pirkei avos perek 4

7/31/2019 pirkei avos perek 4

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s"xc1. Ben Zoma would say:

Who is wise? One who learns from every person.

As is stated (Psalms 119:99(: "From all my

teachers I have grown wise, for Your testimonials

are my conversation".

Who is strong? One who conquers his yetzer har.

As is stated (Proverbs 16:32), "Better one who is

slow to anger than a strong person, one who rules

his spirit than the captor of a city".

Who is rich? One who is happy with his portion.

As is stated (Psalms 128:2): "If you eat of the

work of your hands, fortunate are you, and it is

good is to you"; "fortunate are you" in this world,

"and good is to you" in the World to Come.

Who is honorable? One who honors his fellows.

As is stated (I Samuel 2:30(: "For to those who

honor me, I honor; those who scorn me shall be

put down".

rnIt tnIz ic:

'ost kfn snIKv ?ofj Uvzhtrnt ba: )ym 'yhe ohkv,(kfn

vjh a Wh,I s g hf h,kf av h s nknhk.

'Ir mh ,t JcIFv ?rICd Uvzhtrnt ba)ck 'zy hkan(Qrt cIy

sfkn IjUrc k anU rICdn oh ptrhg.

rnt ba 'Iekjc jnav ?rhag Uvzht)c 'jfe ohkv,(hf Wh pf ghdh

'Whr at /Qk cIyu Wh r at kft ,tcv okIgk 'Qk cIyu /vzv okIgc.

',IH rcv ,t scfnv ?scfn Uvzhtrnt ba)k 'c t"a(scft h scfn hf

Ukeh hzcU:

Ben Azzai would say:

Run to pursue a minor mitzvah, and run away from a

sin.

Because a mitzvah brings another mitzvah,

and a transgression brings another transgression.For the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah,

and the reward of transgression is transgression.

2. 'rnIt htz g ic (c

j rIcU '(vrUnjcf) vke vu mnk .r huvvrc gv i n.

'vu mn , r rID vu mna

vrc g , r rId vrc gu./vu mn 'vu mn rf aavrc g 'vrc g rf aU:

He would also say:

Do not scorn any man,

and do not discount any thing.

For there is no man who has not his hour, and no

thing that has not its place.

3. 'rnIt vhv tUv (d

ost kfk zc hv, kt,rcs kfk dhk pn hv, ktu,

Wk ihtu vga Ik ihta ost Wk ihta

oIen Ik ihta rcs:

Shira Hochheimer 2012 27


2/6

s"xcRabbi Levitas of Yavneh would say:

Be very, very humble,

for the hope of mortal man is worms.

Rabbi Yochanan the son of Berokah would say:

Whoever desecrates the Divine Name covertly,

is punished in public.

Regarding the desecration of the Name, the malicious

and the merely negligent are one and the same.

4. 'rnIt v bch Jht xyhuk hc r (s

'jUr k p a huv s t n s t n

/vn r JIbt ,ue,a

'rnIt teIrc ic i bjIh hc r

'r,xc ohna o a kkjnv kfhUkdc UBnn ihgr p b.

oav kUKjc shzn sjtu ddIJ sjt:

Rabbi Ishmael the son of Rabbi Yossei would say:

One who learns Torah in order to teach,

is given the opportunity to learn and teach.

One who learns in order to do,

is given the opportunity to learn, teach, observe

and do.

Rabbi Tzaddok would say:

Do not separate yourself from the community.

Do not act as a counselor-at-law.

Do not make the Torah a crown to magnify you with,

or a spade with which to dig.

So would Hillel say:

one who make personal use of the crown of Torahshall perish.

Hence, one who benefits himself from the words of

Torah,

removes his life from the world.

5. 'rnIt (Ibc) ktgn ah hc r (v

'snkk , b n k g vrIT snIKvsnkkU sInkk Ishc iheh pxn.

',IGgk , b n k g snIKvu

snkkU sInkk Ishc iheh pxn,IG gku rIn ak.'rnIt eIsm hc r

'ovc k sd,vk vry g o a g, kt

ovc rIPjk os re tku.

'rnIt kkv vhv Qfu

;kj 'td,c Jn, at sU. ' , snk tvuhhj k yIb 'vrI, h rc sn v bv bv kf

okIgv i n:

7. Rabbi Yossei would say: Whoever honors the

Torah, is himself honored by the people; whoever

degrades the Torah, is himself degraded by the

people.

,t scfnv kf 'rnIt hxIh hc r (u,IH rcv k g scfn IpUD 'vrITv.

kkjn IpUd 'vrITv ,t kkj nv kfu,Ih rcv k g:

7. His son, Rabbi Ishmael would say: One who

refrains from serving as a judge avoids hatred,

thievery and false oaths. One who frivolously hands

down rulings is a fool, wicked and arrogant.

QaIjv 'rnIt Ibc kt gn ah hc r (zvcht UB nn e rIP 'ih sv i n In m g

tua , gUcaU kz du.ICk xdvujUr xdu gar v yIJ 'vtrIvc:



3/6

s"xcHe would also say:

Do not judge on your own,

for there is none qualified to judge alone,

only the One.

And do not say, "You must accept my view,"

for this is their [the majority's] right, not yours.

8. 'rnIt vhv tUv (j

'h shjh is hv, kth shjh is ihta

sjt tkt.'h,g s Ukce rnt , ktu

v,t tku ihta r iva:9. Rabbi Jonathan would say:

Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty,

will ultimately fulfill it in wealth;

and whoever neglects the Torah in wealth,

will ultimately neglect it in poverty.

'rnIt i, bIh hc r (y'h bgn vrITv ,t ohenv kf

ragn Vnhek IpIx.'r agn vrITv ,t k ycnv kfu

h bgn Vk yck IpIx:

10. Rabbi Meir would say:

Engage minimally in business,

and occupy yourself with Torah.Be humble before every man.

If you neglect the Torah,

there will be many more causes for neglect before

you; if you toil much in Torah,

there is much reward to give to you.

'rnIt rhtn hc r (h

'ex gc y gnn huvvrITc eIxgu.ost kf h b pc jUr k p a huvu.

'vrITv i n ,k yc otuQsd bf vc rv ohk yc Wk Jh.

rfa (Ik) Jh 'vrITc ,kng otuQk i ,k vc rv:

Rabbi Eliezer the son of Yaakov would say:

He who fulfills one mitzvah, acquires for himself oneangel-advocate;

he who commits one transgression, acquires against

himself one angel-accuser. Repentance and good

deeds are as a shield against retribution.

Rabbi Yochanan the Sandal-Maker would say:

Every gathering that is for the sake of Heaven, will

endure; that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not

endure.

11. 'rnIt ce gh ic rz ghkt hc r (th

yhke r p Ik v bIe ',jt vu mn vaIgvsjt.Ik v bIe ',jt vrc g rcIgvusjt rIdh ye.oh a gnU vcUJ,

,Ubg r pv h b pc xhr,f 'ohcIy.

'rnIt rk s bxv i bjIh hc rohna o ak thva vhx bf kf,

'ohna o ak V bhtau /ohe,vk VpIx

ohe,vk vpIx iht:

12. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Shamua would say: The

dignity of your student should be as precious to you

as your own; the dignity of your colleague, as your

awe of your master; and your awe of your master as

your awe of Heaven.

hvh 'rnIt gUNa ic rzgkt hc r (chQk af Whkg chcj W shnk, sIcf,

Qc r trInf W rcj sIcfU,ohna trInf Qc r trInU:



4/6

s"xc13. Rabbi Judah would say: Be careful with your

studies, for an error of learning is tantamount to a

willful transgression.

Rabbi Shimon would say: There are three crowns--the

crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the

crown of sovereignty--but the crown of good name

surmounts them all.

rhvz huv 'rnIt vsUvh hc r (dhiIsz vkIg sUnk, ,ddaa 'sUnk,c.

ov ohr,f vak a 'rnIt iIgna hc r,,Ufkn r,fu v bvf r,fu vrIT r,f,

ivhcd k g vkIg cIy oa r ,fu:14. Rabbi Nehora'i would say: Exile yourself to a

place of Torah; do not say that it will come after you,

that your colleagues will help you retain it. Rely not

on your own understanding.

vkId huv 'rnIt ht rIvb hc r (shtIc , thva rnt , ktu vrIT oIenk

W shc vUnheh Wh rcja 'Wh rjt.ktui ga, kt W, bhc:

Rabbi Yannai would say: We have no

comprehension of the tranquility of the wicked,

nor of the suffering of the righteous.

Rabbi Matya the son of Charash would say: Be first

to greet every man. Be a tail to lions, rather than a

head to foxes.

15. tk Ubh shc iht 'r nIt ht bh hc r (uyh rUXhn tk ;tu ohga rv ,ukan

oheh s mv.

oh sen huv 'rnIt Jrj ic t h,n hc rost kf oIkac.',Ihrtk c bz huvu

ohkgUXk Jtr hv, ktu:

16. Rabbi Yaakov would say: This world is

comparable to the antechamber before the World to

Come. Prepare yourself in the antechamber, so that

you may enter the banquet hall.

vzv okIgv 'rnIt ce gh hc r (zytcv okIgv h b pc rIszIr pk vnIS.x bf,a h sf 'rIszIr pc W n m g i e,v

ihke r yk:17. He would also say: A single moment of

repentance and good deeds in this world is greater

than all of the World to Come. And a single moment

of bliss in the World to Come is greater than all of the

present world.

rnIt vhv tUv (zh,,jt vga vph'vzv okIgc ohcIy oha gnU vcUJ,c

tcv okIgv hhj kfn.vga vphu'tcv okIgc jUr , rIe ka ,jt

vzv okIgv hhj kfn:

18. Rabbi Shimon the son of Elazar would say: Do

not appease your friend at the height of his anger; donot comfort him while his dead still lies before him;

do not ask him about his vow the moment he makes

it; and do not endeavor to see him at the time of his

degradation.

kt 'r nIt rzgkt ic iIg na hc r (jh

Ix gf , g ac W rcj ,t v mr,,ky n I,na vgac UBnj b, ktuuh bpk,Ir s b , g ac Ik kt a, ktu,

, g ac I,It rk ks, a, ktuI,keke:



5/6

s"xc19..Samuel the Small would say: "When your enemy

falls, do not rejoice; when he stumbles, let your heart

not be gladdened. Lest G-d see, and it will displeasing

in His eyes, and He will turn His wrath from him [to

you]" (Proverbs 24:17-18.(

rnIt iyev ktUn a (yh)hkansf,(Ik afcU jn a, kt WchIt kp bc

uh bh gc g ru hh vt rh i p 'Wck kdh ktIPt uhkg n ch avu:

20. Elisha the son of Avuyah would say: One who

learns Torah in his childhood, what is this comparableto? To ink inscribed on fresh paper. One who learns

Torah in his old age, what is this comparable to? To

ink inscribed on erased paper.

Rabbi Yossei the son of Judah of Kfar HaBavli would

say: One who learns Torah from youngsters, whom is

he comparable to? To one who eats unripe grapes and

drinks [unfermented] wine from the press. One who

learns Torah from the old, whom is he comparable to?

To one who eats ripened grapes and drinks aged wine.

Said Rabbi Meir: Look not at the vessel, but at what it

contains. There are new vessels that are filled with

old wine, and old vessels that do not even contain

new wine.

snIKv 'rnIt vhUct ic gahkt (f

k g vcU,f Ih sk 'vnIs tUv vnk skhJsj rh b.tUv vnk i ez snIKvueUjn rh b k g vcU,f Ih sk 'vnIs.

hkccv r pf Jht vsUvh rc h xIh hc rtUv vnk oh b yev i n snIKv 'rnItihh v,IJu ,Iv e ohc b g kfItk 'vnIs

ITdn.tUv vnk oh bezv i n snIKvu

v,IJu ,IkUJc ohc b g kfItk 'vnIsiah ihh.

tkt 'i e bec kf,x, kt 'r nIt hc rtkn Jsj i e be Jh /IC Jha vnc

IC iht Jsj UK pta iahu 'iah:

21. Rabbi Elazar HaKapor would say: Envy, lust and

honor drive a man from the world.vt bev 'rnIt rpev rzgkt hc r (tfostv ,t ihth mIn sIcfvu vu t,vu

okIgv i n:



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s"xcHe would also say: Those who are born will

die, and the dead will live. The living will be

judged, to learn, to teach and to comprehend

that He is G-d,

He is the former, He is the creator, He is the

comprehender, He is the judge, He is the witness,

He is the plaintiff, and He will judge. Blessed isHe, for before Him there is no wrong, no

forgetting, no favoritism, and no taking of bribes;

know, that everything is according to the

reckoning. Let not your heart convince you that

the grave is your escape; for against your will you

are formed, against your will you are born,

against your will you live, against your will you

die, and against your will you are destined to givea judgement and accounting before the king, king

of all kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

22. ,Unk oh sIKhv 'rnIt vhv tUv (cf,,Ihjvk oh,nvu,iISk ohhjvu.g shk

'kt tUv a g suvkU gh sIvk

'ihcnv tUv 't rICv tUv 'r mIHv tUv'ihs k gc tUv 's g tUv 'ih sv tUv

ihta 'tUv QUrc iUsk sh,g tUvutku vjf a tku vku g tk uh bpkkfva 'sjIJ jen tku oh bp tIn

IKa.

iICajv h pk kfva g su.,hc kItava W r mh Wjh ych kturmIb v,t Wj rf k ga 'Qk xIbn,

skIb v,t Wj rf k guhj v ,t Wj rf k gu,

,n v,t Wj rf k gu,ih s i ,k sh,g v,t Wj rf k gu

ohfk nv hfkn Qkn h b pk iICajutUv QUrc JIsev:


pirkei avos perek 4

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