Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nezikin/Tractate Avot/Chapter 5/6

Introduction

This Mishnah lists ten miracles created at the eve of the first Sabbath.

Hebrew Text

== עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, ==
וְאֵלּו הֵן,
פִּי הָאָרֶץ,
וּפִי הַבְּאֵר,
וּפִי הָאָתוֹן,
וְהַקֶּשֶׁת,
וְהַמָּן,
וְהַמַּטֶּה,
וְהַשָּׁמִיר,
וְהַכְּתָב,
וְהַמִּכְתָּב,
וְהַלּוּחוֹת.

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים,
אַף הַמַּזִּיקִין,
וקְבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה,
וְאֵילוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ.

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים,
אַף צְבָת בִצְבָת עֲשׂוּיָה

==

English Translation

Ten things were created on the eve of the [first] Sabbath at twilight,
And these are they:
[1] The mouth of the earth [that swallowed Korach in Numbers 16:32 ],
[2] The mouth of the well [that accompanied the Israelites in the Wilderness in Numbers 21:17],
[3] The mouth of the donkey [that spoke to Balaam in Numbers 22:28–30 ],
[4] The rainbow [that served as a covenant after the Flood in Genesis 9:13 ],
[5] The manna [that God provided the Israelites in the Wilderness in Exodus 16:4–21 ],
[6] The rod [of Moses],
[7] The Shamir [worm that helped build the Temple without metal tools],
[8] The letters,
[9] The writing, and
[10] The tablets [of the Ten Commandments].

And some say:
Also the destructive spirits,
And the burial place of Moses, our teacher,
And the ram of Abraham, our father.

And some say:
Also the [first human-made] tongs, made with [Divine] tongs.

Explanation

For commentary on Avot 5:6, see, for example:

• Rabbi Menachem Schneerson
• Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld