Pirkei Avot 4

בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שִׂיחָה לִּי. אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז) טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִיר. אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ. אַשְׁרֶיךָ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְטוֹב לָךְ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֵיזֶהוּ מְכֻבָּד, הַמְכַבֵּד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ב) כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ:

Ben Zoma says [(Because he did not live long and was not ordained as a Rabbi, they called him by the name of his father, likewise, "Ben Azzai." The name of both was Shimon)]: Who is wise? [i.e., Who is worthy of glorying in his wisdom?] One who learns from all men, [even from those lesser than he. For since he is not jealous of his honor and learns from the lesser, it is seen that his wisdom is for the sake of Heaven and not for personal glory], as it is written (Psalms 119:99): "From all of my teachers I grew wise," [followed by "for Your testimonies were conversation to me." i.e., I learned Torah from all of my teachers, even those lesser than I, not being solicitous of my honor. For Your testimonies were conversation to me, all of my intent being for the sake of Heaven. Likewise,] Who is strong, [and worthy of glorying in his strength]? One who subdues his (evil) inclination, as it is written (Proverbs 16:32): "Greater is he who withholds his wrath than the hero, and the ruler of his spirit, than the conqueror of a city." [(What precedes is a superficial rendering.) It is to be understood thus: Great is the withholding of wrath that comes from the strength of subduing the (evil) inclination (and not from the weakness of one's nature). And, similarly, [great is] ruling one's spirit when it comes from the conqueror of a city, i.e., from a king, who after conquering a city has the rebels brought before him and "rules his spirit" and does not kill them.] Who is rich, [and worthy of glorying in his riches]? One who rejoices in his lot, as it is written (Psalms 18:2): "When you eat the toil of your hands, you are fortunate and it is well with you" — You are fortunate in this world and it is well for you in the world to come. Who is honored? One who honors others. [Because if one merits the three good things mentioned above (wisdom, strength, and riches), he is honored in himself in the eyes of G-d and man, even if men do not (manifestly) honor him because of them — the tanna, therefore, adds: If one possesses these three middoth and is honored in himself, what should he do to be (manifestly) honored by others? Let him honor them!] As it is written (I Samuel 2:30): "For I shall honor those who honor Me, and those who scorn Me shall be cursed." [The rest follows a fortiori, viz.: If the Holy One Blessed be He, the King of honor, who created everything in this world for His honor, honors those who honor Him — how much more so (should) flesh and blood (do so)! "And those who scorn me shall be cursed" — whence we derive the humility of the Holy One Blessed be He. He did not say "I shall curse My scorners," but they shall be cursed" — of themselves. And He is more solicitous of the honor of tzaddikim than of His own! viz. (Genesis 12:3): "And those who curse you (Abraham), I shall curse."]

בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי רָץ לְמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, וּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה. שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וַעֲבֵרָה גוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה. שֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוָה, מִצְוָה. וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵרָה, עֲבֵרָה:

Ben Azzai says: Run to a "light" mitzvah as to a "heavy one," and flee sin. For a mitzvah begets a mitzvah and a sin begets a sin. [This is "the way of the world." If a man does one mitzvah, it is easier for him to do others and if one begins sinning, it is difficult for him to stop. And, what is more,] the reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah, and the "reward" for a sin is a sin. [For Heaven assists, and places in the hand of one who has done a mitzvah the wherewithal to do another, in order to reward him for both; and thus with the "reward" for a sin. Or: All that one earns or enjoys in the doing of a mitzvah is reckoned to him as a mitzvah itself, and he receives reward both for the mitzvah and for the pleasure and the benefit that he derived therefrom; and the "reward" and the enjoyment that one derives from sinning is reckoned to him as a sin itself, and he is smitten both for the sin and for the reward and the pleasure that he derived from it.]

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּהִי בָז לְכָל אָדָם, וְאַל תְּהִי מַפְלִיג לְכָל דָּבָר, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שָׁעָה וְאֵין לְךָ דָבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם:

He was wont to say: Do not underestimate any man, [saying: "How can he hurt me?"] and do not "distance" any thing, [saying: It is unlikely to happen and need not be worried about]. For there is no man who does not have his moment and there is no thing that does not have its place.

רַבִּי לְוִיטָס אִישׁ יַבְנֶה אוֹמֵר, מְאֹד מְאֹד הֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ, שֶׁתִּקְוַת אֱנוֹשׁ רִמָּה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן בְּרוֹקָא אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְחַלֵּל שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בַּסֵּתֶר, נִפְרָעִין מִמֶּנּוּ בְגָלוּי. אֶחָד שׁוֹגֵג וְאֶחָד מֵזִיד בְּחִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם:

R. Levitas Ish Yavneh says: Be extremely lowly spirited, for the "hope" of man is worms. [Even though in the other middoth the middle course is the best, with "pride," it is not so, but one must incline to the extreme of lowliness of spirit. For pride is especially despised. And, what is more, most men go astray in it, so that people are not disposed to separate from it, wherefore it requires especial distancing.] R. Yochanan ben Broka says: If one desecrates the name of Heaven in secret, it is exacted of him in the open. Both the unwitting and the witting are liable for desecration of the Name.

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר, הַלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה עַל מְנָת לְלַמֵּד, מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד. וְהַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לַעֲשׂוֹת, מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת. רַבִּי צָדוֹק אוֹמֵר, אַל תַּעֲשֵׂם עֲטָרָה לְהִתְגַּדֵּל בָּהֶם, וְלֹא קַרְדֹּם לַחְפֹּר בָּהֶם. וְכָךְ הָיָה הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, וּדְאִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּתָגָא, חָלָף. הָא לָמַדְתָּ, כָּל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, נוֹטֵל חַיָּיו מִן הָעוֹלָם:

R. Yishmael, his son, says: If one learns in order to teach, it is given him to learn and to teach. [This is the correct version. Its meaning: If one learns in order to be constantly involved in Torah, not thinking to engage in lovingkindness with others, like Rava (Rosh Hashanah 18a) who occupied himself with Torah but not with lovingkindness, even though he should also do the latter, still, it is given him to learn and to teach, as per his intent], and if one learns in order to do, [wanting to study Torah but also to engage in lovingkindness, like Abbaye, who engaged in Torah and in lovingkindness,] it is given him [to fulfill his intent and] to learn and to teach, to keep and to do. [There are some who explain "If one learns in order to teach," in order to be called "Rabbi," and who read "it is not given him to learn and to teach," but in most books I have found it as in the first version, which is the correct one.] Do not make them (words of Torah) a crown to aggrandize yourself with. [Do not say: I will learn in order to be called "Rabbi" and to sit at the head, but learn from love, and honor is bound to come], (and do not make them) a spade with which to dig. [Do not learn Torah in order to make a livelihood of it. For one who does so profanes the holiness of Torah and is liable to death at the hands of Heaven, as is one who derives (personal) gain from sacred property. And the teachers of schoolchildren take pay only for watching them alone, that they not damage things, and for teaching them cantillations, which a teacher is not obligated to exert himself to do. But it is forbidden to take pay for teaching Torah, as it is written (Deuteronomy 4:14): "And the L rd commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments" (Ibid. 5): "as the L rd my G-d commanded me" — Just as I, gratis, you, too, gratis. And a judge, too, is forbidden to take a fee for ruling, but only an "absentee fee," that it be manifest that the fee represents what he loses by absenting himself from his work to hear the pleas of the litigants (provided that he takes an equal amount from both. If he takes more from one than from the other, his rulings are nullified.) As to the Torah permitting a Torah scholar to benefit from words of Torah, this applies to selling his works in the marketplace before others do and also to his exemption from all (personal) taxes, impositions, and property taxes. The congregation must pay even the head tax for him. And even if he is wealthy and has much money he may claim exemption by law. And if a Torah scholar is sick and steeped in affliction and the congregation proffer large gifts to him in honor of his Torah, it is a mitzvah for him to take them. And this is not in the category of profiting from words of Torah since it is impossible for him to sustain himself otherwise. And, likewise, a Torah scholar who was appointed a parnas (community leader) or rosh haseder by the congregation, and who occupies himself with the needs of the congregation, may take a wage from them, even what is far in excess of what he needs for a livelihood, so that he be great, and feared and awe-inspiring to them, as we said with the high-priest of whom it is written (Leviticus 21:10): "who is greater than his brothers," which the sages expound: "Make him great from his brothers." His brother Cohanim are to make him wealthy from what is theirs. As to the early sages, who abstained from this, this was out of their chasiduth but it is not the din.] And this is what Hillel was wont to say: "One who 'uses' the crown (of Torah) passes away" — whereby we are taught that one who exploits words of Torah "takes his life" from the world.

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְכַבֵּד אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, גּוּפוֹ מְכֻבָּד עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכָל הַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, גּוּפוֹ מְחֻלָּל עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת:

R. Yossi says: If one honors the Torah, his body is honored by men. [If one expounds the "defective" and "superfluous" (phrasings) in the Torah and adduces reasons for all of the apexes, showing that there is nothing insignificant in them, there is no honoring of the Torah greater than this. Or: If one honors a Torah scroll and those who study Torah and occupy themselves with it — all of these are in the category of honoring Torah.] And if one desecrates the Torah, his body is "desecrated" by men.

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר, הַחוֹשֵׂךְ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַדִּין, פּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיבָה וְגָזֵל וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. וְהַגַּס לִבּוֹ בַהוֹרָאָה, שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ:

R. Yishmael, his son, says: One (a judge) who avoids judging [when there is (present) one greater than he, or when he persuades the litigants to compromise] removes himself from hatred [(for one who leaves beth-din liable hates the judge, saying in his heart "He did not try to find things in my favor")], and from theft [Perhaps he incriminated an innocent person and, in effect, robbed him], and from a vain oath, [which he may have wrongly imposed on one not liable for an oath. Or perhaps the tanna calls a false oath a vain oath, as when he (the defendant) [vainly] swore that he did not borrow, when he really did.] And one who is "haughty" in judgment, [judging without adequate review or deliberation] is a fool, an evildoer, and a man of arrogance.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּהִי דָן יְחִידִי, שֶׁאֵין דָּן יְחִידִי אֶלָּא אֶחָד. וְאַל תֹּאמַר קַבְּלוּ דַעְתִּי, שֶׁהֵן רַשָּׁאִין וְלֹא אָתָּה:

He was wont to say: Do not judge alone. [Even though an expert judge may do so, it is of the ways of chasiduth not to do so. (And this, only when the litigants did not accept him to judge over them; but when they did, he may judge alone, even in the spirit of chasiduth)]; for there is only One who judges alone. And do not say [to your colleagues, who dissent with your judgments] "Accept my opinion," [for I am an expert, and without you I could have judged alone,] for they are permitted (to assert their opinions) and not you, [for since you had them join you, it is proper that the majority view prevail.]

רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְקַיֵּם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מֵעֹנִי, סוֹפוֹ לְקַיְּמָהּ מֵעשֶׁר. וְכָל הַמְבַטֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מֵעשֶׁר, סוֹפוֹ לְבַטְּלָהּ מֵעֹנִי:

R. Yonathan says: Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty, [being pressed for sustenance and yet forsaking his work in order to study Torah] is destined to fulfill it in wealth. And whoever forsakes the Torah out of [preoccupation with his] wealth is destined to forsake it out of poverty.

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מְמַעֵט בְּעֵסֶק, וַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה. וֶהֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ בִּפְנֵי כָל אָדָם. וְאִם בָּטַלְתָּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, יֶשׁ לְךָ בְטֵלִים הַרְבֵּה כְנֶגְדָּךְ. וְאִם עָמַלְתָּ בַתּוֹרָה, יֶשׁ לוֹ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה לִתֶּן לָךְ:

R. Meir says: Diminish (your) occupation [with business or labor] and occupy yourself [primarily] with Torah. And be of lowly spirit before all men, [to learn even from those lesser than you in wisdom.] And if you would be idle [in Torah study], there are many idlers beside you [to assist you in doing so. Or: There are many idlers in the world, the wicked and the savage beasts, through whom the Holy One Blessed be He can bring punishment upon you.] And if you have toiled in Torah He has much reward to give you. [He Himself will reward you, and not a messenger, His attribute of good being greater than that of His punishment.]

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת, קוֹנֶה לוֹ פְרַקְלִיט אֶחָד. וְהָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה אַחַת, קוֹנֶה לוֹ קַטֵּגוֹר אֶחָד. תְּשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, כִּתְרִיס בִּפְנֵי הַפֻּרְעָנוּת. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַסַּנְדְּלָר אוֹמֵר, כָּל כְּנֵסִיָּה שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם:

R. Eliezer ben Yaakov says: If one does one mitzvah, he acquires for himself one defense attorney [i.e., an angel speaking on his behalf.] And if one commits a sin, he acquires for himself one kategor (a prosecuting attorney), [i.e., an incriminating angel, (kategor being acronymic for "kore tigar," "calling out strife." Sanegor, the opposite of kategor is acronymic for "sone tigar," "hating strife.")] R. Yochanan Hasandlar says: Every gathering that is for the sake of Heaven is destined to endure, and (every gathering that is) not for the sake of Heaven is not destined to endure.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ אוֹמֵר, יְהִי כְבוֹד תַּלְמִידְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלְּךָ, וּכְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ כְּמוֹרָא רַבְּךָ, וּמוֹרָא רַבְּךָ כְּמוֹרָא שָׁמָיִם:

R. Elazar ben Shamua says: Let the honor of your disciple be as beloved by you as your own. [For thus do we find with Moses. He said to Joshua, his disciple (Exodus 17:9) "Choose men for us," making him (Joshua) equivalent to himself"], and the honor of your fellow as the fear of your master, [Aaron saying to Moses (Numbers 12:11): "Pray, my master." Although he (Aaron) was his (Moses') elder brother, he called him "my master"], and the fear of your teacher as the fear of Heaven, [Joshua saying to Moses (Ibid. 11:28): "My master, Moses, 'finish them' (from the world.)" Since they have rebelled against you, it is as if they have rebelled against the Holy One Blessed be He and they deserve to be destroyed.]

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי זָהִיר בַּתַּלְמוּד, שֶׁשִּׁגְגַת תַּלְמוּד עוֹלָה זָדוֹן. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁלשָׁה כְתָרִים הֵם, כֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה וְכֶתֶר כְּהֻנָּה וְכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת, וְכֶתֶר שֵׁם טוֹב עוֹלֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן:

R. Yehudah said: Be heedful in learning, [that your learning be exact and in accordance with the halachah.] for a mistake in learning is accounted as deliberate. [If you err in ruling because you were not exact in your learning and you come to permit what is forbidden, the Holy One Blessed be He accounts it to you as if you had acted deliberately.] R. Shimon says: There are three crowns, [which the Torah required to honor]: the crown of Torah [(Leviticus 19:32): "And you shall honor the face of the elder" ("zaken," a Torah scholar," an acronym for "zeh kanah chochmah" — "this one has acquired wisdom") ], the crown of priesthood [(Leviticus 21:8): "And you shall make him (the Cohain) holy" — holy shall he be to you], and the crown of kingdom [(Deuteronomy 17:15): "Place shall you place upon yourself a king" — that his awe be upon you."] And the crown of a good name [i.e., one who possesses good deeds, and, because of them, good repute, which we do not find in the Torah, (that it is required to honor him)] transcends all. [For all three require a good name. For if he is a Torah scholar, but of ill repute, it is permitted to shame him; and if he is a high-priest, it is stated (Yoma 71b): "Let the sons of the nations (i.e., converts) go in peace, who follow the practice of Aaron (who pursued peace), but let the sons of Aaron not go in peace, who do not follow the practice of Aaron"; and if he is a king, it is written (Exodus 22:27): "And a prince in your people you shall not curse" — when he does the deeds of your people.]

רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי גוֹלֶה לִמְקוֹם תּוֹרָה, וְאַל תֹּאמַר שֶׁהִיא תָבֹא אַחֲרֶיךָ, שֶׁחֲבֵרֶיךָ יְקַיְּמוּהָ בְיָדֶךָ. וְאֶל בִּינָתְךָ אַל תִּשָּׁעֵן (משלי ג):

R. Nehorai says: [If there are no Torah scholars in your place,] be exiled to a place of Torah, and do not say that it shall come after you [i.e., that Torah scholars will come here, (and)] that your fellows will fulfill it in your hand. [Do not rely upon your fellows, that when they come from the teacher's house they will fulfill the Torah in your hand, that you will learn from them what they learned from the teacher. But you, yourself, be exiled to the place of the teacher. For there is no comparison between one who hears it from a disciple and one who hears it from the teacher himself. Or: Why do I tell you to exile yourself to a place of Torah? Because your fellows will fulfill it in your hand. For even if you are sharper and more analytic than they, the Torah will not be fulfilled through you, but through your fellows, by interchange of ideas], "and do not rely upon your (own) understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).

רַבִּי יַנַּאי אוֹמֵר, אֵין בְּיָדֵינוּ לֹא מִשַּׁלְוַת הָרְשָׁעִים וְאַף לֹא מִיִּסּוּרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים. רַבִּי מַתְיָא בֶן חָרָשׁ אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מַקְדִּים בִּשְׁלוֹם כָּל אָדָם. וֶהֱוֵי זָנָב לָאֲרָיוֹת, וְאַל תְּהִי רֹאשׁ לַשּׁוּעָלִים:

R. Yannai says: It is not in our hands [i.e., We do not understand (viz. Yevamoth 105a)] why the wicked are at peace, [why they prosper,] and why the righteous are afflicted. [Or: We do not have in exile either the peace and tranquility that the Holy One Blessed be He is wont to bestow upon the wicked in order to drive them out of the world to come, or the afflictions that are unique to the righteous, the afflictions of love, which do not entail the suspension of Torah study. That is, we are not in the category of the wicked, not having their tranquility, nor have we attained to the category of the righteous; for our afflictions are not those of love, as theirs are. ] R. Matia ben Charash says: Precede every man in greeting, [even a gentile in the marketplace], and be a tail to the lions [i.e., to those who are greater than you], and do not be a head to the foxes [i.e., to those who are lesser than you].

רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בַפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין:

R. Yaakov says: This world is like a corridor to the world to come. Ready yourself in the corridor so that you merit entering the palace [of the King].

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְיָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁל קוֹרַת רוּחַ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה:

He was wont to say: Better one hour for [purposes of] repentance and good deeds in this world than all of the life in the world to come. [For at that time repentance and good deeds are of no avail to a man. For the world to come serves only for the receiving of reward for what one fulfilled in this world.] And better one hour of pleasure in the world to come than all of the life in this world.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו, וְאַל תִּשְׁאַל לוֹ בִשְׁעַת נִדְרוֹ, וְאַל תִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לִרְאוֹתוֹ בִשְׁעַת קַלְקָלָתוֹ:

R. Shimon ben Elazar says: Do not appease your friend in the time of his wrath, [as it is written (Exodus 33:14): "My face shall go and I shall put you at ease," the Holy One telling Moses: "Wait until My face of wrath shall pass."], and do not console him while his dead one is lying before him. [For at the time of the destruction (of Jerusalem), the Holy One Blessed be He was, as it were, in mourning; and when the ministering angels tried to console Him, the Holy Spirit said to them: "Do not hasten to console Me."], and do not seek ["openings" to absolve him of his vow] at the time of his vow. [For then, for every opening that you find for him he will say: "Yes, it was with this understanding that I vowed," and you will no longer be able to find an opening for him. And we find that when the Holy One Blessed be He swore to Moses that he would not enter the land, he did not implore Him immediately, but he waited and then he began to implore Him.], and do not try to see him at the time of his undoing [by sin. For then he is ashamed of all men. As we find with Adam — when he sinned, the Holy One Blessed be He did not appear to them (Adam and Eve) until they made girdles, as it is written (Genesis 3:7): "And they made themselves girdles," after which it is written (Ibid 8): "And they heard the voice of the L rd G-d."]

שְׁמוּאֵל הַקָּטָן אוֹמֵר, (משלי כד) בִּנְפֹל אוֹיִבְךָ אַל תִּשְׂמָח וּבִכָּשְׁלוֹ אַל יָגֵל לִבֶּךָ, פֶּן יִרְאֶה ה' וְרַע בְּעֵינָיו וְהֵשִׁיב מֵעָלָיו אַפּוֹ:

Shmuel Hakatan says: "When your foe falls do not rejoice, and when he stumbles, let your heart not be merry" [This is a verse in Proverbs (24:17), but Shmuel Hakatan was wont to reprove men with it], (18): "Lest the L rd see, and it be evil in His eyes [that in your heart you have made Him like your messenger to satisfy your lust] and He turn His wrath from him." [Since it is not written "veshav" (and He shall repent Himself") but "veheshiv" ("and He shall turn"), the implication is that He will turn it from your foe unto you.]

אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה אוֹמֵר, הַלּוֹמֵד יֶלֶד לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְתוּבָה עַל נְיָר חָדָשׁ. וְהַלּוֹמֵד זָקֵן לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְתוּבָה עַל נְיָר מָחוּק. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַר יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר הַבַּבְלִי אוֹמֵר, הַלּוֹמֵד מִן הַקְּטַנִּים לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאֹכֵל עֲנָבִים קֵהוֹת וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן מִגִּתּוֹ. וְהַלּוֹמֵד מִן הַזְּקֵנִים לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לְאֹכֵל עֲנָבִים בְּשֵׁלוֹת וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן יָשָׁן. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקַּנְקַן, אֶלָּא בְמַה שֶּׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ. יֵשׁ קַנְקַן חָדָשׁ מָלֵא יָשָׁן, וְיָשָׁן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ חָדָשׁ אֵין בּוֹ:

One who learns as a child, to what can he be compared? To ink written on new paper, [which endures. So, the learning of childhood is not forgotten], and one who learns in old age, to what can he be compared? To ink written on smudged paper. R. Yossi beRabbi Yehudah Ish Kfar Habavli says: One who learns from the young, to what can he be compared? To one who eats dull grapes [i.e., grapes which are unripe and which dull the teeth. (Analogously, the wisdom of a child has not sufficiently matured and his words do not "sit well" on the heart)], and to one who drinks wine from his vat, [which is intermixed with lees. (Analogously, the wisdom of a child is intermixed with doubts.)] And one who learns from the old, to what can he be compared? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks old wine. Rabbi says: Do not look at the vessel, but at what it contains. There is a new vessel full of old wine, and an old vessel which does not contain even new wine! [Rabbi disagrees with R. Yossi beRabbi Yehudah, saying that just as there is a new vessel full of old wine, so there can be a child whose "flavor" is like that of the old; and there are old men inferior in wisdom to children.]

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַקַּפָּר אוֹמֵר, הַקִּנְאָה וְהַתַּאֲוָה וְהַכָּבוֹד, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם:

R. Eliezer Hakappar says: Envy, lust [for food, drink, fornication, and the like] and honor [i.e., the desire to be honored by others] drive a man from the world.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, הַיִּלּוֹדִים לָמוּת, וְהַמֵּתִים לְהֵחָיוֹת, וְהַחַיִּים לִדּוֹן. לֵידַע לְהוֹדִיעַ וּלְהִוָּדַע שֶׁהוּא אֵל, הוּא הַיּוֹצֵר, הוּא הַבּוֹרֵא, הוּא הַמֵּבִין, הוּא הַדַּיָּן, הוּא עֵד, הוּא בַעַל דִּין, וְהוּא עָתִיד לָדוּן. בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאֵין לְפָנָיו לֹא עַוְלָה, וְלֹא שִׁכְחָה, וְלֹא מַשּׂוֹא פָנִים, וְלֹא מִקַּח שֹׁחַד, שֶׁהַכֹּל שֶׁלּוֹ. וְדַע שֶׁהַכֹּל לְפִי הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן. וְאַל יַבְטִיחֲךָ יִצְרְךָ שֶׁהַשְּׁאוֹל בֵּית מָנוֹס לְךָ, שֶׁעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אַתָּה נוֹצָר, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אַתָּה נוֹלָד, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אַתָּה חַי, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אַתָּה מֵת, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:

He was wont to say: The born, to die [i.e., one who has been born is already destined to die], and the dead, to live [they are destined to live and to arise for the day of judgment — these for eternal life and these for shame and for eternal infamy], to know [from others], to apprise [others], and to affirm [within themselves] that He, the Almighty, is the Artisan, [all of the world being in His hand like matter in the hand of the artisan, for] He is the Creator, [who created the entire universe ex nihilo, wherefore He can do with it as He pleases], He is the Understander [of all the deeds of men, wherefore] He is the (optimum) Judge [and He brings them into judgment before Him], He is the Witness, He is the Prosecutor [of the sinners], and He is destined to judge them [for the world to come]. Blessed is He, for there is before Him no wrong, and no forgetting, and no favoritism, and no taking of graft, for all is His (and there is nothing to bribe Him with). [He shows no favoritism even to an absolute tzaddik, not (refraining from) punishing him for even a slight transgression that he may have committed and not taking the "graft" of a mitzvah to overlook a sin. But He rewards for a mitzvah and punishes for a transgression. (Thus, Rambam)]. And know that all comes to an account. ["A p'rutah (a small coin) and a p'rutah add up to a great sum." In the same way, slight transgressions, when there are many of them, add up to a great sum.] And let your (evil) inclination not delude you into thinking that the grave is your refuge. For, perforce were you formed [The soul resists leaving the pargod (the Divine partition, a pure sphere where the souls reside) to enter a woman's womb, an impure abode, but an angel comes and removes it forcibly and places it there], and perforce were you born, [being forced by an angel to leave the womb], and perforce do you live. [Sometimes a man is so steeped in afflictions that he wants to die — but he cannot], and perforce are you destined to render judgment and accounting before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He.