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pp. 724-725

Minha for Shabbat

Ethics of the Fathers

Pirkei Avot - Perek 3

פרקי אבות - פרק ג

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Deut. 4

Hebrew

תָּקְפָה עָלָיו מִשְׁנָתוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ; הָא אֵינוֹ
מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, עַד שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב וִיסִירֵם מִלִּבּוֹ.

Sephardi

Takfah alav mishnato, Talmud lomar: ufen yasuru milvavcha kol yemei chayecha; ha eino
mitchayev benafsho, ad sheyeshev veyisirem milibo.

English

remember. Therefore the verse adds, “Lest they be removed from your heart all the days of your life.” Thus, one does not endanger his soul unless he deliberately removes teachings from his heart.

Hebrew

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן דּוֹסָא אוֹמֵר: כֹּל שֶׁיִּרְאַת חֶטְאוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת לְחָכְמָתוֹ, חָכְמָתוֹ
מִתְקַיֶּמֶת. וְכֹל שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת לְיִרְאַת חֶטְאוֹ, אֵין חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת.

Sephardi

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa omer: Kol sheyirat cheto kodemet lechochmato, chochmato
mitkayemet. Vechol shechochmato kodemet leyirat cheto, ein chochmato mitkayemet.

English

Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa said: For one who puts fear of sin before wisdom, wisdom endures. For one who puts wisdom before fear of sin, wisdom does not endure.

Hebrew

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כֹּל שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְרֻבִּין מֵחָכְמָתוֹ, חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת. וְכֹל
שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מְרֻבָּה מִמַּעֲשָׂיו, אֵין חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת.

Sephardi

Hu hayah omer: Kol shemaasav merubin mechochmato, chochmato mitkayemet. Vechol
shechochmato merubah mimaasav, ein chochmato mitkayemet.

English

He also used to say: For one whose good deeds exceed his wisdom, wisdom endures. For one whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds, wisdom does not endure.

Hebrew

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כֹּל שֶׁרוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ, רוּחַ הַמָּקוֹם נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ.
וְכֹל שֶׁאֵין רוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ, אֵין רוּחַ הַמָּקוֹם נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ.

Sephardi

Hu hayah omer: Kol sheruach habriyot nochah heimenu, ruach hamakom nochah heimenu.
Vechol she'ein ruach habriyot nochah heimenu, ein ruach hamakom nochah heimenu.

English

He also used to say: In one in whom people delight, God delights. In one in whom people do not delight, God does not delight.

Hebrew

רַבִּי דוֹסָא בֶן הַרְכִּינָס אוֹמֵר: שֵׁנָה שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית, וְיַיִן שֶׁל צָהֳרַיִם, וְשִׂיחַת
הַיְלָדִים, וִישִׁיבַת בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת שֶׁל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן
הָעוֹלָם.

Sephardi

Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas omer: Shenah shel Shacharit, veyayin shel tzohorayim, vesichat
hayeladim, vishivat batei chenesiyot shel amei ha'aretz, motziin et ha'adam min
ha'olam.

English

Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas said: Sleeping late in the morning, drinking wine at midday, chattering with children and sitting in gatherings of the ignorant – these drive a person from the world.

Hebrew

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: הַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְהַמְבַזֶּה אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת,
וְהַמַּלְבִּין פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ בָרַבִּים, וְהַמֵּפֵר בְּרִיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, וְהַמְגַלֶּה פָנִים
בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַהֲלָכָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְיָדוֹ תוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֵין לוֹ
חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Sephardi

Rabbi Elazar Hamodai omer: Hamechalel et hakodashim, vehamevazeh et hamo'adot,
vehamalbin pnei chavero varabim, vehamefer berito shel Avraham Avinu, vehamegaleh panim
baTorah shelo chahalachah, af al pi sheyesh beyado Torah umaasim tovim, ein lo
chelek la'olam haba.

English

Rabbi Elazar of Modin said: One who desecrates sacred things, despises the festivals, shames his fellow in public, nullifies the covenant of our father Abraham, or attributes meanings to the Torah contrary to normative law, even though he has to his credit Torah and good deeds, has no share in the World to Come.

Hebrew

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי קַל לָרֹאשׁ וְנוֹחַ לַתִּשְׁחֹרֶת, וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כֹּל
הָאָדָם בְּשִׂמְחָה.

Sephardi

Rabbi Yishmael omer: Hevei kal larosh venoach latishchoret, vehevei mekabel et kol
ha'adam besimchah.

English

Rabbi Yishmael said: Be yielding to a superior, pleasing to the young, and receive everyone cheerfully.

Hebrew

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: שְׂחוֹק וְקַלּוּת רֹאשׁ מַרְגִּילִין אֶת הָאָדָם לְעֶרְוָה. מָסֹרֶת
סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה, מַעַשְׂרוֹת סְיָג לָעֹשֶׁר, נְדָרִים סְיָג לַפְּרִישׁוּת, סְיָג לַחָכְמָה שְׁתִיקָה.

Sephardi

Rabbi Akiva omer: Sechok vekalut rosh margilin et ha'adam le'ervah. Mesoret
seyag laTorah, maasrot seyag la'osher, nedarim seyag laprishut, seyag lachochmah shetikah.

English

Rabbi Akiva said: Mocking and frivolity lead to immorality. The oral tradition (Mesora) is a fence protecting the Torah; tithes are a fence protecting wealth; vows are a fence protecting abstinence. The fence protecting wisdom is silence.

Gen. 9Deut. 14Prov. 4

Hebrew

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא
בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי בְצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת־הָאָדָם: חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל
שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם, חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי
חֶמְדָּה, חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל־תַּעֲזֹבוּ:

Sephardi

Hu hayah omer, chaviv adam shenivra vetzelem, chibah yeterah nodaat lo shenivra
vetzelem, shene'emar: Ki betzelem Elohim asah et-haadam: Chavivin Yisrael
shenikre'u vanim lamakom, chibah yeterah nodaat lahem shenikre'u vanim lamakom,
shene'emar: Banim atem ladonai Eloheichem: Chavivin Yisrael shenitan lahem kli
chemdah, chibah yeterah nodaat lahem shenitan lahem kli chemdah shebo nivra ha'olam,
shene'emar: Ki lekach tov natati lachem, Torati al-taazovu:

English

He used to say: Beloved is man, for he was created in the image of God. As a gesture of special love, it was made known to him that he was created in the image of God, as it is said, “For in the image of God He made man.” Beloved are Israel for they are called God’s children. As a gesture of special love, it was made known to them that they are called God’s children, as it is said, “You are the children of the LORD your God.” Beloved are Israel, for they were given a precious vessel [the Torah]. As a gesture of special love, it was made known to them that they were given the precious vessel through which the world was created, as it is said, “I have given you good instruction; do not forsake My Torah.”