Reference
Hebrew: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/h/h49.htm
English: http://www.shechem.org/torah/avot.html
THIS IS one of my favorite times of the year, from Pesach's end to Rosh HaShana - it is time for מסכת אבות- also known as Perki Avot (Avos) and Ethics of the Fathers.
Avot comes - like Passover hagadahs and the five megillot ( חמש מגילות) * - in many different forms; all Hebrew/Aramaic, all local language (e.g., English in the US, French in France); in simple paperback versions and in elaborate, illustrated coffee table objets d'art. Some works include commentary from both distant (immediate post-Talmudic period) and contemporary sources. Avot also is found in many, perhaps most, sidurim (prayer books). Not being a Rothschild, my copies of Avot are of the simple variety, but the wisdom is the same regardless of cost. (Don't misunderstand, I'll gladly accept an objet d' art, but I'll "make do" with the versions I have.)
The Hebrew of Avot is generally fairly simple, almost "עברית קלה".
One of my favorites, Shammai, pops up in Chapter 1 (Verse 15), with passing references elsewhere.
Avot has five chapters; most are chronological in order, from Chapter 1 Verse 1 (Moses received the Torah from Sinai) to Chapter 4 Verses 28 and 29 (Eleazar ha-Kappar used to say ) , but the fifth chapter is a "catch all."
Most "traditional" - read "orthodox" if you must - congregations read one chapter each Shabat, repeating the chapters as a set until Rosh HaShana. For all that, any time of year is suitable for Avot, and it can be taken in any quantity - a verse or several, or a chapter or several.
It is unfortunate that probably in most congregations the chapter of the week is read sans any discussion of either how the verses may apply to us today or any enlightenment about the luminaries that are credited with the wisdom.
The latter issue - gaining a little knowledge of the people cited - is easily remedied by acquiring a book titled "Masters of the Talmud " ** It may be available at your local synagogue or public library; as this is prepared, Amazon claims to have several copies available.
One of the reasons I enjoy Avot is because we get a glimpse, albeit a very abbreviated glimpse, of Shammai that gives a hint that he was far from the curmudgeon that he often is portrayed in comparison to his partner-in-learning, Hillel.
In chapter 1, Verse 15, Shammai tells us "Make your study of the Torah a fixed habit. Say little and do much, and receive all men with a cheerful face."
Any one who digs deeper into the Talmud than Avot will find that Shammai actually was a bit of a liberal on some things.
Chapter 5, Verse 20 reminds us that the debates between Bet Shammai (Shammai's school) and Bet Hillel were welcome debates; Which controversy was an example of being waged in the service of G-d? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which was not for G-d? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his company.
It is said - and this is only incidental to Avot - that because Hillel was "less severe" in his rulings than Shammai, we follow Hillel now, but when the mashich (messiah) comes, we will follow Shammai.
In any - and all - event(s), this is one of my favorite times of the year. Mimunah followed by Avot; it doesn't get much better than that.
* Esther (Purim), Ruth (Shavuot), Lamentations (9th of Av), Ecclesiastics (Sukot), Song of Songs (for Sefardim, every Friday night; for others it is associated with Pesach/Passover).
** Masters of the Talmud, Alfred J. Kolatch, Jonathan David Publishers, ISBN 0-8246-0434-2, Copyright 2003.
