Pirkei Avot Quotes

It is not up to you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?

It is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.

In Pirkei Avot4 we learn that “the world stands on three things: on the Torah, on the service of God, and upon acts of loving-kindness.

The Mishna Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1 teaches: “Who is wise? He who learns from every person.

Shimon ben Azai said: Do not despise any person, and do not dismiss any thing, for there is no one who does not have his hour, and no thing that does not have its place.  Pirkei Avot 4:3

THE MORE POSSESSIONS, the more worries” (Pirkei Avot 2:7). Do not think that your wealth and property will allow you to live happily and well. On the contrary—you will be caught up in taking care of them all year round. Any intelligent person can tell you that this is so, and any wealthy person can confirm it. —RABBEINU YONAH OF GERONDI (D. 1263)

THERE ARE FOUR TYPES of temperaments. One who is easily angered and easily appeased—his virtue cancels his flaw. One whom it is difficult to anger and difficult to appease—his flaw cancels his virtue. One whom it is difficult to anger and is easily appeased, is pious. One who is easily angered and is difficult to appease, is wicked. —PIRKEI AVOT 5:11

Compassion is the feeling of sympathy which the pain of one being awakens in another; and the higher and more human the beings are, the more keenly attuned they are to re-echo the note of suffering, which, like a voice from heaven, penetrates the heart, bringing all creatures a proof of their kinship in the universal God. And as for man, whose function it is to show respect and love for God's universe and all its creatures, his heart has been created so tender that it feels with the whole organic world . . .mourning even for fading flowers; so that, if nothing else, the very nature of his heart must teach him that he is required above everything to fe the brother of all beings, and to recognize the claim of all beings to his love and his beneficence. Horeb, Chapter 17, Verse 125

As God is merciful, so you also be merciful. As he loves and cares for all His creatures and His children and are related to Him, because He is their Father, so you also love all His creatures as your brethren. Let their joys be your joys, and their sorrows yours. Love them and with every power which God gives you, work for their welfare and benefit, because they are the children of your God, because they are your brothers and sisters.

The choices one makes—positive over negative, deliberation over haste—have consequential implications for one’s character. Ultimately, whether we achieve spiritual heights in this world (and the next) rests upon each choice that we nominate to actualize. Living creatures have been given the blessing of free will; but if we don’t exercise it, it will atrophy.

Truth is not always identical to justice, and it is often incompatible with peace. Think of the daily white lies and unspoken criticism which protect peace in the family or the workplace. The ideal society will reconcile all three principles. For the sake of peace one may yield some aspect of justice or, for the sake of justice one may override some aspect of peace.

If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And when I am for myself, then what am “I”? And if not now, when?

Compassion is the feeling of sympathy which the pain of one being awakens in another; and the higher and more human the beings are, the more keenly attuned they are to re-echo the note of suffering, which, like a voice from heaven, penetrates the heart, bringing all creatures a proof of their kinship in the universal God. And as for man, whose function it is to show respect and love for God's universe and all its creatures, his heart has been created so tender that it feels with the whole organic world . . .mourning even for fading flowers; so that, if nothing else, the very nature of his heart must teach him that he is required above everything to feel himself the brother of all beings, and to recognize the claim of all beings to his love and his beneficence. Horeb, Chapter 17, Verse 125

If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am for my self only, what am I?

The trouble with people is that they want to change overnight and have a good night’s sleep that night, too.

If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?” (Pirkei Avot 1:14)

Pru knew these verses, too. He who learns as a child, what is that like? It’s like ink written on new paper. And he who learns as an old person, what is that like? It’s like ink written on erased paper. She’d studied Pirkei Avot with her father, a chapter a week on Shabbat afternoons. The rabbi stepped back into the sanctuary.

Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: “From all who taught me have I gained understanding” (Psalms 119:99). Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination, as it is said: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2) “You shall be happy” in this world, “and you shall prosper” in the world to come. Who is he that is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings as it is said: “For I honor those that honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored” (I Samuel 2:30).

Serving God requires rejecting idolatry, embracing a Torah of ethical conviction requires rejecting harmful sexual relationships, and embracing the mandate to act kindly requires one to reject all forms of oppression.

my life question should not be “What do I want to receive?” but “Who do I want to be?” I realized that what mattered more than acquisition was character development.

Imagine if someone came to you and offered to give you $86,400 every day for the rest of your life. The only condition is that you had to spend every penny each day and that you wouldn’t be able to save a dime. This is what God has given us: 86,400 seconds each day, not one of which can be recovered. Each moment counts.

Our existential quest, then, is to transcend the distractions of meaningless digital ephemera that have become our companions and to regain the virtues of true friendship.

Which is the right path for man to choose for himself? Whatever is harmonious for the one who does it, and harmonious for mankind.

Make your Torah study a permanent fixture of your life. Say little and do much. And receive every man with a pleasant countenance.

The day is short, the work is much, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master is pressing.

Make that His will should be your will, so that He should make your will to be as His will. Nullify your will before His will, so that He should nullify the will of others before your will.

Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress.