Great Throughts Treasury

"Rabbi Yishmael says: “Be submissive to an elder and courteous to the young. Receive every man with good cheer.”"

"Rabbi Meir said: “Engage little in business but occupy yourself with Torah. Be humble in spirit before all men. If you neglect Torah many causes for neglecting it will present themselves to you; but if you labor in Torah then G-d has abundant reward to give you.”"

"Rabbi Judah used to say: “Be careful in teaching, for error in teaching amounts to deliberate sin.” "

"Rabbi Dosa ben Hyrcanus said: “Sleeping away the morning, drinking at noonday, childish playing and sitting in the meetinghouses of the unlearned remove a man from this world.”"

"Judah ben Tabbai said: “Do not make yourself like those that present before judges. When parties to a Torah suit are standing before you they should be in your eyes as wicked men, but when they have departed from they should be in your eyes as innocent, if they have accepted the verdict.”"

"Rabbi Akiva used to say: “Beloved is the man that he was created in the image of G-d; an extra love is made known to him that he was created in G-d's image”, as it says (Genesis 9:6) “for in His own image G-d made humankind. Beloved are the Jews that they are called sons to G-d; an extra love is made known to them that they are called sons to G-d”, as it says (Deuteronomy 14:1) “You are children of the Lord your G-d. Beloved are the Jews that there has been given to them the precious instrument; an extra love is made known to them that they were given the precious instrument of the world's creation”, as it says (Proverbs 4:2) “For I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.”"

"Rabbi Akiva used to say: “All is given against a pledge, and the net is cast over all living; the shop stands open and the shopkeeper gives credit and the account book lies open and the hand writes. Every one that wishes to borrow let him come and borrow; but the collectors go their daily rounds and exact payment from man with or without his consent; for the collectors have that on which they can rely; and the Judgment is a Judgment of truth; and all is made ready for a feast.”"

"Any controversy waged in the service of God shall in the end be of lasting worth, but any that is not shall in the end lead to no permanent result. Which controversy was an example of being waged in the service of G-d? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which was not for G-d? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his company. Whoever leads the masses in the right path will not come to any sin, but whoever leads the masses astray will not be able to repent for all the wrong he commits. Thus Moses was virtuous and he led the masses in the right path, and their merit is ascribed to him, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:21) He executed the justice of the Lord, and His ordinances for Israel. But Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, sinned and caused the multitude to sin, and so the sin of the masses is ascribed to him as it is written (I Kings 15:30) Because of the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit."

"Pestilence comes upon the world because of crimes deserving the death penalties enjoined in the Torah that are not brought before the court; and because of the transgressions of the Torahs of the seventh year produce (Leviticus 25:1-7). The sword comes upon the world because of the delaying of justice and the perverting of justice; and because of those that teach Torah not according to the Halakah. Exile comes upon the world because of idolatry and incest and the shedding of blood; and because of neglect to give release to the soil during the sabbatical year."

"Simeon, the son of Rabban Gamliel, said: I was brought up all my life among the Sages, and I have found nothing as good for the body as silence, and it is not the study/explication that is the essence – but the practice/doing, and whoever is profuse of words occasions sin"

"Rabbi Yose said: “Let your friend’s property be as precious to you as your own; Give yourself to studying the Torah, for it does not come to you by inheritance; and let all your deeds be done in the name of Heaven.”"

"Rabbi Tarfon taught: “It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either.” "

"Rabbi Yose said: “Let your friend’s property be as precious to you as your own; Give yourself to studying the Torah, for it does not come to you by inheritance; and let all your deeds be done in the name of Heaven.”"

"Hillel taught: “A person who is [too] shy [to ask questions] will never learn, and a teacher who is too strict cannot teach . . . and in a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.”"

"Shemayah said: “Love work; hate domination; and seek not undue intimacy with the government.”"

"Avtalion said: “Sages, be careful with your words lest you incur the penalty of exile and are called to a place where the waters of learning are impure and the disciples that come after you drink of them and die; and the Heavenly Name is consequently profaned.”"

"Hillel used to say: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”"

"Hillel said: “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and bringing them close to the Torah.”"

"Shammai said: “Make your study of the Torah a fixed habit. Say little and do much, and receive all men with a cheerful face.”"

"Hillel said: “Do not separate yourself from the community; and do not trust in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow until you are in his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood but will be understood in the end. Say not: When I have time I will study because you may never have the time.”"

"Rabban Gamaliel said: “Provide yourself with a teacher and remove yourself from doubt, and do not accustom yourself to give tithes by estimation.”"

"Shimon said: “All my days have I grown up among the wise and I have not found anything better for a man than silence. Studying Torah is not the most important thing rather fulfilling it. Whoever multiplies words causes sin.”"

"Rabbi Elazar said: “Be eager to study the Torah. Know what to respond to a heretic. Know before whom you toil and who is your employer who shall pay you the reward of your labor.”"

"Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai used to say: “If you have learnt much Torah do not claim for yourself moral excellence, for to this end you were created.”"

"Rabbi Chanina, an assistant of the high priest said: “Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for fear of it men would swallow each other alive.”"

"Rabbi Yosi said: “Let the property of your fellow man be as dear to you as your own. Prepare yourself for the study of the Torah, for the knowledge of it is not yours by inheritance. Let all your deeds be done for the sake of Heaven.”"

"Rabbi Elazar of Modiim said: “If a man profanes things which are sacred, and offends the holidays and puts his fellow to shame publicly, and makes void the covenant of Abraham our father, and teaches meanings in the Torah which are not according to Halachah, even though he has a knowledge of the Torah and good works, he has no share in the world to come.”"

"Rabbi Yishmael used to say: “He who learns in order to teach will be enabled both to learn and to teach. But he who learns in order to practice will be enabled to learn, to teach, to observe, and to practice.”"

"Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob used to say: “He who performs one commandment acquires for himself one advocate, while he who commits one transgression has gotten for himself one accuser. Penitence and good deeds are as a shield against punishment.”"

"Rabbi Shimon used to say: “There are three crowns--the crown of the Torah, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of kingship, but the crown of a good name surpasses them all.”"

"Rabbi Akiva said: “All is foreseen, but freedom of choice is given. The world is judged in goodness, yet all is proportioned to one's work.”"

"Rabbi Nehorai said: “Go as a voluntary exile to a place of Torah, and do not say that the Torah will follow you, for it is your companions who will make it your permanent possession. Do not rely upon your own understanding.”"

"Rabbi Yochanan said: “Every assembly that is for a hallowed purpose shall in the end be established. But any assembly that is not for a hallowed purpose shall not ultimately be established.”"

"Rabbi Yannai used to say: “It is not in our power to explain the well-being of the wicked or the sorrows of the righteous.”"

"Rabbi Yanni would say: “Better is one hour of penitence and good deeds in this world than all the life of the world to come. Better is one hour of spiritual repose in the world to come than all the life of this world.”"

"Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar used to say: “Do not appease your fellow in the time of his anger, nor comfort him while his dead lie before him. Do not question him in the time of his vow. Do not try to see him in the time of his disgrace.”"

"Whenever love depends upon something and it passes, then the love passes away too. But if love does not depend upon some ulterior interest then the love will never pass away."

"Elisha ben Avuyah used to say: “He who learns as a child, what is he like? He is like ink written on new paper. He who learns as an old man, what is he like? He is like ink written on blotting paper.”"

"One who advances his name, destroys his name. One who does not increase, diminishes. One who does not learn is deserving of death. And one who make personal use of the crown of Torah shall perish."

"Hillel said, "Do not separate from the community, do not trust yourself till the day you die, do not judge your fellow until you reach his place, do not make a statement which cannot be understood which will [only] later be understood, and do not say when I have free time I will learn, lest you not have free time.""

"Simon the Just used to say, “Upon three things the world stands: On Torah, on (Divine) Service, and on Deeds of Loving-kindness.”"

"Which is the right path for man to choose for himself? Whatever is harmonious for the one who does it, and harmonious for mankind. Be as careful with a minor mitzvah as with a major one, for you do not know the rewards of the mitzvot. Consider the cost of a mitzvah against its rewards, and the rewards of a transgression against its cost. Contemplate three things, and you will not come to the hands of transgression: Know what is above from you: a seeing eye, a listening ear, and all your deeds being inscribed in a book."

"Hillel said: "A boor cannot be sin-fearing, an ignoramus cannot be pious, a bashful one cannot learn, a short-tempered person cannot teach, nor does anyone who does much business grow wise. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.""