This is intended to be a companion to the selections from Pirke Avot that were first provided at this website in both Hebrew and English, but without any commentary. As the most well known and beloved of all the rabbinic writings, Pirke Avot has inspired numerous commentaries. The maxims, principals of conduct, and moral teachings of the sages collected in Pirke Avot, have their origin or parallel in the Hebrew Bible.Talmud and Midrash also contain many parallels as well. They often provide remarkable insights and instruction. I have selected and used those I found to be most enriching, of the ones available to me.
 

Simon the Just was a survivor of the Great Knesset: "He said that the world stands upon three things: Torah, worship, and loving deeds."
 

"These three things draw the Divine Presence to dwell among us. Through Torah and kind deeds, Israel fulfills the intent of the verse "Let us make humanity in Our image, after Our likeness (Genesis 1:26), and thereby are deemed worthy to be called God's children." Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (Italy 1470-1550), Torah commentator and philosopher , hereafter cited as "Sforno".
 

"The wisdom of Torah, the observance of its precepts, and the moral virtues inherent in deeds of lovingkindess, maintain proper human existence and the perpetual improvement of the world."Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, also known as "Maimonides", and as "Rambam" (Spain, Egypt 1135-1204), perhaps the greatest Jewish philosopher, known for his monumental commentary on Jewish law, the 'Mishnah Torah', hereafter cited as "Maimonides".
 

"The world was created by loving kindness alone." Avot de Rabbi Natan 20a, a kind of gemara and elaboration of Pirke Avot's collection of ethical maxims, perhaps 8th century C.E., hereafter cited as "ARN".
 

One time, when Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was walking in Jerusalem with Rabbi Yehosua, they arrived at where the Temple now stood in ruins. "Woe to us" cried Rabbi Yehosua, 'for this house where atonement was made for Israel's sins now lies in ruins!' Answered Rabban Yochanan, "We have another, equally important source of atonement, the practice of gemilut hasadim (loving kindness), as it is stated 'I desire loving kindness and not sacrifice''" ARN 20a
 
 
 

Jose ben Yochanan of Jerusalem says: "Let your house be opened wide, and let the poor be members of your household."
 

Rabbi Abin said: "The poor man stands at your door and the Holy One stands at his right hand." Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 34:9
 

"It is reported of Rav Huna that when he sat down to a meal, he opened his door and exclaimed, 'whoever is in need, let him enter and eat'." Talmud Babli, Taanit 20b, hereafter cited as "T.B."
 

"Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Eleazar both explain that as long as the Temple stood, the altar atoned for Israel, but now, one's table atones"(when the poor are invited as guests). T.B. Berachot 55a
 

Joshua ben Perachya said: "Provide a teacher for yourself, acquire a companion (for study), and judge everyone equitably (lit. "in the scale of merit")."
 
 
 

"The term rav, 'teacher', can also be defined as 'master' and refers to oneself, rather than an external master. Master yourself! So that your actions reflect Torah and its values." Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter of Ger, known as the Sfas Emet, (1847-1905), hereafter cited as "Sfas Emet". note: The Hebrew for "provide a teacher for yourself", is literally "make yourself a teacher".
 

"As his father gave him life in this world, his teacher, who instructs him in wisdom, secures for him life in the world to come." Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Halchot Talmud Torah
 

Rabbi Samuel ben Nachmani said in Rabbi Jonathan's name: "One who teaches Torah to another's child, is regarded as though he were the parent." T.B. Sanhedrin 19b
 

The friend or companion who you acquire should be one "whom your soul trusts". Maimonides
 

"If two sit together and are engaged in the study of Torah, their reward is set aside for them in heaven." ARN 21b
 

If you do not know whether a person is either righteous or evil, and you see him doing or saying something that might be interpreted either as good or evil, accept him as being good and do not consider him to be evil.  Maimonides
 

"Whoever preserves a single soul of Israel, is ascribed merit as though having preserved a complete world." T.B. Sanhedrin 37a
 

Shemayah said: "Love work, hate dominance and avoid intimacy with the ruling power."
 

Rabbi Tarfon said: "Even God did not cause the Divine Presence to dwell in Israel until some work was performed: as it is said 'And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them'(Exodus 25:8)." ARN 22b
 

Seeking position, authority and familiarity with the powerful impairs faith and leads to corruption, as one is concerned only with what promotes ambition. Maimonides
 

Rabbi Jose said: "Go down and you will be up, go up and you will be down. One who exalts oneself by the knowledge of Torah will in the end be brought low; one who humbles oneself by knowledge of Torah will in the end be exalted." ARN 22b
 

"No one should put a crown on his own head; as it is said 'Let another praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips (Proverbs 27:2)." ARN 22b
 

Hillel said: "Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them nearer to Torah."
 

"What is hateful to you, do not do to another; that is the whole Torah, the rest is commentary, go and learn it." T.B. Shabbat 31a
 

"Who is the one who desires life, and loves days to see the good in them? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile, depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Psalm 34:13-15
 

Rabbi Joshua said: "Great is peace, for when Israel stood at Sinai and declared, 'all that the Eternal has spoken we will do and obey', God rejoiced in them, gave them Torah and blessed them with peace; as it is stated 'The Eternal will give strength to God's people, the Eternal will bless God's people with peace'."Perek HaShalom 59b
 

He used to say: "A name made great is a name destroyed; who does not add to his knowledge decreases it; who does not study deserves to die and who makes worldly use of the crown of Torah shall fade away."
 

"Honor flees the one who pursues it and pursues the one who flees it." T.B. Erubin 13b
 

He also used to say: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
 

It is not enough to perfect oneself, but we must strive to perfect the entire universe. Sfas Emet
 

"You must not allow a mitzvah to become sour by postponing it." Mekhilta 21
 

"If I do not work at perfecting myself today, I may not get the chance tomorrow. Even if I do, today's chance to serve God has been lost, never to return." Rabbi Jonah ben Abraham, (Spain 1200-1263), commentator and moralist, quoted by Rabbi Chaim Stern, Pirke Avot, 1997 Ktav Publishing House, Inc.
 

Shammai said: "Make your study of Torah a regular habit, say little and do much, and receive everyone with a cheerful smile."
 

"What one learns should be performed and taught to others, that they too may perform it...
One who receives another with a cheerful countenance, though unable to give anything else, has presented that person with the most precious gifts in the world." ARN 23b
 

"Make the study of Torah the foundation of your life and let the rest be secondary." Maimonides
 

Simon the son of Rabban Gamaliel said:  "All my life I was raised among the Sages and I have found nothing better than silence; it is not the study (of Torah) but its practice that is the essence, and whoever talks excessively causes sin."
 

"The Torah was given on Mount Sinai amid silence. No bird sang or flew, no ox lowed, no creature spoke. The sea did not roar, the world was silent and still." Midrash Exodus Rabbah 29:9
 

"Concerning those who are insulted but do not insult others, who hear themselves reproached without replying, who perform good works from love of God and accept suffering, Scripture says (Judges 5:31): 'They who love the Eternal are as the sun when it goes forth in its might'." T.B. Yoma 23a
 

"Death and life are in the tongue's power..." Proverbs 18:21
 

Rabban Simon ben Gamaliel said that "the world is sustained by three things: Justice, truth and peace, as it is said, 'you are to execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates".
 

"What kind of justice exists with charity? Compromise." T.B. Sanhedrin 6b
 

"Rabbi Bunam taught: the verse, justice, justice shall you pursue (Deut. 16:20), teaches us that we may use only just methods even in the pursuit of justice." Quoted in 'Avot' by Shlomo P. Toperoff
 

"Our rabbis taught: Each of the letters for the (Hebrew) word for falsehood, sheker, are insecurely poised on one leg, while the word for truth, emet, have letters firmly set, each resting on two feet: to teach that Truth can endure, but Falsehood cannot stand." T.B. Shabbat 104a
 

"Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness, righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace..." Isaiah 32:16-17
 

"The Holy One said: 'If I create the world on the basis of mercy alone, its sins will be great; on the basis of judgment (strict justice) alone, the world will not endure. I will create it on the basis of judgment and mercy, and may it then survive." Midrash Genesis Rabbah 12:15
 

"Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai said: Great is peace, since all blessings are comprised of it, as it is written; (Psalm 29:11) the Eternal will give strength to God's people, the Eternal will bless God's people with peace." Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 9:9
 

"Rabbi Illai said: The world endures only through those who restrain themselves in the hour of strife." T.B. Chullin 89:a
 

Hillel said: "Do not separate yourself from the community; do not be sure of yourself until the day of your death; do not judge another until you are in that one's position; do not say something that cannot be easily understood in the hope it will be understood eventually; do not say, when I have leisure I shall study, for you may never be free."
 

"If you see your neighbor ensnared by some temptation, do not judge harshly until you have faced the same temptation and mastered it." Ovadiah ben Abraham Bartinoro, (Italy-15th century); premier commentator on the Mishnah, quoted in Pirke Avot- Leonard Kravitz and Kerry M. Olitzky, hereafter cited as "Kravitz"
 

Sforno, interpreting being in that person's place, i.e. environment,  says that one can never truly share another's perspective nor be exposed to the factors that influence that person's behavior. Therefore one is forever incapable of judging another.
 

Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus said: "Let the honor of those with whom you associate be as precious to you as your own; do not anger easily; and repent one day before your death..."
 

"One who shames another in public is considered as though he shed blood." T.B. Baba Metzia 58b
 

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Leviticus 19:18
 

"Rabbi Tanhuma said: If you shame your neighbor, know whom you put to shame: for in the image of God was the human made." Midrash Genesis Rabbah 24:7
 

"One who surrenders to rage is to be regarded as a worshipper of idols." T.B. Shabbat 105b
 

"The disciples of Rabbi Eliezer asked: 'Do we know the day of our death, that we can repent the day before?' He said, 'Let all our days be spent in repentance'." ARN 24b
 

Rabbi Simon ben Nathaniel said: "Take care when you read the Shema and when praying. When you pray, do not let your prayers become routine, rather appeal for compassion and supplication from God, as it is said: For You are gracious and compassionate, endlessly patient, abounding in love and forgiving the wicked; and do not judge yourself as an evil person".
 

The rabbis asked what is meant by "routine, or a fixed task"? Rabbi Jacob ben Idi said in the name of Rabbi Oshaiah: "Anyone whose prayer has become a heavy burden". The Rabbis say: "Whoever does not pray as supplication". Rabbah and Rabbi Joseph both say: "Whoever is not able to insert something fresh". T.B. Berachot 29b
 

"Our hearts should lead us in prayer. We should become holy vessels through which the Divine Spirit can flow." Rashi's commentary on Pirke Avot ( France, Germany, 1040-1105) Talmud and bible commentator without peer, quoted in Kravitz
 

"Our Rabbis taught: one should always look upon oneself as half righteous and half wicked. When performing a good deed you add weight for yourself and the whole world on the scale of merit." (the rabbis preached that the entire universe is perched so precariously, that one good deed sustains it and one evil act could be its undoing). T.B. Kiddushin 40b
 

Maimonides comments that one who considers themself deficient and base, will be prevented by low self-esteem from elevating their behavior.
 

Rabbi Tarfon said: "The day is short, the task is great, the workers are sluggish and the wages are high, and the Master of the house is pressing."
 

"This is a parable about the brevity of years, the great amount of wisdom to be acquired and humanity's sloth in seeking it." Maimonides
 

"The days of our years are seventy, even eighty, if strong;
And their pride is but travail and vanity,
For it is speedily gone, and we fly away...
So teach us to number our days,
That we might acquire a wise heart." Psalm 90:10,12
 

"These are the things whose fruits one enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for (him/her in) the world to come: honoring father and mother, the practice of loving deeds, making peace between one another; but the study of Torah is equal to them all because it leads to them all." Mishnah Peah 1:1
 

He also used to say: "You are not required to complete the work, but neither are you free to avoid it; if you have studied Torah, you will be given a great reward, for your employer is faithful and shall pay you the wages of your labor; and know though, that the reward of the righteous will be given in the time to come."
 

"It has been taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: when a person enters this world his hands are clenched as though to say, 'The whole world is mine, I shall inherit it'; but when he takes leave of the world his hands are spread open as though to say, 'I have inherited nothing from the world'." Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5
 

"And the Eternal said to him (Moses): 'This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, saying: I will give it to your seed; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there'." Deuteronomy 34:4
 

"There is no reward for a good deed in this world." T.B. Kiddushin 39b
 
 
 

Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion said: "...If two sit together and exchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence abides among them."
 

Rabbi Chisda said in the name of Rabbi Jeremiah ben Abba: "Four types of people will never receive the presence of the Shechinah; scoffers, liars, hypocrites and slanderers." T.B. Sanhedrin 103a
 

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa said: "Anyone whose fear of sin takes precedence over wisdom, wisdom endures; and when wisdom takes precedence over the fear of sin, wisdom will not endure. He used to say: When deeds exceed wisdom, wisdom endures, but when a person's wisdom exceeds deeds, that person's wisdom will not endure."
 

If one desires to know whether their conduct is pleasing to God, they should ascertain whether their actions are pleasing to their fellow human beings. Rashi
 

"The beginning of knowledge is reverence for God." Proverbs 1:7
 

If one's motivation is reverence for God (also translated as fear), that person will behave in a responsible manner. If the fear of sin is lacking, one will ultimately compromise ethical beliefs to satisfy personal desires. Sforno
 

Rabbi Akiva used to say: "Beloved is humanity, for it was created in the image of God; a greater love was shown when we were made conscious of being created in God's image, as it is said in Torah; 'For in the image of God was the human made'. He also said: Everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given. The world is judged by goodness and everything depends on the abundance of good deeds."
 

"...I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed." Deuteronomy 30:19
 

"Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except the fear of Heaven." (in rabbinic literature, "Heaven" is a synonym, one of many they used, for God) T.B. Berachot 33b
 

Is there a contradiction between freedom of choice and the traditional belief in God's omniscience? Maimonides claims that foreknowledge neither determines human action, nor interferes with free choice, but admits that he cannot explain it logically. Rashi translates the Hebrew word "tzafui" to mean "seen" rather than "foreseen". Sforno suggests that there is no past, present or future from God's perspective; God observes human behavior, which is freely chosen as it occurs, preserving moral responsibility.
 

Rabbi Meir said: "Decrease your business activities and occupy yourself with Torah; be modest in your behavior with all people; and if you neglect the study of Torah, many excuses for neglecting it will present themselves to you, and if you toil in the Torah, God has abundant reward to give you."
 

"My fruit is better than gold, and than fine gold;
And my produce than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice;
So those who love me shall inherit what is real,
And I will fill their treasuries." Proverbs 8:19-21
 

"Rabbi Nehorai said: I abandon every trade in the world and teach my child only Torah. For one enjoys the reward in this world, while the principal remains for the world to come. This is not true of all other things; For when sickness, or old age, or suffering come to one who cannot then engage in their craft, they will die of starvation. The Torah guards one from all evil in youth and provides a future and hope in old age...Mishnah Kiddushin 4:14
 

By your humility or modesty when dealing with all people, you are able to avoid pride, to flee from self-aggrandizement. Maimonides
 

Rabbi Shimon said there are three crowns: "The crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of royalty; but the crown of a good name surpasses them all."
 

"Whosoever wishes to acquire the crown of Torah, may come and take it."(There is no hereditary crown of learning and it is open to all) T.B. Yoma 32b
 

"If one attains the crown of Torah, it is as though they acquired all three (crowns)." Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:2
 

"If someone studies Torah and Mishnah, serves the disciples of the wise, but is dishonest in business and discourteous in his relations with people, what is said about that one? Woe unto him who studied Torah, woe unto his Teacher and father, who taught him..." T.B. Yoma 86a
 

"A good name is better than precious oil...while it must be purchased with money, a good name is free and can be acquired by rich and poor alike." Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:1:2
 

Rabbi Simon ben Elazar said: "Do not placate your friend during the time of his anger; do not console her while her dead lies before her; do not question one at the time he has made a vow; do not strive to see someone in the hour of his disgrace."
 

"We are not held accountable for what we say in anguish." T.B. Baba Batra 16b
 

"A person must be silent at moments they will not be listened to." T.B. Yevamot 65b
 

Although a righteous person should normally attempt to assist their fellow human being, it is not proper to do so under certain trying circumstances. When someone cannot control their emotions or be unable to understand or accept your words, you could end up aggravating the situation. Sforno
 

Samuel the Younger said: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, nor gladden your heart when he stumbles; Lest God sees it and accounts it as evil and turns the wrath from him [to you]."
 

"Do not say, as he has done to me, so I will do to him...Proverbs 24:29

  According to Rabbi Jonathan, "when the angels saw the overthrow of the Egyptian chariots, they broke out in song. God rebuked them, saying, 'the work of My hands are drowning in the sea, and you want to utter Psalms before me'?" T.B. Megillah 10b
 

"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
And if he is thirsty, water to drink." Proverbs 25:21
 

Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said: "Envy, lust, and ambition removes one from the world."
 

"Envy rots the bones!" Proverbs 14:30
 

Rabbi Judan said in the name of Rabbi Aiba: "Nobody dies with their desire even half gratified." Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:13
 

"When envy shall cease, redemption will come." attributed to Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlov in Avot-Shlomo Toperoff
 

"He who loves silver shall never be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance with increase." Ecclesiastes 5:9
 

Ben Bag Bag said:  "Turn it [the Torah] and turn it over again and again, for everything is in it. Study it thoroughly, grow old and gray in its study, do not stir from it, for you can have no better measure than this."
 

"Who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit." Proverbs 27:18
 

"If you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures,
Then you shall understand the reverence for the Eternal,
And find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:4-5
 
 

Abrabanel on Pirke Avot-compiled and translated by Abraham Chill, Sepher-Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

Avot de Rabbi Natan-Minor Tractates, The Soncino Press, 1984

Avot-Shlomo P. Toperoff, Jason Aronson, Inc. 1997

The Babylonian Talmud-Hebrew- English Edition, The Soncino Press

Maimonides, Moses-The Commentary to Mishnah Aboth, Bloch Publishing Co. 1968

Maimonides, Moses-Mishnah Torah, Feldheim Publishers, 1981

The Mishnah-Philip Blackman, Judaica Press, Ltd. 1983

Pirke Avot-Rabbi Chaim Stern, Ktav Publishing House, 1997 (Rabbi Stern's volume is particularly interesting for the collection of legends about the rabbis of Pirke Avot and their contemporaries included therein)

Pirke Avot-Edited by Rabbi Leonard Kravitz and Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzsky, UAHC Press, 1993

Pirkei Avos-with ideas of the Sfas Emes and other Chasidic masters, anthologized and adapted by Rabbi Yosef Stern, Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1999

Sforno-Commentary on Pirkei Avos, translated by Rabbi Raphael Pelcovitz, Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1996

Soncino Books of the Bible-Hebrew-English, Soncino Press