Ponderings of the Perkei Avot 1:4

RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot

Chapter 1:4

By: Yehudah ben Shomeyr

1:4. Yossei the son of Yoezer of Tzreidah, and Yossei the son of Yochanan of Jerusalem, received the tradition from them. Yossei the son of Yoezer of Tzreidah would say: Let your home be a meeting place for the wise; dust yourself in the soil of their feet, and drink thirstily of their words.

A House can be several things:

On and individual level: Your Soul, your Neshamah is a house; for when your faith and practices, for your beliefs and convictions.

When you receive teachings of Torah you make a home for it in your Soul, to live, to grow to thrive.

When you reject the teachings of Torah, you slam the door in its face. Who is ultimately the Torah? YESHUA the MESSIAH! HE is the Living manifestation of the Written Torah.

Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law (Torah): and nothing shall offend them.

A House can be a family line:

For example, “The House of David” refers to the Kingly line, the Messianic line, we can read about the family tree of David, the House of David in several places in the Tanak and the Brit Chadasha.

A House can also be and as is the meaning in our text, a Physical Dwelling:

 Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Yeshua answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Marta (Martha) received Yeshua into her physical dwelling (v. 38)

Miriam (Mary) received Yeshua into her Neshama (Soul) house. (v.39)

John 5:5-17 Now Yeshua loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Yeshua spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Yeshua unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Yeshua came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

 Marta, Miriam and Lazarus received Yeshua AND His Talmidim (disciples) into their “Linage House”. Yeshua, His Talmidim and Marta, Miriam and Lazarus were one big Mishpocha (Family), and shared in each others joys and sorrows.

So this passage of the Perkei Avot could also be saying to us to make the Sages and their teachings apart of our family tradition and heritage to pass along from generation to generation.

Shalom,

-- Yehudah ben Shomeyr