Dear Friend,
It’s springtime. The air is warming, fragrant flowers are blossoming, and the birds are returning to their homes. This clarity of sight, scent and sound paradoxically helps us to turn our senses inward. We are in a uniquely extended 49-day spiritual season between the Exodus on Passover and the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot.
There is no better way that I know of to prepare myself to receive the Torah anew than through the study of Pirkei Avot, our sages’ guide to a well-lived, purposeful Jewish life.
We’re instructed to review a chapter each week between Passover and Shavuot, and then continue through the Days of Awe and Days of Rejoicing in Tishrei, and for good reason: Pirkei Avot not only readies us to receive the Torah, but teaches us what kind of people G‑d wants us to be once the Torah is ours.
There is a wealth of insight from Pirkei Avot available right here on Chabad.org. A personal favorite commentary that I return to each year is from my colleague Rabbi Yanki Tauber, based on the Rebbe’s teachings.
From the classical to the contemporary, there is an abundance of commentaries on Pirkei Avot designed to help us fulfill our core purpose and goal of receiving, actualizing and transmitting the Torah to this and future generations.
Yaakov Ort,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
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