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The Illustrated Pirkei Avot: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Ethics
Composed almost 2,000 years ago, Pirkei Avot is Judaism’s oldest and most important book of wisdom and ethics.
The book was designed to be memorable. Its ideas sticks in your head and grow as you do. There is no other book quite like it.
In this volume, Jessica Tamar Deutsch has fully and finally opened up Pirkei Avot for easy public consumption. The Illustrated Pirkei Avot pairs a complete English translation of the work with more than 120 richly illustrated drawings. (The complete Hebrew text is included as an appendix.)
Deutsch’s book is perfect for both children and adults; for personal use, classroom use, or for reading to children. It is a pleasure to hold and a pleasure to read.
The book was designed to be memorable. Its ideas sticks in your head and grow as you do. There is no other book quite like it.
In this volume, Jessica Tamar Deutsch has fully and finally opened up Pirkei Avot for easy public consumption. The Illustrated Pirkei Avot pairs a complete English translation of the work with more than 120 richly illustrated drawings. (The complete Hebrew text is included as an appendix.)
Deutsch’s book is perfect for both children and adults; for personal use, classroom use, or for reading to children. It is a pleasure to hold and a pleasure to read.
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First published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 10, 2019
Beautiful interpretation. If there's anything wrong with this book, it's that there's a little character meant to represent sin, bad choices, yetzer hara, etc, and it's the coolest-looking dude in the book. Huge furry monster with sunglasses and a necklace that says "EVIL." I would totally be friends with this little creature. Alternatively - Halloween/Purim costume?
March 5, 2021
Stunning. I loved reading this. Every time I read “God wished for the benefit of Israel’s righteousness that the Torah be expansive and beautiful” it hit a little harder.
This book will be a lifelong companion!
This book will be a lifelong companion!
February 24, 2024
I got this book because I'm really interested in graphic depictions of theoretical, non-narrative subjects. I'm also somewhat familiar with the Talmud, but had never read it's chapter "Pirkei Avot" in its entirety. So there was a chance of learning something new, and the art was great. I loved the different ways of page planning, and the depictions of rabbis:) At times the style feels a bit too didactic, but, well, so is the source material. All in all, a great way to familiarize oneself with the Talmud in an accessible way and explore new ways of presenting information on a page.
April 2, 2023
Heavy 'stuff' made understandable. Jessica Tamar Deutsch did this in an admirable way. This is really a high level graphic novel! I adore her way of designing as well.
May 13, 2024
I really liked the art but wish it had been in color. Thought it would be a bit more modern but it is what it is and true to the source material
November 29, 2017
Really quite well done. All translations are interpretations, and this is no exception. However, major props to this artist for creating entertaining (occasionally hilarious! Everything has faces!) as well as beautiful depictions of mishnayot. I especially appreciated the complete Hebrew text of Pirkei Avot printed in the back of the book, and the ways that Deutsch handled some of the more tricky mishnayot in this section. Great teaching tool!
July 9, 2023
As luck would have it, this book arrived on the day my small daughter announced that, for reasons best known to the rabbi of her elementary school, an ice-lolly was going to be awarded for every three mishnayot the children could learn to recite by heart. The assigned chapter was chapter one of Pirkei Avot, and the beautiful irony that, to receive the first ice-lolly, they had to recite by rote “Do not be like a servant who serves his master in order to receive a prize” was unfortunately lost on the children, as there was no added incentive for understanding the words.
This happy coincidence gave me my first opportunity to properly sit and learn with my daughter. The pictures in The Illustrated Pirkei Avot visually embodied the idea – clearly not emphasized at her school – that a text bears different interpretations and invites personal responses. For instance when we reached the advice “Do not engage in excessive chatter with your wife” (ice-lolly nr 2) the artist had added a note: “Clearly this passage is shocking! In our society we now consider men and women to be equally valuable.” This was reassuring to my daughter, validating her discomfort without trying to falsely resolve it. There weren't too many of these notes, but they were well placed, integrated with parentheses into the text, casting the artist as a study partner.
On every page, the Mishna text is made relevant, sometimes by use of creative translation. The one that most struck me was 2:1: “Which is the right path for a person to choose for themselves? Whatever brings harmony to the one who does it and brings harmony to all people.” The illustration shows a ring of people sitting cross-legged and singing with guitar and tambourine, eyes beatifically closed, clearly spreading love and harmony far and wide with the power of song. Was this the original vision of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi? Unlikely, as the word he chose, “tiferet,” would to him I guess have meant something more like “one which brings credit to the one who does it and credit to humanity.” “Tiferet” may have picked up the connotation of “harmony” through the kabbalistic doctrine of the Sefirot – making Deutsch’s translation, not “pshat,” but acceptable “drash,” ie an anachronistic understanding of a word which has gathered new meaning over time, intentionally bringing a new layer of meaning to the text.
I enjoyed the religious vision that comes across in every page – relaxed, intellectually engaged, emotionally open, humorous, and drawing liberally on non-Jewish practices and symbols such as yoga and the ubiquitous peace symbol (which, as a Brit, made me feel that Cold War Nuclear Disarmament is never far from the top of the to-do list).
One of my favourite elements was the formulae traditionally recited at the beginning and end of every chapter, reillustrated every time to form a separate thread running through the book and holding it together. Deutsch’s lovely translation of Isaiah: “God wished… that the Torah be expansive and beautiful” neatly sums up the ethos of the book.
This is now my go-to bar/bat mitzva present, but young children and adults will enjoy it just as much.
This happy coincidence gave me my first opportunity to properly sit and learn with my daughter. The pictures in The Illustrated Pirkei Avot visually embodied the idea – clearly not emphasized at her school – that a text bears different interpretations and invites personal responses. For instance when we reached the advice “Do not engage in excessive chatter with your wife” (ice-lolly nr 2) the artist had added a note: “Clearly this passage is shocking! In our society we now consider men and women to be equally valuable.” This was reassuring to my daughter, validating her discomfort without trying to falsely resolve it. There weren't too many of these notes, but they were well placed, integrated with parentheses into the text, casting the artist as a study partner.
On every page, the Mishna text is made relevant, sometimes by use of creative translation. The one that most struck me was 2:1: “Which is the right path for a person to choose for themselves? Whatever brings harmony to the one who does it and brings harmony to all people.” The illustration shows a ring of people sitting cross-legged and singing with guitar and tambourine, eyes beatifically closed, clearly spreading love and harmony far and wide with the power of song. Was this the original vision of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi? Unlikely, as the word he chose, “tiferet,” would to him I guess have meant something more like “one which brings credit to the one who does it and credit to humanity.” “Tiferet” may have picked up the connotation of “harmony” through the kabbalistic doctrine of the Sefirot – making Deutsch’s translation, not “pshat,” but acceptable “drash,” ie an anachronistic understanding of a word which has gathered new meaning over time, intentionally bringing a new layer of meaning to the text.
I enjoyed the religious vision that comes across in every page – relaxed, intellectually engaged, emotionally open, humorous, and drawing liberally on non-Jewish practices and symbols such as yoga and the ubiquitous peace symbol (which, as a Brit, made me feel that Cold War Nuclear Disarmament is never far from the top of the to-do list).
One of my favourite elements was the formulae traditionally recited at the beginning and end of every chapter, reillustrated every time to form a separate thread running through the book and holding it together. Deutsch’s lovely translation of Isaiah: “God wished… that the Torah be expansive and beautiful” neatly sums up the ethos of the book.
This is now my go-to bar/bat mitzva present, but young children and adults will enjoy it just as much.
January 29, 2018
I will turn this book often! Beautiful way to introduce me to the Pirkei avot. The illustrations matched the verses well. I liked the "intro" page of the time line of rabbis. Such impressive and thoughtful artwork. I recommend this to everyone.
February 8, 2022
I actually got something out of reading Pirkei Avot! Finally! I've tried before, and like the author, just not vibed with it. I never would have thought it would be more accessible as a graphic novel but it totally was (and the art was really fun!)
July 24, 2025
Really interesting and cool comic book version of pirkei avot. It was a surprise gift from a friend and while not something I would buy myself, I really appreciate how compact and concise it is. I might actually remember some of these things nowadays!!
January 8, 2018
I've been using this book to meditate every night before going to bed. The philosophical and religious arguments are fascinating, and the art is simply beautiful.
July 22, 2023
Absolutely stunning! I can't wait to co-read this with students!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews