No community start suggestion yet.
Why does Avos 5:22 contrast Avrohom's students with Bilaam's rather than Moshe's? The shiur explains through the Rambam (רמב"ם) that Moshe's mission included preserving Avrohom's values of tzedakah u'mishpat. The three traits - ayin tovah, ruach nemucha, and nefesh shefla - form the national character Jews must cultivate: eliminating jealousy to enable genuine charity, living below one's means to avoid making others uncomfortable, and respecting others' superior qualities.
This shiur provides an in-depth analysis of Mishna Avos 5:22 (referred to as Chaf Beis in the siddur), which states that whoever possesses three traits - ayin tovah (good eye), ruach nemucha (humble spirit), and nefesh shefla (lowly soul) - is a disciple of Avrohom Avinu, while their opposites characterize disciples of Bilaam HaRasha. Rabbi Zweig begins by addressing a fundamental question: why does the Mishna contrast Avrohom with Bilaam when Chazal typically present Bilaam as the opposite of Moshe Rabbeinu? He explains through the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s Laws of Idolatry that Moshe's mission included preserving the values of Avrohom Avinu. The Rambam describes how the knowledge of Hashem (ה׳) passed from Avrohom through Yitzchok, Yaakov, and Levi, nearly disappeared in Egypt, until Hashem sent Moshe to restore both the Torah (תורה) and Avrohom's legacy. The Torah itself states that Hashem chose Avrohom because He knew Avrohom would command his descendants to follow the path of Hashem through tzedakah u'mishpat (charity and justice).
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Pirkei Avos
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does Avos 5:23 mention two types of strength - az kanemer and gibor kari - rather than being redundant? The shiur reveals that these represent fundamentally different leadership styles: oz is aggressive initiative-taking (Reuven's original model), while gibor is patient servant-leadership through self-restraint. This distinction explains the transfer of kingship from Reuven to Yehuda and establishes the template for Jewish leadership.
Why is silence called a "fence for wisdom" in Avos 3:13, and why is a healthy body found only in silence? The shiur develops the principle that speech can emanate from either the intellect or the body's physical drives. When speech expresses physical impulses rather than refined thought, the body gains independent momentum and man deteriorates from "adam" (person) into "basar" (flesh)—the transformation that occurred at the flood.
Why does the Mishna say there are three crowns when it lists four, and why is Kesser Shem Tov superior to the crowns of Torah, Kehunah, and Malchus? The shiur explains that Shem Tov means becoming the living definition of what's humanly possible—like Hillel, Rabbi Elazar ben Charsum, and Yosef HaTzaddik—so others see in you the true standard of halacha and mesirus nefesh. Chanukah celebrates this middah, as the Chashmonaim became the model of devotion, and the Menorah represents the Kesser Shem Tov that rises above all others.
Pirkei Avos 5:22
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Why does Avos 5:23 compare proper middos to being 'light as the eagle' when eagles aren't particularly light? The Tur connects this to shemiras ha'einayim, but the deeper lesson involves how we look at others. The eagle's gentle care for its young teaches us to see without possessiveness - viewing people as independent beings deserving respect rather than objects for our use.
