Parshas Shemini
By Rabbi Dovid Zauderer
From at least the era of Saadia Gaon (10th century C.E.), it has been the time-honored custom of the Jewish people to study one chapter a week of the tractate Pirkei Avos (“Ethics of the Fathers”) – this year starting on this weekend - on each of the six Sabbaths between Passover and Shavuos. The tractate is comprised of six chapters. However, the prevalent custom nowadays is to continue studying a chapter a week all through the summer months until Rosh Hashanah, thus completing the entire Pirkei Avos a number of times.
Pirkei Avos is unique among the tractates of the Talmud. While all the other tractates focus primarily on clarifying the Halachah (Jewish law) in all areas of the Torah, only Avos deals exclusively with the Hashkafas HaTorah (Jewish philosophical worldview) of our Sages, with their lessons for life, and with the Torah morals and ethics they wished to impart to their students and to all of us.
According to our tradition, the 49-day period between Passover, when our ancestors left Egypt, and Shavuos, when they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and received the Torah, was a time of spiritual preparation and growth, as the Jewish people wanted to make sure they were on the right level to appreciate the Torah they were about to receive. As such, these weeks are the perfect time to learn Pirkei Avos, the study of which is sure to enhance and elevate our understanding of G-d, His Torah and ourselves.
Here is one example of the many deep, insightful and life-changing Torah teachings that you will find in this amazing book:
The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (4:21) states: “This world is like a lobby before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.”
This teaching of our Sages talks to the all-important idea that this world is not all there is. In fact, this world is only a small “lobby” or preparation stage before the eternity that is the World to Come.
Rabbi Pesach Pruskin ZT”L (1879-1939) illustrates this concept with a powerful parable:
Three people who saved the king’s life were rewarded with permission to enter the royal treasury for one day and take whatever they wanted. The king’s inner circle was jealous of the three rescuers and decided to stop them from enjoying their good fortune. On the appointed day, the courtiers gave a lavish party in honor of the three “heroes.” with tables full of delicacies and wine, they were sure they could divert the attention of the three, if not induce them to drink themselves into a stupor.
On the day of the feast, the conspirators provided food, drink, and endless compliments about the heroism of the rescuers. The most intelligent of the three was not impressed. “Who needs their food and accolades? It won’t make me wealthy.” Not wasting a minute, he left the banquet hall and hurried to the treasury, where he filled his sacks with gold, silver, and other precious items. By nightfall he had enough wealth to last a few lifetimes.
The second rescuer, not as perceptive as the first, was seduced by the great praise of his heroism and succulent aroma of the feast. Surrounded by the king’s officers and advisors, he enjoyed the royal banquet and forgot why he was in the palace. Suddenly, he remembered the king’s offer! “The day is almost over, and I haven’t taken any of the king’s riches!” Excusing himself from revelry, he rushed to the treasury. Working frantically, he was able to amass a respectable fortune before nightfall.
The third hero was totally blinded by the overtures of the royal circle. After a long day of eating, drinking, and merriment, he collapsed into a drunken slumber, exactly as the royal advisors had hoped. When he finally awoke, night had fallen, and the opportunity had been squandered. He was forced to return home empty-handed.
Similarly, this is the world of opportunity. G-d gives us carte blanche to collect the most precious items in His treasury- Torah study and mitzvos. At the same time, the King’s servant- man’s Evil Inclination - stages a lavish party for him, full of food, drink, and all the other pleasures of this world, in order to make him forget why he is here, and to prevent him from partaking of the royal wealth.
An intelligent person is not blinded by the pleasures of this world; he remembers his purpose and goes immediately to enrich himself spiritually. He knows the real honor will come in the next world. Others wake up only during mid-life; then, they repent the sins of their youth and make up for lost time, so that by the end of their lives they are able to amass a respectable fortune of spiritual accomplishments.
The unfortunate people in the last category, however, intoxicated by the heady wine of the good life, squander away their lives. Excited by a false sense of self-importance, they place their hopes in the wisdom of those who honor them, and believe that the prestige they enjoy is authentic. They indulge mindlessly in the worldly banquet, and do not come to their senses until it is too late. They return to their Maker empty handed.
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