Category Archives: Ethics of the Fathers 2025

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Nocturnal Opportunities (3:5)

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Rabbi Chananya ben Chakhinai says: One who stays awake at night, and one who wanders on a road alone, and turns his heart to idleness, behold he is liable with his life.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 25, 2018

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Paging the Divine Presence (3:3-4)

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In successive teachings, our Sages share with us a way to usher ourselves into the Presence of the Almighty. It really is that simple.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 18, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Antidotes to Anarchy (3:2)

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What would happen without a police force to maintain law and order? Is there any other way to prevent society from crumbling without police power? These are the questions we explore in the somewhat unsettling second mishna of chapter 3.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 4, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Avoiding Sin: The Authoritative Guide (3:1)

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It is not often that our Sages offer us any kind of fail-safe formula. In the first mishna of the third chapter, Akaviah Ben Mehalalel provides for us a guaranteed method to avoid sinning. It is a good idea to listen carefully to his words.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 28, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Do Your Job (2:20-21)

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There are many excuses to shirk our spiritual responsibilities. In the final two mishnayos of Chapter 2, Rabbi Tarfon rebuts them one by one.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 21, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Answering the Heretics (2:19)

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Rabbi Elazar Ben Arach was the prized student of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai, but he chose to chart his own path in life and not to join the rest of his colleagues in Yavneh.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 14, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Relationship or Ritual? (2:18)

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What is the optimal relationship between man and God? How is man supposed to view himself? These questions and several others are addressed in Chapter 2, Mishna 18 of Pirkei Avos.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Oct 7, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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The Ultimate Meritocracy (2:17) + TORCH 2025 Fundraiser

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 21:24 — 9.8MB)

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Please support the Ethics Podcast by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org

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Support the Ethics Podcast by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation!

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In a short, succinct Mishna, Rabbi Yose shares timeless lessons regarding the proper way to treat other people’s money, how Torah greatness is a meritocracy, and perhaps the most central insight of Jewish spirituality.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Sep 17, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Choose Your World (2:16) + Annual TORCH Fundraiser

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 53:40 — 24.6MB)

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Please support the Ethics Podcast by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org

This is our only annual fundraiser.

Every donation is DOUBLED!

Support the Ethics Podcast by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation!

This is the LINK for the Fundraiser.

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This mishna marks the first of three times in Pirkei Avos where the phrase “is removed from the world” is assigned to people who exhibit certain attitudes or behaviors. In this podcast we suggest a novel approach to explain that term.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 27, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Tempering Temper (2:15)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 52:44 — 29.7MB)

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In this Mishna, one of the most fascinating characters of the Mishnaic era teaches eternal lessons on how to deploy anger properly and how to ensure that our spiritual affairs are in order before we meet our Creator.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 20, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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Finding Your Magic Bullet (2:13-14)

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Two thousand years ago the great Sage Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai instructed his five prime disciples to undertake a unique mission. This mission and their discoveries can still offer us life-changing wisdom.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Aug 6, 2018

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DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

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