Pirke Avot: The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers — Context and Discussion

The Opening: A Chain of Transmission

The first chapter begins with a famous chain: “Moses received the Torah on Sinai, and handed it down to Joshua; Joshua to the elders; the elders to the prophets.” This opening immediately establishes the work’s core concern—the transmission of authority and tradition. The note on “Massorah” (from the root masar, “to hand over”) explains that this chain is not merely historical but defines the very concept of tradition in Judaism. The reader is thus primed to see each subsequent saying as a link in a deliberate, authoritative sequence. The translator’s footnote on R. Akiba, for instance, details how he “compiled and systematized the traditional law” and was a “forerunner of R. Judah ha-Nasi,” whose Mishnah is the source of this text. This framing encourages the reader to view the sayings not as isolated aphorisms but as nodes in a living, developing tradition.

The Middle: Commentary as Counterpoint

As the reader progresses, the footnotes increasingly dominate the page. For example, a note on tithes cites a Talmudic play on words: “give tithes in order that thou mayest become rich” (from Shabbat 119a and Taanit 9a). Another note, on the phrase “make a fence around the Torah,” links it to the concept of Massorah and traditional interpretation. The translator frequently cross-references other chapters (e.g., “Cf. chapter I, 1” and “Cf. chapter I, 17”), creating an internal web that rewards sequential reading but can also be consulted piecemeal. The density of these notes—some running to several paragraphs—means that the middle sections feel less like a collection of sayings and more like a scholarly dialogue between the text and its interpreters. A first-time reader may find it helpful to read a saying first, then the note, and then return to the saying to see how the commentary reframes it.

The Later Excerpts: Ethical Maxims and Practical Wisdom

Later chapters contain pithy ethical directives: “The world is compared to the office of a merchant” (note 58), and “do many small deeds of charity rather than one great deed of goodness” (note 57, citing Maimonides). The translator’s notes here draw on biblical proof texts (e.g., Ecclesiastes 9:12, “for man also knoweth not his time”) and rabbinic sources, grounding the maxims in a broader scriptural and legal framework. One note discusses the tension between divine omniscience and free will, referencing Maimonides’ Shemonah Perakim. These later sections thus shift from the chain-of-transmission theme to applied ethics, but the commentary remains thick. The reader is never allowed to forget that these sayings are part of a larger system of thought. The presence of a “PAGE REFERENCE INDEX” at the end further signals that the edition is designed for study and cross-reference, not just casual browsing.

The Translator’s Voice and the Reader’s Path

Gorfinkle’s preface and notes reveal a translator who is both a scholar and a pedagogue. He acknowledges his debts to Taylor and Singer, but his own voice emerges in the selection and framing of notes. For instance, his note on R. Akiba is a mini-biography that includes Akiba’s role in “fixing the canon of the Old Testament” and his death “with the Shema upon his lips.” This is not neutral annotation; it shapes the reader’s perception of Akiba as a heroic figure. Similarly, the note on “ger tzedek” (righteous proselyte) and the explanation of “kabbalah” as correlative with “Massorah” show a concern with defining key terms. A first reader should be aware that the translator is not merely transmitting a text but also curating a tradition. The edition’s structure—with the Hebrew text relegated to an appendix—further emphasizes the English translation and commentary as the primary experience for the reader.

For a first reading, consider approaching this edition as a guided tour rather than a straightforward anthology. Read each saying, then immediately consult the footnote; the commentary often contains the interpretive key. The cross-references and index invite you to follow threads across chapters, but the work can also be opened at random. The density of the notes means that the book rewards slow, deliberate reading. Pay attention to the translator’s choices in vocabulary and his biographical sketches—they reveal the values he sees in the text. Above all, remember that this is a translation from 1920, and its scholarly apparatus reflects the concerns of its time, not necessarily the original context of the Mishnah.

There is a peculiar patience in the old rabbis' measured sayings, a trust that wisdom arrives slowly. I recall feeling that same unhurried breath while shelving Pirke Avot's commentary. It reminded me of another quiet, skeptical companion—Cock Lane and Common-Sense — Reading Notes—where common sense itself becomes a kind of ancient, whispering text.