English

48 Steps To Torah (מ״ח מַעֲלוֹת)

One of the earliest Mussar texts is Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers (פרקי אבות/ PEER-kay ah-VOTE ) which is a Tractate in the Mishnah, the earliest Jewish commentary on the Torah. Pirkei Avot 6:6 presents a list of 48 Steps. (The Hebrew is מַעֲלוֹת/ ma'alot , comes from the verb to ascend עלה/ alah , and means steps, stages, or levels.) The list begins by stating that Torah is greater than the priesthood or kingship because these offices are acquired by 24 and 30 steps but the Torah is acquired by 48, which it then goes on to list. This text doesn't explicitly use the word middah and many of these 48 aren't technically middot as they're quantifiable actions and not abstract qualities, but this list has nonetheless become popular as a list of Mussar middot. (The Mussar Center also offers a separate list of 48 Mussar Middot here .) תַלְמוּד 1. Talmud tall-MOOD Study שְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן 2. Shmiat Ha'Ozen SHMEE-it ha-OWES-enn Active listening (literally listening of the ear) עֲרִיכַת שְׂפָתַיִם 3. Arichat Sfatayim ARE-ee-chat sfa-TIE-eem Orderly, articulate speech (literally arranged lips) בִינַת הַלֵּב 4. Binat Ha'Lev bee-NUT ha-LEV Deep comprehension (literally understanding of the

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