Pirke Avot 6:6
The 2nd night of Pesach we begin the mystical, meditative discipline of counting the Omer, which re-enacts, on a spiritual level, each step in the journey from the liberation at the Red Sea to the revelation of Torah at Sinai. This period lends itself to a meditation on the “48 Ways of Wisdom” found in the Talmud (Avot 6:6). These 48 middot are tools for the betterment of one’s personality, so that one can make the most of life. Each day one of these middot is studied.
Torah is even greater than priesthood or royalty, for royalty is acquired along with thirty prerogatives, and the priesthood with twenty-four, but the Torah is acquired by means of forty-eight qualities, which are: |
גְּדוֹלָה תוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִן הַכְּהֻנָּה וּמִן הַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת נִקְנֵית בֹּשְׁלֹשִׁים מַעֲלוֹת, וְהַכְּהֻנָּה בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה, וְהַתּוֹרָה נִקְנֵית בְּאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה דְבָרִים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: |
2010 Beginning the evening of |
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| 3/30 | 1. |
Study | Talmud | בְּתַלְמוּד |
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| "These are the things for which a person enjoys the dividends in this world while the principal remains for the person to enjoy in the world to come. They are: honoring parents, loving deeds of kindness, and making peace between one person and another, but the study of the Torah is equal to them all" (Talmud Shabbat 127a). |
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| 3/31 | 2. |
Attentive Listening | Shmiat HaOzen | בּשְׁמִיעַת הָאזֶֹן |
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| - Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad — Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One (Deuteronomy 6:4). - "Adonai heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven" (Gensis 12:7). |
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| 4/1 | 3. |
Orderly Speech | Arichat Sefatayim | בַּעֲקּרִיכַת שְׂפָתָיִם |
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| "There are seven characteristics that typify the clod, and seven the wise person: Wise people do not speak in the presence of those who are wiser than they are; They do not interrupt their friend's words; They do not reply in haste. They ask what is relevant, they answer to the point; they reply to questions in orderly sequence; of what they have not heard, they say, 'I have not heard;' They admit to the truth.
The opposite of these typify the clod. (Pirkei Avot 5:9) |
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| 4/2 | 4. |
An Understanding and Perceptive Heart | Binat HaLev, Sichlut HaLev |
בְּבִינַת הַלֵּב בְּשִׂכְלוּת הַלֵּב |
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| "I have given you a wise and understanding heart?" (I Kings 3:12) |
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| 4/3 | 5. |
Awe and Fear | Yirat, Aymah | בְּאֵימָה, בְּיִרְאָה |
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| "Your rod [Aymah] and your staff [Yirah]--they comfort me" (Psalms 23:4). |
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| 4/4 | 6. |
Humility | Anavah | בְּעֲנָוָה |
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| "Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure. Better to be humble and among the lowly Than to share spoils with the proud" (Proverbs 16:18-19). |
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| 4/5 | 7. |
Joy | Simcha | בְּשִׂמְחָה |
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| "So shall all those that take refuge in You rejoice, They shall ever shout for joy, And You shall shelter them; Let them also that love Your name exult in You." (Psalm 5:12) |
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| 4/6 | 8. |
Purity | Tahara | בְּטָהֳרָה |
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| "Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech will have the king as a friend" (Proverbs 22:11). |
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| 4/7 | 9. |
Attending to the Sages | Shimush Chachamim | בְּשִׁמּוּשׁ חֲכָמִים |
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| "A person who studies on his or her own is no match for one who studies with a teacher"
(Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 111a). |
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| 4/8 | 10. |
Closeness with Friends | Dibuk Chaverim | בְּדִקְדּוּק חֲבֵרִים |
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| "And it came to pass that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul?. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul" (1 Samuel: 18:1; 18:3). |
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| 4/9 | 11. |
Keen Discussion with Fellow Students | Pipul HaTalmidim | בְּפִלְפּוּל הַתַּלְמִידִים |
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| "Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina said: What is implied by the verse 'Iron sharpens iron' (Proverbs 27:17) It tells you that just as one piece of iron sharpens another, so two scholars sharpen each other's mind by discussion of the Law." (Sefer Ha Aggadah - Legends of the Jews, 428:260) |
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| 4/10 | 12. |
Deliberation | Yishuv BeMikra | בְּמִקְרָא בְּיִשּוּב |
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| "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in God's law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:2) |
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| 4/11 | 13. |
Learning by Repetition | Mishnah |
בְּמִשְׁנָה |
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| "Teach them faithfully to your children; speak of them in your home and on your way, when you lie down and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:7). |
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| 4/12 | 14. |
Moderation in Business Activities | Miyut Sechorah | בְּמִעוּט סְחוֹרָה |
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"There are eight things of which a little is good and much is bad: travel, mating, wealth, work, wine, sleep, spiced drinks, and medicine" (Talmud Gittin 70a). |
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| 4/13 | 15. |
Moderation in Worldly Affairs | Miyut Derech Eretz | בְּמִעוּט דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ |
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| The former generations made the study of Torah their regular concern and their daily work their occasional concern, and they succeeded in the one and in the other. The recent generations have made their daily work their regular concern and their study of Torah their occasional concern, and they have succeeded neither in the one nor in the other. (Babylonian Talmud 35b) |
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| 4/14 | 16. |
Moderation in Pleasure | Miyyut Ta'anug | בְּמִעוּט תַּעֲנוּג |
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| Moderation in the pleasures of olam hazeh (this world), but maximize the pleasures of olam habah (the world to com)—the pleasure that comes from serving the other. |
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| 4/15 | 17. |
Moderation in Sleep | Miyyut Shaynah | בְּמִעוּט שֵׁנָה |
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| "How long will you lie there, lazybones; When will you wake from your sleep? A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed" (Proverbs 6:9-10). |
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| 4/16 | 18. |
Moderation in Speech | Miyut Sichah | בְּמִעוּט שִׂיחָה |
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| "Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing, but the one who curbs the tongue shows sense" (Proverbs 10:19). |
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| 4/17 | 19. |
Moderation in Levity | Miyut Sechok | בְּמִעוּט שְׂחוֹק |
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| "He who undertakes to be an associate scholar (chaver) may not be profuse in laughter" (Demai 2:3). "Raucous laughter and frivolity predispose a person to behavior that is not virtuous" (Avot 3:13). "A fool raises his voice in laughter, a wise man smiles in silence" (Ben Sira 21,20). |
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| 4/18 | 20. |
Slowness to Anger | Erech Apayim | בְּאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם |
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"Adonai! Adonai!—a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin" (Exodus 34:6). |
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| 4/19 | 21. |
Good Heartedness | Lev Tov | בְּלֵב טוֹב |
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| "A good person will bequeath to grandchildren" (Proverbs 13:22). "A person who has a 'good heart' is one in whom envy, jealousy and hate can gain no access" (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Chapters of the Fathers p. 106). "A 'good heart' includes a soft nature and the ability to act joyfully for the benefit of others" (Tiferet Yisrael). |
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| 4/20 | 22. |
Faith in the Sages | Emunat Chachamim | בֶּאֱמוּנַת חֲכָמִים |
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| Faith is the essence of Torah. (Mivhar Hapeninim) |
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| 4/21 | 23. |
Acceptance of Suffering | Kabbalat HaYisurin | בְּקַבָּלַת הַיִּסּוּרִין |
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| Happy is the person who You discipline, Adonai, the person You instruct in Your teaching. (Psalms 93:4) Bear in mind that Adonai your God disciplines you just as a parent disciplines a child (Deuteronomy 8:5). If God is a God of justice and not of power, then God can still be on our side when bad things happen to us. God can know that we are good and honest people who deserve better. Our misfortunes are none of God's doing, and so we can turn to God for help. We will turn to God, not to be judged or forgiven, not to be rewarded or punished, but to be strengthened and comforted. (Harold Kushner, When Bad Things Happen To Good Peoplep, 44.) |
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| 4/22 | 24. |
Knowing One’s Place | Makir et Mekomo | הַמַּכִּיר אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ |
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| Mark well these three things, and you will not fall into the clutches of sin. Know where you came from, where you are going, and to whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning. (Akavyah ben Mahalalel, Pirkei Avot, 3:1) |
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| 4/23 | 25. |
Being Happy with One’s Lot | Samayach B’Chelko | וְהַשָּמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ |
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| Ben Zoma said: Who is rich? Those who are happy with their portion. (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 32a also found in Pirkei Avot 4:1) |
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| 4/24 | 26. |
Making a Fence around One’s Personal Matters | וְהָעוֹשֶׂה סְיָג לִדְבָרָיו |
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| 4/25 | 27. |
Not Claiming Credit for Oneself | Eino Machazik Tova L’atzmo | וְאֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמוֹ |
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| Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received the tradition from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have studied much Torah, do not take credit for yourself, because that is what you were created to do. (Pirke Avot 2:9) Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: "Humility is greater than all other virtues, for it is said in Scripture, 'The spirit of Adonai is upon me; Because Adonai has anointed me; Adonai has sent me as a herald of joy to the humble" (Isaiah 61:1). Rabbi Levi points out this herald of joy is not to the saintly, but to the humble. He deduces from this that humility, therefore, is greater than all other virtues. (Babylonian Talmud Avodah Zarah 20b) |
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| 4/26 | 28. |
Being Beloved | Ahuv | אָהוּב |
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| Three things make a person beloved by others: an open hand, a set table, and a sparkling wit. (Avot de-Rabbi Natan 31). |
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| 4/27 | 29. |
Loving God | Ohev et HaMakom | אוֹהֵב אֶת הַמָּקוֹם |
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| You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5) |
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| 4/28 | 30. |
Loving All His Creatures | Ohev et HaBriyot | אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיוֹת |
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Hillel taught: Be a disciple of Aaron: loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures, and attracting them to the study of Torah. (Pirke Avot 1:12) |
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| 4/29 | 31. |
Loving Righteous Ways | Ohev Et HaTzadakot | אוֹהֵב אֶת הַצִּדָקוֹת |
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One who walks in righteousness, |
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| 4/30 | 32. |
Loving Justice | Ohev et HaMesharim | אוֹהֵב אֶת הַמֵּישָׁרִים |
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| 5/1 | 33. |
Loving Reproof | Ohev et HaTochachot | אוֹהֵב אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת |
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| Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you; Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:8) Love the one who scolds and hate the one that lauds you! (Avot de-Rabbi Natan) |
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| 5/2 | 34. |
Keeping Far from Honor | Mitrachayk Min HaKavod | וּמִתְרַחֵק מִן הַכָּבוֹד |
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| Ben Zoma said: Who is honored? Those who honor others. (Avot 4:1) R. Yose son of R. Hanina said: Those who endeavor to gain honor at the price of another person being degraded have no portion in the world-to-come." (Jerusalem Talmud Chagigah 2:1) |
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| 5/3 | 35. |
Not Being Arrogant with One's Learning | Lo Maygis Libo B’Talmudo | וְלֹא מֵגִיס לִבּוֹ בְּתַלְמוּדוֹ |
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| The fruit of boasting is hatred. (Mivhar Hapeninim) |
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| 5/4 | 36. |
Not Delighting in Rendering Decisions | Eino Samayach BeHora'ah | וְאֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּהוֹרָאָה |
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| One who is too self-confident in handing down legal decisions is a fool, wicked and arrogant of spirit." (Avot 4:7) |
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| 5/5 | 37. |
Bearing the Burden of the Other | Nosay B'ol Im Chavayro | נוֹשֵׂא בְעֹל עִם חֲבֵרוֹ |
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| We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. Bearing the burden of the other is a concrete demonstration to my neighbor of my love for him or her. A place for us to start thinking about how to bear the burden of the other is with the mitzvot bein adam l’havero — those commandments which explicitly involve our relations with our fellow human beings. Examples of these kinds of mitzvot are to honor our parents (kibud av v’em), to accompany the bride to the huppah, to visit the sick (bikkur holim), to bury the dead, to comfort the mourning (nihum aveilim). Following this path is rather straight forward. |
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| 5/6 | 38. |
Judging Others Favorably | Machrio L'Chaf Zechut | וּמַכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת |
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| The middah of judging the other favorably further elaborates on the positive commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. In the previous middah, we were told to bear the burden of the other. Bearing the other’s burden is a concrete way for us to demonstrate our love for our neighbor. Today’s middah — judging the other favorably — makes it clear that we cannot resent having to bear the burden of the other. Whatever our neighbors’ burdens happen to be, we must see them through their eyes. We should understand that to them their burdens are real. We cannot discount their burdens as being too trivial for us to bear, or regard our neighbors as pathetic because they see themselves as having some particular burden. The Talmud says that we should always judge other people favorably. We must also judge ourselves favorably. (R. Nachman of Breslav) |
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| 5/7 | 39. |
Leading Others to Truth | Ma’amido al HaEmet | וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הָאֱמֶת |
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| Then I bowed and prostrated myself to Adonai and blessed Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on a true path to get the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. (Genesis 24:48) |
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| 5/8 | 40. |
Leading Others to Peace | Ma'amido al HaShalom | וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הַשָׁלוֹם |
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| Hillel says: Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to the Torah. (Avot 1:12) |
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| 5/9 | 41. |
Thinking Deliberately in One’s Study | Mityashev Libo BeTalmudo | וּמִתְיַךֵָב לִבּוֹ בְּתַלְמוּדוֹ |
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| Who studies gladly for a single hour will learn vastly more than one who studies glumly for hours on end. (Hayyim of Valozhin, a Lithuanian talmudist of the 18th century) |
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| 5/10 | 42. |
Asking and Answering | Shoayl U'Mayshiv | שׁוֹאֵל וּמֵשִׁיב |
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| "There are seven characteristics that typify the clod, and seven the wise person: Wise people do not speak in the presence of those who are wiser than they are; They do not interrupt their friend's words; They do not reply in haste. They ask what is relevant, they answer to the point; they reply to questions in orderly sequence; of what they have not heard, they say, 'I have not heard;' They admit to the truth.
The opposite of these typify the clod. (Pirkei Avot 5:9) |
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| 5/11 | 43. |
Listening and Contributing | Shomaya U’Mosif | שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמוֹסִיף |
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| “I came not to destroy the Law of Moses but to add to the Law of Moses.” (Talmud, Shabbat 116b) |
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| 5/12 | 44. |
Learning in Order to Teach | Lomed al Manat Lelamed | הַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לְלַמֵּד |
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| Rabbi Ishmael said: He who studies in order to teach is afforded adequate means both to study and to teach. (Avot 4:5) Rabbi Yohanan said: He who studies Torah but does not teach it is like a myrtle in the wilderness [from which no one benefits]. (Sefer HaAggadah p. 414:118) Rabbi Meir used to say: The person who studies Torah but does not teach it is one who "despises the word of God (Numbers 15:31)." |
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| 5/13 | 45. |
Learning in Order to Practice | Lomed al Manat La'asot | הַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לַעֲשׂוֹת |
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| The first virtue of wisdom is silence; the second hearing; the third memory; and the fourth action. (Moshe ben Ezra, 11th century Spanish poet and philosopher) The individual who has no good deeds even though that person has studied much Torah – to whom may that individual be compared? To a person who in building lays bricks first and then heaps stones over them, so that even if a little water collects, it at once undermines the structure.” (Avot deRabbi Natan 24) |
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| 5/14 | 46. |
Making One’s Teacher Wiser | Machkim et Rabo | הַמַּחְכִּים אֶת רַבּוֹ |
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| "A wise person is a student who makes his/her teacher wiser." (Chaggigah 14a) "Much have I learned from my teachers, more from my colleagues but most of all from my students." (Taanit 7a) |
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| 5/15 | 47. |
Pondering What One Has Learned | Ha'mech'aven et Shmu'ato | וְהַמְכַוֵּן אֶת שְׁמוּעָתוֹ |
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| “The one who understands his (her) lesson will not readily forget it.” (Talmud Yerushalmi: Berakot, 5.1) |
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| 5/16 | 48. |
Repeating and saying in the name of the one who said it | Omer Davar BeShem | וְהָאוֹמֵר דָּבָר בְּשֵׁם אוֹמְרוֹ |
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| "Whoever repeats a statement in the name of the one who said it brings redemption to the world." (Avot 6:6) |
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5/17 |
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Sources
http://urj.org/holidays/shabbat/intro/middot/
Freeman, Susan. (1990) Teaching Jewish Virtues: Sacred Sources and Arts Activities. Behrman House, Inc. Springfield, NJ.