Essentials Of Judaism: The Hashkafa Of Pirkei Avot

“Hashkafa”

In Tanach, the root “shakaf” means “to look” (Bereishit 19:28, Shemot 14:24) or “to be seen” (Melachim I 6:4, Shir HaShirim 6:10). Recently, the term “hashkafa” has been used to refer to our outlook on life.

As opposed to the term “machshava,” which we use to refer to philosophical studies (such as metaphysics), hashkafa refers to how we understand our world’s workings and how we are meant to live within it.

Hashkafa has become an area of significant interest. Unlike the rishonim, whose philosophical discussions focused mainly on issues of machshava, recent generations have concentrated more on understanding the nature and goals of our existence.

The Central Agreed Tenets

Often, people use hashkafa to refer to what distinguishes between different hashkafot (Litvish, Chassidish, Modern Orthodox, Religious Zionist, etc.). People are eager to understand and appreciate their unique approach.

That said, most hashkafic issues, including most central ones, are things all Torah Jews agree upon.

Essentials of Judaism

Though how we view our lives is an integral part of our identity, these issues are generally not studied in an organized way. They are addressed often, especially at times of meaningful reflection (sichot, divrei Torah over Shabbat, tisches, etc.), but not with any comprehensive curriculum that presents the full range of these topics with relevant sources.

This is where the idea for the Essentials of Judaism series comes from. The series identifies and addresses Judaism’s hashkafic topics in a comprehensive, systematic, organized, and source-based manner.

We begin with the ideas discussed in Pirkei Avot. Though Chazal addressed hashkafic issues in many places, Masechet Avot is the central Tannaitic repository of hashkafic material.

Avot as Ancestors

Masechet Avot’s name seems rooted in the list of the ba’alei mesorah – our ancestors (avos) who transmitted the Torah She’baal Peh from Sinai – with which the masechet opens.

Why does this list appear here – at the end of the third seder of the mishnayot? Why not at the beginning of Shas, as the opening to Masechet Berachot?

The Meiri explains that the list appears in Masechet Avot to emphasize the importance of its topics (Beit Habechira, Peticha to Masechet Avot). Since Avot focuses (mainly) on issues that are neither halachic nor derived from pesukim, one might view the content as less important. As the masechet contains neither mitzvot nor aveirot, people might not be diligent about observing its directives. To stress the importance of its content, Masechet Avot begins by linking itself to (those who transmitted the Torah to us from) Sinai.

Avot as Principles

After translating avot as ancestors, the Meiri presents a second explanation that equates the term’s meaning here to its meaning in the context of melachot Shabbat (forbidden modes of work) and nezikin (damages). Just as avot melacha and avot nezikin are the categories from which other forms of melacha and nezikin originate, the teachings of Masechet Avot are the root principles for Jewish philosophy, hashkafa (outlook), and conduct. Most of these ideas are rooted in Tanach’s mitzvot and history, but not explicitly stated; Avot fills in the details by formulating the principles.

Masechet Avot’s teachings facilitate living a proper and meaningful life. The middot taught by Masechet Avot are the precondition for Torah itself – “Derech eretz kadma la’Torah” (Pesachim 118a). Pirkei Avot also addresses matters of faith and hashkafa. It teaches us how to view the world and our role within it. Living a proper Jewish life hinges on knowing and internalizing Judaism’s outlook on the world and human life and behaving accordingly.

These two components – middot and hashkafa – are inextricably linked. We are meant to express our hashkafa in our behavior and root our behavior in our hashkafa. The Gemara teaches that one becomes pious by studying Masechet Avot (Bava Kama 30a). The combination of hashkafic ideas and behavioral guidance develops piety.

Parent Principles

The Meiri presents these two explanations of Avot as a continuation of one another. The two are not in conflict; they complement one another. Our avot principles come from our avot ancestors. This is not only because it makes sense to learn from earlier generations, but also because Judaism is a religion of continuity.

Judaism is not just about individuals understanding and worshipping G-d. It is about belonging to a people who descend from and still identify with their avot and imahot. Though all ancient peoples have living descendants, Jews are the only ones who, on principle, name children after their ancient ancestors. This is because we emulate them and their relationship with Hashem.

Despite our spiritual decline in Mitzrayim, Hashem redeemed us because we continued using our ancestral names (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:25). Upon heralding redemption, Hashem identified Himself as the G-d of our ancestors (Shemot 2:24), and at the Yam Suf, the climax of the redemption, we related to Hashem as “Elokei avi (my father’s G-d)” (Shemot 15:2). Understandably, we begin our Shemoneh Esrei by describing Hashem as not only our G-d, but also as the G-d of our ancestors. This is because we know that our relationship with Him is a continuation of theirs.

By leaving the areas of middot and hashkafa (mostly) unstated clearly by the Torah, Hashem created the need to learn these avot of faith from our ancestral avot. Like the halachot of Torah She’baal Peh, we learn our principles of faith, hashkafa, and middot from our biological parents and spiritual avot.

Over the next weeks, we will, iy”H, study some of Pirkei Avot’s central hashkafic ideas.

May our learning to live by avot hashkafot and up to avot standards reinforce our place as links in our people’s avot – banim mesorah chain and make us worthy of redemption.

Biglal Avot, toshi’a banim – Because of Avot, children are redeemed.

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