Chag same'ach: a Happy Pesach to you all!

Tomorrow sees the beginning of Pesach—the Jewish Passover festival. Starting with the traditional seder service we mark the season of the redemption of the Jewish people and their going out from Egypt. It is a time for celebration and for gratitude to God for His indispensable role as our guide and miracle-maker. Pesach also marks the beginning of the traditional season for learning (or at least reading) Pirkei Avot, the assumption being that the stern words of warning and reproof offered by our sages will provide an effective antidote to the spring and summer season for sin.

Avot Today is delighted to say that we have made over 550 articles and discussions of Pirkei Avot available online, both on our blog at avot-today.com and on our interactive Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/avottoday. This makes it longer than most printed commentaries on Avot and, unlike books, our blog can be easily searched by text and by keyword, so you can either quickly find what you are looking for or save valuable time that might otherwise be wasted in seeking out something that’s not there. If you are committing yourself to study Pirkei Avot from now till Rosh Hashanah ushers in the New Year, feel free to make as much use of Avot Today as you like: if you already have a favourite Avot read, Avot Today can serve as a handy adjunct to it.

At this special point in the year, I’d like to thank those of you who have contributed to Avot Today, whether as guest authors or by posting comments. We are all enriched when we hear fresh ideas or test our own against others. Please keep posting your comments—and do contact us if you have a post of your own for us to host or are thinking of writing one.

We have actually had our best year yet in terms of readership. The Facebook Group now has over 330 members and the blog, starting from the summer of 2020, has now hosted over 65,000 page visits. I do hope that these encouraging figures reflect an increased interest in the Ethics of the Fathers and the wisdom of the ages, and that our emphasis on finding modern meaning in ancient words makes Avot easier to appreciate and to internalise.

May God grant us all a happy, kosher and above all peaceful Pesach!

PLEASE NOTE: AVOT TODAY WILL BE TAKING A BREAK FOR PESACH THE NEXT POST WILL BE, GOD WILLING, ON WEDNESDAY 1 MAY.