All Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, "And
thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for
ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be
glorified".
1. Ben Zoma (1) said, "Who is wise? He who learns from all men, as it
is said, 'from all my teachers have I gotten understanding' (2). Who
is mighty? He who controls his passions, as it is said, 'He that is
slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth over his
spirit than he that taketh a city' (3). Who is rich? He who rejoices
in his portion, as it is said, 'When thou eatest the labor of thine
hands, happy art thou, and it shall be well with thee' (4); happy art
thou in this world, and it shall be well with thee in the world to
come. Who is honored? He who honors others, as it is said, 'For them
that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be held in
contempt'" (5).
(1) Simon ben Zoma and Simon ben Azzai, _Tannaim_ of the
second century, were generally known as ben Zoma and ben
Azzai, as they never received the title of Rabbi, according to
one view. According to another opinion, they were called by
their fathers' names, because they both died young. Together
with Akiba and Elisha ben Abuyah (_Acher_), they entered,
legend says, into the paradise of esoteric knowledge. "Four
(sages)," we are told, "entered paradise, ben Azzai, ben Zoma,
Acher, and Akiba. Ben Azzai looked and died; ben Zoma went
mad; Acher destroyed the plants; Akiba alone came out unhurt"
(_Chagigah_, 14b). The interpretation of this passage is that
ben Azzai died prematurely, worn out by his activities in
mystical and theosophic speculation; ben Zoma became demented
thereby; Elisha, contemptuously referred to as Acher (the
other), became an apostate; but Akiba was unaffected. Ben
Zoma was famous for his wisdom, it being said of him, "Whoever
sees ben Zoma in his dream is assured of scholarship"
(_Berachot_, 57b). With him, it was said, the last of the
interpreters of the Law (_darshanim_) died (_Sotah_, 49b).
His interpretation of the biblical passage "that thou mayest
remember when thou camest forth out of Egypt" is found in the
_Haggadah_ of Passover eve. See Bacher, _Agada der Tanaiten_,
pp. 425-532; Schechter, _Studies_, I, pp. 129-130; H.
Sperling, in _Aspects of the Hebrew Genius_, p. 150.
(2) Ps. CXIX, 9.
(3) Prov. XVI, 32.
(4) Ps. CXXVIII, 2. The discontented rich man, even, is poor.
(5) I Sam. II, 30.
2. Ben Azzai (6) said, "Hasten to do even a slight precept (7), and
flee from transgression; for one virtue leads to another, and
transgression draws transgression in its train; for the recompense of
a virtue is a virtue, and the recompense of a transgression is a
transgression" (8). 3. He used to say, "Despise not any man, and carp
not at any thing (9); for there is not a man that has not his hour,
and there is not a thing that has not its place."
(6) Simon ben Azzai (see n. 1) was a very assiduous student
and a man of great piety. He was betrothed to the daughter of
Akiba, but separated from his prospective wife in order to
devote all of his time to study. It was said of him, "At the
death of ben Azzai, the last industrious man passed away"
(_Sotah_ IX, 15), and "He who sees ben Azzai in a dream might
hope for saintliness." He declared that the greatest
principle of Judaism is the belief in the common brotherhood
of all mankind, which he derived from the passage, Genesis VI,
1, "This is the generation of Adam (man)." See Bacher,
_ibid._, 409-424.
(7) Cf. chapter II, 1.
(8) Well-doing is the fruit of well-doing, and evil-doing the
fruit of evil-doing.
(9) Or "do not consider anything as being impossible."
4. R. Levitas of Jabneh said, "Be exceedingly lowly of spirit (10),
since the hope of man is but the worm."
(10) R. Levitas lived probably about 120 C.E. Maimonides
declares that the medium way between the extremes of the _too
little_ and the _too much_ is the path of virtue, but he makes
an exception in the case of humility, and, in accordance with
this passage, considers the extreme of being very humble the
virtue. See Gorfinkle, _The Eight Chapters_, p. 60, n. 2.
5. R. Jochanan, the son of Berokah (11), said, "Whosoever profanes the
Name of Heaven (12) in secret will suffer the penalty for it in
public; and this, whether the Heavenly Name be profaned in ignorance
or in wilfulness."
(11) A contemporary of Akiba.
(12) "Name of Heaven" is a common substitute for the "name of
God."
6. R. Ishmael (13), his son, said, "He who learns in order to teach
(14), to him the means will be granted both to learn and to teach; but
he who learns in order to practise, to him the means will be granted
to learn, and to teach, to observe, and to practise."
(13) He lived about 150 C.E.
(14) To one who learns _Torah_ and does not teach it are
applied the words in Num. XV, 31: "he hath despised the word
of the Lord" (_Sanhedrin_, 99a).
7. R. Zadok said, "Separate not thyself from the congregation; (in the
judge's office) act not the counsel's part (15); make not of the
_Torah_ a crown wherewith to aggrandize thyself, nor a spade wherewith
to dig" (16). So also used Hillel to say, "He who makes a worldly use
of the crown (of the _Torah_) shall waste away" (17). Hence thou
mayest infer that whosoever derives a profit for himself from the
words of the _Torah_ is helping on his own destruction.
(15) Cf. chapter I, 8.
(16) _I.e._, for material and selfish ends.
(17) Cf. chapter I, 13.
8. R. Jose (18) said, "Whoso honors the _Torah_ will himself be
honored by mankind, but whoso dishonors the _Torah_ will himself be
dishonored by mankind."
(18) R. Jose ben Chalafta was a contemporary of R. Meir.
9. R. Ishmael (19), his son, said, "He who shuns the judicial office
rids himself of hatred, robbery, and vain swearing (20); but he who
presumptuously lays down decisions is foolish, wicked, and of an
arrogant spirit." 10. He used to say, "Judge not alone, for none may
judge alone save One; neither say (to thy judicial colleagues),
'Accept my view,' for the choice is theirs (to concur); and it is not
for thee (to compel concurrence)."
(19) He lived about 160-220 C.E.
(20) The judge brings upon himself the hatred of the one who
is disappointed by his judgment. An erroneous judgment is
equivalent to robbery. When the judge exacts an unnecessary
oath, perjury may result.
11. R. Jonathan (21) said, "Whoso fulfils the _Torah_ in the midst of
poverty shall in the end fulfil it in the midst of wealth; and whoso
neglects the _Torah_ in the midst of wealth shall in the end neglect
it in the midst of poverty."
(21) He lived about the middle of the second century C.E. He
was a pupil of R. Ishmael (verse 9).
12. R. Meir (22) said, "Lessen thy toil for worldly goods, and be busy
in the _Torah_; be humble of spirit before all men; if thou neglectest
the _Torah_, many causes for neglecting it will be present themselves
to thee, but if thou laborest in the _Torah_, He has abundant
recompense to give thee."
(22) See chapter III, n. 32.
13. R. Elieser (23), the son of Jacob, said, "He who does one precept
has gotten himself one advocate; and he who commits one transgression
has gotten himself one accuser. Repentance and good deeds are as a
shield against punishment."
(23) He lived about 140 C.E.
14. R. Jochanan, the sandal-maker (24), said, "Every assembly which is
in the Name of Heaven will in the end be established, but that which
is not in the Name of Heaven will not in the end be established."
(24) Most of the Rabbis believed with Rabban Gamaliel that the
study of the _Torah_ without employment brings transgression
(chapter II, 2). Consequently, each invariably followed some
vocation. Hillel, the senior, gained his livelihood as a
wood-chopper; Shammai was a builder; R. Joshua, a blacksmith;
R. Chanina, a shoemaker; R. Huna, a water-carrier; R. Abba, a
tailor; R. Pappa, a brewer, etc. Other Rabbis whose names
indicate their trades, as R. Jochanan ha-Sandalar (lived about
150 C.E.), were Isaac Nappacha (the smith) and R. Abin Naggara
(the carpenter). Many were merchants and others
agriculturists. Generally, the Rabbi studied during
two-thirds of the day, and worked at his trade during the
remainder. Those engaged in agriculture would study in the
winter and till the soil in the summer. Consult Franz
Delitzch, _Jewish Artisan Life in the Time of Christ_; and S.
Meyer, _Arbeit und Handwerk im Talmud_, Berlin, 1878.
15. R. Eleazer, the son of Shammua (25), said, "Let the honor of thy
disciple be as dear to thee as thine own, and the honor of thine
associate be like the fear of thy master, and the fear of thy master
like the fear of Heaven."
(25) He lived about 150 C.E.
16. R. Judah (26) said, "Be cautious in study, for an error in study
may amount to presumptuous sin" (27).
(26) R. Judah ben Ilai lived about 140 C.E.
(27) Cf. Chapter III, 10.
17. R. Simeon (28) said, "There are three crowns: the crown of
_Torah_, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty; but the
crown of a good name excels them all."
(28) On R. Simeon ben Yochai, see chapter III, n. 12.
18. R. Nehorai (29) said, "Betake thyself to a home of the _Torah_
(30), and say not that the _Torah_ will come after thee; for there thy
associates will establish thee in the possession of it; and lean not
upon thine own understanding" (31).
(29) He lived about 130 C.E.
(30) If there is no teacher where you live.
(31) Prov. III, 5.
19. R. Jannia said, "It is not in our power (to explain) either the
prosperity of the wicked or the afflictions of the righteous."
20. R. Mattithiah, the son of Heresh (32), said, "Be beforehand in the
salutation of peace to all men; and be rather a tail to lions than a
head to foxes" (33).
(32) He lived about 120 C.E. in Rome.
(33) It is better to be a pupil of great teachers than to be a
teacher of worthless pupils (Maimonides). It is better to
follow those who are greater than to lead those who are
inferior.
21. R. Jacob (34) said, "This world is like a vestibule before the
world to come (35); prepare thyself in the vestibule, that thou mayest
enter into the hall." 22. He used to say, "Better is one hour of
repentance and good deeds in this world than the whole life of the
world to come; and better is one hour of blissfulness of spirit in the
world to come than the whole life of this world."
(34) He lived about 160-220 C.E.
(35) This world is a bridge that leads to the future world
(Maimonides).
23. R. Simeon, the son of Eleazer (36), said, "Do not appease thy
fellow in the hour of his anger, and comfort him not in the hour when
his dead lies before him, and question him not in the hour of his vow,
and rush not to see him in the hour of his disgrace."
(36) A pupil of R. Meir. He lived about 160-220 C.E.
24. Samuel (37), the younger, used to say, "Rejoice not when thine
enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: lest
the Lord see it and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from
him" (38).
(37) Samuel (about 120 C.E.) is said to have composed, at the
request of R. Gamaliel II, the prayer against heretics, added
to the "Eighteen Benedictions" (_Shemoneh Esreh_). See the
_Jewish Encyclopedia_, vol. XI, p. 281.
(38) Prov. XXIV, 17, 18.
25. Elisha, the son of Abuyah (39), said, "If one learns as a child,
what is it like? Like ink written in clean paper. If one learns as
an old man, what is it like? Like ink written on used paper" (40).
(39) See n. 1, above. Elisha ben Abuyah, otherwise known as
Acher, lived at the end of the first and the beginning of the
second century. He is charged by the Rabbis with having aided
the Romans in their attempts to suppress the Jewish religion,
with having endeavored to estrange the young from Judaism and
from the study of its literature, with having intentionally
and openly broken the ceremonial laws, and with having
desecrated the Sabbath. R. Meir, his pupil, maintained a
close intimacy with him, in spite of his apostacy, having high
regard for Elisha's intellectual worth. When reproached for
this, R. Meir said, "I eat the kernel, and throw away the
husks." Elisha is often referred to as the "Faust of the
_Talmud_." On his identification with the Apostle Paul, see
I. M. Wise, _The Origin of Christianity_, p. 311, and
Danziger, _ibid._, pp. 304-306. Some have even identified him
with Jesus. In _Abot de-Rabbi Natan_, a parable that is very
similar to that of Jesus, in Luke VI 47-49, is attributed to
Elisha. "A man who does good deeds and diligently studies the
Law, to whom is he likened? He is like a man building a house
with a stone foundation and with tiles (on the roof); and when
a flood arises, and breaks against the walls, that house
cannot be moved from its place. But the man who lives an evil
life, in spite of having deeply studied the Law, to whom is he
like? He is like a man building a house with tiles for a
foundation and with heavy stones (on the roof); and when a
little rain comes, straightway the house falls in" (G.
Friedlander's translation, in _The Jewish Sources of the
SErmon on the Mount_, pp. 259-260). On the career of Acher,
see Bacher, _ibid._, pp. 432-436; Graetz, _History_, II,
_passim_; Myers, _ibid._, pp. 200-202; and Strack, _Einleitung
in den Talmud_, p. 91.
(40) What one learns in youth, one retains, while the opposite
is true of learning in old age. The Rabbis, elsewhere, liken
learning in youth to engraving upon a stone, and learning in
old age to writing on the sand.
26. R. Jose, the son of Judah (41), of Chefar Babli said, "He who
learns from the young, to what is he like? To one who eats unripe
grapes, and drinks wine from his vat (42). And he who learns from the
old, to what is he like? To one who eats ripe grapes, and drinks old
wine."
(41) A contemporary of Judah ha-Nasi.
(42) _I.e._, wine that is not forty days old, and not yet
clarified.
27. Rabbi Meir said (43), "Look not at the flask, but at what it
contains: there may be a new flask full of old wine, and an old flask
that has not even new wine in it" (44).
(43) Some texts read "Rabbi," _i.e._, Judah ha-Nasi (see
chapter II, n. 1).
(44) This verse expresses an opinion contrary to that of the
preceding one. The mind of a young man may be more mature
than that of an old man.
28. R. Eleazar ha-Kappar (45) said, "Envy, cupidity, and ambition take
a man from the world" (46).
(45) A contemporary of Judah ha-Nasi.
(46) Cf. chapter II, 16.
29. He used to say, "They that are born are doomed to die; and the
dead to be brought to life again; and the living to be judged, to
know, to make known, and to be made conscious that He is God, He the
Maker, He the Creator, He the Discerner (47), He the Judge, He the
Witness (48), He the Accuser; He it is that will in future judge,
blessed be He, with Whom there is no unrighteousness, nor
forgetfulness, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes (49); and
know also that everything is according to the reckoning (50); and let
not thy imagination give thee hope that the grave will be a place of
refuge for thee; for perforce thou wast formed, and perforce thou wast
born, and thou livest perforce, and perforce thou wilt die, and
perforce thou wilt in the future have to give account and reckoning
before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He."
(47) Cf. Ps. XXXIII, 15: "He fashioneth their hearts
altogether; he hath regard to all their works."
(48) Cf. Mal. III, 5.
(49) Cf. II Chron. XIX, 7: "Take heed and act; for with the
Lord our God there is no injustice, nor respect for persons,
nor taking of bribes." Maimonides interprets this verse of
_Abot_ as meaning that one cannot bribe God with good deeds in
order to have bad deeds forgiven. The one bad deed is not
forgiven even by the doing of one hundred good ones, but
punishment is meted out for the bad deed and reward in full
for the hundred good ones. That is, each action is judged
entirely on its own merits. Neither is God a respecter of
persons. On the one hand, He punished Moses for his anger at
the waters of Meribah, and, on the other, He rewarded Esau for
honoring his parents, and Nebuchadnezzar for honoring God.
(50) Maimonides interprets as follows, "Think of the physical
things in which man has no choice, as our sages said, 'All is
in the power of God, except the fear of God.' It is not said
that one must perforce, and against one's will, sin, or that
one is constrained to journey, walk, stand, etc., for these
are in the power of man, and are dependent upon his own free
will, and not upon any (external) compelling force, as we have
explained in chapter eight." See Rawicz, _Commentar des
Maimonides_, p. 89, n. 4, and Garfinkle, _ibid._, p. 88 _et
seq._
Rabbi Chanania, the son of Akashia, said, "The Holy One, blessed be
He, was pleased to make Israel worthy; wherefore He gave them a
copious _Torah_ and many commandments, as it is said, 'It pleased the
Lord, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the _Torah_ and make it
honorable'".