Ethics of the Fathers

Pirkei Avot - Perek 5

פרקי אבות - פרק ה

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Deut. 331 Kings 15

Hebrew

כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין
מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. מֹשֶׁה זָכָה וְזִכָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, זְכוּת הָרַבִּים
תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צִדְקַת יְהֹוָה עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל: יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט,
חָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, חֵטְא הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל־חַטֹּאות
יָרָבְעָם אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Sephardi

Kol hamezake et harabbim, ein cheit ba al yado. Vechol hamachati et harabbim, ein
maspikin beyado la'asot teshuvah. Moshe zakhah vezikkah et harabbim, zechut harabbim
talui bo, shene'emar: Tzidkat Adonai asah umishpatav im-Yisrael: Yerovam ben Nevat,
chata vehachati et harabbim, cheit harabbim talui bo, shene'emar: Al-chattot
Yerovam asher chata va'asher hechti et-Yisrael:

English

One who brings merit to the many will not be the cause of sin. One who causes the many to sin will be denied the means to repent. Moses attained merit and brought merit to the many; therefore the merit of the many was attributed to him, as it is said, “He carried out the LORD’s righteousness and His ordinances with Israel.” Jeroboam, son of Nebat, sinned and caused the many to sin; therefore the sin of the many was attributed to him, as it is said, “For the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit.”

Prov. 8Ps. 55

Hebrew

כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, הוּא מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ,
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, הוּא מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. עַיִן טוֹבָה, וְרוּחַ
נְמוּכָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפָלָה, תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. עַיִן רָעָה, וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה
וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה, תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. מַה בֵּין תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם
אָבִינוּ לְתַלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אוֹכְלִין
בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְנוֹחֲלִין הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם
אֲמַלֵּא: אֲבָל תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע יוֹרְשִׁין גֵּיהִנֹּם וְיוֹרְדִין לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַתָּה אֱלֹהִים תּוֹרִדֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא־יֶחֱצוּ
יְמֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח־בָּךְ:

Sephardi

Kol mi sheyesh bo sheloshah devarim hallalu, hu mitalmidav shel Avraham Avinu,
usheloshah devarim acherim, hu mitalmidav shel Bil'am harasha. Ayin tovah, veruach
nemukhah, venefesh shefalah, talmidav shel Avraham Avinu. Ayin ra'ah, veruach gevohah
venefesh rechavah, talmidav shel Bil'am harasha. Mah bein talmidav shel Avraham
Avinu letalmidav shel Bil'am harasha. Talmidav shel Avraham Avinu okhlin
ba'olam hazeh venochalin ha'olam haba, shene'emar: Lehanchil ohavai yesh ve'otzroteihem
amalle: Aval talmidav shel Bil'am harasha yoreshin Gehinom veyordin liv'er shachat,
shene'emar: Ve'atah Elohim toridem liv'er shachat, anshei damim umirmah lo-yechetzu
yemeihem, va'ani evtach-bakh:

English

Whoever possesses these three traits is one of the disciples of our father Abraham; whoever possesses the three opposite traits is one of the disciples of the wicked Balaam. A generous eye, a modest demeanor and a humble soul are the traits of the disciples of our father Abraham. An evil eye, an arrogant demeanor and an insatiable soul are attributes of the disciples of the wicked Balaam. What is the difference between our father Abraham’s disciples and those of the wicked Balaam? Our father Abraham’s disciples enjoy this world and inherit the World to Come, as it is said, “That I may cause those who love me to inherit substance and so that I may fill their treasures.” The wicked Balaam’s disciples inherit Gehinnom and go down to the pit of destruction, as it is said, “But You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I trust in You.”

Hebrew

יְהוּדָה בֶן תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר, רָץ כַּצְּבִי וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי,
לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: עַז פָּנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם, וּבֹשֶׁת
פָּנִים לְגַן עֵדֶן. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית
הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ, וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ:

Sephardi

Yehudah ben Tema omer: Hevei az kanamer vekal kanesher, ratz katzevi vegibbor ka'ari,
la'asot retzon avicha shebashamayim. Hu hayah omer: Az panim leGehinom, uvoshet
panim legan Eden. Yehi ratzon milfaneikha, Adonai Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu, sheyibbane Beit
Hamikdash bimherah veyameinu, veten chelkeinu beToratekha:

English

Judah ben Tema said: Be strong as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a gazelle, and brave as a lion, to do the will of your Father in heaven. He used to say: The shameless go to Gehinnom; those who have a sense of shame are destined for the Garden of Eden. May it be Your will, O LORD our God and God of our ancestors that the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days; and grant us our portion in Your Torah.

Hebrew

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ
עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַגְּמָרָא, בֶּן שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים
לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים
לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה
כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם.

Sephardi

Hu hayah omer: Ben chamesh shanim lamikra, ben eser shanim lamishnah, ben shelosh
esre lamitzvot, ben chamesh esre lagemara, ben shemone esre lachuppah, ben esrim
lirdof, ben sheloshim lakoach, ben arba'im labinah, ben chamishim la'etzah, ben shishim
laziknah, ben shiv'im laseivah, ben shemonim lagevurah, ben tish'im lashuach, ben mei'ah
ke'illu met ve'avar uvatel min ha'olam.

English

He used to say: Five years old is the age to begin studying Scripture; ten for Mishna; thirteen for the obligation of the commandments; fifteen for the study of Talmud; eighteen for marriage; twenty for seeking a livelihood; thirty for full strength; forty for understanding; fifty for giving counsel; sixty for old age; seventy for ripe old age; eighty for exceptional strength; and ninety for a bent back; at a hundred, one is as if he were dead and had left and gone from the world.

Hebrew

בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר: הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ, וּבָהּ תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ,
וּמִנָּהּ לָא תָזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה. בֶּן הֵא הֵא אוֹמֵר: לְפוּם
צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא.

Sephardi

Ben Bag Bag omer: Hafoch bah vahafoch bah, decholla bah, ubah techezei, vesiv uvelei bah,
uminnah la tazu'a, she'ein lecha midah tovah heimenah. Ben Hei Hei omer: Lefum
tza'ara agra.

English

Ben Bag-Bag said: Turn it [the Torah] over and over, for everything is in it. Reflect on it, grow old and gray in it, and do not stir from it, for there is no better portion for you than this. Ben Heh-Heh said: According to the effort the reward.