AVOT 1:6
Your first Mishnah
A teacher. A companion. A generous eye. Begin with a short teaching from our sages.
New to Jewish learning? Begin with Our story and Meet the Mishnah.
Find your place
The Mishnah is a collection of teachings of our sages, arranged in tractates. A tractate, or masekhet, is a named part of that collection. This teaching comes from the tractate Avot, also called Pirkei Avot.
- Avot
- Tractate
- 1
- Chapter
- 6
- Mishnah
A single passage is also called a mishnah. Avot 1:6 means the sixth mishnah in the first chapter of Avot.
Read the teaching
Yehoshua ben Perachyah says:
עשה לך רב
Establish a teacher for yourself,
וקנה לך חבר
and acquire a companion for yourself,
והוי דן את כל האדם לכף זכות
and judge every person favorably.
English rendering by Messianic Yeshiva
Look closely
- Find the three actions. What does Yehoshua ben Perachyah ask the learner to do?
- Notice “for yourself.” The first two instructions put responsibility on you to seek these relationships.
- Notice the wider circle. The last instruction speaks about every person.
One word to keep: chaver (חבר) means a friend or companion. What could you learn together?
Check your understanding
Answer in your own words, then open each question.
1. What does the 6 in Avot 1:6 tell you?
It identifies the sixth mishnah. The 1 identifies the chapter; Avot names the tractate.
2. Which two relationships should you seek?
A teacher and a companion. Name one way each could help you learn.
3. Who is included in the final instruction?
“Every person.” The wording reaches beyond your teacher and your companion.
Keep learning
Continue with Choose your company. Read Avot 1:7 alongside this teaching and explore how our relationships shape us.
Hebrew text: Mechon Mamre, Avot, chapter 1, mishnah 6. Reference guide: Meeting the Mishnah · Sefaria Education.
Reading a source · Tell text, translation, and commentary apart.