Netivot Shalom Commentary on Pirkei Avot at Mishkan Shalom

“ . . . .the days of counting the Omer between Passover and the receiving of the Torah are days devoted to the refining of the middot, when they are "cleansed from husks and impurities.””

During the span of time between Pesach and Shavuot, it is traditional to study Pirkei Avot, a collection of ethical sayings of ancient rabbis which was compiled in 200 C.E.

In this course, we will study selections from a modern Hassidic commentary on Pirkei Avot by Rabbi Shalom Noach Berezovsky of Slonim, who is also known as the “Netivot Shalom”.  The Netivot Shalom was born in 1911 in Belarus.  In 1940 he was sent to Israel to found a yeshiva in the Slonimer tradition.  Because the Slonimer Hassids were subsequently wiped out in the Holocaust,  this yeshiva became the remnant that kept this tradition alive.

The Netivot Shalom’s commentary on Pirkei Avot contains references to mussar, a study discipline aimed at refining moral virtues, known as middot.  We will begin the course with definitions and a brief discussion of Pirkei Avot and mussar.  Once this framework is established, we will explore familiar passages from Pirkei Avot, getting a flavor of the Hassidic commentary and discussing mussar aspects of the work.

If you are already a student of mussar and/or Pirkei Avot, this course is for you.  If you have never studied mussar or Pirkei Avot, this course is also for you!

Wednesday, April 18, and April 25. Cost is $36 for members, $54 for non-members.