Monday 11 May: Coronavirus: when to stick together? The need to strike a balance between commitment to Judaism with obedience to official edicts is addressed by several mishnayot in Avot
Wednesday 13 May: Why do people die? Cause of death has both physical and metaphysical aspects -- so what conclusions may we draw from a person's death?
Friday 15 May: Is it really Rashi? Rashi is one of the most important and best-appreciated commentator on Torah and Babylonian Talmud, but is he the author of the commentary on Avot that appears in his name?
Friday 15 May: The meaning of 'kapdan'. We learn that a person who is a kapdan cannot teach -- but what exactly is a kapdan?
Sunday 17 May: Narrow Focus. Many mishnayot in Avot are supported by verses drawn from Tanach, but the major classical commentators on Tanach seem reluctant to cite those mishnayot when discussing or explaining verses from Tanach.
Tuesday 19 May: The Ages of Man. We take a look at Yehudah ben Tema's famous cradle-to-grave curriculum vitae of the typical Jew of his period and speculate as to how it might read if it had been written today.
Tuesday 21 May: Which Rabbi Yishmael? There are several rabbis in mishnaic times whose name is Yishmael. This post seeks advice as to which one is the author of the outspoken mishnah at Avot 4:9.
Monday 25 May: Freedom: What it Means to Us. "Freedom" is not just a word; it is also a battle-cry in the wider world. But what do the Sages of Avot have to say about it?
Tuesday 26 May: The Ages of Woman. Following on from the previous week's post ("The Ages of Man"), we wonder what an equivalent age-related curriculum vitae for the Jewish woman might contain.
Wednesday 27 May: The Ruling Classes. What sort of governance is best for the Jewish people -- and does it even matter?
Sunday 31 May: Overstating the Principle. Because so many mishnayot in Avot are deliciously quotable, it can be tempting to cite them as if they say much more than they actually do.
