Sunday, May 14, 2006

life at a macro level. according to avos

During sefiras haomer there is a custom to study pirkei avos, ethics of our fathers.
This week is the 4th chapter and I wanted to share with you the last mishna.
It is very powerful and basically sums up life from a macro perspective. I highly recommend the 4th chapter as it is chock full of good advice. Included are the basis for such sayings as "every dog has its day" and "Who is wise? one who learns from everyone. It gives advice on interpersonal relations: Don't try to appease a person at the peak of his anger and don't try to offer comfort when his dead is lying in front of him.

The final mishna (in English):

Those that were born will die and those that are dead will live and those that are living will be judged.

To know and to inform that He is God, He is the Fashioner, He is the Creator, He understands, He is the Judge, He is the Witness, He is the Plaintiff and in the future He will judge.

Blessed is He, before whom there is no injustice, no forgetfulness, no favoritism, and no acceptance of bribery, for everything is His. And you should know that everything is on account.
Don't convince yourself that the grave will be an escape for you - for against your will you were created, against your will you were born, against your will you live, against your will you die, and against your will you are destined to give an account before the King of all kings, the Holy One, Blessed is He.

1 comment:

kasamba said...

Powerful post!
That is one mishna that is the best deterent anyone could ever need!