RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 2:6-7
By: Yehudah ben Shomeyr
“He would also
say: A boor cannot be sin-fearing, an ignoramus cannot be pious, a bashful one
cannot learn, a short-tempered person cannot teach, nor does anyone who does
much business grow wise. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.”
Much of this is
pretty self explanatory. The thrust of this passage is to be diligent in Torah
study and be ready to apply what you have learned and do not be afraid to ask
questions for this is how we learn.
I love the last
sentence. It is EVERY Jews responsibility to be a leader when called upon or
when the situation demands it. There is no such thing as a sideline, bench
warming Jew. Jew is a VERB. It’s more than what we are; it’s what we do that
defines us in the eyes of the world.
“He also saw a
skull floating upon the water. Said he to it: Because you drowned others, you
were drowned; and those who drowned you, will themselves be drowned.”
Matt.
26:52 Then said Yeshua unto him (Kefa/Peter), Put up again thy sword
into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Yes, there is such
a thing as Jewish Karma:
“Do to others as
you would have them do to you” – Yeshua, Matthew 7:1
Watch out, they
way you judge someone else will come back to bite you in the tuchas, so be
careful what you say about others.
Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben
Shomeyr