Forgetting to Sin (2:2-2:3)
In the second mishna of the second Chapter, Rabban Gamleil III offers some novel and surprising perspectives on work/Torah balance and avoid...
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Eternal Ethics - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Lectures on Pirkei Avos (Chapters of the Fathers)
Episodes
20 of 332 episodesSpiritual Cost-Benefit Analysis (2:1)
In the first mishna of the second chapter of Pirkei Avos, the great Rabbi Judah the Prince offers indispensable life guidance. Who was this...
Why God Maintains the World (1:18)
The final Mishna of the first chapter sounds very similar to its second one. In it we learn the three things upon which the world endures wh...
The Virtues of Silence (1:17)
The next mantle holder of the office of the Nasi, Rabban Shimon Ben Gamliel, teaches us powerful insights on how to become a greater and mor...
Remove All Doubt (1:16)
In this Mishnah, Rabban Gamliel the Elder provides us with a powerful lesson that, if observed, will empower our spiritual lives. This Ethic...
All Action No Talk (1:15)
In this concise teaching, Shammai the Elder manages to inspire and enlighten our understanding of accomplishing human greatness. This Ethics...
Discover You (1:14)
In the third teaching of Hillel the Elder, we discover timeless advice to maximizing life: If I am not for me, who will be for me; when I am...
Spiritual Persistence (1:13)
In his second consecutive teaching, Hillel instructs us regarding the proper attitude to spiritual development and persistence, and the grav...
How to be a Peacemaker (1:11-12)
One of the great legendary figures in Jewish history, Hillel, instructs us to follow the ways of Aaron: To love peace and to pursue it, and...
The Two Elements of Leadership (1:10)
In the tenth Mishna, the leader of the Jews Shemayah, a descendent of the Assyrian king Sanchereb, teaches us about the work, leadership and...
Ethical Judicial Conduct (1:8-1:9)
In the Second Century before the Common Era, the Jewish world was in an upheaval due largely to various splinter sects, such as the Sadducee...
Avoiding Bad Neighbors (1:7)
In the previous mishna we are instructed how to choose positive influences, in this one we are warned of the perils of bad friends and bad n...
Selecting Mentors (1:6)
In the 6th mishna of Pirkei Avos, we learn about the importance of having good mentors and friends, and the prerequisites to make such relat...
Excessive Schmoozing with Women (1:5)
In the fifth mishna we learn about the proper ways to interact with others, especially those less fortunate, in a pious and peril-free manne...
Godly Intellect (1:4)
In the fourth mishna of Pirkei Avos, our sages offer three steps to accessing Torah. In our deconstruction of this teaching we learn about t...
Fostering Lasting Relationships (1:3)
In following the previous mishna which distilled the life objectives to three tenets, Pirkei Avos proceeds to delve into each one individual...
Three-Pronged Purpose (1.2)
The second Mishna in Pirkei Avos features a powerful teaching from one of the pivotal and legendary characters in Jewish History. Shimon HaT...
Elul Initiative: The Book of Ethics (1.1)
The first mishna of Pirkei Avos begins with attributing the first 900 years of the line of transmission of the Torah from Moshe at Sinai unt...
Purpose of Creation (6:11)
With endless praise to the Almighty for all goodness that he has done for us, we hereby present the final episode of the Ethics podcast. We...
God’s Cherished Possessions (6:10)
God owns everything. He created everything and owns it all. But there are some things that God cherishes above others. Our Mishnah describes...