At the heart of Judaism isn't law or mysticism, but an ethical imperative to live life from your true self, which knows itself to be an image and likeness of God. Rooted in the ethics of the Hebrew Prophets, this imperative flowers at the hands of the early Rabbis (250 BCE to 250 CE) in a slim and powerful collection of ethical teachings called Pirke Avot, the Ethics of the Sages.

Rami Shapiro's contemporary translation and powerful commentaries clarify the ethical teachings of these Rabbis, highlighting parallels with other faith traditions and bringing these ancient and timeless insights alive in a manner that makes their ethical challenge universally compelling. This is not a book about ethics but a practical guide to living ethically.

Now you can adapt the ethical wisdom of the Rabbis to your life with no previous knowledge of rabbinic literature. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that explains the text's meaning and message, making plain the challenge to 'be holy' (Leviticus 19:2), and the way to meet it.