Torah Focus

The Mishna, Yeshua’s Teachings & Pirket Avot 3

Program #21 – The Mishna, Yeshua’s Teachings & Pirket Avot 3

We begin our discussion in Pirke Avot 1:4

Avot 1:4-5 Yossi ben (son of) Yo’ezer of Ts’raidah and Yossi ben Yochanan of Jerusalem received the transmission from them. Yossi ben Yo’ezer used to say: Let your house be a meeting place for the sages, cleave to the dust of their feet, and drink thirstily their words.”

Yossei the son of Yochanan of Jerusalem would say: Let your home be wide open, and let the poor be members of your household. And do not engage in excessive conversation with a woman. This is said even regarding one’s own wife–how much more so regarding the wife of another. Hence, the sages said: One who excessively converses with a woman causes evil to himself, neglects the study of Torah, and, in the end, inherits Gehenna.

Shaul, knowing the ideology of Mishnaic Rabbinics tells Timothy not to listen to vain wives tales. This further demonstrates the universality of the Mishnaic thought among the Talmidim of Yeshua and Shaul who sat at the feet of Gamaliel.

Avot 1:6 Joshua the son of Perachia and Nitai the Arbelite received from them. Joshua the son of Perachia would say: Assume for yourself a Teacher, acquire for yourself a friend, and judge every man to the side of merit.

I discuss Joshua the son of Perachia’s saying “Find yourself and teacher and a study partner.”

Avot 1:7 Nitai the Arbelite would say: Distance yourself from a bad neighbor, do not cleave to a wicked person, and do not abandon belief in retribution.

1:8 -9 Judah the son of Tabbai and Shimon the son of Shotach received from them. Judah the son of Tabbai would say: When sitting in judgment, do not act as a counselor-at-law. When the litigants stand before you, consider them both guilty; and when they leave your courtroom, having accepted the judgment, regard them as equally righteous.

Shimon the son of Shotach would say: Increasingly cross-examine the witnesses. Be careful with your words, lest they learn from them how to lie

I further the idea that the Nasi (President) of the Sanhedrin was prone to Chesed and the Av Beit Din was given to Din – Judgment.

12. Hillel and Shammai received from them. Hillel would say: Be of the disciples of Aaron–a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace, one who loves the creatures and draws them close to Torah.

13. He would also say: One who advances his name, destroys his name. One who does not increase, diminishes. One who does not learn is deserving of death. And one who make personal use of the crown of Torah shall perish.

14. He would also say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

15. Shammai would say: Make your Torah study a permanent fixture of your life. Say little and do much. And receive every man with a pleasant countenance.

16. Rabban Gamliel would say: Assume for yourself a master; stay away from doubt; and do not accustom yourself to tithe by estimation.

Did Yaakov (James – Yeshua’ brother) agree with Shammai?

We learn that Gamliel was the teacher of Shaul (Paul). Learning this we can see things that Gamliel would have taught Shaul.

The Malchut Shamayim – Kingdom of Heaven

The Fifth lesson of “From Jerusalem to Athens” begins with a discussion on Adam and his occupation as the initial authority of the Malchut Shamayim (Kingdom of Heaven). I discuss the terms as used in the Apostolic Writings. Likewise, we discuss the two phrases used in the Apostolic Texts, Kingdom of Heaven vs Kingdom of G-d. And then Yeshua’s preaching the “Kingdom of Heaven” is “at hand.” We discuss the phrase “at hand.”

The Kingdom Of Heaven was contested by the serpent. How does this play out in the scriptures. What happened to the Kingdom when Adam failed to live up to his obligation to protect the garden and dominate the earth?

We discuss this Kingdom and what really happened to it in Adam’s fall.

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Program #20 – The Mishna, Yeshua’s Teachings & Pirket Avot 2

In this program I begin moving forward in my discussion of the Pirke Avot. Likewise, we explore the idea that Yeshua and his talmidim were acquainted with the Mishnaic ideas of their day.

Who were the Men of the Great Assembly? We discuss who they were and their identities. I discuss Ezra the Torah teacher and a Member of the Men of the Great Assembly. Ezra restores the Torah to Yisrael. Hillel the last of the Zugot (pairs) equals the character of Ezra because he too restores the Torah to Yisrael.

Avot 1:2 Shimon the Righteous was among the last surviving members of the Great assembly. He would say: The world stands on three things: Torah, the service of G-d, and deeds of kindness.

From here I move into the 4^th Mishnah which reads

Avot 1:4 Yossi ben (son of) Yo’ezer of Ts’raidah and Yossi ben Yochanan of Jerusalem received the transmission from them. Yossi ben Yo’ezer used to say: Let your house be a meeting place for the sages, cleave to the dust of their feet, and drink thirstily their words.”

I begin discussing the 5 Zugot (Pairs). The First set of pairs being found in this Mishhnah. The final set of pairs being Hillel and Shammai. I discuss why the Torah was passed on to the Zugot. I further explain the characteristics of the Zugot and their relationship to the Sanhedrin’s two key figures, the Nasi – President of the Sanhedrin and the Av Beit Din (Father of the House of Judgment). I deal with this pattern as it is seen in Hillel and Shammai in the times of Yeshua and his talmidim.

The Temptation of Yeshua and Beyond

I open this class by reading D’varim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-16 as a foundation for understanding the temptation of Yeshua.

I open the class with the relevance of Yeshua’ Temptation.

What was the real reason for the temptation?

What is the underlying message of the Temptation?

In this class I elaborate on the relevance of the temptation and more.

This class takes in many questions and alot of class participation.

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From Jerusalem to Athens #3

Yeshua, His youth, his education, his lost years and his ministry years.

In this third class we will be exploring the lost years of Yeshua along with his youth and education. From the lost years and his education we will move into his ministry and teachings.

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Program #18 – The Mishna and Yeshua’s Teachings

In this program, I explore the first Mishnah of Pirke Avot (The Sayings of the Fathers).

We place Pirke Avot in its ethical category of mussar. I explain that one chapter of Pirke Avot is read each Shabbat from Pesach until Rosh HaShanah.

Pirke Avot 1:1

“Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it Yehoshua. Yehoshua transmitted it to the Zekanim (Elders), the Zekanim to the Neviim (Prophets), and the Neviim transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly.

They [the Men of the Great Assembly] said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise many students, and make a protective fence for the Torah.”

(1:1a): The Hebrew begins: “They said three things…” In the first saying, metunim, “deliberate,” also means slow, calm, and careful. The second saying is literally “raise up many students.”.

In this program, I have related the three maximums of the “Men of the Great Assembly” with the teachings, character and life of Yeshua. I will use this passage in the next couple of programs as means for modeling Yeshua’s mission and life.

I focus on Yeshua and his deliberate judgments and choosing and developing talmidim.

I begin discussing the idea of talmid and talmidim.

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Lesson #2

In this class, we begin with Vayikra (Leviticus) 12:1-17. This passage lays the foundational instructions for childbearing. I have chosen to begin here with this passage because it illuminates the opening passage of the book of Luke.

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