Mishnah 10 - Chapter 6 - Pirkei Avot

Chamishah kinyanim kanah lo hakkadosh baruch hu ba'olamo, ve'ellu hen, torah kinyan echad, shamayim va'aretz kinyan echad, avraham kinyan echad, yisra'el kinyan echad, beit hammikdash kinyan echad. Torah minnayin, dichtiv, Hachem kanani reshit darko kedem mif'alav me'az, shamayim va'aretz minnayin dichtiv koh amar Hachem hashamayim kis'i veha'aretz hadom raglai ei zeh vayit asher tivnu li ve'ei zeh makom menuchati, ve'omer, mah rabbu ma'aseicha Hachem kullam bechochmah asita male'ah ha'aretz kinyanecha. Avraham minnayin, dichtiv vayvarechehu vayomar baruch avram le'el elyon koneh shamayim va'aretz. Yisra'el minnayin, dichtiv, ad ya'avor ammecha Hachem ad ya'avor am zu kanita, ve'omer likdoshim asher ba'aretz hemmah ve'addirei kol cheftzi vam, beit hammikdash minnayin, dichtiv, machon leshivtecha pa'alta Hachem mikkedash adonai konenu yadeicha, ve'omer vayvi'em el gevul kodsho har zeh kanetah yemino.

Five possessions did the Holy Blessed One, set aside as his own in this world, and these are they:The Torah, one possession; Heaven and earth, another possession; Abraham, another possession; Israel, another possession; The Temple, another possession. 1a) The Torah is one possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written, “The Lord possessed (usually translated as ‘created’ me at the beginning of his course, at the first of His works of old” (Proverbs 8:22). , 2a) Heaven and earth, another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “Thus said the Lord: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool; Where could you build a house for Me, What place could serve as My abode? (Isaiah 66:1) And it says: “How many are the things You have made, O Lord; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions” (Psalms 104:24). 3a) Abraham is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “He blessed him, saying, “Blessed by Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 15:19). 4a) Israel is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “Till Your people cross over, O Lord, Till Your people whom You have possessed” (Exodus 15:16). And it says: “As to the holy and mighty ones that are in the land, my whole desire (possession) is in them” (Psalms 16:3). 5a) The Temple is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “The sanctuary, O lord, which your hands have established” (Exodus 15:17”, And it says: “And He brought them to His holy realm, to the mountain, which His right hand had possessed” (Psalms 78:54).

Five acquisitions did the Holy One Blessed be He acquire in His world. They are: Torah — one acquisition; heaven and earth — one acquisition; Abraham — one acquisition; Israel — one acquisition; the Temple — one acquisition: Torah — one acquisition. Whence is this derived? From (Proverbs 8:22): "The L rd acquired me (Torah), the first of His way, before His works of yore." Heaven and earth — one acquisition. Whence is this derived? From (Isaiah 66:1): "Thus says the L rd: 'The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What is the house that you can build for Me and where is the place of My rest?'" And (Psalms 104:24): "How many are Your works, O L rd. You made all of them in wisdom. The earth is full of Your acquisitions." Abraham — one acquisition. Whence is this derived? From (Genesis 14:19): "And he blessed him and he said: 'Blessed is Avram to G-d on high, acquirer of heaven and earth.'" Israel — one acquisition. Whence is this derived? From (Exodus 15:16): "Until there pass over Your people, O L rd; until three pass over this people whom You have acquired." And (Psalms 16:3): "For the holy ones (of Israel) in the earth, and the mighty — all my desire is in them." The Temple — one acquisition. Whence is this derived? From (Exodus 15:17): "A place for Your dwelling have You made, O L rd; the Temple, O L rd, have Your hands established." And (Psalms 78:54): "And He brought them to the bound of His holiness, this mountain, which His right hand acquired."