Don't say when I have time I will study, because you might never have time. .......Pirke Avot

Rabbi Kirzner says that many times we think that we should get our act together and then we can change, but really it has to be the other way.  First we have to start making a positive change in our life, then we will start to get our life together.

from a Shiur by Rabbi Kirzner on Aish Audio

Minding our own business.

Who is the strong person... the one who conquers his inclination.    Pirke Avot

Any time I am telling someone else what they should do, telling them what they are doing wrong,

or otherwise sticking my nose where it does not belong, I subtract not only from their recovery efforts, but my own.

Focus only on the present day and hour.

Rabbi Tarfon said: "The day is short, the work is great, the workers are lazy, the wages are high, and the Master is insistent."pirke avot chapter 2 mishna 15

Rabbi Nachman says: How can we meet the heavy quota of the work is great each and every day? The answer is to focus only on today, as the Book of Psalms advises: "Today! If you heed His voice!" (95:7) This is a fundamental rule in the service of Hashem:Focus only on the present day and hour.

from the Breslov Pirke Avot page 104

It is nice to know that our Rabbis have been telling us to take it one day at a time for a very long time. It didn't originate with AA.

You do not have any person who does not have his hour

...He would say: Be not scornful of any person and be not dismissive of any thing, for you do not have any person who does not have his hour and you do not have anything that does not have its place. (Pirkei Avos 4:30)

Because we share on an intimate level with one another, we need to remember that each one of us deserves respect. We may not identify with things that we hear, but it is important to bear in mind that we are all at different points in life's journey. We have diverse experiences to share, and that is precisely why we have so much to gain by connecting.

Don’t Forget About The “Small” Mitzvos!

Sometimes as we grow in our spirituality, we tend to forget the “smaller” spiritual pursuits. When I say ‘forget,’ I mean that we tend to take lightly and not place enough emphasis or give enough chashivus to (what seems to us) the ”smaller” mitzvos. This is a big mistake.

For example, a Chashuv Ben Torah who can explain and expound upon a difficult Rav Akiva Eiger, might be too quick to dismiss the importance in saying the entire karbanos every morning during Shacharis. He might say to himself “anyone can say Karbanos”! However, I’m a Talmid Chacham, this is too small for a person of my stature.. Or, he might not take heed of his outward manners and social behavior.

It is a grave mistake to lack in appreciation for the nuances of our Yiddishkeit which are just as important as we grow, as it is in how it enables us to grow in the first place.

An analogy to explain this, is like a Jew who climbs up to the 10th branch of a tall tree. He looks down and sees how far he’s come and how much he has climbed and he feels a profound sense of accomplishment and empowerment. He thinks to himself, look how much I have achieved, who needs the tree trunk at this point!…and he proceeds to cut the trunk down! Of course, he will naturally fall down with the trunk and smash his head!

We must becareful not to ‘cut down the trunk’ when we grow in our spirituality!

April 19, 2010 by ylevi

Be as careful with a minor mitzva as with a major one.

Be as careful with a minor mitzva as with a major one, for you do not know the rewards ...Pirke Avot

When we are trying to do Hashem's will it is easy to get so involved with the Major Mitzvas that we forget the minor ones. Of course kashrut and Shabbos are important, but that does not mean that we can forget other mitzvas.

In Oa we have to follow every part of the program. We can't say, I'll weigh and measure my food, but I don't want to go to meetings, or make phone calls. We do not know what part of the program is going to bring us health.

Three bad things that remove a person from this world.

R'Elazar HaKappar taught: There are three bad things that remove a person from this world: Jealousy, lust and honor. (Pirkei Avos 4:28)


Until I was able to humble myself and admit, both to myself and others, that I was a compulsive eater, I could not recover. My honor stood in the way. The conversations in my head were full of excuses. The fault was either in the particular day's circumstances and stresses, or the problem was non-existent, at all. I told myself that I was really capable of taking control, when the time would be right for me.

My lust for the substance of my addiction blinded me to the truth. And when I met a person who behaved appropriately around food, my abnormal logic caused me to think that she was unusual. Although I did not consider myself jealous, I'm sure that, in the recesses of my mind, I was guilty of this too.

Today I look back at the folly of my ways.

Seeking wisdom from the right source.

Guest Post
Since it is traditional to begin saying Pirkei Avos after Pesach, I have chosen the following:
R' Yose bar Yehudah of Kfar Habavli taught: If someone learns Torah from the young, what is he like? He is like a person who eats grapes that are not ripe and drinks wine that is not yet ready. But if someone learns Torah from older people, what is he like? He is like a person who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine. (Pirkei Avos 4:26)

When people have been doing something over a long period of time, they develop a depth and scope that is not possible with lesser experience. I benefit from aligning myself with a person of such expertise.

There is a hierarchy in program (OA), which directs us as to who can guide whom. The wisdom of this is expressed in the above Mishnah. If I want success, I need to find a sponsor who understands me, because she has experienced and mastered the same challenges I am faced with.

Pesach Is family time-keep cool.

Judge Every Person Favorably. 
The Mishnah uses the term Kol Adam, which can mean "every person" and also "the whole man".  Even if your friend does not always behave the way he should, consider the whole man.  Surely he has many other fine qualities which outweigh the bad (Sfas Emes).

from:
Breslov Pirkey Avot  page 39
A beautifully compiled compendium of Breslev commentaries and insights on Pirkey Avot, including illuminating stories and examples. Highly, highly recommended.

This is a time of year when we are in close contact with a lot of family members so this insight really hit home.