PIRKEI AVOT 5 – IT’S NOT ABOUT THE REWARD

Rabbi Dunner delves into the third mishna of the first chapter of Pirkei Avot.

Antigonus the “man” of Socho warns that one should not be like a slave expecting reward, but rather one should be like a slave who expects no reward.

Rabbi Dunner explains the references to slave and reward, and he also offers an insight into the latter part of the mishna, which talks about the fear of God. Alongside this, Rabbi Dunner introduces us to two errant students of Antigonus – Zadok and Boethus – whose misinterpretation of their teacher’s lesson led to a devastating split in the Jewish world.