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pp. 746-747
Minha for Shabbat

Ethics of the Fathers

פרקי אבות - פרק ו׳

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Ps. 55Prov. 3Prov. 28Prov. 4
Hebrew
ג הַלּוֹמֵד מֵחֲבֵרוֹ פֶּרֶק אֶחָד, אוֹ הֲלָכָה אַחַת, אוֹ פָּסוּק אֶחָד, אוֹ דִבּוּר
אֶחָד, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת, צָרִיךְ לִנְהֹג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד. שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּדָוִד מֶלֶךְ
יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא לָמַד מֵאֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים בִּלְבָד, קְרָאוֹ רַבּוֹ אַלּוּפוֹ
וּמְיֻדָּעוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַתָּה אֱנוֹשׁ כְּעֶרְכִּי, אַלּוּפִי וּמְיֻדָּעִי: וַהֲלֹא דְבָרִים קַל
וָחֹמֶר. וּמַה דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא לָמַד מֵאֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים
בִּלְבָד, קְרָאוֹ רַבּוֹ אַלּוּפוֹ וּמְיֻדָּעוֹ, הַלּוֹמֵד מֵחֲבֵרוֹ פֶּרֶק אֶחָד, אוֹ הֲלָכָה
אַחַת, אוֹ פָּסוּק אֶחָד, אוֹ דִבּוּר אֶחָד, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת, עַל אַחַת
כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִנְהֹג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד. וְאֵין כָּבוֹד אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כָּבוֹד
חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ: וּתְמִימִים יִנְחֲלוּ־טוֹב: וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר:
כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל־תַּעֲזֹבוּ:
Sephardi
3. Halomed mechavero perek echad, o halachah achat, o pasuk echad, o dibbur
echad, o afilu ot achat, tzarich linhog bo kavod. Sheken matzinu beDavid Melech
Yisrael, shelo lamad meAchitofel ela shenei devarim bilvad, kera'o rabo alufo
umeyuda'o, shene'emar: Ve'atah enosh ke'erki, alufi umeyuda'i: Vahalo devarim kal
vachomer. Umah David Melech Yisrael, shelo lamad meAchitofel ela shenei devarim
bilvad, kera'o rabo alufo umeyuda'o, halomed mechavero perek echad, o halachah
achat, o pasuk echad, o dibbur echad, o afilu ot achat, al achat
kamah vechamah shetzarich linhog bo kavod. Ve'ein kavod ela Torah, shene'emar: Kavod
chachamim yinchalu: Utemimim yinchalu-tov: Ve'ein tov ela Torah, shene'emar:
Ki lekach tov natati lachem, Torati al-ta'azovu:
English
3. Whoever learns from someone else a single chapter, a single law, a single verse, a single word, even a single letter, must treat him with honor, for so we find in the case of David, King of Israel, who learned only two things from Ahitophel, yet he called him his teacher, his guide, and his close friend, for so it says, “But it is you, my equal, my guide, my close friend.” The following inference can be derived: If David, King of Israel, who learned only two things from Ahitophel, called him his teacher, guide and close friend, how much more must one who learns from someone else a chapter, a law, a verse, a word or even a single letter, treat him with honor! And honor is due only to Torah, as it is written, “The wise shall inherit honor,” and “The wholehearted shall attain good,” and “good” signifies Torah, as it is said, “I have given you good instruction; do not forsake My Torah.”
Hebrew
ד כָּךְ הִיא דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. פַּת בַּמֶּלַח תֹּאכַל, וּמַיִם בַּמְּשׂוּרָה תִּשְׁתֶּה, וְעַל
הָאָרֶץ תִּישָׁן וְחַיֵּי צַעַר תִּחְיֶה, וּבַתּוֹרָה אַתָּה עָמֵל. אִם אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה כֵן,
אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ, אַשְׁרֶיךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְטוֹב לָךְ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Sephardi
4. Kach hi darkah shel Torah. Pat bamelach tochal, umayim bamesurah tishteh, ve'al
ha'aretz tishan vechayei tza'ar tichyeh, uvatorah atah amel. Im atah oseh ken,
ashrecha vetov lach, ashrecha ba'olam hazeh, vetov lach la'olam haba.
English
4. This is the way of Torah: Eat bread with salt, drink water by measure, sleep on the ground, live a life of hardship, but toil in the Torah! If you do so, “You will be happy and it will be well with you”: “You will be happy” in this world, “and it shall be well with you” in the World to Come.
Hebrew
ה אַל תְּבַקֵּשׁ גְּדֻלָּה לְעַצְמְךָ, וְאַל תַּחְמֹד כָּבוֹד. יוֹתֵר מִלִּמּוּדְךָ עֲשֵׂה. וְאַל
תִּתְאַוֶּה לְשֻׁלְחָנָם שֶׁל מְלָכִים, שֶׁשֻּׁלְחָנְךָ גָּדוֹל מִשֻּׁלְחָנָם, וְכִתְרְךָ גָּדוֹל
מִכִּתְרָם. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַּעַל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ, שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ.
Sephardi
5. Al tevakesh gedulah le'atzmecha, ve'al tachmod kavod. Yoteir milimudecha aseh. Ve'al
tit'aveh leshulchanam shel melachim, sheshulchancha gadol mishulchanam, vechitrecha gadol
mikitram. Vene'eman hu ba'al melachtecha, sheyeshalem lach sechar pe'ulatecha.
English
5. Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not long for honor. Let your deeds exceed your learning. Do not crave the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs, your crown is greater than their crown, and your Employer can be relied upon to pay you your labor’s reward.
Hebrew
ו גְּדוֹלָה תּוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִן הַכְּהֻנָּה וּמִן הַמַּלְכוּת. שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת נִקְנֵית בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים
מַעֲלוֹת, וְהַכְּהֻנָּה בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, וְהַתּוֹרָה נִקְנֵית בְּאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה
דְבָרִים. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, בַּתַּלְמוּד, בִּשְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן, בַּעֲרִיכַת שְׂפָתַיִם, בְּבִינַת הַלֵּב,
בְּאֵימָה, בְּיִרְאָה, בַּעֲנָוָה, בְּשִׂמְחָה, בְּטָהֳרָה, בְּשִׁמּוּשׁ חֲכָמִים, בְּדִּקְדּוּק
חֲבֵרִים, בְּפִּלְפּוּל הַתַּלְמִידִים, בְּיִשּׁוּב, בְּמִקְרָא, בְּמִשְׁנָה, בְּמִעוּט סְחוֹרָה,
Sephardi
6. Gedolah Torah yoteir min hakehunah umin hamalchut. Shehamalchut niknet bishloshim
ma'alot, vehakehunah be'esrim ve'arba, vehatorah niknet be'arba'im ushmonah
devarim. Ve'eilu hen, batalmud, bishmi'at ha'ozen, ba'arichat sefatayim, bevinat halev,
be'eimah, beyirah, ba'anavah, besimchah, betahorah, beshimush chachamim, bedikduk
chaverim, befilpul hatalmidim, beyishuv, bemikra, bemishnah, bemi'ut sechorah,
English
6. The Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with thirty attainments, and priesthood is endowed with twenty-four [gifts], but the Torah is acquired by forty-eight virtues. They are: study, attentive listening, well-ordered speech, intuitive understanding, awe, reverence, humility, joy, purity, serving the wise, association with colleagues, debate with students, serenity, knowledge of Scripture and Mishna; minimizing time spent on business, worldly matters, pleasure, sleep, small talk or laughter; patience, a kindly heart, faith in the sages, and acceptance of suffering; knowing one’s place, being happy with one’s lot, restraining one’s words, and claiming no credit for