avos does the author find it necessary to introduce the teachings with an historical overview of the Torah’s transmission?
- How do the three teachings mentioned in the latter portion of the Mishna correlate with its opening statement?
- Why does the Mishna switch from using the term “received” (as in “Moshe received the Torah”) to the term “transmitted” (as in “he transmitted… they transmitted”)?
Key Commentaries
From the outset, the Mishna wishes to make clear that although throughout history many wise individuals have written on the subject of morals and self-improvement, the lessons contained in Pirkei Avos are not one man’s opinion; they are eternal Divine truths from Sinai not subject to the whims of time. (Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura)
The Men of the Great Assembly said many things, but these are the three that will ensure the perpetuation of the transmission of Torah. (Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura )
We can paraphrase these three fundamental principals as: Learn, Teach, and Do!
(Rabbi M. Lehman in The Lehman-Prins Pirkei Avos)
Learn to think critically and to differentiate between what feels good and what truly is good for you.
Teach, by sharing what you have learned with others. This is a win-win proposition. Others will gain from the wisdom of Torah, and students always bring out the best in their teacher.
Do by forging ahead with your quest for self-improvement while at the same time taking the necessary precautions to avoid potential pitfalls along the way. The spiritual highway also requires speed limits, guardrails and warning signs.
Moshe received the Torah. He accepted the Torah. He studied it. He experienced it. He made it part of his consciousness. That is why he was able to transmit it. That which has not been absorbed cannot be transmitted. (Irving M. Bunim in Ethics from Sinai)
Practical Application
1) Abraham, the first major personality in Jewish history, was told by G-d (Genesis 12:1) “Go for yourself, from your land, from your relatives and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.” G-d’s message to Abraham was that
you’re capable of great things, but not if you stay put and follow the routine of the same old same old. Leave this place, adopt my program, follow my playbook and you will accomplish much more in terms of reaching your full potential.
2) Picture this scenario: One hot August morning, Frank is moving into a new house twelve blocks away from his current home, and although the movers have already taken all the furniture and large items, he is left with a couple dozen boxes of odds and ends. Frank rings his neighbor Steve’s doorbell and asks Steve if he can borrow his pickup truck. Clearly uncomfortable, Steve stammers and says “Well, my niece is coming in from out of town and I don’t know how much luggage she’ll have with her so I may need the truck.”
Feeling both disappointed and unpleasantly surprised, Frank moves to Plan B. He takes his son’s little red wagon and proceeds to schlep box after box on the back of the wagon all the way to the new house. It takes a lot longer than he had planned, and as the heat rises, so does Frank’s anger. Steve’s pickup truck is just sitting there in the driveway, and no offer of assistance is forthcoming. Finally, towards evening, an exhausted Frank falls asleep on the floor of his now barren home. At 9 p.m. there’s a knock at the door and who should be standing there, but Steve. Fully expecting an apology, Frank opens the door to let Steve in. “I notice,” says Steve, “that you have a little red wagon outside and I was wondering if my niece, who just came to visit with her children, could borrow the wagon for a few days?”
How would you react? How should you react?
Here is what the Torah says (Lev. 19): “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge.”
Not only does the Torah require you to lend Steve the wagon, but also you are forbidden to have the satisfaction of saying or thinking, “of course, you can borrow the wagon as I’m not the stingy selfish soul you seem to be.”
Are you capable of doing that? Can you overcome the natural tendencies of feeling hurt, used, and angered at the sheer chutzpah of Steve’s request?
You most certainly can. Because Almighty G-d, the Creator of both Frank and Steve, says you can. Self-help from Sinai raises the bar for human potential, coming as it does from the Supreme Being that fully knows the majesty of man.
Resolution
I will set aside at least one half hour each week to focus on bettering myself and bringing out my full potential using the Torah framework as my guide. This will include time to learn, teach and do.
For Review
What action plan would you recommend to ensure that your family values are faithfully transmitted to future generations?
What lessons in education can be gleaned from the phrase “raise up many students,” found in the Mishna?
Points to Ponder
The Mishna tells us “Moshe received the Torah from Sinai”. Moses surely did not receive the Torah from a mountain; he received the Torah from G-d while standing on Mt. Sinai. Why then didn’t the Mishna say “at Sinai” or “on Sinai”? For that matter, why bother mentioning Sinai at all?
