RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 5:15-16
By Yehudah ben Shomeyr
“There are four
types of student. One who is quick to understand and quick to forget--his flaw
cancels his virtue. One who is slow to understand and slow to forget--his
virtue cancels his flaw. One who is quick to understand and slow to forget--his
is a good portion. One who is slow to understand and quick to forget--his is a
bad portion.”
Which one are you?
Which one do you want to become? The choice is yours; it is in your hand to
decide which student you will be.
“There are four
types of contributors to charity. One who wants to give but does not want
others to give--is begrudging of others. One who wants that others should give
but does not want to give--begrudges himself. One who wants that he as well as
others should give, is a chassid. One who want neither himself nor
others to give, is wicked.”
If we are honest
with ourselves I know we can remember times when we were one or more of the
givers described above. The first one just wants the prestige of giving and
being praised as the only one who opened their pocket book and heart to give.
Someone else giving would take that away from him and he’d just be a regular
contributor. The second thinks, he has too many problems and needs of his own.
He is his own charity case and hasn’t the time to worry about others. Others
will stand in the gap and take care of others; I have to focus on me he says.
The third is more concerned about the cause and the people who benefits from it
than to care about what he has or how “good” he looks in others eyes, this is
truly the way to be. The final person describes speaks for itself.
Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben
Shomeyr
