In Pirkei Avot - a compilation of rabbinic wisdom and teaching in Chapter 6: Section 6 we read:
"Torah is great than the Priesthood, than kingship, for Kingship is acquired through 30 steps, the Priesthood through 24 steps and the Torah/Torah is acquired through 48 steps and these are they..."
I am going to include a listing here based on a translation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, my first order of business will be some work on this translation but each week I am going to focus on one of these qualities and study of it. Does it still work for us today? What value, principle can we learn from the form and how can we work on sharpening that quality in our daily life? How does it really help us to "acquire Torah"?
Without further ado...48 steps these are they:
1. Study
2. Attentive listening
3. Well-ordered speech
4. Intuitive understanding
5. A discerning mind
6. Awe
7. Reverence
8. Humility
9. Joy
10. Serving the wise
11. Association with colleagues
12. Debate with students
13. Serenity
14. Knowledge of Scripture and Mishnah
15. Minimizing time spent on business
16. Minimizing worldly matters
17. Minimizing pleasure
18. Minimizing sleep
19. Minimizing small talk
20. Patience
21. A kindly heart
22. Faith in the Sages
23. Acceptance of suffering
24. Knowing one's place
25. Being happy with one's lot
26. Restraining one's words
27. Claiming no credit for oneself
28. Being loved
29. Loving God
30. Loving human beings
31. Loving righteousness
32. Loving justice
33. Loving admonishment
34. Shunning honors
35. Avoiding arrogance in one's learning or delight in giving decisions
36. Sharing someone else's burden
37. Giving a person the benefit of the doubt
38. Guiding other human beings to truth
39. Guiding other human beings to peace
40. Concentrating on one's study
41. Asking questions
42. Answering questions
43. Listening and adding to one's knowledge
44. Learning in order to teach
45. Learning in order to do
46. Making one's teacher wise
47. Being precise in one's studies
48. Reporting a saying in the name of the one who said it
Some questions to think about for now:
- Most interesting one?
- Most challenging? Problematic?
- One you are most passionate about?
Signing off for now.
1 comment:
I find it interesting that being precise in studies is so far down the list. How does this jibe with a good knowledge of Mishnah if your knowledge is not precise?
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