The Mishnah teaches in Pirkei Avos, Ethics of the Fathers, “The world stand on three pillars: Torah study, Divine Service, and practicing kindness.” Torah Study is the way we learn how to think properly and patiently. Service includes teaching others how to think and live. Kindness includes teaching others how Torah fences can save our lives.
We say these three prayers daily before the Shema, “Hashem, please help us learn, teach and to watch and act,” by creating safeguards. We follow the pattern of 1) thinking patiently, 2) speaking to teach others, and 3) putting up fences to secure our fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos properly. We should always remember the example of a safeguard from the first Mishna in Brochos, “One can say the evening Shema all night, but strive to say it before midnight to avoid missing out.”
Which three words are the most significant in all of Pirkei Avos? “He used to say.”(Three words in Hebrew.) We find them used 20 times in Avos. By ongoing review, by repeating and verbalizing a lesson 101 times, we are serving Hashem by internalizing the lesson to permeate our system to transform ourselves. That is how we become better at learning, teaching and setting up proper fences for success. These Mishnayos of Avos contain the core principles of the Torah to motivate and inspire us.
Besides the first Mishna which teaches three Principles, this Mishna teaches us the three Pillars,
and many other Mishnayos follow the Rule of Three. Why are there so many threes? In the Talmud, Shabbos 88a we learn to thank and bless Hashem the Merciful One for giving us His Torah in a triple format:
- Torah – we have five books of Chumash which are the foundation of all. They contain the 613 mitzvos which we live by always;
- 8 Books of the Prophets, which are full of guidelines on how to live our lives and
- 11 Books of Scriptures, which include Mishlei, parables and metaphors for how to succeed in life, and Tehillim – how to praise Hashem 24/7.
Please click here to continue reading and download the Ebook, The Pathway to Greatness.
