Chapter Five

perek ה

פֶּרֶק ה

Chabad: ' is a reduced vowel — every vocal shva, always pronounced. - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Hebrew

תּוֹרִידֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, אַנְשֵׁי
דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ
יְמֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ.¹

Chabad

toyrideim liveir shachas, anshei
domim umirmoh loy yechetzu
y'meihem, va-ani evtach boch.

Hebrew

כ יְהוּדָה בֶן תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי
עַז כַּנָּמֵר,² וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר, רָץ
כַּצְּבִי, וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת
רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם. הוּא
הָיָה אוֹמֵר: עַז פָּנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם,
וּבוֹשֶׁת פָּנִים לְגַן עֵדֶן. יְהִי
רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ
וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית
הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, וְתֵן
חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ.³

Chabad

כ Y'hudoh ven teimo oymeir: hevei
az kanomeir, v'kal kanesher, rotz
katz'vi, v'giboyr ko-ari, la-asoys
r'tzoyn ovicho shebashomoyim. hu
hoyoh oymeir: az ponim l'geihinoym,
uvoyshes ponim l'gan Eiden. y'hi
rotzoyn mil'fonecho, Adonoy Eloyheinu
veiloyhei avoyseinu, sheyiboneh beis
hamikdosh bimheiroh b'yomeinu, v'sein
chelkeinu b'soyrosecho.

Hebrew

כא בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר: הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ
וְהַפֵּךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ, וּבָהּ
תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ, וּמִנַּהּ
לֹא תָזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה
טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה. בֶּן הֵא הֵא
אוֹמֵר: לְפוּם צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא.⁴

Chabad

כא ben bag bag oymeir: hafoych boh
v'hapeich boh, d'choylo voh, uvoh
techezei, v'siv uv'leih voh, uminah
loy sozua, she-ein l'cho midoh
toyvoh heimenoh. ben hei hei
oymeir: l'fum tza-aro agro.

Hebrew

כב הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: בֶּן חָמֵשׁ
שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר
שָׁנִים לַמִּשְׁנָה,⁵ בֶּן שָׁלֹשׁ
עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ
עֶשְׂרֵה לִגְמָרָא, בֶּן שְׁמוֹנֶה
עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים
לִרְדּוֹף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן
אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים
לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן
שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים
לִגְבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשּׁוּחַ,
בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר
וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם.

Chabad

כב hu hoyoh oymeir: ben chomeish
shonim lamikro, ben eser
shonim lamishnoh, ben sholoysh
esreih lamitzvoys, ben chomeish
esreih ligmoro, ben sh'moyneh
esreih lachupoh, ben esrim
lirdoyf, ben sh'lshim lakoyach, ben
arbo-im labinoh, ben chamishim
lo-eitzoh, ben shishim laziknoh, ben
shivim laseivoh, ben sh'moynim
ligvuroh, ben tishim loshuach,
ben mei-oh k'ilu meis v'ovar
uvoteil min ho-oylom.

Hebrew

רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא בֶּן עֲקַשְׁיָא אוֹמֵר: רָצָה
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַכּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל,
לְפִיכָךְ הִרְבָּה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יְהֹוָה חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ, יַגְדִּיל
תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר.

Chabad

rabi Chananyo ben Akashyo oymeir: rotzoh
hakodoysh boruch hu l'zakoys es Yisro-eil,
l'fichoch hirboh lohem Toyroh umitzvoys,
shene-emar: Adonoy chofeitz l'ma-an tzidkoy, yagdil
Toyroh v'yadir.

פֶּרֶק ו

Chapter Six

Commentary

1 The end of the verse is quoted in the mishnah even though it's not directly connected to its teachings. The verse alludes to the fact that even if there are "students of Bilaam" in the world who try to harm us, we must declare that we trust in God.

2 The mishnah connects each positive trait to an animal. This teaches that everything a person sees or hears should be used as a lesson in the service of God. You can even learn positive character traits from an animal!

3 The connection between the two parts of this prayer is that when the Redemption arrives and the Temple is rebuilt, our only "portion" and occupation will be learning Torah.

4 God does not only value the deed itself, but also the effort and time that is put into it. Even if one feels that he didn't achieve anything noteworthy, he is rewarded for his efforts.

5 The mishnah is not only indicating the age one should begin each of these pursuits. At these ages one's entire essence and focus should be on that pursuit. When a child reaches the age of ten, what is his essence? That he should be learning mishnah! All his energy and time should be focused on this.