Pirkei Avot, Chapter 1
Text for discussions – Chapter 1
First session: introduction and the first verse of the chapter.
Second session: Discussing the second verse of the chapter.
Third session: Comparing Mishnah 2 to Mishnah 18, and continuing to Mishnah 4.
Forth session: unfortunately, I forgot to record it… Sorry!
Fifth session: Continuing with Mishnayot 6, 9, 10 and 12 (just introduced 12, to be further discussed).
Sixth session: Continued study of the first chapter, focusing on the teachings of Hillel in Mishnayot 12 and 14.
Seventh session: finishing up the first chapter, We also started Mishnah 1 of chapter 2… and will come back to it in depth at the beginning of the next session.
Pirkei Avot, Chapter 2
Text for discussions – Chapter 2
Eighth session: Starting with the second chapter, the first few Mishnayot. The source sheet can be found here.
Ninth session: in this session we focused on Mishnah 4. This Mishnah holds the teachings of both Rabbi Gamliel (the 3rd) and Rabbi Hillel. We’ll continue with the teachings of Hillel next session. The source sheet can be found here.
Tenth session: in this session we continued with Mishnah 4 and the words of Hillel. We reviewed the appearances of Mishnah 5 in Mesilat Yesharim (the paths of the upright by Lutzatto).
Eleventh session: in this session we continued with Mishnah 6, the words of Hillel. We tried to understand the hidden meaning by looking at the cocluding song of the Pesaḥ Seder, the Ḥad Gadia. We started with Mishnah 7
Twelfth session: in this session we continued with Mishnah 7 about what is bad in having much of it, and what is good in having much of it. We continued with the Mishnah about the students of Rabbo Yoḥanan Ben Zakai.