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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".

ג,א עקביה בן מהללאל אומר, הסתכל בשלושה דברים, ואין אתה בא לידי עבירה--דע מאיין באת, ולאיין אתה הולך, ולפני מי אתה עתיד ליתן דין וחשבון: מאיין באת, מליחה סרוחה. ולאיין אתה הולך, למקום רימה ותולעה. ולפני מי אתה עתיד ליתן דין וחשבון, לפני מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא.

1. Akabia (1), the son of Mahalalel, said, "Consider three things, and thou wilt not come within the power of sin (2): know whence thou camest, and whither thou art going, and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning (3). Whence thou camest: from a fetid drop; whether thou art going: to a place of dust, worms, and maggots (4); and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning: before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He."

(1) He lived about the middle of the first century.

(2) Cf. chapter II, 1.

(3) Compare with this saying the exposition by Akiba of Eccl. XII, 1: [uzechor et bor'ech (bor'ech is: bet-vov-resh-alef-yud-chof(sofit)] "but remember thy creator." Playing upon the word [bor'ech], he says, "Remember thy source ([bet-alef-resh-chof(sofit)]), thy grave ([bet-vov-resh-chof(sofit)]), and thy creator ([bet-resh-alef-chof(sofit)])," Kohelet Rabbah, ad. loc. If man thinks of whence he comes, he is rendered humble; if he reflects upon whither he is going, he prizes worldly things lightly; and if he considers HIm before whom he must give an account, he obeys God's laws.

(4) Cf. Job XXV, 6: "How much less the mortal, the mere worm ([rimah])? and the son of the earth, the mere maggot ([toleah])?" can be pure in God's eyes.

 

ג,ב רבי חנניה סגן הכוהנים אומר, הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות--שאלמלא מוראה, איש את ריעהו חיים בלעו

2. R. Chanina, the Vice-High-Priest (5), said, "Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for the fear thereof men would swallow each other alive" (6).

(5) Chief of the priests, adjutant high-priest. The segan was next in rank to the high-priest. None could be appointed high-priest unless he had occupied the office of the segan (Palestinian Talmud , Yoma , III, 41a, top). According to Schurer, he was "the captain of the Temple," whose duty it was to superintend arrangements for keeping order in and around the Temple. He was also present at all important functions in which the high-priest took part, such as the drawing of lots in the case of the two goats on Yom Kippur ( Yoma III, 9, IV, 1); when reading from the Torah ( Yoma , VII, 1; Sotah VII, 7, 8), and when offering the daily sacrifice ( Tamid VII, 3). Rabbi Chanina was the last to bear this title, his son being known as Simeon ben ha-Segan. See Bacher, Agada der Tanaiten , pp. 55-58, Schurer, History , II, i, 257-259.

(6) Cf. Jer. XXXIX, 7, "And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace," and Abodah Zarah , 3b.

 

ג,ג רבי חנניה בן תרדיון אומר, שניים שהיו יושבין, ואין ביניהן דברי תורה--הרי זה מושב לצים, שנאמר "ובמושב לצים, לא ישב" (תהילים א,א). אבל שניים שהיו יושבין, ועוסקין בדברי תורה--שכינה עימהם, שנאמר "אז נדברו יראי ה', איש אל ריעהו; ויקשב ה', וישמע . . ." (מלאכי ג,טז). ומניין לאחד שיושב ודורש, כאילו קיים את כל התורה--שנאמר "יישב בדד ויידום . . ." (איכה ג,כח).

3. R. Chananiah, the son of Teradion (7), said, "If two sit together and interchange no words of Torah , they are a meeting of scorners, concerning whom it is said, 'The godly man sitteth not in the seat of the scorners' (8); but if two sit together and interchange words of Torah , the Divine Presence (9) abides among them; as it is said, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name,' (10). Now the Scripture enables me to draw this inference in respect to two persons; whence can it be deduced that if even one person sedulously occupies himself with the Torah , the Holy One, blessed be He, appoints unto him a reward? Because it is said, 'though he sit alone, and meditate in stillness, yet he taketh it (the reward) upon him'" (11).

(7) He lived about 120 C.E. He was the father of Beruriah, the wife of Rabbi Meir.

(8) Ps. I, 1. Verse 2 of this psalm continues, "But his delight is in the Law of the Lord."

(9) [shechinah] literally "dwelling," is a name applied to God when He is spoken of as dwelling among men. See Schechter, Aspects, en passim ; Abelson, Immanence of God , p. 77 et seq.

(10) Mal. III, 16.

(11) Lam. III, 27.

 

ג,ד [ג] רבי שמעון אומר, שלושה שאכלו על שולחן אחד, ולא אמרו עליו דברי תורה--כאילו אכלו מזבחי מתים, שנאמר "כי כל שולחנות, מלאו קיא צואה, בלי, מקום" (ישעיהו כח,ח). אבל שלושה שאכלו על שולחן אחד, ואמרו עליו דברי תורה--כאילו אכלו משולחנו של מקום ברוך הוא, שנאמר "וידבר אליי--זה השולחן, אשר לפני ה'" (יחזקאל מא,כב).

4. R. Simeon (12) said, "If three have eaten at a table and have spoken there no words of Torah , it is as if they had eaten of sacrifices to dead idols, of whom it is said, 'For all their tables are full of vomit and filthiness; the All-present is not (in their thoughts)' (13). But if three have eaten at a table and have spoken there words of Torah , it is as if they had eaten at the table of the All-present, for Scripture says, 'And he said unto me, This is the table that is before the Lord'" (14).

(12) Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai lived about the middle of the second century C.E., and was a pupil of Akiba. See Danziger, ibid. , pp. 211-241. He was long thought to be the author of the well-known kabbalistic work Zohar , which was, however, probably written in the thirteenth century by Moses Shem Tob de Leon. See the Jewish Encyclopedia , art. Zohar; Graetz, History , IV, p. 11 et seq.; Schechter, Studies , I, pp. 18, 19, 133; and H. Sperling, in Aspects of the Hebrew Genius , p. 165 et seq.

(13) Isa. XXVIII, 8. The literal interpretation of [bli makom] is, there is "no place" clean of defilement; but the word [makom] being used to designate God (see above, chapter II, n. 35), suggests the interpretation, "without mention of the name of God."

(14) Ezek. XLI, 22.

 

ג,ה [ד] חנניה בן חכינאי אומר, הניעור בלילה, והמהלך בדרך יחידי, והמפנה ליבו להבטלה--הרי זה מתחייב בנפשו.

5. R. Chanina, the son of Hakinai (15), said, "He who keeps awake at night, and goes on his way alone, while turning his heart to vanity, such a one forfeits his own life" (16).

(15) He lived about 120 C.E., and was a pupil of Akiba. See Bacher, ibid. , 436 et seq.

(16) Even the sleepless man and the solitary traveller must turn their thoughts to the Torah .

 

ג,ו [ה] רבי נחוניה בן הקנה אומר, כל המקבל עליו עול תורה, מעבירין ממנו עול מלכות ועול דרך ארץ; וכל הפורק ממנו עול תורה, נותנין עליו עול מלכות ועול דרך ארץ.

6. R. Nechunya, son of ha-Kanah (17), said, "Whoso receives upon himself the yoke of the Torah , from the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care will be removed (18), but whoso breaks off from him the yoke of the Torah , upon him will be laid the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care."

(17) He lived about 80 C.E. See Bacher, ibid. , pp. 58-61.

(18) The "yoke of the kingdom" refers to the taxes and burdens exacted by the government; the "yoke of worldly care" is anxiety of the struggle for existence.

 

ג,ז [ו] רבי חלפתא איש כפר חנניה אומר, עשרה שהיו יושבין ועוסקין בתורה--שכינה עימהן, שנאמר "אלוהים, ניצב בעדת אל" (תהילים פב,א). ומניין שאפילו חמישה, שנאמר "ואגודתו על ארץ יסדה" (עמוס ט,ו). ומניין שאפילו שלושה, שנאמר "בקרב אלוהים, ישפוט" (תהילים פב,א). ומניין שאפילו שניים, שנאמר "אז נדברו יראי ה', איש אל ריעהו" (מלאכי ג,טז). ומניין שאפילו אחד, שנאמר "בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי, אבוא אליך ובירכתיך" (שמות כ,כ).

7. R. Chalafta, the son of Dosa (19), of the village of Chanania said, "When ten people sit together and occupy themselves with the Torah , the Shechinah (20) abides among them, as it is said, 'God standeth in the congregation (21) of the godly' (22). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to five? Because it is said, 'He hath found his band (23) upon the earth' (24). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to three? Because it is said, 'He judgeth among the judges' (25). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to two? Because it is said, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; and the Lord hearkened, and heard' (26). And whence can it be shown that the same applies even to one? Because it is said, 'In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come unto thee and I will bless thee'" (27).

(19) He was probably a disciple of R. Meir. See below, n. 32.

(20) See above, n. 9.

(21) An edah , "assembly," "congregation," "prayer-meeting," consists of at least ten persons ( Megillah , 23b). See Sulzburger, The Ancient Hebrew Parliament , chapter I. (22) Ps. LXXXII, 1.

(23) An agudah (lit., "bundle," "bunch"), "bond," "union," is constituted of at least five, though some authorities maintain that it stands for three. See Taylor, Sayings , p. 46, n. 15. This word is used in the name of a number of Jewish societies whose members bind themselves to brotherly love and mutual assistance. as Agudat Achim , "United Brethren," etc.

(24) Amos, IX, 6.

(25) Ps. LXXXII, 1. Every bet din , "judicial tribunal," consisted of at least three members ( Sanhedrin , 3b).

(26) Mal. III, 16.

(27) Ex. XX, 24.

 

ג,ח [ז] רבי אלעזר בן יהודה איש ברתותא אומר, תן לו משלו, שאת ושלך שלו; וכן הוא אומר בדויד "כי (ממך הכול, ומידך נתנו לך" .(דברי הימים א כט,יד

8. R. Eleazar of Bertota (28) said, "Give unto Him of what is His, for thou and thine are His: this is also found expressed by David, who said, 'For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own we have given Thee'" (29).

(28) He lived during the second century C.E. See Bacher, ibid. , pp. 442-445.

(29) I Chron. XXIX, 14.

 

ג,ט רבי יעקוב אומר, המהלך בדרך ושונה, ומפסיק משנתו ואומר מה נאה אילן זה, מה נאה ניר זה--מעלין עליו כאילו הוא מתחייב בנפשו.

9. R. Jacob said, "He who is walking by the way and studying, and breaks off his study and says, 'How fine is that tree, how fine is that fallow,' him the Scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life" (30).

(30) One must not interrupt his studies even to admire the beauties of nature.

 

ג,י [ח] רבי דוסתאי ברבי ינאי אומר משום רבי מאיר, כל השוכח דבר אחד ממשנתו--מעלין עליו כאילו הוא מתחייב בנפשו, שנאמר "רק הישמר לך ושמור נפשך מאוד, פן תשכח את הדברים" (דברים ד,ט). יכול אפילו תקפה עליו משנתו: תלמוד לומר "ופן יסורו מלבבך" (שם)--הא אינו מתחייב בנפשו, עד שיישב לו ויסירם מליבו

10. R. Dostai (31), the son of Jannai, said in the name of R. Meir (32), "Whoso forgets one word of his study, him the Scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life, for it is said, 'Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen' (33). Now, one might suppose (that the same result follows) even if a man's study has been too hard for him. (To guard against such an inference), it is said, 'And lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life' (34). Thus a person's guilt is not established until he deliberately and of set purpose removes those lessons from his heart."

(31) He lived about 160 C.E.

(32) Rabbi Meir was the celebrated pupil of Akiba. His wife was the well-known Bruriah. On his interesting career, see Blumenthal, Rabbi Meir , Myers, The Story of the Jewish People , I, pp. 189-204, and Danziger, Jewish Forerunners of Christianity , pp. 185-210.

(33) Deut. IV, 9.

(34) Deut. IV, 9.

 

ג,יא [ט] רבי חנניה בן דוסא אומר, כל שיראת חטאו קודמת לחכמתו, חכמתו מתקיימת; וכל שחכמתו קודמת ליראת חטאו, אין חכמתו מתקיימת.

11. R. Chanina, the son of Dosa (35), said, "He in whom the fear of sin precedes wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he in whom wisdom comes before the fear of sin, his wisdom will not endure" (36).

 

ג,יב הוא היה אומר, כל שמעשיו מרובין מחכמתו, חכמתו מתקיימת; וכל שחכמתו מרובה ממעשיו, אין חכמתו מתקיימת. [י] הוא היה אומר, כל שרוח הברייות נוחה הימנו, רוח המקום נוחה הימנו; אין רוח הברייות נוחה הימנו, אין רוח המקום נוחה הימנו.

12. He used to say, "He whose works exceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he whose wisdom exceeds his works, his wisdom will not endure" (37).

13. He used to say, "He in whom the spirit of his fellow-creatures takes not delight, in him the Spirit of the All-present takes not delight."

(35) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai (10 B.C.E.-90 C.E.). See Friedlander, Ben Dosa und seine Zeit (Prag, 1872), and Bacher, ibid. , 283 et seq.

(36) Cf. Ps. CXI, 10: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord." "A man's fear of sin should be instinctive, rather than a result of calculation, . . . a man should build upon the foundation of religious feeling, rather than upon philosophy" (Taylor).

(37) Cf. above, chapter I, 17, "Not learning but doing is the chief thing."

 

ג,יג רבי דוסא בן הרכינס אומר, שינה של שחרית, ויין של צוהריים, ושיחת הילדים, וישיבת כנסייות של עמי הארץ--מוציאין את האדם מן העולם

14. R. Dosa, the son of Horkinas (38), said, "Morning sleep, midday wine, childish babbling, and attending the houses of assembly of the ignorant waste a man's life" (39).

(38) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai.

(39) Idleness, etc., indispose one for the study of the Torah and for business.

 

ג,יד [יא] רבי אלעזר המודעי אומר, המחלל את הקודשים, והמבזה את המועדות, והמפר בריתו של אברהם אבינו, והמלבין פני חברו ברבים, והמגלה פנים בתורה--אף על פי שיש בידו מעשים טובים, אין לו חלק לעולם הבא

15. R. Eleazar ha-Mudai said, "He who profanes things sacred, and despises the festivals, and puts his fellow-man to shame in public, and makes void the covenant of Abraham, our father (40), and makes the Torah bear a meaning other than the right (41); (such a one) even though knowledge of the Torah and good deeds be his, has no share in the world to come" (42).

(40) I.e. circumcision.

(41) Or "acts barefacedly against the Torah ."

(42) Knowledge and moral excellence alone are not sufficient.

 

ג,טו [יב] רבי ישמעאל אומר, הוי קל לראש ונוח לתשחורת, והוי מקביל את כל האדם בשמחה.

16. R. Ishmael (43) said, "Be submissive to a superior (44), affable to the young (45), and receive all men with cheerfulness" (46).

(43) Lived about 120 C.E. See Bacher, ibid. , pp. 240-271.

(44) Or "be pliant of disposition."

(45) [l'tishchoret] is variously rendered as the "young" (Maimonides, Bartenora, Geiger, Jastrow), "impressment" (Rashbam, Taylor), "sovereign authority" (Levy, Chald. Worterbuch, sub [shachar (shin-chet-resh)], Fiebig), and "a suppliant" (Singer).

(46) Cf. chapter I, 15.

 

ג,טז [יג] רבי עקיבה אומר, שחוק וקלות ראש, מרגילין לערווה. הוא היה אומר, מסורת סייג לתורה, נדרים סייג לפרישות; סייג לחכמה, שתיקה.

17. R. Akiba (47) said, "Jesting and levity lead a man on to lewdness. The Massorah (48) is a rampart around the Torah ; tithes are a safeguard to riches (49); good resolves are a fence to abstinence (50); a hedge around wisdom is silence" (51).

 

ג,יז [יד] הוא היה אומר, חביב אדם שנברא בצלם; חיבה יתרה נודעת לו שנברא בצלם, שנאמר "כי בצלם אלוהים, עשה את האדם" (בראשית ט,ו). חביבין ישראל שנקראו בנים למקום; חיבה יתרה נודעת להם שנקראו בנים למקום, שנאמר "בנים אתם, לה' אלוהיכם" (דברים יד,א). חביבין ישראל, שניתן להם כלי שבו נברא העולם; חיבה יתרה נודעת להם שניתן להם כדי שבו נברא העולם, שנאמר "כי לקח טוב, נתתי לכם; תורתי, אל תעזובו" (משלי ד,ב).

18. He used to say, "Beloved is man, for he was created in the image (of God); but it was by a special love that it was made known to him that he was created in the image of God, as it is said, 'For in the image of God made he man' (52). Beloved are Israel, or they were called children of the All-present, but it was by a special love that it was made known to them that they were called children of the All-present, as it is said, 'Ye are children unto the Lord your God' (53). Beloved are Israel, for unto them was given the desirable instrument (54); but it was by a special love that it was made known to them that that desirable instrument was theirs, through which the world was created, as it is said, 'For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my Torah ' (55).

 

ג,יח [טו] הכול צפוי, והרשות נתונה; ובטוב העולם נידון. והכול לפי רוב המעשה, אבל לא על פי המעשה.

19. Everything is foreseen, yet free will is given (56); and the world is judged by grace, yet all is according to the amount of the work" (57).

 

ג,יט [טז] הוא היה אומר, הכול נתון בעירבון, והמצודה פרוסה על כל החיים. והחנות פתוחה, והחנווני מקיף, והפנקס פתוחה, והיד כותבת; וכל הרוצה ללוות בא ולווה. והגבאין מחזרין תמיד בכל יום, ונפרעין מן האדם לדעתו ושלא לדעתו, ויש להם על מה שיסמוכו, והדין דין אמת; והכול מתוקן לסעודה.

20. He used to say, "Everything is given on pledge (58), and a net is spread for all living (59); the shop is open (60); the dealer gives credit; the ledger lies open; the hand writes; and whosoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow; but the collectors regularly make their daily round, and exact payment from man whether he be content or not (61); and they have that whereon they can rely in their demand; and the judgment is a judgment of truth (62); and everything is prepared for the feast" (63).

(47) Akiba ben Joseph (born about 50 C.E., died about 132) was the greatest of the Tannaim (teachers mentioned in the Mishnah ). He was a "proselyte of righteousness" ( ger tzedek ). Until middle age, he remained illiterate and averse to study, but was spurred on to become learned in the Torah by the daughter of the rich Kalba Shabua, whom he subsequently married. He was the pupil of R. Eliezer ben Hyrcanos, R. Jochanan ben Chanania, and Nahum of Gimzo. He espoused the cause of Bar Kochba, acknowledging him as the Messiah, and is said to have travelled throughout the land stirring up opposition to Rome. At the fall of Betar, he was captured by the Romans, and most cruelly put to death, expiring with the Shema upon his lips. R. Akiba definitely fixed the canon of the Old Testament. He compiled and systematized the traditional law, in this respect being the forerunner of R. Judah ha-Nasi (see chapter II, n. 1), whose Mishnah may be considered as being derived from that of the school of Akiba. His importance may be gauged by the following statement from the Talmud , "Our Mishnah comes directly from R. Meir (a disciple of Akiba), the Tosefta from R. Nehemiah, the Sifra from R. Judah, and the Sifre from R. Simon; but they all took Akiba for a model in their works and followed him" ( Sanhedrin , 86a). Akiba introduced a new method of interpreting Scripture, in which not a word, syllable, or letter was considered superfluous, finding thereby a basis for many oral laws. His hermeneutical and exegetical activities were remarkable. Many interesting legends have clustered around his name. See Bacher, ibid. , 271-348; Meilziner, Introduction to the Talmud , pp. 29, 125-126; Isaacs, Stories from the Rabbis , p. 61 et seq.; Danziger, ibid. , pp. 152-184; the Jewish Encyclopedia , arts. Akiba ben Joseph and Akiba ben Joseph in Legend; Myers, Story of the Jewish People , pp. 171-188; and Geiger, Judaism and its History , p. 226 et seq. , 230 et seq.

(48) Massorah , from root masar , "to deliver," "hand over," "transmit," means a "chain of tradition." It is used to designate tradition in general, and is thus correlative with kabbalah . The Massorah contains information for the correct transcription of the Scripture. As used here, it means the traditional interpretation of the Torah . Cf. chapter I, 1, "Moses received the Torah on Sinai, and handed it down ( umsarah ) to Joshua," and "make a fence around the Torah ." Consult Driver, Notes on Samuel , Intro. , p. 37 et seq. ; Schurer, ibid. , II, i, 328; Taylor, Sayings , p. 55, n. 33; Friedlander ibid. , p. 55, 203, 266; Jewish Encyclopedia s.v.; and The Companion Bible (London, Oxford University Press), Pt. I, Appendix , 30.

(49) On tithes, see chapter I, n. 37. Cf. Shabbat , 119a, and Taanit , 9a (play on [ayin-shin-resh tof-ayin-shin resh], Deut. XXIV, 22),* [ayin-sh-resh bet-shin-bet-yud-lamed shin-tof-tof-ayin-shin-resh] "give tithes in order that thou mayest become rich." [* transcriber's note: this text does not appear to be Deuteronomy XXIV, 22.]

(50) Lit., "separation," i.e. from defilement, hence "sanctity" (Taylor).

(51) Cf. chapter I, 17.

(52) Gen. IX, 6.

(53) Deut. XIV, 1.

(54) I.e. , the Torah .

(55) Prov. IV, 2.

(56) The omniscience and prescience of God do not deprive men of free will. Maimonides explains this in the last chapter of the Shemonah Perakim (ed. Gorfinkle, p. 85 et seq. ).

(57) Maimonides interprets the last phrase as meaning to do many small deeds of charity rather than one great deed of goodness. For instance, it is better to distribute one hundred coins among one hundred people than to give them all to one person.

(58) The world is compared to the office of a merchant.

(59) Ecc. IX, 12: "for man also knoweth not his time, like the fishes that are caught in an evil net."

(60) The shop stands for the world and its enjoyments.

(61) Man has free will, and is therefore responsible for all his acts.

(62) For everything is recorded.

(63) This world is merely a preparation for the next. The enjoyment of the world to come is likened by the Rabbis to a banquet, which is shared in by the good and the bad, after they have paid off their moral debts.

 

ג,כ [יז] רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר, אם אין תורה, אין דרך ארץ; אם אין דרך ארץ, אין תורה. אם אין חכמה, אין יראה; אם אין יראה, אין חכמה. אם אין דעת, אין בינה; אם אין בינה, אין דעת. אם אין קמח, אין תורה; אם אין תורה, אין קמח.

21. R. Eleazar, the son of Azariah (64), said, "Where there is no Torah , there are no manners; where there are no manners, there is no Torah : where there is no wisdom, there is no fear of God; where there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom: where there is no knowledge, there no understanding; where there is no understanding, there is no knowledge (65): where there is no meal, there is no Torah; where there is no Torah , there is no meal" (66).

 

ג,כא הוא היה אומר, כל שחכמתו מרובה ממעשיו, למה הוא דומה--לאילן שענפיו מרובין ושורשיו מועטין, והרוח באה ועוקרתו והופכתו על פניו. וכל שמעשיו מרובין מחכמתו, למה הוא דומה--לאילן שענפיו מועטין ושורשיו מרובין: אפילו כל הרוחות שבעולם באות ונושבות בו, אין מזיזות אותו ממקומו

22. He used to say, "He whose wisdom exceeds his works, to what is he like? To a tree whose branches are many, but whose roots are few; and the wind comes and plucks it up, and overturns it upon its face, as it is said, 'And he shall be like a lonely juniper tree in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited' (67). But he whose works exceed his wisdom, to what is he like? To a tree whose branches are few, but whose roots are many, so that though all the winds in the world come and blow upon it, they cannot stir it from its place, as it is said, 'And he shall be as a tree planted by the waters; and that spreadeth out its roots by the river and shall not perceive when heat cometh, but his leaf shall be green; and shall not be troubled in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit'" (68).

(64) R. Eleazar ben Azariah, a Mishnaic scholar of the first century, was of a rich and influential family, and was a descendent of Ezra the Scribe. At seventeen or eighteen, upon the deposition of Gamaliel II, Eleazar, because of his popularity and erudition, was chosen to fill the position of the president of the academy at Jabneh. Upon Gamaliel's restoration, he was made vice-president ( Ab bet din ). See Bacher, ibid. , 219-240.

(65) Cf. Prov. IX, 10: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

(66) Where there is a want of the means of sustenance there is no studying of Torah , and without spiritual nourishment, physical nourishment has no value.

(67) Jer. XVII, 6.

(68) Jer. XVII, 8. Cf. verse 12, above.

 

23. R. Eleazar Chisma (69) said, "The laws concerning the sacrifices of birds and the purification of women are essential ordinances (70); astronomy and geometry are the after-courses of wisdom" (71). 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'".

(69) A contemporary of AKiba.

(70) Kinnim , "nests," is the name of a tract in Seder Kodashim of the Mishnah , and tells of the young birds, which men and women were at times required to offer as sacrifice. Niddah is a tract of Seder Teharot of the Mishnah , and relates of the uncleannesses of woman.

(71) I.e. , the mathematical sciences, in which R. Eleazar was very proficient, are only to be considered as helps to the study of the essentials of Torah .