Produced by Dan Dyckman
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TRANSCRIBER'S COMMENTS
The source book for this e-text included an Introduction, Preface,
and extensive footnotes. These are omitted in this text, which
consists of only the translation of the Pirkei Avot. A full version
of this e-text may be found as a different entry in the Gutenburg
Project archives.
See the end of this e-text for Transcriber's Notes.
LIBRARY OF JEWISH CLASSICS-III.
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The Sayings of the
Jewish Fathers
[pirkei avot]
"PIRKE ABOT"
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Translated, with an
Introduction and Notes
BY
JOSEPH I. GORFINKLE, Ph.D.
Author of
"The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics"
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_SECOND EDITION_
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SAYINGS OF THE FATHERS
_One of the following chapters is read on each Sabbath from the
Sabbath after Passover until the Sabbath before New Year._
All Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, "And
thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for
ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be
glorified."
CHAPTER I
1. Moses received the _Torah_ from Sinai, and handed it down to
Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and
the prophets delivered it to the men of the Great Synagogue. They
said three things, "Be deliberate in judgment; raise up many
disciples; and make a fence about the _Torah_."
2. Simon, the Just, was of the last survivors of the Great Synagogue.
He used to say, "Upon three things the world rests: upon the _Torah_,
upon the Temple service, and upon the doing of acts of kindness."
3. Antigonus of Soko received (the tradition) from Simon, the Just.
He used to say, "Be not like hirelings who work for their master for
the sake of receiving recompense; but be like servants who minister to
their master without any thought of receiving a reward; and let the
fear of Heaven be upon you."
4. Jose, the son of Joezer, of Zeredah, and Jose, the son of Jochanan,
of Jerusalem received (the tradition) from them. Jose, the son of
Joezer, of Zeredah said, "Let thy house be a meeting-place for the
wise; cover thyself with the dust of their feet, and drink in their
words with thirst."
5. Jose, the son of Jochanan, of Jerusalem said, "Let thy house be
open wide; let the poor be members of thy household, and engage not in
much gossip with woman." This applies to one's own wife; how much
more, then, to the wife of one's neighbor? Hence the sages say,
"Whoso engages in much gossip with woman brings evil upon himself,
neglects the study of the _Torah_, and will in the end inherit
_gehinnom_."
6. Joshua, the son of Perachyah, and Nittai, the Arbelite, received
(the tradition) from them. Joshua, the son of Perachyah, said,
"Provide thyself with a teacher, and possess thyself of a companion;
and judge every man in the scale of merit."
7. Nittai, the Arbelite, said, "Keep aloof from a bad neighbor;
associate not with the wicked, and abandon not the belief in
retribution."
8. Judah, the son of Tabbi, and Simeon, the son of Shatach, received
(the tradition) from them. Judah, the son of Tabbi, said, "(In the
judge's office) act not the counsel's part; while the litigants are
standing before thee, let them be regarded by thee as guilty, but when
they are departed from thy presence, regard them as innocent, the
verdict having been acquiesced in by them."
9. Simeon, the son of Shatach, said, "Be very searching in the
examination of witnesses, and be guarded in thy words, lest through
them they learn to lie."
10. Shemaiah and Abtalion received (the tradition) from them.
Shemaiah said, "Love work; hate lordship; and seek no intimacy with
the ruling power."
11. Abtalion said, "Ye sages, be heedful of your words, lest ye incur
the penalty of exile and be exiled to a place of evil waters, and the
disciples who come after you drink thereof and die, and the Heavenly
Name be profaned."
12. Hillel and Shammai received (the tradition) from them. Hillel
said, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace,
loving mankind and drawing them night to the _Torah_." 13. He used to
say, "A name made great is a name destroyed; he who does not increase
(his knowledge) decreases (it); and he who does not study deserves to
die; and he who makes a worldly use of the crown (of the _Torah_)
shall waste away." 14. He used to say, "If I am not for myself, who
will be for me? But if I care for myself only, what am I? And if not
now, when?"
15. Shammai said, "Set a fixed time for thy (study of) _Torah;_ say
little and do much; and receive all men with a cheerful countenance."
16. Rabban Gamaliel said, "Provide thyself with a teacher; be quit of
doubt; and accustom not thyself to give tithes by a conjectural
estimate."
17. Simeon his son, said, "All my days I have grown up amongst the
wise, and I have found nothing better for man than silence; not
learning but doing is the chief thing; and whoso multiplies words
causes sin."
18. Rabban Simeon, the son of Gamaliel said, "By three things is the
world preserved; by truth, by judgment, and by peace, as it is said,
'Judge ye the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates.'"
Rabbi Chanania, the son of Akashia, said, "The Holy One, blessed be
He, was pleased to make Israel worthy; wherefore He gave them a
copious _Torah_ and many commandments, as it is said, 'It pleased the
Lord, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the _Torah_ and make it
honorable.'"