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The New Jew
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pp. 722-723
Minha for Shabbat

Ethics of the Fathers

Pirkei Avot - Perek 3
פרקי אבות - פרק ג
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Is. 28Ezek. 41
Hebrew
ד רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ עַל שֻׁלְחָן אֶחָד וְלֹא אָמְרוּ עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי
תּוֹרָה, כְּאִלּוּ אָכְלוּ מִזִּבְחֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי כָּל־שֻׁלְחָנוֹת מָלְאוּ קִיא
צֹאָה בְּלִי מָקוֹם: אֲבָל שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ עַל שֻׁלְחָן אֶחָד, וְאָמְרוּ עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי
תּוֹרָה, כְּאִלּוּ אָכְלוּ מִשֻּׁלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי, זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן
אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה:
Sephardi
4. Rabi Shimon omer: shloshah she'achlu al shulchan echad velo amru alav divrei
Torah, ke'ilu achlu mizivchei metim, shene'emar: ki kol-shulchanot male'u ki
tzo'ah beli makom: aval shloshah she'achlu al shulchan echad, ve'amru alav divrei
Torah, ke'ilu achlu mishulchano shel Makom, shene'emar: vayedaber elai, zeh hashulchan
asher lifnei Adonai:
English
4. Rabbi Shimon said: Three who eat at one table, and do not speak words of Torah, are as if they had eaten of sacrifices of dead idols, as it is said, “For all the tables are full of vomit and filth, when God is absent.” However, three who eat at one table and speak words of Torah, it is as if they had eaten at God’s table, as it is said, “And He spoke to me: This is the table before the LORD.”
Hebrew
ה רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן חֲכִינַאי אוֹמֵר: הַנֵּעוֹר בַּלַּיְלָה, וְהַמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ יְחִידִי, וְהַמְפַנֶּה
לִבּוֹ לְבַטָּלָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ:
Sephardi
5. Rabi Chanina ben Chachinai omer: hane'or balaylah, vehamehalech baderech yechidi, vehamefaneh
libo levatalah, harei zeh mitchayev benafsho:
English
5. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Ḥakhinai said: One who stays awake at night, travels alone, or turns his mind to idle thoughts, endangers his soul.
Hebrew
ו רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר: כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל תּוֹרָה, מַעֲבִירִין מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל
מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. וְכָל הַפּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל תּוֹרָה, נוֹתְנִין עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת
וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ:
Sephardi
6. Rabi Nechunya ben Hakanah omer: kol hamekabbel alav ol Torah, ma'avirin mimenu ol
malchut ve'ol derech eretz. Vechol haporek mimenu ol Torah, notnin alav ol malchut
ve'ol derech eretz:
English
6. Rabbi Neḥunya ben HaKanna said: One who takes on himself the yoke of Torah will be spared the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly responsibilities, but one who throws off the yoke of the Torah will bear the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly responsibilities.
Ps. 82Amos 9Ps. 82Mal. 3Ex. 20
Hebrew
ז רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא בֶן דּוֹסָא אִישׁ כְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה אוֹמֵר: עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְעוֹסְקִין
בַּתּוֹרָה שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת־אֵל: וּמִנַּיִן
אֲפִלּוּ חֲמִשָּׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל־אֶרֶץ יְסָדָה: וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁלשָׁה,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט: וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָז נִדְבְּרוּ
יִרְאֵי יְהֹוָה אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ, וַיַּקְשֵׁב יְהֹוָה וַיִּשְׁמָע: וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר:
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי, אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ:
Sephardi
7. Rabi Chalafta ben Dosa ish Kefar Chananyah omer: asarah sheyoshvin ve'oskin
baTorah Shechinah sheruyah beineihem, shene'emar: Elohim nitzav ba'adat-El: uminayin
afilu chamishah, shene'emar: va'agudato al-eretz yesadah: uminayin afilu shloshah,
shene'emar: bekerev Elohim yishpot: uminayin afilu shnayim, shene'emar: az nidberu
yirei Adonai ish el-re'ehu, vayakshev Adonai vayishma: uminayin afilu echad, shene'emar:
bechol-hamakom asher azkir et-shemi, avo elecha uverachticha:
English
7. Rabbi Ḥalafta ben Dosa of Kfar Ḥananya said: When ten people sit together and study Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them, as it is said, “God stands in the divine assembly.” How do we know that the same applies to five? From the verse, “He has founded His group on the earth.” And how do we know that it applies even to three? From the verse, “He judges among the judges.” How do we know that the same applies even to two? From the verse, “Then those who feared the LORD talked together, and the LORD listened and heard.” And how do we know that it applies even to one? From the verse, “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.”
I Chr. 29
Hebrew
ח רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִישׁ בַּרְתּוֹתָא אוֹמֵר: תֵּן לוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, שֶׁאַתָּה וְשֶׁלָּךְ שֶׁלּוֹ. וְכֵן בְּדָוִד
הוּא אוֹמֵר: כִּי־מִמְּךָ הַכֹּל, וּמִיָּדְךָ נָתַנּוּ לָךְ:
Sephardi
8. Rabi Elazar ish Bartota omer: ten lo mishelo, she'atah veshelach shelo. Vechen beDavid
hu omer: ki-mimcha hakol, umiyadcha natannu lach:
English
8. Rabbi Elazar of Bartota said: Give Him what is His, for you and yours are His. This was also said by David: “For all things come from You, and we have given You only what is Yours.”
Hebrew
ט רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: הַמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְשׁוֹנֶה, וּמַפְסִיק מִמִּשְׁנָתוֹ וְאוֹמֵר, מַה
נָּאֶה אִילָן זֶה, מַה נָּאֶה נִיר זֶה, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ:
Sephardi
9. Rabi Yaakov omer: hamehalech baderech veshoneh, umafsik mimishnato ve'omer, mah
na'eh ilan zeh, mah na'eh nir zeh, ma'aleh alav hakatuv ke'ilu mitchayev benafsho:
English
9. Rabbi Jacob said: One who is reviewing his Torah study while walking on the way, and interrupts his study to say, “What a beautiful tree” or “What a beautiful field,” is regarded by Scripture as if he had endangered his soul.
Deut. 4
Hebrew
י רַבִּי דּוֹסְתַּאי בְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כָּל הַשּׁוֹכֵחַ דָּבָר אֶחָד
מִמִּשְׁנָתוֹ, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רַק הִשָּׁמֶר
לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד, פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ: יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ
Sephardi
10. Rabi Dostai beRabbi Yannai mishum Rabi Meir omer: kol hashoche'ach davar echad
mimishnato, ma'aleh alav hakatuv ke'ilu mitchayev benafsho, shene'emar: rak hishamer
lecha ushmor nafshecha me'od, pen-tishkach et-hadevarim asher-ra'u einecha: yachol afilu
English
10. Rabbi Dostai of Rabbi Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: One who forgets even one thing of his Torah learning, Scripture regards him as if he had endangered his soul, for it is said, “Only take heed and guard your soul very carefully so that you do not forget the things that your eyes saw.” One might think that this applies even to one who finds his studies too hard to