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Perek 6

Mishnayos Avos Perek 6 Mishnah 5

אבות פרק ו׳ משנה ה׳

5
Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not covet honor. Practice more than you learn. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than their table, and your crown is greater than their crown, and faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor.

אַל תְּבַקֵּשׁ גְּדֻלָּה לְעַצְמְךָ, וְאַל תַּחְמֹד כָּבוֹד, יוֹתֵר מִלִּמּוּדְךָ עֲשֵׂה, וְאַל תִּתְאַוֶּה לְשֻׁלְחָנָם שֶׁל מְלָכִים, שֶׁשֻּׁלְחָנְךָ גָדוֹל מִשֻּׁלְחָנָם, וְכִתְרְךָ גָדוֹל מִכִּתְרָם, וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַּעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ:

ה׳

Do not seek greatness: to run after power.

and do not covet honor: to be honored for your Torah [knowledge]. As from this, you will appear as one who is is doing [it] not for its own sake.

since your table is greater than their tables: This is [referring to] the reward that you will receive for the study of Torah. (Another textual variant) More than your study, do: More than that which you have studied, do good deeds and perform commandments, as we say (Avot 3:9), "Anyone whose actions are more plentiful than his wisdom, his wisdom endures."

אַל תְּבַקֵּשׁ גְּדֻלָּה. לִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַשְּׂרָרָה:

וְאַל תַּחְמֹד כָּבוֹד. לְהִתְכַּבֵּד בְּתוֹרָתְךָ, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ כָּךְ אַתָּה נִרְאֶה כְּמִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ:

שֶׁשֻּׁלְחָנְךָ גָדוֹל מִשֻּׁלְחָנָם. הוּא שָׂכָר שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל עַל לִמּוּדָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. נֻסָּח אַחֵר, יוֹתֵר מִלִּמּוּדְךָ, יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁלָּמַדְתָּ עֲשֵׂה מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וְקַיֵּם מִצְוֹת, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן (לְעֵיל פ"ג מ"ט) כָּל שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְרֻבִּין מֵחָכְמָתוֹ חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת: