,,transcriber',s ,,comments ,where ,hebrew letters appeared within the ,english text1 these have been transliterated and included in brackets4 ,in many cases the hebrew has also been spelled out1 thus3 tov 7tet-vov-bet74 ,a rare additional transcriber's note may be found within brackets 4 ,the source text contained only one comment in a bracket1 that should not be confused as a transcriber's note4 ,this is the word ,baden that appeared in the ,bibliography4 ,each s is the special character known as section sign4 ,where the source text referenced a page number within the same book1 the transcriber substituted a reference in brackets that will be useful for readers of this e-text version4 ,the source book contained the complete ,pirkei ,avot1 in ,hebrew1 with vowels4 ,this has1 of necessity1 been omitted from the current e-text document1 which uses only ,roman font4 ,footnotes all appeared at the bottom of the page1 separated by a line from the main text1 and printed in the same font and size as the main text4 ,the transcriber has moved these footnotes to follow the paragraph they supplement1 and indented them4 ,at the end of this e-text1 readers will find a section titled ,,transcription ,,notes which deals with issues such as accent marks4 ,following this1 readers will find a ,,page ,,reference ,,index4 ,this reference will help maintain the stability of references to this book from outside sources4 ,,end of ,,transcriber',s ,,comments ,library of ,jewish ,classics ,i4 ,leopold ,zunz3 ,the ,sufferings of the ,jews ,during the ,middle ,ages ,,ii4 ,hyman ,hurwitz3 ,talmudic ,tales ,,iii4 ,pirek ,abot3 ,the ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers ,,library ,,of ,,jewish ,,classics-,,iii4 ,the ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers pirkei avot ,,pirke ,,abot ,translated1 with an ,introduction and ,notes ,,by ,,joseph ,i4 ,,gorfinkle1 ,ph4,d4 ,author of ,the ,eight ,chapters of ,maimonides on ,ethics ,,second ,,edition ,,contents ,,preface ,,introduction ,name ,purpose ,description ,contents ,language ,development of ,abot ,abot in ,liturgy ,bibliography ,,chapter ,i ,,chapter ,,ii ,,chapter ,,iii ,,chapter ,,iv ,,chapter ,v ,,chapter ,,vi ,,hebrew ,,text 7,appendix7 ,,preface ,notwithstanding the fact that there are many editions of the ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 and that it has been translated innumerable times in all modern tongues1 no apology need be given for the appearance of this little volume in the series of ,jewish ,classics4 ,the ,pirke ,abot is indeed a classical bit of that ancient ,jewish classic1 the ,mishnah4 ,the translation in this edition is based largely upon that of ,taylor1 in his ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 and upon the excellent version of ,singer1 in his ,authorized ,daily ,prayer ,book4 ,this edition is intended mainly for popular reading1 but it has been thought wise to amplify the notes1 especially with bibliographical references1 so that it may serve the purpose of a teacher's handbook1 and also be useful as a text-book for the higher grades of religious schools and for study circles4 ,the references are to books that are generally accessible1 and1 wherever possible1 to books in ,english4 ,the notes are by no means intended to be exhaustive1 but rather to be suggestive4 ,it is the humble hope of the editor that this little book may be the means of further popularizing the practical and1 at the same time1 high-minded wisdom of the ,fathers2 that it may serve as an incentive to a more detailed study of their philosophy of life1 and that its appearance may help us to lead in a revival of that most ancient and praiseworthy custom of reading the ,pirke ,abot in the house of worship on the ,sabbath1 during the summer months4 ,let him into whose hands these sayings fall meditate upon them day and night1 for he who would be saintly must fulfil the dicta of the ,fathers4 ,,joseph ,i ,,gorfinkle4 ,mt4 ,vernon1 ,n4 ,y4 ,february1 #aiac4 ,,introduction ,,name ,the ,tractate ,abot 7,massechet ,abot7 is the ninth treatise of ,the ,order or ,series on ,damages 7,seder ,nezikin71 which is the fourth section of the ,mishnah 7#a74 ,it is commonly known in ,hebrew as ,pirke ,abot1 ,the ,chapters of the ,fathers1 and has also been termed ,mishnat ha-,chasidim1 ,instruction for the ,pious1 because of the ,rabbinic saying1 ,he who wishes to be pious1 let him practise the teachings of ,abot 7#b74 ,on account of the nature of its contents1 it is generally designated in ,english as the ,ethics of the ,fathers4 ,taylor entitles his edition ,dibre ,aboth ha-,olam1 ,sayings of the ,fathers of the ,world1 and has as the ,english title1 ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers4 ,gustav ,gottheil refers to the ,abot as the ,sayings of the ,pharisaic ,fathers 7#c74 ,its ,german title is generally ,die ,spruche der ,vater1 and in ,french it is usually rendered ,chapitres or ,maximes des ,peres4 7#a7 ,see infra1 ,chapter ,v1 n4 #fa4 7#b7 ,baba ,kamma1 #cj;a4 ,see ,taylor1 ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 p4 #c4 ,maimonides refers to this saying in the ,foreword of his ,eight ,chapters2 see ,gorfinkle1 ,the ,eight ,chapters1 etc41 p4 #cd4 7#c7 ,see ,sun and ,shield1 p4 #cba et passim4 ,see infra1 n4 #h1 which accounts for the use of ,pharisaic4 ,the use of the word ,abot 7fathers71 in the title1 is of very ancient date4 ,we can only guess at the reason for its being used1 and1 consequently1 there are various explanations for it4 ,samuel de ,uceda1 in his collective commentary1 says that as this tractate of the ,mishnah contains the advice and good counsel1 which1 for the most part1 come from a father1 the ,rabbis mentioned in it adopt the role of fathers1 and are therefore so designated4 ,this explanation does not1 however1 deter him from advancing another to the effect that this treatise is the basis of all subsequent ethical and moral teachings and doctrines1 and the ,rabbis are1 in consequence1 the fathers or prototypes of all ethical teachers and moralists 7#d74 ,loeb attributes its use to the fact that the ,rabbis of ,abot are the fathers or ancestors of ,rabbinic ,judaism 7#e74 ,hoffman states that the word abot means teachers of tradition 7,traditionslehrer71 and points to the expression abot ha-olam 7,eduyot1 ,i4 #d71 which1 translated literally1 is fathers of the world1 but is used to designate the most distinguished teachers1 which is a true characterization of the ,rabbis of ,abot 7#f74 ,taylor says in regard to the title1 ,it takes its name from the fact that it consists to a great extent of the maxims of the ,jewish ,fathers whose names are mentioned in the pages 7#g74 ,hoffmann's seems the most acceptable explanation4 7#d7 ,midrash ,shemuel 7ed4 ,warsaw1 #ahgf71 p4 #f4 ,the ,midrash ,shemuel is a collective commentary1 first published in ,venice in #aegi1 and which has since passed through six editions4 ,see p4 #bb1 n4 #ba4 7#e7 ,la ,chaine1 etc41 p4 #cjg1 n4 #a4 7#f7 ,see ,hoffman1 ,seder ,nesikin1 ,introd41 p4 xx1 and p4 #beh1 n4 #cf4 ,in this passage of ,eduyot1 ,hillel and ,shammai are referred to as abot ha-olam2 in ,yerushalmi ,shekalim1 ,,iii1 #dg;b1 ,rabbi and ,ishmael and ,rabbi ,akiba1 and in ,yerushalmi ,chagigah1 ,,ii1 #gg;d1 all the pairs of ,abot ,i are similarly designated4 7#g7 ,taylor1 loc4 cit4 ,,purpose ,the original aim of ,abot was to show the divine source and authority of the traditional law revealed to ,moses on ,mt4 ,sinai1 and to demonstrate its continuity from ,moses through ,joshua1 the elders1 and the men of the ,great ,synagogue1 down to those ,rabbis who lived during the period between #bjj ,b4,c4,e4 to #bjj ,c4,e4 ,loeb maintains that ,abot was originally a composition of the ,pharisaic ,rabbis who wished to indicate that the traditions held and expounded by them1 and which the ,sadducees repudiated1 were divine and1 in time and sequence1 uninterruptedly authoritative 7#h74 ,this line of continuous tradition is plainly seen in the first two chapters4 ,a second and probably later purpose was to present a body of practical maxims and aphorisms for the daily guidance of the people4 7#h7 ,la ,chaine1 etc4 ,the ,sadducees belonged to the priestly and aristocratic families4 ,they made light of the oral traditions1 did not believe in the future life1 and were indifferent to the independence of the ,jewish nation4 ,the ,pharisees1 on the other hand1 were constituted largely from the common people2 they were believers in1 and strict observers of1 the traditional laws1 and were ardent nationalists4 ,the bitter attack of ,jesus on them1 which has resulted in making the word ,pharisee synonymous with hypocrite and self-righteous person1 was1 to say the least1 unjust1 as ,herford has so lucidly pointed out in his sympathetic study of the ,pharisees4 ,herford1 though not a ,jew1 has taken up the cudgels most ably in defence of this sect1 with remarkable insight into the life and literature of the ancient ,jews4 ,he demonstrates conclusively that though there were hypocrites among the ,pharisees1 as among all classes and creeds1 yet the average ,pharisee was a man of the most elevated religious ideals1 who misunderstood ,jesus1 but who1 in turn was misunderstood by him4 ,huxley1 in his ,evolution of ,theology1 says1 of all the strange ironies in history1 perhaps the strangest is that ',pharisee' is current as a term of reproach among the theological descendants of that sect of ,nazarenes who1 without the martyr spirit of those primitive ,puritans1 would never have come into existence4 ,such great teachers and men of sterling quality and golden utterance as ,antigonus of ,soko 7,i1 #c71 ,hillel 7,i1 #ab-ad2 ,,ii1 #e-h71 ,jochanan ben ,zakkai 7,,ii1 #i-ai71 ,gamaliel1 whose pupil was ,paul1 the apostle 7,i1 #af71 and ,judah1 the ,prince 7,,ii1 #a71 whose sayings grace the pages of ,abot1 were1 as ,loeb points out1 of the ,pharisaic school or party4 ,there is naturally a large literature on the ,pharisees4 ,herford's ,pharisaism deserves careful perusal4 ,see1 also1 ,josephus 7ed4 ,whiston-,margoliouth71 ,antiq41 ,,xiii1 #aj4f1 ,,xviii1 #a1 #b-d2 ,schurer1 ,history of the ,jews1 etc41 ,,ii1 ii1 p4 #ad et seq42 ,jewish ,encyclopedia and literature mentioned there2 ,geiger1 ,judaism and ,its ,history1 p4 #ajb et seq41 and ,friedlander1 ,g41 ,the ,jewish ,sources of the ,sermon on the ,mount1 p4 #cd et seq4 ,,description ,the ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers is the oldest collection of ethical dicta of the ,rabbis of the ,mishnah 7#i74 ,it is a ,rabbinic anthology4 ,it has been happily styled a compendium of practical ethics 7#aj71 and1 as ,mielziner has said1 these ,rabbinical sentences1 if properly arranged1 present an almost complete code of human duties 7#aa74 ,the ,abot is1 then1 a sort of moral code4 7#i7 ,there was another1 and apparently older1 recension of ,pirke ,abot on which is based the ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan1 an hagadic or homiletical exposition of ,abot4 ,two recensions of ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan exist1 and have been edited by ,schechter4 ,on this work1 see ,hoffman1 ,die erste ,mischna1 p4 #bf et seq41 ,mielziner1 article ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 ,strack1 ,einleitung1 p4 #fi et seq41 and ,pollak1 ,rabbi ,nathans ,system1 etc41 ,introduction1 pp4 #g-i4 ,an ,english translation is found in ,rodkinson's edition of the ,talmud1 vol4 ,v1 p4 #a et seq4 7#aj7 ,taylor1 loc4 cit4 ,lazarus1 ,ethics of ,judaism1 ,,ii4 #aac1 calls it a compendium of ethics4 7#aa7 ,in ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,abot4 ,,contents ,even a superficial reading of ,abot will bring home to one the fact that it is made up of various strata4 ,in fact1 it falls naturally into the following strands or divisions3 ,a4 ,chapter ,i1 #a-ae3 ,chronologically arranged sayings of the oldest authorities1 from the men of the ,great ,synagogue to ,hillel and ,shammai4 ,b4 7#a7 ,chapters ,i1 #af-;,,ii1 #d3 ,sayings of the men of the school of ,hillel to ,rabban ,gamaliel 7about #bcj ,c4,e471 the son of ,judah ha-,nasi 7#b7 ,chapter ,,ii1 #e-h3 ,additional sayings of ,hillel4 ,c4 7#a7 ,chapter ,,ii1 #i-ai3 ,the sayings of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai1 the pupil of ,hillel1 and of his disciples4 7#b7 ,chapter ,,ii1 #bj-ba3 ,the sayings of ,rabbi ,tarfon1 a younger contemporary of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai4 ,d4 ,chapter ,,iii3 the maxims of seventeen ,tannaim 7authorities mentioned in the ,mishnah7 to the time of and including ,rabbi ,akiba4 ,these are not arranged in strictly chronological order4 ,e4 ,chapter ,,iv3 ,the sayings of twenty-five ,tannaim after the time of ,rabbi ,akiba1 who were contemporaries of ,rabbi ,meir and of ,rabbi ,judah ,ha-,nasi4 ,these are not chronologically arranged4 ,f4 7#a7 ,chapter ,v1 #a-ah3 ,anonymous sayings forming a series of groups of ten1 seven1 and four things1 dealing with the creation of the world1 with miracles1 and with the varieties of men and minds4 7#b7 ,chapter ,v1 #ai-bb3 ,anonymous sayings touching upon the varieties of motives and contrasting the good and evil dispositions4 7#c7 ,chapter ,v1 #bc3 ,sayings of ,judah ben ,tema4 7#d7 ,chapter ,v1 #bd3 ,the ages of man4 7#e7 ,chapter ,v1 #be1 #bf3 ,the sayings of ,ben ,bag ,bag and of ,ben ,he ,he4 ,g4 ,chapter ,,vi3 ,the acquisition of the ,torah2 praise of the ,torah4 ,,language ,the language of ,abot is easy ,mishnaic ,hebrew1 with portions of four verses 7,i1 #ac2 ,,ii1 #g2 ,v1 #be1 and ,v1 #bf7 in ,aramaic1 which is closely related to ,hebrew4 ,it is worthy of note that these ,aramaic portions originated with the school of ,hillel 7#ab74 7#ab7 ,on the language of the ,mishnah1 see ,mielziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 pp4 #ae-af1 and ,lauterbach in ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 vol ,,ii1 p4 #fad4 ,on the use of ,aramaic in the ,mishnah1 see ,schurer1 ,history1 ,i1 ii1 p4 #h et seq41 and ,bacher1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,aramaic ,language ,among the ,jews4 ,several centuries before the common era1 ,aramaic was the vernacular of the ,jews4 ,hebrew1 however1 remained in use as the sacred language 7lashon ha-kodesh71 it being the language of the learned1 and was employed for literary1 liturgical1 and legal purposes4 ,this accounts for the ,mishnah being written almost entirely in ,hebrew1 though ,aramaic was spoken on the streets4 ,it is related of ,judah ha-,nasi that he disliked the ,aramaic jargon to such an extent that he forbade its use in his home1 where even the servants spoke ,hebrew with elegance 7,rosh ha-,shanah1 #bf;b74 ,when scholars used ,aramaic in his presence1 he chided them for not speaking in ,hebrew or in ,greek 7,baba ,kamma1 #hb;b74 ,,development ,,of ,,abot 7#ac7 7#ac7 ,on the subject-matter of this section1 consult ,hoffmann1 ,die erste ,mischna1 pp4 #bf-cg2 idem1 ,mischnaiot ,seder ,nesikin1 ,introd41 pp4 ,,xx-,,xxi2 ,brull1 ,enstehung und ursprunglicher ,inhalt des ,traktates ,abot2 ,loeb1 ,la ,chaine1 etc42 ,ginzburg1 ,spruche der ,vater1 erstes ,capitel historisch beleuchtet 7,liepzig1 #ahhi72 ,strack1 ,die ,spruche der ,vater1 ,introd41 pp4 #g-h2 idem1 ,einleitung1 p4 #eb1 and ,rawicz1 ,commentar des ,maimonides1 p4 #aje1 n4 #c4 ,it is apparent from the literary construction of ,abot that it has been edited several times1 and that1 in its earliest form1 the ,abot collection was much smaller than we have it to-day4 ,originally1 probably shortly after the time of ,hillel1 it may have been merely a sort of appendix to the ,tractate ,sanhedrin1 with typical sayings of each of the heads of the ,sanhedrin4 ,these dicta are contained in what is designated as section ,a4 ,later1 presumably by ,rabbi ,akiba1 there were added to this original kernel of ,abot the sayings of ,rabbi ,jochanan ben ,zakkai and his most illustrious pupils1 which comprise section ,c4 ,this resulted in the grouping together of the sayings of ten generations of traditional authorities1 as follows3 7#a7 the men of the ,great ,synagogue1 7#b7 ,simon1 the ,just1 7#c7 ,antigonus of ,soko1 7#d7 ,jose ben ,joezer and ,jose ben ,jochanan1 7#e7 ,joshua ben ,perachiah and ,nittai1 the ,arbelite1 7#f7 ,judah ben ,tabbai and ,simeon ben ,shatach1 7#g7 ,shemaiah and ,abtalion1 7#h7 ,hillel and ,shammai1 7#i7 ,jochanan ben ,zakkai1 and 7#aj7 the latter's disciples4 ,by association of idea with this number ten1 there were added to this collection numerical sayings of ten1 and1 then1 others of seven and four1 found in chapter ,v1 #a-i and #aj-ac4 ,into this enlarged kernel of pithy sayings of the oldest authorities1 which may be characterized as the ,abot of ,rabbi ,akiba1 later ,tannaim--,rabbi ,meir1 ,rabbi ,judah ha-,nasi1 and others--interpolated additional sayings of the afore-mentioned ,rabbis1 and also typical utterances of their disciples1 and of other well-known teachers4 ,this accounts for the presence in ,abot of the body of maxims of the six generations of the school of ,hillel1 designated above as section ,b #a1 and which was very properly introduce after the aphorisms of ,hillel and of his contemporary1 ,shammai4 ,the thread of tradition being interrupted by this interpolation1 it was again taken up by the introduction of another body of ,hillel's sayings 7,b #b71 thus providing for a natural transition from ,hillel to ,jochanan ben ,zakkai4 ,proof of the fact that section ,b is an addition is that in the ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan--which1 as has been said above1 is based on an older version of ,abot 7#ad7--the sayings of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai follow immediately upon those of ,shammai4 ,the sayings of ,judah ha-,nasi1 the redactor of the ,mishnah1 and of ,rabbi ,gamaliel1 his son1 were undoubtedly added after the time of ,judah4 7#ad7 ,see supra1 p4 #ac1 n4 #i4 ,chapter ,,iii contains the sayings of authorities who were the predecessors of ,judah1 the first two having lived before the destruction of the second ,temple4 ,chapter ,,iv is made up of the dicta of a number of ,rabbis who were contemporaries of ,judah4 ,these two chapters were1 no doubt1 inserted by ,judah1 the redactor of the ,mishnah as we virtually have it to-day4 ,evidence that ,chapter ,,iv is an addition to the original ,abot is that it has a number of aphorisms which are repetitions of some found in ,chapters ,i and ,,ii4 ,the greater part of ,chapter ,v1 as stated above1 was a portion of the ,abot of ,rabbi ,akiba4 ,chapter ,,vi1 which is known as ,the ,chapter on the ,acquisition of ,torah 7,perek ,kinyan ,torah71 as ,the ,external ,teaching of the ,abot 7,baraita de-,abot7 7#ae71 as ,the ,chapter of ,rabbi ,meir 7,perek ,rabbi ,meir7 7#af71 and as the ,external ,teaching of ,rabbi ,meir 7,baraita de-,rabbi ,meir71 is a supplement of the treatise ,abot1 as is claimed for it by its superscription1 the sages taught in the language of the ,mishnah1 a formula generally used in the ,talmud to introduce a ,baraita4 ,one of the authorities mentioned in it is ,joshua ben ,levi1 a ,palestinian amora 7an authority of the ,gemara7 who lived during the third century4 ,this demonstrates the comparatively late date of the final redaction of this chapter4 ,by the middle of the ninth century it formed a part of the treatise ,abot4 ,it was added to the prayer-book to be read on the sixth ,sabbath of the period between ,passover and the ,festival of ,weeks 7,shebuot7 7#ag74 7#ae7 ,a ,baraita contains traditions and opinions of authorities of the ,mishnah which are not embodied in the ,mishnah or ,rabbi ,judah ha-,nasi4 ,see ,mielziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 pp4 #bj-ba1 ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 p4 #c1 and the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 s4v4 ,a gemara 7,talmudical commentary7 to the ,baraita de-,abot was published from a ,,ms4 by ,coronel in ,chamishah ,kuntresin 7,vienna1 #ahfd74 ,this baraita is found also in the seventeenth chapter of ,tanna de-,be ,eliyahu ,sutta1 but with different textual readings4 ,see ,ginzberg1 in the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 ,,ii1 pp4 #eaf-eag4 7#af7 ,known thus because ,rabbi ,meir's name is found in the first verse4 7#ag7 ,see next section4 ,the sixth chapter is found in some editions of the ,mishnah4 ,,abot ,,in ,,the ,,liturgy 7#ah7 7#ah7 ,on the subject-matter of this section1 see the citation from the ,sar ,shalom ,gaon1 in the ,siddur of ,r4 ,amram1 #cj;a2 ,midrash ,shemual1 pp4 #c-d2 ,zunz1 ,die ,ritus1 pp4 #he-hf2 ,strack1 ,die ,spruche der ,vater1 p4 #e1 and ,siddur1 ed4 ,baer1 p4 #bga1 note4 ,other portions of the ,mishnah and also of the ,talmud that are included in the liturgy are1 in the morning service1 ,zebachim ,v 7,siddur1 ed4 ,singer1 p4 #aa72 in the evening service for the ,sabbath1 ,sabbat1 ,,ii 7pp4 #abj-abb71 and1 from the ,talmud1 end of ,berachot 7p4 #abb72 in the additional service for ,sabbath and festivals1 from the ,talmud ,keritot1 #f;a1 from the ,mishnah1 end of ,tamid1 and from the ,talmud1 end of ,berachot 7pp4 #afg-afh74 ,as ,taylor has said1 ,its simplicity and intrinsic excellence have secured for ,abot a widespread and lasting popularity1 and have led to its being excerpted from the ,talmud and used liturgically in the ,synagogue1 at certain seasons1 from an early period 7#ai74 ,thus1 the ,abot is found not only in all editions of the ,mishnah and the ,talmud1 but also in the prayer-books of the ,ashkenazic rite 7#bj74 ,the practice of reading a chapter from ,abot1 on ,saturday1 after the afternoon prayer 7,minchah71 originated as early as ,gaonic times 7seventh to eleventh centuries74 ,during the middle of the ninth century1 ,abot and its ,baraita were thus liturgically used4 ,in ,spanish communities it was recited in the morning of the ,sabbath1 and not in the afternoon4 ,by the eleventh century1 this custom was universally a part of the synagogal service4 7#ai7 ,taylor1 loc4 cit4 7#bj7 ,german and ,polish4 ,originally1 ,abot was probably read only from ,passover to ,shebuot2 and1 since this period has generally six ,sabbaths1 and there are only five chapters of ,abot1 the chapter ,kinyan ,torah was appointed to be read on the sixth ,sabbath4 ,later1 the period of the year in which ,abot was read varied in different communities4 ,in ,germany1 there were kehillot in which it was recited during the winter as well as during the summer4 ,in some communities it was read from ,passover to the ,feast of ,tabernacles 7,sukkot71 in others from the ,sabbath of ,parashah ,yitro 7,ex4 ,,xviii1 #a-,,xx1 #bf7 to the ,sabbath of ,parashah ,masse'e 7,num4 ,,xxxiii1 #a-,,xxxvi1 #ac71 that is1 from the ,sabbath on which is read an account of the giving of the ,law until the ,sabbath preceding the beginning of the reading of the repetition of the ,law1 i4e41 ,deuteronomy4 ,in many orthodox congregations to-day this practice is still adhered to1 and ,abot is read on ,sabbath afternoons during the summer1 or from the ,sabbath after ,passover to the ,sabbath before the ,new ,year 7,rosh ha-,shanah74 ,a number of reasons have been suggested for the custom of reading the ,abot in the synagogue1 the most likely being that it was introduced to occupy the minds of worshippers during the long wait1 on a summer's day1 between the afternoon and evening services4 ,whatever the reason for this custom may have been is immaterial and unimportant2 but what is of importance is that1 by this excellent practice1 a whole body of moral dicta--each one summing up with remarkable conciseness a life's experience and philosophy1 each one breathing the spirit of piety1 saintliness1 justice1 and love for humanity--has sunk deeply into the innermost heart and consciousness of the ,jewish people1 exerting such an influence that the principles set forth in the ,abot have been eternally wrought into the moral fibre of the descendants of the ,rabbis4 ,to the lips of the ,jew1 these maxims spring spontaneously2 to those who know them they are a safe and secure guide through life2 they are not only heard in the synagogue1 but are quoted and applied at home and abroad4 ,such are the fruits of a benign custom1 which ,israel will do well to prize and preserve4 ,,bibliography ,because of its great popularity1 the ,pirke ,abot has appeared in many editions4 ,there is no ,gemara 7,talmudic commentary7 on the ,abot1 which undoubtedly accounts for the numerous commentaries on it 7#ba74 ,because of the attractiveness of its contents1 and since it forms a part of the ritual1 it has been translated many times into many tongues 7#bb71 and a great deal has been written on it4 ,the following bibliography will be helpful to the general reader and to the student who wish to get a more detailed and intimate knowledge of the ,abot than can be imparted in this work4 7#ba7 ,there are more than thirty-five4 ,the best known is that of ,maimonides 7#aace-abjd71 which was written originally in ,arabic1 as part of his commentary on the ,mishnah4 ,a commentary has been attributed to ,rashi4 ,other commentaries are by 7#a7 ,rabbi ,jacob ben ,shimshon1 found in the ,machzor ,vitry 7see ,taylor1 ,introd41 p4 #e2 ,appendix1 p4 #bc2 7#b7 ,rabbi ,israel of ,toledo1 in ,arabic 7twelfth to thirteenth century2 see ,taylor1 ,introd41 p4 #e1 ,appendix1 p4 #df et seq42 7#c7 ,simon ,duran 7#acfa-addd71 ,magen ,abot2 first edition1 ,livorno1 #agfc2 ed4 ,jellinek1 ,leipzig1 #ahee2 7#d7 ,bertinora 7died #aeaj71 in his popular commentary on the ,mishnah2 7#e7 ,isaac ben ,judah ,abrabanel1 ,nachalot ,abot2 ed4 ,constantinople1 #aeje2 7#f7 ,samuel de ,uceda1 ,midrash ,shemual2 venice1 #aegi1 #aehe1 #aeig1 #afjj1 ,cracow1 #aeid1 ,frankfurt a4 ,m41 #agac1 ,warsaw1 #ahgf2 7#g7 ,yom ,tob ,lippman ,heller 7#aegi-afed71 in ,tosefot ,yom ,tob1 on the ,mishnah2 7#h7 elijah1 ,gaon of ,wilna 7#agbj-agig71 in ,siddur ,tefillat ,yacob1 ,berlin1 #ahfd2 and 7#i7 ,s4 ,baer1 in ,siddur ,abodat ,yisroel1 ,rodelheim1 #ahfh4 ,there is also acommentary1 by ,naphtali ,herts ,wessely1 known as ,yayin ,lebanon1 ,berlin1 #aggd-agge1 which has been translated into ,english1 in the ,hebrew ,review 7edited by ,morris ,j4 ,raphall1 ,london1 #ahce-ahcg71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #agg1 p4 #aic1 and further4 7#bb7 ,mischoff1 in his ,kritische ,geschichte der ,talmud-,uebersetzungen aller ,zeigen und ,zungen 7,frankfurt a4 ,m41 #ahii71 s #ef1 has a list of #fb translations and of #ae partial translations4 ,others have appeared since this list was made4 ,for ,english translation1 consult this list4 ,editions 7#bc71 ,commentaries1 and ,translations 7#bc7 ,a list of editions1 mostly earlier than those mentioned here1 and of the ,abot in ,mishnah editions may be found in ,steinschneider1 ,catalogue ,librorum ,hebraeorum in ,bibliotheca ,bodleiana 7,berlin1 #aheb-ahfj71 ,no4 #adcc-aeai1 #aihb-bjcd2 ,m4 ,roest1 ,catalog der ,hebraica und ,judaica 7,amsterdam1 #ahge71 pp4 #hah-hba1 #hbd-hbh2 and ,strack1 ,spruche1 pp4 #h-i4 #a4 ,joshua ben ,mordecai ,falk ha-,kohen1 ,abne ,yehoshua al ,pirke ,abot 7,new ,york1 #ahfj74 ,text and commentary 7#bd74 7#bd7 ,falk has been called the father of ,american ,hebrew literature4 #b4 ,abraham ,geiger1 ,pirke ,aboth1 in ,nachgelassene ,schriften 7,berlin1 #ahgg71 vol4 ,,iv1 pp4 #bha-cdd4 ,a commentary on ,chaps4 ,i-,,iii4 ,scholarly and valuable4 #c4 ,solomon ,schechter1 ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan 7,vienna1 #ahgg74 ,contains two versions1 ,a and ,b1 with an introduction and notes in ,hebrew4 ,a scholarly and valuable work4 #d4 ,joseph ,jabetz1 ,pirke ,abot1 with a commentary 7,warsaw1 #ahhj74 #e4 ,charles ,taylor1 7#a7 ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 ,comprising ,pirqe ,aboth and ,perek ,r4 ,meir in ,hebrew and ,english1 with ,notes and ,excurses4 ,second edition 7,cambridge1 #ahig74 7#b7 ,an ,appendix of the ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 ,containing a ,catalogue of ,manuscripts and ,notes on the ,text of ,aboth 7,cambridge1 #aijj74 ,these works are very comprehensive and full of valuable material4 #f4 ,a4 ,berliner1 ,commentar zu den ,spruchen der ,vater1 aus ,machzor ,vitry1 mit ,beitragen 7,frankfurt a4 ,m41 #ahig74 #g4 ,david ,hoffmann1 ,masseket ,abot1 in ,mischnaiot ,seder ,nesikin 7,berlin1 #ahii71 pp4 #cbg-cfg4 ,fully annotated1 with a translation in ,german1 and constant reference to ,rabbinical sources4 ,excellent4 #h4 ,hermann ,l4 ,strack1 ,die ,spruche der ,vater1 ein ethischer ,mischna-,traktat1 third edition 7,leipzig1 #aija74 ,an excellent text with notes4 ,very valuable4 #i4 ,lazarus ,goldschmidt1 in ,talmud ,babli1 ,der ,babylonische ,talmud 7,berline1 #aijc71 vol4 ,,vii1 p4 #aaea et seq4 ,based on oldest texts of ,abot4 ,textual variants and ,german translation with notes4 ,very valuable4 #aj4 ,simeon ,singer1 ,perke ,abot1 ,ethics of the ,fathers1 in ,the ,authorized ,daily ,prayer ,book4 ,eighth edition 7,london1 #effh-aijh71 pp4 #ahd-bji4 ,hebrew text1 with an excellent ,english translation1 and a few notes4 #aa4 ,kaim ,pollak1 ,rabbi ,nathans ,system der ,ethik un ,moral 7,budapest1 #aije74 ,a translation in ,german1 with notes1 of ,abot de ,rabbi ,natan 7,schechter's version ,a74 #ab4 ,paul ,fiebig1 ,pirque 'aboth1 ,der ,mischnahtraktat ,spruche der ,vater 7,tubingen1 #aijf74 ,german translation and notes1 with especial reference to the ,new ,testament4 ,the ,nachwort1 pp4 #db-dc1 consists of a comparison of ,abot with the ,new ,testament1 pointing out the likenesses and differences4 #ac4 ,josef ibn ,nachmia's1 ,perush ,pirke ,abot1 ,commentar zu den ,pirke ,abot 4 4 4 nach der ,parmaer ,hadschrift ,de ,rossi ,nr4 #adjb 4 4 4 mit ,anmerkungen von ,m4 ,l4 ,bamberger 7,berlin1 #aijg74 #ad4 ,m4 ,rawicz1 ,der ,commentar der ,maimonides zu den ,spruchen der ,vater1 zum ersten ,male ins ,deutsch ubertragen 7,offenberg ,baden1 #aiaj74 ,contains ,the ,eight ,chapters 7#be74 7#be7 ,the ,eight ,chapters is the introduction of ,maimonides to his commentary on ,abot4 ,its ,hebrew name is ,shemonah ,perakim4 ,it is a remarkable instance of the harmonious welding of the ethical principles contained in ,abot with mediaeval ,aristotelian philosophy4 #ae4 ,sefer ,musar1 ,kommentar zum ,mischnatraktat ,aboth von ,r4 ,joseph ben ,jehudah4 ,zum ersten ,male herausgegeben von ,dr4 ,wilhelm ,bacher4 ,in the ,schriften des ,vereins ,makize ,nirdamim4 #c4 ,folge1 ,nr4 #f 7,berlin1 #aiaj74 #af4 ,m4 ,lehmann1 ,pirke ,aboth1 ,spruche der ,vater uberzetzt und erklart 7,frankfurt a4 ,m41 #aiji74 #ag4 ,jehudah ,leb ,gordon1 ,perki ,abot1 in ,siddur ,bet ,yehudah 7,new ,york1 #efgb1 #aiaa-ab71 pp4 #ajf-afe4 ,prayer-book according to the ,ashkenazic rite1 with ,yiddish translation and notes4 ,contains biographical sketches of all the authorities mentioned in ,abot4 #ah4 ,jules ,wolff1 ,les ,huit ,chapitres de ,maimonide1 ou ,introduction a la ,mischna d',aboth1 ,maximes des ,peres 7de la ,synagogue74 ,traduits de l',arabe 7,lausanne1 ,paris1 #aiab74 #ai4 ,joseph ,i4 ,gorfinkle1 ,the ,eight ,chapters of ,maimonides on ,ethics1 ,edited1 ,annotated1 and ,translated with an ,introduction 7,new ,york1 #aiab74 ,columbia ,university ,oriental ,studies1 vol4 ,,vii 7#bf74 7#bf7 ,a list of ,,mss41 editions1 translations1 and commentaries of the ,eight ,chapters1 some including ,abot1 is found on pp4#bg-cc of this work4 ,homiletical ,works #a4 ,lazarus ,adler1 ,spruche der ,vater 7,furth1 #ahea74 #b4 ,w4 ,aloys ,meisel1 ,homilien uber die ,spruche der ,vater 7#ahhe74 #c4 ,alexander ,kohut1 ,the ,ethics of the ,fathers 7,new ,york1 #ahhe74 ,translated from the ,german by ,max ,cohen4 ,general ,works ,abelson1 ,j4 ,the ,immanence of ,god in ,rabbinical ,literature 7,london1 #aiab74 ,bacher1 ,wilhelm1 7#a7 ,die ,agada der ,tanaiten1 ,i1 ,,ii1 7,strassburg1 #ahhd1 #ahij74 7#b7 ,zwei alte ,abotkommentare1 in ,monatschrift fur ,geschichte und ,wiss4 d4 ,judenthums1 #ajie1 pp4 #fcg-fff2 #aijf1 pp4 #bdh-bdh4 ,brull1 ,enstehung und ursprunglicher ,inhalt des ,traktates ,abot1 in ,jahrbucher fur ,jud4 ,geschichte und ,lit41 ,,vii 7#ahhe74 ,danziger1 ,jewish ,forerunners of ,christianity 7,new ,york1 #aijc74 ,dukes1 ,rabbinische ,blumenlese 7,leipzig1 #ahdd71 pp4 #fg-hd4 ,friedlander1 ,m4 ,the ,jewish ,religion 7,london1 #aijb74 ,friedlander1 ,g41 ,the ,jewish ,sources of the ,sermon on the ,mount 7,london1 #aiaa74 ,geiger1 ,judaism and its ,history 7,new ,york1 #aiaa74 ,graetz1 ,history of the ,jews4 ,herford1 ,pharasaism 7,london1 #aiab74 ,hoffmann1 ,die erste ,mischna und die ,contraversen der ,tannaim 7,berlin1 #ahhb74 ,isaacs1 ,stories from the ,rabbis 7,new ,york1 #ahic74 ,jewish ,encyclopedia4 ,josephus1 ,antiquities4 ,jung1 ,kritik der samtlichen ,bucher ,aboth in der althebraischen ,literatur 7,leipzig1 #ahhh74 ,lazarus1 ,the ,ethics of ,judaism 7,philadelphia1 #aijj74 ,loeb1 7#a7 ,la ,chaine de la ,tradition dans le premier ,chapitre des ,pirke ,abot1 in ,bibliotheque de l'ecole des hautes ,etudes1 ,sciences religeuses1 vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cjg-cbb 7,paris1 #ahhi74 7#b7 ,notes sur le chapitre ,ier des ,perke ,abot1 in ,revue des ,etudes ,juives1 ,vol4 ,,xix 7#ahhi71 pp4 #ahh-bja4 ,mielziner1 7#a7 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 second edition 7,new ,york1 #aijc74 7#b7 ,articles ,abot and ,abot de-,r4 ,natan1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia4 ,myers1 ,the ,story of the ,jewish ,people1 ,i 7,new ,york and ,london1 #aiji74 ,schechter1 ,some ,aspects of ,rabbinic ,theology 7,new ,york1 #aiji74 ,schurer1 ,some ,aspects of the ,jewish ,people in the ,time of ,jesus ,christ 7#bg7 7,new ,york1 #ahia71 ,i1 i1 p4 #abd2 ,i1 ii1 p4 #cec et seq42 ,,iii1 ii1 p4 #cj et seq4 7#bg7 ,contains very full bibliographies and has other excellent characteristics1 but it is a work that must be used with caution4 ,its chief fault1 according to ,schechter1 is that it is one of a class of works in which no attempt is made 4 4 4 to gain acquaintance with the inner life of the ,jewish nation 7,studies1 ,,ii1 pp4 #aai-abj74 ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 fourth edition 7,leipzig1 #aijh74 ,zunz1 7#a7 ,die ,gottesdienstlichen ,vortrage der ,juden 7,berlin1 #ahcb71 p4 #aja et seq4 7#b7 ,die ,ritus des ,synagogalen ,gottesdienstes 7,berlin1 #ahei74 ,,sayings ,,of ,,the ,,fathers ,one of the following chapters is read on each ,sabbath from the ,sabbath after ,passover until the ,sabbath before ,new ,year4 ,all ,israel 7#a7 have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land 7#b7 for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified 7#c74 7#a7 ,this does not mean that ,israel alone1 to the exclusion of other nations1 will have a portion in the future world4 ,on the future world 7olam haba71 see ,chapter ,,ii1 n4 #ba4 ,the pious of all nations have a portion in the world to come 7,tosefta ,sanhedrin1 chap4 ,,xii2 ,maimonides1 in ,mishneh ,torah1 ,i1 ,hilchot ,teshubah1 iii1 #e7 sums up the ,rabbinic opinion4 7#b7 ,i4e41 the land of everlasting life4 7#c7 ,sanhedrin1 ,x 7,,xi71 #a2 ,isaiah lx1 #ba4 ,this passage is recited before each chapter4 ,,chapter ,i #a4 ,moses received the ,torah 7#d7 from ,sinai 7#e71 and handed it down to ,joshua1 and ,joshua to the elders 7#f71 and the elders to the prophets1 and the prophets delivered it to the men of the ,great ,synagogue 7#g74 ,they said three things1 ,be deliberate in judgment2 raise up many disciples2 and make a fence about the ,torah 7#h74 7#d7 ,the word ,torah is usually translated by law1 but it means rather teaching1 instruction of any kind1 or doctrine4 ,this term is generally used to designate the ,five ,books of ,moses or the ,pentateuch1 called the written law 7torah shebichtav71 but it is also employed as a designation of the whole of the ,old ,testament4 ,besides the written law1 according to tradition1 there was also communicated to ,moses1 on ,mt4 ,sinai1 the oral law 7torah she'b'al peh71 supplementing the former and other laws and maxims1 and explaining it4 ,this oral law was handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation1 but subsequently1 after the destruction of the second ,temple1 it was committed to writing1 and constitutes the ,mishnah1 the ,talmud1 and the ,midrashim4 ,the oral law develops1 illuminates1 and comments upon the written law4 ,here1 ,torah means the oral law1 which ,moses communicated to ,joshua1 ,joshua1 in turn1 to the elders1 and so on4 ,see ,taylor1 ,sayings of the ,jewish ,fathers1 p4 #aje et seq41 and #acd-ace2 ,friedlander1 ,the ,jewish ,religion1 p4 #acf et seq42 ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 arts4 ,law and ,oral ,law2 ,schechter1 ,some ,aspects of ,rabbinic ,theology1 ,chapter ,,viii2 ,strack1 ,einleitung1 pp4 #i-aj1 and ,herford1 ,pharisaism1 chapter on the ,theory of ,torah1 p4 #eg et seq4 7#e7 ,i4e41 from ,god4 ,compare the expression halacha l'moshe misinai1 the law to ,moses from ,sinai 7,god71 ,peah1 ,,ii1 #f1 ,eduyot1 ,,viii1 #g1 etc4 7#f7 ,the elders were the wise men who were the members of the supreme national tribunal4 ,see ,joshua ,,xxiv1 #ca4 7#g7 ,the ,great ,synagogue1 whose establishment1 after the return from ,babylonian captivity1 tradition attributes to ,ezra the ,scribe1 consisted of #abj men1 who comprised the highest judicial tribunal1 and who occupied a position in the early days of the ,temple similar to that of the later ,sanhedrin4 ,the historical foundation of this tradition is ,nehemiah ,,viii-,x1 in which is recounted the solemn acceptance of the ,law by a great assembly of the people4 ,the men of the ,great ,synagogue appear here in ,abot as the depositaries of the tradition of the ,torah1 coming in the chain between the last prophets and the earliest scribes4 ,from this chapter and other ,rabbinical sources1 we gather that the men of the ,great ,synagogue constituted a sort of college of teachers1 one of the last survivors being ,simon1 the ,just 7,chapter ,i1 #b74 ,their work was to interpret1 teach1 and develop the ,torah1 and to them were ascribed all kinds of legal enactments4 ,they instituted the ,shemoneh ,esrah 7the ,eighteen ,benedictions7 and other prayers1 and cast the entire ritual into definite shape4 ,they admitted ,proverbs1 the ,song of ,songs1 and ,ecclesiastes into the ,old ,testament canon4 ,a number of modern scholars1 notably ,kuenen1 are of the opinion that this body never existed in the form represented by ,jewish tradition 7see ,schurer1 ,history1 ,i1 ii1 pp4 #ced-cee74 ,on the controversy regarding the existence of the ,great ,synagogue see ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,,ii1 #aje-ajf4 ,consult ,taylor1 ibid41 pp4 #aaj-aaa2 ,graetz1 ,history of the ,jews1 vol4 ,i1 p4 #cha1 #cid1 vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #ai4 ,for further bibliography1 see ,strack1 ,spruche1 p4 #aa4 ,see especially ,herford1 ,pharisaism4 pp4 #ah-bh4 7#h7 ,take measures to prevent the breaking of any of the divine precepts4 ,thereby1 certain things which are in themselves lawful are prohibited in order to enforce the observance of things the doing of which is unlawful4 ,compare ,leviticus ,,xviii1 #cj1 make a mishmeret to my mishmeret 7,yabamot1 #ba;a71 and ,abot1 ,,iii1 #ag1 the ,massorah is a fence to the ,torah4 #b4 ,simon1 the ,just 7#i71 was of the last survivors of the ,great ,synagogue4 ,he used to say1 ,upon three things the world rests3 upon the ,torah1 upon the ,temple service 7#aj71 and upon the doing of acts of kindness 7#aa74 7#i7 ,simon1 the ,just1 son of ,onias1 was high-priest about #cjj ,b4,c4,e4 ,see ,josephus1 ,antiquities1 ,,xii1 ii1 #e4 ,consult ,sammter1 ,mischnaioth ,ordnung ,zeraim 7,berlin1 #ahhg71 ,introduction1 pp4 #aj-bb2 ,meilziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 pp4 #bb-ci2 the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 and ,strack1 ,einleitung1 p4 #hb et seq41 for the lives of the authorities mentioned in ,abot and for bibliographies4 7#aj7 ,cf4 ,nedarim1 #cb;b1 ,great is the ,torah1 for if it did not exist1 the heaven and the earth would have no permanence4 ,abodah is the service and sacrifice of the ,temple which was then standing4 ,after the destruction of the ,temple1 this word was used to designate the service of prayer4 ,it is used in one of the benedictions after the reading of the ,haftarah3 al ha-torah we-al ha-abodah1 for the law and for the divine service1 see ,prayer-book1 ed4 ,singer1 p4 #adi4 ,see ,friedlander1 ibid41 p4 #dac et seq4 7#aa7 g'milut chasadim benevolence1 the doing of kindnesses1 consists of practical deeds of personal service1 as visiting the sick1 burying the dead1 comforting mourners1 peacemaking1 etc4 ,it is greater than tzedakah charity in its narrower sense1 as benevolence may be shown to the rich as well as to the poor4 ,see ,friedlander1 ibid41 pp4 #cja-cje4 ,on this verse1 see ,herford1 ibid41 p4 #bb et seq4 #c4 ,antigonus of ,soko 7#ab7 received 7the tradition7 from ,simon1 the ,just4 ,he used to say1 ,be not like hirelings who work for their master for the sake of receiving recompense2 but be like servants who minister to their master without any thought of receiving a reward2 and let the fear of ,heaven 7#ac7 be upon you4 7#ab7 ,according to ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan1 ,chapter ,v1 ed4 ,schechter1 p4 #bf1 ,antigonus had two disciples1 ,zadok and ,boethos1 from whom arose the ,sadducees and the heretical sect of ,boethusians1 from their misinterpretation of this verse1 both denying the doctrines of immortality of the soul and resurrection4 ,se ,kohut1 ,the ,ethics of the ,fathers1 p4 #dc2 ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 ii4 p4 #bi et seq42 ,geiger1 ,judaism and ,its ,history1 p4 #ii et seq42 and ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 arts4 ,boethusians and ,sadducees4 7#ac7 ,the fear of ,heaven does not mean dread of punishment1 but rather awe at the greatness and might of ,god1 and is identical with love and service 7see ,deuteronomy1 ,,vi1 #ac and ,x1 #ab74 ,it is produced by following out the practices ordained in the ,torah 7,maimonides1 ,guide for the ,perplexed1 ed4 ,friedlander1 p4 #cib74 ,consult ,friedlander1 ,jewish ,religion1 pp4 #bgc-bgd1 the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,fear of ,god1 and ,schechter1 ,aspects1 p4 #gb4 #d4 ,jose1 the son of ,joezer1 of ,zeredah1 and ,jose1 the son of ,jochanan 7#ad71 of ,jerusalem received 7the tradition7 from them 7#ae74 ,jose1 the son of ,joezer1 of ,zeredah said1 ,let thy house be a meeting-place for the wise2 cover thyself with the dust of their feet 7#af71 and drink in their words with thirst4 7#ad7 ,in ,chagigah1 ,,ii1 #b1 we are told that when two leading teachers are named in the ,mishnah as having received the ,torah1 they constitute a pair 7zug71 the first being the president7nasi71 and the second the vice-president 7av beit din7 of the ,sanhedrin4 ,there were five pairs of such teachers1 flourishing between #agj and #cj ,b4,c4,e41 the first being ,jose b4 ,joezer and ,jose b4 ,jochanan1 and the last being ,hillel and ,shammai4 ,see ,frankel1 ,monatschrift1 #aheb1 pp4 #dje-dba1 ,mielziner1 ,introduction1 pp4 #bb-bc1 and ,strack1 ,spruche1 p4 #ac4 7#ae7 ,some texts read from him 7mimenu74 ,from them must refer to disciples of ,antigonus whose sayings have been lost4 7#af7 ,it was the custom of pupils to sit at the feet of their teachers4 #e4 ,jose1 the son of ,jochanan1 of ,jerusalem said1 ,let thy house be open wide2 let the poor be members of thy household1 and engage not in much gossip with woman4 ,this applies to one's own wife2 how much more 7#ag71 then1 to the wife of one's neighbor8 ,hence the sages say1 ,whoso engages in much gossip with woman brings evil upon himself1 neglects the study of the ,torah1 and will in the end inherit gehinnom 7#ah74 7#ag7 ,on the kalwa-chomer1 a conclusion a minori ad majus1 see ,meilziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 p4 #acj et seq41 and ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 p4 #abj4 ,cf4 ,chapter ,,vi1 #c4 ,the equivalent biblical expression is af ki4 7#ah7 gey-hinim 7gimil-yud hey-nun-yud-mem7sofit771 gei ben-hinim1 a glen south of ,jerusalem where ,moloch was worshipped1 whence a place where the wicked were punished in the hereafter2 hell1 being the opposite of 'the ,garden of ,eden1' paradise4 ,cf4 chapter ,v1 #bb and #bc4 ,see ,friedlander1 ,jewish ,religion1 p4 #bbc4 #f4 ,joshua1 the son of ,perachyah1 and ,nittai1 the ,arbelite1 received 7the tradition7 from them4 ,joshua1 the son of ,perachyah1 said1 ,provide thyself with a teacher1 and possess thyself of a companion 7#ai72 and judge every man in the scale of merit4 7#ai7 ,a fellow-student4 #g4 ,nittai1 the ,arbelite1 said1 ,keep aloof from a bad neighbor 7#bj72 associate not with the wicked1 and abandon not the belief in retribution 7#ba74 7#bj7 ,cf4 chapter ,,ii1 #ad4 7#ba7 ,this may mean either that one must not imagine that punishment for evil deeds will not befall him1 or when punishment has been meted out1 one must not despair of the good4 #h4 ,judah1 the son of ,tabbi1 and ,simeon1 the son of ,shatach 7#bb71 received 7the tradition7 from them4 ,judah1 the son of ,tabbi1 said1 7,in the judge's office7 act not the counsel's part 7#bc72 while the litigants are standing before thee1 let them be regarded by thee as guilty1 but when they are departed from thy presence1 regard them as innocent1 the verdict having been acquiesced in by them4 7#bb7 ,lived about #ajd-fi ,b4,c4,e4 ,he was a leader of the ,pharisees at the time of ,alexander ,jannaeus4 7#bc7 ,a judge should be strictly impartial4 #i4 ,simeon1 the son of ,shatach1 said1 ,be very searching in the examination of witnesses 7#bd71 and be guarded in thy words1 lest through them they learn to lie4 7#bd7 ,it is related that the son of ,simeon b4 ,shatach was innocently condemned to death1 because the witnesses were not carefully cross-questioned4 #aj4 ,shemaiah and ,abtalion 7#be7 received 7the tradition7 from them4 ,shemaiah said1 ,love work2 hate lordship 7#bf72 and seek no intimacy with the ruling power 7#bg74 7#be7 ,lived about the middle of the first century ,b4,c4,e4 7#bf7 ,woe to leadership1 for it buries those who possess it4 7,pesachim1 #hg;b74 7#bg7 ,that is1 ,rome4 ,avoid office seeking4 #aa4 ,abtalion said1 ,ye sages1 be heedful of your words1 lest ye incur the penalty of exile and be exiled to a place of evil waters1 and the disciples who come after you drink thereof and die1 and the ,heavenly ,name be profaned 7#bh74 7#bh7 ,scholars must be careful in their teachings1 lest their disciples misinterpret their words1 and thus adopt false doctrines1 as was the case with the disciples of ,antigonus of ,soko 7,supra1 n4 #ab74 ,evil waters may stand for evil doctrines or evil people4 ,when a teacher went into banishment1 he was usually followed by his disciples4 ,departure from the law is equivalent to death4 #ab4 ,hillel and ,shammai 7#bi7 received 7the tradition7 from them4 ,hillel said1 ,be of the disciples of ,aaron1 loving peace and pursuing peace 7#cj71 loving mankind and drawing them night to the ,torah 7#ca74 #ac4 ,he used to say1 ,a name made great is a name destroyed 7#cb72 he who does not increase 7his knowledge7 decreases 7it72 and he who does not study deserves to die2 and he who makes a worldly use of the crown 7of the ,torah7 shall waste away4 #ad4 ,he used to say1 ,if ,i am not for myself1 who will be for me8 ,but if ,i care for myself only1 what am ,i8 7#cc74 ,and if not now1 when8 7#bi7 ,hillel and ,shammai1 the most renowned of the pairs 7zugot71 lived about #ajj years before the destruction of the ,temple4 ,each was the founder of a school1 ,bet ,hillel and ,bet ,shammai1 being generally opposed to one another in the interpretation of the ,torah4 ,hillel was the embodiment of humility1 gentleness1 and kindness2 ,shammai was irritable1 and lacked gentleness and patience4 ,the former's most celebrated saying is1 ,what is hateful to thee do not do unto thy fellow man2 this is the whole ,torah1 the rest is mere commentary4 ,see ,bacher1 ,agada der ,tanaiten2 ,schurer1 ,history1 ,i1 ii1 p4 #cei et seq42 ,myers1 story of the ,jewish ,people1 ,i1 p4 #acf et seq42 geiger1 ,judaism and its ,history1 p4 #aac et seq4 7#cj7 ,psalm ,,xxiv1 #ae3 ,seek peace and pursue it4 7#ca7 ,draw men to the ,torah by good example1 not by endeavoring to make converts4 7#cb7 ,he who seeks a name loses fame4 7#cc7 ,be self-reliant1 but not selfish4 #ae4 ,shammai said1 ,set a fixed time for thy 7study of7 ,torah2 say little and do much 7#cd72 and receive all men with a cheerful countenance4 7#cd7 ,or promise little4 ,be like ,abraham1 who promised only bread1 but brought a calf tender and good 7,genesis ,,xviii1 #e and #g74 #af4 ,rabban 7#ce7 ,gamaliel said1 ,provide thyself with a teacher2 be quit of doubt 7#cf72 and accustom not thyself to give tithes 7#cg7 by a conjectural estimate4 7#ce7 ,our teacher1 our master1 a title given only to the presidents of the ,sanhendrin1 ,gamaliel being the first to be thus known4 ,gamaliel was a grandson of ,hillel and a teacher of ,paul4 ,see ,strack1 ,einleitung1 p4 #he4 7#cf7 ,establish over you the authority of a teacher1 to hold you from the clutch of doubt 7,kohut74 7#cg7 ,there were three kinds of tithes 7the tenth part of anything73 7a7 the first tithe 7maaser rishon71 given to the ,lebites2 the second tithe 7maaser sheni71 taken to ,jerusalem and consumed there by the owner and his family2 and 7c7 the tithe paid to the poor 7maaser ani74 ,see ,leviticus ,,xxvii1 #cj et seq41 ,numbers ,,xviii1 #ba-bd1 and ,deuteronomy ,,xiv1 #bb-bi2 also ,tractates ,maasrot and ,maaser ,sheni of the ,mishnah4 ,consult ,babbs1 ,the ,law of ,tithes4 #ag4 ,simeon 7#ch7 his son1 said1 ,all my days ,i have grown up amongst the wise1 and ,i have found nothing better for man than silence 7#ci72 not learning but doing is the chief thing 7#dj72 and whoso multiplies words causes sin 7#da74 7#ch7 ,simeon beg ,gamaliel ,i lived at the time of the war with ,rome4 ,see ,josephus1 ,jewish ,wars1 ,,iv1 #c1 #i4 7#ci7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iii1 #ag4 7#dj7 ,where words fail1 deeds tell4 ,non scholae sed vitae4 7#da7 ,cf4 ,proverbs ,x1 #ai4 #ah4 ,rabban ,simeon1 the son of ,gamaliel 7#db7 said1 ,by three things is the world preserved 7#dc72 by truth1 by judgment1 and by peace1 as it is said1 ',judge ye the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates' 7#dd74 7#db7 ,rabban ,simeon ,,ii1 son of ,gamaliel ,,ii 7#hj-aae ,c4,e47 and grandson of ,simeon 7verse #ag74 7#dc7 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #b4 ,torah1 ,temple service1 and benevolence are the foundations and1 at the same time1 the aims of the world4 ,truth1 judgment1 and peace maintain the world's permanency4 7#dd7 ,zechariah ,,viii1 #af4 ,rabbi ,chanania 7#de71 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable' 7#df74 7#de7 ,this saying did not belong originally to ,abot1 but was taken from ,makkot1 ,,iii1 #af4 ,according to ,goldschmidt1 it was introduced into the ,mishnah from the separate editions1 and then found its way into the ,talmudical texts of ,abot4 ,this verse is recited at the end of each chapter4 ,see ,rawicz1 ,commentor des ,maimonides1 p4 #aad1 n4 #a4 7#df7 ,isaiah1 xlii1 #ba4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,all ,israel have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified4 #a4 ,rabbi 7#a7 said1 which is the right course that a man should choose for himself8 7#b7 ,that which is a pride to him who pursues it and which also brings him honor from mankind4 ,be as scrupulous about a light precept as about a grave one1 for thou knowest not the grant of reward for each precept4 ,reckon the loss incurred by the fulfilment of a precept against the reward secured by its observance 7#c71 and the gain gotten by a transgression against the loss it involves4 ,consider three things1 that thou mayest not come within the power of sin 7#d74 ,know what is above thee--a seeing eye1 and a hearing ear1 and all thy deeds written in a book 7#e74 7#a7 ,rabbi ,judah 7#ace-bbj ,c4,e471 son of ,simeon 7chapter ,i1 #ah71 was known as ,rabbi1 as a mark of distinction1 owing to the fact that he was the chief reviser and compiler of the ,mishnah4 ,earlier compilers of the ,mishnah had been ,hillel1 ,akiba1 and ,r4 ,meir4 ,rabbi ,judah was also known as ,rabbenu 7our ,master71 ha-,nasi 7the ,prince71 and ha-,kodesh 7the ,holy74 ,he is said to have died99 on the day that ,akiba met his death at the hands of the ,romans4 ,see ,danziger1 ,jewish ,forerunners of ,christianity1 pp4 #bdb-bgd1 ,myers1 ,story of the ,jewish ,people1 ,i1 #baj-bbb1 and ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 p4 #if4 99 a prior owner of the source text annotated it by crossing out died and writing in been born4 7#b7 ,maimonides interprets this verse as meaning to pursue a medium course between two equally bad extremes1 the too much and the too little4 ,on this subject1 see his celebrated fourth chapter of the ,shemonah ,perakim 7,the ,eight ,chapters7 on the mean2 ed4 ,gorfinkle1 p4 #ed1 et seq4 7#c7 ,i4e41 the loss in this world as against the reward in the future world4 ,on the ,rabbinic idea of reward and punishment1 see ,schechter1 ,aspects1 pp4 #afb-afc1 and ,herford1 ,pharisaism1 p4 #bfg et seq4 7#d7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iii1 #a4 ,no deeds1 great or small1 are lost sight of by ,god4 7#e7 ,on the divine books or book1 see ,exodus ,,xxxii1 #ce4 ,malachi ,,iii1 #af1 and ,daniel ,,vii1 #aj1 etc4 ,the heavenly ,book of ,life is prominently mentioned in the ritual of the ,new ,year and the ,day of ,atonement1 especially in the celebrated prayer1 ,u-netanneh ,tokef of ,rabbi ,amnon of ,mayence4 ,the ,new ,year's greeting1 ,may you be inscribed for a happy year6 is evidence of the popularity of the idea of a divine book in which the fate of a man is written4 ,see the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,book of ,life4 #b4 ,rabban ,gamaliel1 the son of ,rabbi ,judah1 the ,prince1 said1 ,excellent is the study of ,torah combined with some worldly pursuit 7#f71 for the effort demanded by them both makes sin to be forgotten4 ,all study of ,torah without work must at length be futile1 and leads to sin 7#g74 ,let all who are employed with the congregation act with them for ,heaven's sake1 for then the merit of their fathers sustains them1 and their righteousness endures for ever 7#h74 ,and as for you 7,god will then say71 ',i account you worthy of great reward1 as if you had wrought it all yourselves4' #c4 ,be on your guard against the ruling power 7#i72 for they who exercise it draw no man near to them except for their own interests2 appearing as friends when it is to their own advantage1 they stand not by a man in the hour of his need4 #d4 ,he used to say1 ,do ,his will as if it were thy will4 ,nullify thy will before ,his will1 that ,he may nullify the will of others before thy will4 7#f7 ,the expression ,talmud ,torah 7lit41 study of the ,law7 means the study of all sacred learning4 ,the word ,torah1 here1 is to be construed in its broadest sense4 ,see chapter ,i1 n4 #d4 ,such study was one of the duties to which no limit was fixed 7,peah ,i1 #a74 ,the expression derech eretz means good manners 7chapter ,,iii1 #ba71 or worldly business1 or care 7chapter ,,iii1 #f71 according to the context4 ,study combined with some trade or profession is1 according to ,r4 ,gamaliel1 the proper thing4 ,see chapter ,,iv1 n4 #bd4 7#g7 ,cf4 ,kiddushin1 #bi;a1 ,he who does not teach his son a trade teaches him to be a thief4 7#h7 ,in every community1 the work and goodness of past generations live in the present1 and the good that the community does in the present will live on in the future4 ,on the merit of the fathers 7z'chut avot71 see ,schechter1 ,some ,aspects of ,rabbinic ,theology1 chapter ,,xii1 especially pp4 #age-agg1 where this passage is quoted4 7#i7 ,this verse is directed toward the leaders of the community4 ,cf4 above1 chapter ,i1 #aj4 #e4 ,hillel 7#aj7 said1 ,separate not thyself from the congregation 7#aa72 trust not in thyself until the day of thy death 7#ab72 judge not thy neighbor until thou art come into his place2 and say not anything which cannot be understood at once1 in the hope that it will be understood in the end 7#ac72 neither say1 ',when ,i have leisure ,i will study'2 perchance thou wilt have no leisure4 #f4 ,he used to say1 ,an empty-headed man cannot be a sin-fearing man1 nor can an ignorant person 7#ad7 be pious1 nor can a shamefaced man 7#ae7 learn1 nor a passionate man 7#af7 teach1 nor can one who is engaged overmuch in business grow wise 7#ag74 ,in a place where there are no men1 strive to be a man 7#ah74 #g4 ,moreover1 he once saw a skull floating on the surface of the water4 ,he said to it1 ,because thou didst drown 7others7 they have drowned thee1 and at the last they that drowned thee shall themselves be drowned 7#ai74 #h4 ,he used to say1 ,the more flesh1 the more works2 the more property1 the more anxiety2 the more women1 the more witchcraft2 the more maid-servants1 the more lewdness2 the more men-servants1 the more robbery2 the more ,torah1 the more life 7#bj72 the more schooling1 the more wisdom2 the more counsel1 the more understanding2 the more charity1 the more peace4 ,he who has acquired a good name has acquired it for himself2 he who has acquired for himself words of ,torah has acquired for himself life in the world to come 7#ba74 7#aj7 ,the chain of traditional sayings is continued here from chapter ,i1 #ad1 with other maxims of ,hillel4 ,see ,introduction1 p4 #ag4 7#aa7 ,i4e41 share its weal and woe4 ,cf4 ,taanit1 #aa;a1 ,he who does not join the community in times of danger and trouble will never enjoy the divine blessing4 7#ab7 ,one should constantly be on guard against oneself4 ,the ,talmud 7,berachot1 #bi;a7 illustrates this saying by referring to a certain ,jochanan1 who1 after having been high-priest for eighty years1 became a heretic4 7#ac7 ,this verse may be variously translated and interpreted4 ,its translation here is in accordance with the interpretation of ,maimonides4 ,do not express yourself in such a way that your words may be understood only after careful study and deep thought1 but let them be clear and intelligible4 7#ad7 ,the word bur 7bet-vov-resh7 means uncultivated 7sadeh bur an uncultivated field74 ,it is used of an ignorant1 uncultured1 mannerless person1 possessing no moral or spiritual virtues4 ,taylor translates it by boor4 am ha'aretz1 literally people of the land1 country people1 is applied to an individual who may possess good manners1 and may be literate1 but who has no religious knowledge1 nor training1 nor does not observe religious customs4 ,taylor renders it vulgar4 ,mayer ,sulzberger maintains that this term was applied to an assembly of representatives of the people constituting a body similar to the modern ,parliament1 and divided into a lower and upper house4 ,see his ,the ,am ,ha-aretz1 ,the ,ancient ,hebrew ,parliament4 ,on the ,am ha-aretz and his opposite the chaber1 see ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 ii1 pp4 #h1 #i and pp4 #bb et seq41 also ,herford1 ibid4 pp4 #df-dg4 7#ae7 ,i4e41 he who is ashamed to ask questions for fear of exposing his ignorance4 7#af7 ,he who has no patience to answer all the questions of his pupils4 7#ag7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iv1 #ab4 ,one of the qualifications necessary for the acquirement of the ,torah is moderation in business4 7#ah7 ,do not boldly push yourself forward2 but where there is no one to fill the position of teacher or leader1 or to be the head of the community1 and you have the qualifications1 do not shrink from being the man4 7#ai7 ,retribution is sure4 ,cf4 ,sanhedrin1 #ajj;a and ,sotah1 #i;b1 with what measure a man measures1 is it measured unto him4 7#bj7 ,cf4 ,prov4 ,,iii1 #a and #b4 7#ba7 ,the expression the world to come may mean the ,messianic days1 the time after the ,messianic era1 the days after the resurrection or the spiritual hereafter4 ,maimonides discusses at length the various theories1 in ,perek ,chelek 7,commentary on ,sanhedrin1 ,x1 #a71 which has been translated into ,english by ,j4 ,abelson1 in the ,jewish ,quarterly ,review 7,london71 vol4 ,,xxix1 p4 #bh et seq4 ,see also ,the ,hebrew ,review 7,london1 #ahdj71 p4 #bed et seq4 ,consult ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 ii1 #ib4 #i4 ,rabban ,jochanan1 the son of ,zakkai 7#bb7 received 7the tradition7 from ,hillel and ,shammai4 ,he used to say1 ,if thou hast learnt much ,torah1 ascribe not any merit to thyself1 for thereunto wast thou created4 7#bb7 ,rabban ,jochanan ben ,zakkai was known as the least of the disciples of ,hillel4 ,he was a contemporary of the historian ,josephus4 ,escaping in a coffin from ,jerusalem1 when it was besieged by the ,roman general ,vespasian1 and predicting the latter's elevation to the imperial dignity1 ,jochanan was allowed by ,vespasian to go to ,jabneh 7,jamnia71 where he founded the celebrated academy which became the centre of learning in ,palestine1 as ,jerusalem had previously been4 ,he was the most important scribe in the first decade after the destruction of the ,temple 7#gj ,c4,e474 ,see ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 p4 #hf et seq41 ,bacher1 ,agada der ,tanaiten1 pp4 #be-df1 ,myers1 ,story of the ,jewish ,people1 ,i1 pp4 #aea-afj1 and ,danziger1 ,jewish ,forerunners of ,christianity1 pp4 #ee-gb4 #aj4 ,rabban ,jochanan1 the son of ,zakkai1 had five disciples 7#bc71 and these are they3 ,rabbi ,eliezer1 the son of ,hyrcanus2 ,rabbi ,joshua1 the son of ,hananiah 7#bd72 ,rabbi ,jose1 the ,priest2 ,rabbi ,simeon1 the son of ,nataniel2 and ,rabbi ,eleazar1 the son of ,arach4 #aa4 ,he used thus to recount their praise3 ,eliezer1 the son of ,hyrcanus1 is a cemented cistern1 which loses not a drop 7#be72 ,joshua1 the son of ,hananiah1 happy is she that bare him 7#bf72 ,jose1 the ,priest1 is a pious man 7#bg72 ,simeon1 the son of ,nataniel1 is a fearer of sin2 ,eleazar1 the son of ,arach1 is like a spring flowing with ever-sustained vigor 7#bh74 #ab4 ,he used to say1 ,if all the sages of ,israel were in one scale of the balance1 and ,eliezer1 the son of ,hyrcanus1 in the other1 he would outweigh them all4 ,abba ,saul 7#bi7 said in his name1 ,if all the sages of ,israel were in one scale of the balance1 and ,eliezer1 the son of ,hyrcanus1 also with them1 and ,eleazar1 the son of ,arach1 in the other scale1 he would outweigh them all4 #ac4 ,he said to them1 ,go forth and see which is the good way to which a man should cleave4 ,r4 ,eliezer said1 ,a good eye 7#cj72 ,r4 ,joshua said1 ,a good friend2 ,r4 ,jose said1 ,a good neighbor 7#ca72 ,r4 ,simeon said1 ,one who foresees the fruit of an action 7#cb72 ,r4 ,eleazar said1 ,a good heart4 ,thereupon he said to them1 ,i approve of the words of ,eleazar1 the son of ,arach1 rather than your words1 for in his words yours are included 7#cc74 #ad4 ,he said to them1 ,go forth and see which is the evil way that a man should shun4 ,r4 ,eliezer said1 ,an evil eye 7#cd72 ,r4 ,joshua said1 ,a bad friend2 ,r4 ,jose said1 ,a bad neighbor2 ,r4 ,simeon said1 ,one who borrows and does not repay--it is the same whether one borrows from man or the ,omnipresent 7#ce72 as it is said1 ',the wicked borroweth and payeth not again1 but the righteous dealeth graciously and giveth' 7#cf72 ,r4 ,eleazar said1 ,a bad heart4 ,thereupon he said to them1 ,i approve of the words of ,eleazar1 the son of ,arach1 rather then your words1 for in his words yours are included4 7#bc7 ,of special excellence4 7#bd7 ,on the life of ,r4 ,joshua 7#dj-acj ,c4,e471 see ,bacher1 ibid41 #abi-aid1 ,myers1 ibid41 #afa-agj1 ,danziger1 ibid41 #abb-aea4 7#be7 ,he forgets nothing he has learned4 ,on ,r4 ,eliezer1 see ,danziger1 ibid41 #ia-aba4 7#bf7 ,when yet a child in the cradle1 his mother took him into the synagogue that he might thus early hear the words of the ,torah4 7#bg7 ,a chasid 7chasid71 saint1 is one who does more than the strict letter of the law requires4 ,see ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,,ii1 pp4 #adh-aha1 idem1 ,aspects1 p4 #bji1 ,rawicz1 ,commentar des ,maimonides1 pp4 #ie-if1 and ,gorfinkle1 ,the ,eight ,chapters1 pp4 #fj-fb4 7#bh7 ,a welling spring 7,taylor74 7#bi7 ,he lived in the first half of the second century1 ,c4,e4 7#cj7 ,i4e41 an eye that looks upon people with benevolence and kind feelings1 free from envy and ill-will4 7#ca7 ,a good friend is one who induces his associate to study ,torah1 and who reproves him when he sees him doing wrong4 ,the passage means not so much to gain a good friend as to be a good friend4 7#cb7 ,one who balances the present against the future4 7#cc7 ,the heart was considered the seat of all moral and spiritual functions4 ,see ,schechter1 ,aspects1 p4 #bee et seq4 7#cd7 ,denotes niggardliness1 envy1 or jealousy4 7#ce7 ,i4e41 one who lacks foresight and incurs responsibilities he is unable to meet borrows from ,god1 as all wealth belongs to ,him1 and men are merely ,his stewards4 ,the word makom1 literally place1 space1 was used to designate ,jerusalem1 or the ,temple1 as being the place where ,god's spirit dwells2 or it may also refer to the divine court of the ,sanhedrin4 ,it then came to be used as an appellative for ,god4 ,as ,schechter remarks1 ,the term is mainly indicative of ,god's ubiquity in the world and can best be translated by ',omnipresent4' ,see ,hoffmann1 ,sanhedrin ,,vi1 note #ef1 ,taylor1 ,sayings1 p4 #ec1 note #db1 and ,schechter1 ,aspects1 pp4 #bf-bg1 where the literature on this subject is given4 ,see also ,friedlander1 ,the ,jewish ,religion1 p4 #bhg1 and the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,names of ,god4 7#cf7 ,psalm ,,xxxvii1 #ba4 #ae4 ,they each said three things4 ,r4 ,eliezer said1 ,let thy friend's honor be as dear to thee as thine own 7#cg72 be not easily excited to anger2 and repent one day before thy death 7#ch74 ,and 7he further said71 ,warm thyself by the fire of the wise1 but beware of their glowing coals1 lest thou be burnt1 for their bite is the bite of the fox1 and their sting is the scorpion's sting1 and their hiss is the serpent's hiss1 and all their words are like coals of fire 7#ci74 #af4 ,r4 ,joshua said1 ,the evil eye1 the evil inclination 7#dj71 and hatred of his fellow-creatures 7#da71 put a man out of the world4 #ag4 ,r4 ,jose said1 ,let the property of thy friend be as dear to thee as thine own2 prepare thyself for the study of ,torah1 since the knowledge of it is not an inheritance of thine1 and let all thy deeds be done in the name of ,god 7#db74 #ah4 ,r4 ,simeon said1 ,be careful in reading the ,shema 7#dc7 and the ,amidah 7#dd72 and when thou prayest1 consider not thy prayer as a fixed 7mechanical7 task1 but as 7an appeal for7 mercy and grace before the ,all-present1 as it is said1 ',for he is gracious and full of mercy1 slow to anger1 and abounding in loving-kindness1 and repenteth him of the evil' 7#de72 and be not wicked in thine own esteem 7#df74 #ai4 ,r4 ,eleazar said1 ,be diligent in studying ,torah1 and know what answer to give to the unbeliever 7#dg72 know also before whom thou toilest1 and who thy ,employer is1 who will pay thee the reward of thy labor4 7#cg7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iv1 #ae4 7#ch7 ,man should repent every day of his life1 for he knows not on what day he may die 7,shabbat1 #aec;a74 7#ci7 ,one who wishes to warm himself remains a certain distance away from the fire2 if he approaches too near1 he is burned2 so1 do not endeavor to become too intimate with the wise1 as their opinion of you may change to your detriment4 ,the bite1 the sting1 and the hiss represent the terribleness of the looks of the wise who have been angered4 7#dj7 ,passion1 evil nature1 or evil inclination4 7#da7 ,misanthropy4 7#db7 ,in making man's highest ideal the comprehension of ,god1 ,maimonides1 in the ,shemonah ,perakim1 supports his view by referring to the latter part of this verse4 ,he says1 ,the sages of blessed memory1 too1 have summed up this idea in so few words and so concisely1 at the same time elucidating the whole matter with such complete thoroughness1 that when one considers the brevity with which they express this great and mighty thought in its entirety1 about which others have written whole books and yet without adequately explaining it1 one truly recognizes that the ,rabbis undoubtedly spoke through divine inspiration4 ,this saying is found among their precepts1 and is1 ',let all thy deeds be done in the name of ,god4' ,see ,gorfinkle1 ,the ,eight ,chapters1 p4 #gc4 7#dc7 ,this prayer consists of three portions of the ,pentateuch 7,deut4 ,,vi1 #d-i2 ,,xi1 #ac-ba2 ,num4 ,,xv1 #cg-da71 and gets its name from the initial word of the first portion4 ,it is appointed to be read twice daily1 in the morning and in the evening4 ,on the time when the ,shema is to be read1 see ,berachot ,i1 #a4 ,see ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 ii1 #gg1 #hc1 et seq42 ,friedlander1 ,jewish ,religion1 pp4 #dcj1 #dce2 ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,shema1 and ,adler1 in the ,jewish ,review 7,london1 #aiaj71 vol4 ,i1 number #b1 p4 #aei4 7#dd7 ,an important part of the ritual said at the daily morning1 afternoon1 and evening service1 and also at the additional service on ,sabbaths and holy days1 is known as 7#a7 ,tefillah 7prayer71 or 7#b7 ,shemoneh ,esreh 7eighteen71 or 7#c7 ,amidah 7standing74 ,it is known as ,tefillah because it is considered the prayer par excellence2 as ,shemoneh ,esreh because originally it consisted of eighteen prayers 7now nineteen72 and as ,amidah 7by ,sephardic ,jews7 because it must be said standing4 ,the ,shema and the ,shemoneh ,esreh have been appropriately styled the two pillars of the fabric of the liturgy4 ,see ,schurer1 ibid42 ,friedlander1 ibid41 pp4 #dcj1 #dcg2 in the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,shemoneh ,esreh2 ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,,ii1 pp4 #fgjfh2 ,adler1 ibid41 p4 #aei2 and ,herford1 ibid41 pp4 #bih-bii4 7#de7 ,joel ,,ii1 #ac4 7#df7 ,do not do what your conscience tells you is wrong1 even though it does not appear to others as such2 or1 do not sin in secret1 thinking that you will escape punishment because others do not see you4 7#dg7 ,apikuros is a term originally used to designate a follower of the philosopher ,epicurus1 whose axiom was that happiness or enjoyment is the summum bonum of life4 ,later1 this word was used by the ,rabbis to designate a free-thinker1 a heretic1 an unbeliever1 or a despiser of the ,law1 ,jewish or non-,jewish4 ,josephus 7,antiquities1 ,x1 #aa1 #g1 ed4 ,whiston-,margoliouth1 p4 #cjj7 describes the ,epicureans as those who cast providence out of human life1 and do not believe that ,god takes care of the affairs of the world1 nor that the universe is governed and continued in being by that blessed and immortal nature1 but say that the world is carried along of its own accord without a ruler and a curator4 ,maimonides1 in his commentary on ,sanhedrin1 ,x1 #a1 derives the word from the ,hebrew1 hefkeir 7hey-fey-kuf-resh71 freedom1 and defines it as one who refuses obedience to the ,law4 ,schechter 7,studies in ,judaism1 ,i1 p4 #aeh7 says1 ,it implies rather a frivolous treatment of the words of ,scripture and tradition4 ,see the ,jewish ,encyclopedia art4 ,apikuros1 and ,barton1 ,ecclesiastes1 p4 #da4 ,this verse may also be rendered1 ,study ,torah1 and also know 7v'da 7vov-daled-ayin77 how to answer an unbeliever1 meaning that first one should study ,torah and ,talmud1 and then give his time to learning other knowledge1 so as to be able to refute those who stray from the truth4 #bj4 ,rabbi ,tafron 7#dh7 said1 ,the day is short1 the task is great 7#di71 the laborers are sluggish1 the reward is much1 and the ,master of the house 7#ej7 is urgent4 #ba4 ,he also used to say1 ,it is not thy duty to complete the work1 but neither art thou free to desist from it2 if thou hast studied much ,torah1 much reward will be given thee2 and faithful is thy ,employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor2 and know that the grant of reward unto the righteous will be in the time to come 7#ea74 ,rabbi ,chanania1 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable'4 7#dh7 ,a contemporary of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai's five disciples and of ,akiba4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #cdh-ceh1 and ,meyer1 ibid41 p4 #agi4 7#di7 ,the day1 i4e41 the life of man1 is brief4 ,art is long1 but life is short4 7#ej7 ,i4e41 ,god4 7#ea7 ,a man cannot finish the work of the world1 yet he must not yield to idleness and despair1 but must do his share to the best of his ability4 ,his reward will come in the future4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,all ,israel have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified4 #a4 ,akabia 7#a71 the son of ,mahalalel1 said1 ,consider three things1 and thou wilt not come within the power of sin 7#b73 know whence thou camest1 and whither thou art going1 and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning 7#c74 ,whence thou camest3 from a fetid drop2 whether thou art going3 to a place of dust1 worms1 and maggots 7#d72 and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning3 before the ,supreme ,king of kings1 the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he4 7#a7 ,he lived about the middle of the first century4 7#b7 ,cf4 chapter ,,ii1 #a4 7#c7 ,compare with this saying the exposition by ,akiba of ,eccl4 ,,xii1 #a3 uzechor et bor'ech 7bor'ech is3 bet-vov-resh-alef-yud-chof7sofit7 but remember thy creator4 ,playing upon the word bor'ech1 he says1 ,remember thy source 7bet-alef-resh-chof7sofit771 thy grave 7bet-vov-resh-chof7sofit771 and thy creator 7bet-resh-alef-chof7sofit771 ,kohelet ,rabbah1 ad4 loc4 ,if man thinks of whence he comes1 he is rendered humble2 if he reflects upon whither he is going1 he prizes worldly things lightly2 and if he considers ,h,im before whom he must give an account1 he obeys ,god's laws4 7#d7 ,cf4 ,job ,,xxv1 #f3 ,how much less the mortal1 the mere worm 7rimah78 and the son of the earth1 the mere maggot 7toleah78 can be pure in ,god's eyes4 #b4 ,r4 ,chanina1 the ,vice-,high-,priest 7#e71 said1 ,pray for the welfare of the government1 since but for the fear thereof men would swallow each other alive 7#f74 7#e7 ,chief of the priests1 adjutant high-priest4 ,the segan was next in rank to the high-priest4 ,none could be appointed high-priest unless he had occupied the office of the segan 7,palestinian ,talmud1 ,yoma1 ,,iii1 #da;a1 top74 ,according to ,schurer1 he was the captain of the ,temple1 whose duty it was to superintend arrangements for keeping order in and around the ,temple4 ,he was also present at all important functions in which the high-priest took part1 such as the drawing of lots in the case of the two goats on ,yom ,kippur 7,yoma ,,iii1 #i1 ,,iv1 #a72 when reading from the ,torah 7,yoma1 ,,vii1 #a2 ,sotah ,,vii1 #g1 #h71 and when offering the daily sacrifice 7,tamid ,,vii1 #c74 ,rabbi ,chanina was the last to bear this title1 his son being known as ,simeon ben ha-,segan4 ,see ,bacher1 ,agada der ,tanaiten1 pp4 #ee-eh1 ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 i1 #beg-bei4 7#f7 ,cf4 ,jer4 ,,xxxix1 #g1 ,and seek the peace of the city whither ,i have caused you to be carried away captives1 and pray unto the ,lord for it2 for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace1 and ,abodah ,zarah1 #c;b4 #c4 ,r4 ,chananiah1 the son of ,teradion 7#g71 said1 ,if two sit together and interchange no words of ,torah1 they are a meeting of scorners1 concerning whom it is said1 ',the godly man sitteth not in the seat of the scorners' 7#h72 but if two sit together and interchange words of ,torah1 the ,divine ,presence 7#i7 abides among them2 as it is said1 ',then they that feared the ,lord spake one with the other2 and the ,lord hearkened and heard1 and a book of remembrance was written before ,him1 for them that feared the ,lord1 and that thought upon ,his name1' 7#aj74 ,now the ,scripture enables me to draw this inference in respect to two persons2 whence can it be deduced that if even one person sedulously occupies himself with the ,torah1 the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 appoints unto him a reward8 ,because it is said1 'though he sit alone1 and meditate in stillness1 yet he taketh it 7the reward7 upon him' 7#aa74 7#g7 ,he lived about #abj ,c4,e4 ,he was the father of ,beruriah1 the wife of ,rabbi ,meir4 7#h7 ,ps4 ,i1 #a4 ,verse #b of this psalm continues1 ,but his delight is in the ,law of the ,lord4 7#i7 shechinah literally dwelling1 is a name applied to ,god when ,he is spoken of as dwelling among men4 ,see ,schechter1 ,aspects1 en passim2 ,abelson1 ,immanence of ,god1 p4 #gg et seq4 7#aj7 ,mal4 ,,iii1 #af4 7#aa7 ,lam4 ,,iii1 #bg4 #d4 ,r4 ,simeon 7#ab7 said1 ,if three have eaten at a table and have spoken there no words of ,torah1 it is as if they had eaten of sacrifices to dead idols1 of whom it is said1 ',for all their tables are full of vomit and filthiness2 the ,all-present is not 7in their thoughts7' 7#ac74 ,but if three have eaten at a table and have spoken there words of ,torah1 it is as if they had eaten at the table of the ,all-present1 for ,scripture says1 ',and he said unto me1 ,this is the table that is before the ,lord' 7#ad74 7#ab7 ,rabbi ,simeon ben ,yochai lived about the middle of the second century ,c4,e41 and was a pupil of ,akiba4 ,see ,danziger1 ibid41 pp4 #baa-bda4 ,he was long thought to be the author of the well-known kabbalistic work ,zohar1 which was1 however1 probably written in the thirteenth century by ,moses ,shem ,tob de ,leon4 ,see the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,zohar2 ,graetz1 ,history1 ,,iv1 p4 #aa et seq42 ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,i1 pp4 #ah1 #ai1 #acc2 and ,h4 ,sperling1 in ,aspects of the ,hebrew ,genius1 p4 #afe et seq4 7#ac7 ,isa4 ,,xxviii1 #h4 ,the literal interpretation of bli makom is1 there is no place clean of defilement2 but the word makom being used to designate ,god 7see above1 chapter ,,ii1 n4 #ce71 suggests the interpretation1 without mention of the name of ,god4 7#ad7 ,ezek4 ,,xli1 #bb4 #e4 ,r4 ,chanina1 the son of ,hakinai 7#ae71 said1 ,he who keeps awake at night1 and goes on his way alone1 while turning his heart to vanity1 such a one forfeits his own life 7#af74 7#ae7 ,he lived about #abj ,c4,e41 and was a pupil of ,akiba4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 #dcf et seq4 7#af7 ,even the sleepless man and the solitary traveller must turn their thoughts to the ,torah4 #f4 ,r4 ,nechunya1 son of ha-,kanah 7#ag71 said1 ,whoso receives upon himself the yoke of the ,torah1 from the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care will be removed 7#ah71 but whoso breaks off from him the yoke of the ,torah1 upon him will be laid the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care4 7#ag7 ,he lived about #hj ,c4,e4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #eh-fa4 7#ah7 ,the yoke of the kingdom refers to the taxes and burdens exacted by the government2 the yoke of worldly care is anxiety of the struggle for existence4 #g4 ,r4 ,chalafta1 the son of ,dosa 7#ai71 of the village of ,chanania said1 ,when ten people sit together and occupy themselves with the ,torah1 the ,shechinah 7#bj7 abides among them1 as it is said1 ',god standeth in the congregation 7#ba7 of the godly' 7#bb74 ,and whence can it be shown that the same applies to five8 ,because it is said1 ',he hath found his band 7#bc7 upon the earth' 7#bd74 ,and whence can it be shown that the same applies to three8 ,because it is said1 ',he judgeth among the judges' 7#be74 ,and whence can it be shown that the same applies to two8 ,because it is said1 ',then they that feared the ,lord spake one with the other2 and the ,lord hearkened1 and heard' 7#bf74 ,and whence can it be shown that the same applies even to one8 ,because it is said1 ',in every place where ,i cause my name to be remembered ,i will come unto thee and ,i will bless thee' 7#bg74 7#ai7 ,he was probably a disciple of ,r4 ,meir4 ,see below1 n4 #cb4 7#bj7 ,see above1 n4 #i4 7#ba7 ,an edah1 assembly1 congregation1 prayer-meeting1 consists of at least ten persons 7,megillah1 #bc;b74 ,see ,sulzburger1 ,the ,ancient ,hebrew ,parliament1 chapter ,i4 7#bb7 ,ps4 ,,lxxxii1 #a4 7#bc7 ,an agudah 7lit41 bundle1 bunch71 bond1 union1 is constituted of at least five1 though some authorities maintain that it stands for three4 ,see ,taylor1 ,sayings1 p4 #df1 n4 #ae4 ,this word is used in the name of a number of ,jewish societies whose members bind themselves to brotherly love and mutual assistance4 as ,agudat ,achim1 ,united ,brethren1 etc4 7#bd7 ,amos1 ,,ix1 #f4 7#be7 ,ps4 ,,lxxxii1 #a4 ,every bet din1 judicial tribunal1 consisted of at least three members 7,sanhedrin1 #c;b74 7#bf7 ,mal4 ,,iii1 #af4 7#bg7 ,ex4 ,,xx1 #bd4 #h4 ,r4 ,eleazar of ,bertota 7#bh7 said1 ,give unto ,him of what is ,his1 for thou and thine are ,his3 this is also found expressed by ,david1 who said1 ',for all things come of ,thee1 and of ,thine own we have given ,thee' 7#bi74 7#bh7 ,he lived during the second century ,c4,e4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #ddb-dde4 7#bi7 ,i ,chron4 ,,xxix1 #ad4 #i4 ,r4 ,jacob said1 ,he who is walking by the way and studying1 and breaks off his study and says1 ',how fine is that tree1 how fine is that fallow1' him the ,scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life 7#cj74 7#cj7 ,one must not interrupt his studies even to admire the beauties of nature4 #aj4 ,r4 ,dostai 7#ca71 the son of ,jannai1 said in the name of ,r4 ,meir 7#cb71 ,whoso forgets one word of his study1 him the ,scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life1 for it is said1 ',only take heed to thyself1 and keep thy soul diligently1 lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen' 7#cc74 ,now1 one might suppose 7that the same result follows7 even if a man's study has been too hard for him4 7,to guard against such an inference71 it is said1 ',and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life' 7#cd74 ,thus a person's guilt is not established until he deliberately and of set purpose removes those lessons from his heart4 7#ca7 ,he lived about #afj ,c4,e4 7#cb7 ,rabbi ,meir was the celebrated pupil of ,akiba4 ,his wife was the well-known ,bruriah4 ,on his interesting career1 see ,blumenthal1 ,rabbi ,meir1 ,myers1 ,the ,story of the ,jewish ,people1 ,i1 pp4 #ahi-bjd1 and ,danziger1 ,jewish ,forerunners of ,christianity1 pp4 #ahe-baj4 7#cc7 ,deut4 ,,iv1 #i4 7#cd7 ,deut4 ,,iv1 #i4 #aa4 ,r4 ,chanina1 the son of ,dosa 7#ce71 said1 ,he in whom the fear of sin precedes wisdom1 his wisdom shall endure2 but he in whom wisdom comes before the fear of sin1 his wisdom will not endure 7#cf74 #ab4 ,he used to say1 ,he whose works exceed his wisdom1 his wisdom shall endure2 but he whose wisdom exceeds his works1 his wisdom will not endure 7#cg74 #ac4 ,he used to say1 ,he in whom the spirit of his fellow-creatures takes not delight1 in him the ,spirit of the ,all-present takes not delight4 7#ce7 ,a contemporary of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai 7#aj ,b4,c4,e4-#ij ,c4,e474 ,see ,friedlander1 ,ben ,dosa und seine ,zeit 7,prag1 #ahgb71 and ,bacher1 ibid41 #bhc et seq4 7#cf7 ,cf4 ,ps4 ,,cxi1 #aj3 ,the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the ,lord4 ,a man's fear of sin should be instinctive1 rather than a result of calculation1 4 4 4 a man should build upon the foundation of religious feeling1 rather than upon philosophy 7,taylor74 7#cg7 ,cf4 above1 chapter ,i1 #ag1 ,not learning but doing is the chief thing4 #ad4 ,r4 ,dosa1 the son of ,horkinas 7#ch71 said1 ,morning sleep1 midday wine1 childish babbling1 and attending the houses of assembly of the ignorant waste a man's life 7#ci74 7#ch7 ,a contemporary of ,jochanan ben ,zakkai4 7#ci7 ,idleness1 etc41 indispose one for the study of the ,torah and for business4 #ae4 ,r4 ,eleazar ha-,mudai said1 ,he who profanes things sacred1 and despises the festivals1 and puts his fellow-man to shame in public1 and makes void the covenant of ,abraham1 our father 7#dj71 and makes the ,torah bear a meaning other than the right 7#da72 7such a one7 even though knowledge of the ,torah and good deeds be his1 has no share in the world to come 7#db74 7#dj7 ,i4e4 circumcision4 7#da7 ,or acts barefacedly against the ,torah4 7#db7 ,knowledge and moral excellence alone are not sufficient4 #af4 ,r4 ,ishmael 7#dc7 said1 ,be submissive to a superior 7#dd71 affable to the young 7#de71 and receive all men with cheerfulness 7#df74 7#dc7 ,lived about #abj ,c4,e4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #bdj-bga4 7#dd7 ,or be pliant of disposition4 7#de7 l'tishchoret is variously rendered as the young 7,maimonides1 ,bartenora1 ,geiger1 ,jastrow71 impressment 7,rashbam1 ,taylor71 sovereign authority 7,levy1 ,chald4 ,worterbuch1 sub shachar 7shin-chet-resh71 ,fiebig71 and a suppliant 7,singer74 7#df7 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #ae4 #ag4 ,r4 ,akiba 7#dg7 said1 ,jesting and levity lead a man on to lewdness4 ,the ,massorah 7#dh7 is a rampart around the ,torah2 tithes are a safeguard to riches 7#di72 good resolves are a fence to abstinence 7#ej72 a hedge around wisdom is silence 7#ea74 #ah4 ,he used to say1 ,beloved is man1 for he was created in the image 7of ,god72 but it was by a special love that it was made known to him that he was created in the image of ,god1 as it is said1 ',for in the image of ,god made he man' 7#eb74 ,beloved are ,israel1 or they were called children of the ,all-present1 but it was by a special love that it was made known to them that they were called children of the ,all-present1 as it is said1 ',ye are children unto the ,lord your ,god' 7#ec74 ,beloved are ,israel1 for unto them was given the desirable instrument 7#ed72 but it was by a special love that it was made known to them that that desirable instrument was theirs1 through which the world was created1 as it is said1 ',for ,i give you good doctrine2 forsake ye not my ,torah' 7#ee74 #ai4 ,everything is foreseen1 yet free will is given 7#ef72 and the world is judged by grace1 yet all is according to the amount of the work 7#eg74 #bj4 ,he used to say1 ,everything is given on pledge 7#eh71 and a net is spread for all living 7#ei72 the shop is open 7#fj72 the dealer gives credit2 the ledger lies open2 the hand writes2 and whosoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow2 but the collectors regularly make their daily round1 and exact payment from man whether he be content or not 7#fa72 and they have that whereon they can rely in their demand2 and the judgment is a judgment of truth 7#fb72 and everything is prepared for the feast 7#fc74 7#dg7 ,akiba ben ,joseph 7born about #ej ,c4,e41 died about #acb7 was the greatest of the ,tannaim 7teachers mentioned in the ,mishnah74 ,he was a proselyte of righteousness 7ger tzedek74 ,until middle age1 he remained illiterate and averse to study1 but was spurred on to become learned in the ,torah by the daughter of the rich ,kalba ,shabua1 whom he subsequently married4 ,he was the pupil of ,r4 ,eliezer ben ,hyrcanos1 ,r4 ,jochanan ben ,chanania1 and ,nahum of ,gimzo4 ,he espoused the cause of ,bar ,kochba1 acknowledging him as the ,messiah1 and is said to have travelled throughout the land stirring up opposition to ,rome4 ,at the fall of ,betar1 he was captured by the ,romans1 and most cruelly put to death1 expiring with the ,shema upon his lips4 ,r4 ,akiba definitely fixed the canon of the ,old ,testament4 ,he compiled and systematized the traditional law1 in this respect being the forerunner of ,r4 ,judah ha-,nasi 7see chapter ,,ii1 n4 #a71 whose ,mishnah may be considered as being derived from that of the school of ,akiba4 ,his importance may be gauged by the following statement from the ,talmud1 ,our ,mishnah comes directly from ,r4 ,meir 7a disciple of ,akiba71 the ,tosefta from ,r4 ,nehemiah1 the ,sifra from ,r4 ,judah1 and the ,sifre from ,r4 ,simon2 but they all took ,akiba for a model in their works and followed him 7,sanhedrin1 #hf;a74 ,akiba introduced a new method of interpreting ,scripture1 in which not a word1 syllable1 or letter was considered superfluous1 finding thereby a basis for many oral laws4 ,his hermeneutical and exegetical activities were remarkable4 ,many interesting legends have clustered around his name4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 #bga-cdh2 ,meilziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 pp4 #bi1 #abe-abf2 ,isaacs1 ,stories from the ,rabbis1 p4 #fa et seq42 ,danziger1 ibid41 pp4 #aeb-ahd2 the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 arts4 ,akiba ben ,joseph and ,akiba ben ,joseph in ,legend2 ,myers1 ,story of the ,jewish ,people1 pp4 #aga-ahh2 and ,geiger1 ,judaism and its ,history1 p4 #bbf et seq41 #bcj et seq4 7#dh7 ,massorah1 from root masar1 to deliver1 hand over1 transmit1 means a chain of tradition4 ,it is used to designate tradition in general1 and is thus correlative with kabbalah4 ,the ,massorah contains information for the correct transcription of the ,scripture4 ,as used here1 it means the traditional interpretation of the ,torah4 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #a1 ,moses received the ,torah on ,sinai1 and handed it down 7umsarah7 to ,joshua1 and make a fence around the ,torah4 ,consult ,driver1 ,notes on ,samuel1 ,intro41 p4 #cg et seq42 ,schurer1 ibid41 ,,ii1 i1 #cbh2 ,taylor1 ,sayings1 p4 #ee1 n4 #cc2 ,friedlander ibid41 p4 #ee1 #bjc1 #bff2 ,jewish ,encyclopedia s4v42 and ,the ,companion ,bible 7,london1 ,oxford ,university ,press71 ,pt4 ,i1 ,appendix1 #cj4 7#di7 ,on tithes1 see chapter ,i1 n4 #cg4 ,cf4 ,shabbat1 #aai;a1 and ,taanit1 #i;a 7play on ayin-shin-resh tof-ayin-shin resh1 ,deut4 ,,xxiv1 #bb7199 ayin-sh-resh bet-shin-bet-yud-lamed shin-tof-tof-ayin-shin-resh give tithes in order that thou mayest become rich4 99 transcriber's note3 this text does not appear to be ,deuteronomy ,,xxiv1 #bb4 7#ej7 ,lit41 separation1 i4e4 from defilement1 hence sanctity 7,taylor74 7#ea7 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #ag4 7#eb7 ,gen4 ,,ix1 #f4 7#ec7 ,deut4 ,,xiv1 #a4 7#ed7 ,i4e41 the ,torah4 7#ee7 ,prov4 ,,iv1 #b4 7#ef7 ,the omniscience and prescience of ,god do not deprive men of free will4 ,maimonides explains this in the last chapter of the ,shemonah ,perakim 7ed4 ,gorfinkle1 p4 #he et seq474 7#eg7 ,maimonides interprets the last phrase as meaning to do many small deeds of charity rather than one great deed of goodness4 ,for instance1 it is better to distribute one hundred coins among one hundred people than to give them all to one person4 7#eh7 ,the world is compared to the office of a merchant4 7#ei7 ,ecc4 ,,ix1 #ab3 for man also knoweth not his time1 like the fishes that are caught in an evil net4 7#fj7 ,the shop stands for the world and its enjoyments4 7#fa7 ,man has free will1 and is therefore responsible for all his acts4 7#fb7 ,for everything is recorded4 7#fc7 ,this world is merely a preparation for the next4 ,the enjoyment of the world to come is likened by the ,rabbis to a banquet1 which is shared in by the good and the bad1 after they have paid off their moral debts4 #ba4 ,r4 ,eleazar1 the son of ,azariah 7#fd71 said1 ,where there is no ,torah1 there are no manners2 where there are no manners1 there is no ,torah3 where there is no wisdom1 there is no fear of ,god2 where there is no fear of ,god1 there is no wisdom3 where there is no knowledge1 there no understanding2 where there is no understanding1 there is no knowledge 7#fe73 where there is no meal1 there is no ,torah2 where there is no ,torah1 there is no meal 7#ff74 #bb4 ,he used to say1 ,he whose wisdom exceeds his works1 to what is he like8 ,to a tree whose branches are many1 but whose roots are few2 and the wind comes and plucks it up1 and overturns it upon its face1 as it is said1 ',and he shall be like a lonely juniper tree in the desert1 and shall not see when good cometh2 but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness1 a salt land and not inhabited' 7#fg74 ,but he whose works exceed his wisdom1 to what is he like8 ,to a tree whose branches are few1 but whose roots are many1 so that though all the winds in the world come and blow upon it1 they cannot stir it from its place1 as it is said1 ',and he shall be as a tree planted by the waters2 and that spreadeth out its roots by the river and shall not perceive when heat cometh1 but his leaf shall be green2 and shall not be troubled in the year of drought1 neither shall cease from yielding fruit' 7#fh74 7#fd7 ,r4 ,eleazar ben ,azariah1 a ,mishnaic scholar of the first century1 was of a rich and influential family1 and was a descendent of ,ezra the ,scribe4 ,at seventeen or eighteen1 upon the deposition of ,gamaliel ,,ii1 ,eleazar1 because of his popularity and erudition1 was chosen to fill the position of the president of the academy at ,jabneh4 ,upon ,gamaliel's restoration1 he was made vice-president 7,ab bet din74 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 #bai-bdj4 7#fe7 ,cf4 ,prov4 ,,ix1 #aj3 ,the fear of the ,lord is the beginning of wisdom1 and the knowledge of the holy is understanding4 7#ff7 ,where there is a want of the means of sustenance there is no studying of ,torah1 and without spiritual nourishment1 physical nourishment has no value4 7#fg7 ,jer4 ,,xvii1 #f4 7#fh7 ,jer4 ,,xvii1 #h4 ,cf4 verse #ab1 above4 #bc4 ,r4 ,eleazar ,chisma 7#fi7 said1 ,the laws concerning the sacrifices of birds and the purification of women are essential ordinances 7#gj72 astronomy and geometry are the after-courses of wisdom 7#ga74 ,rabbi ,chanania1 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable'4 7#fi7 ,a contemporary of ,a,kiba4 7#gj7 ,kinnim1 nests1 is the name of a tract in ,seder ,kodashim of the ,mishnah1 and tells of the young birds1 which men and women were at times required to offer as sacrifice4 ,niddah is a tract of ,seder ,teharot of the ,mishnah1 and relates of the uncleannesses of woman4 7#ga7 ,i4e41 the mathematical sciences1 in which ,r4 ,eleazar was very proficient1 are only to be considered as helps to the study of the essentials of ,torah4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,all ,israel have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified4 #a4 ,ben ,zoma 7#a7 said1 ,who is wise8 ,he who learns from all men1 as it is said1 'from all my teachers have ,i gotten understanding' 7#b74 ,who is mighty8 ,he who controls his passions1 as it is said1 ',he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty1 and he that ruleth over his spirit than he that taketh a city' 7#c74 ,who is rich8 ,he who rejoices in his portion1 as it is said1 ',when thou eatest the labor of thine hands1 happy art thou1 and it shall be well with thee' 7#d72 happy art thou in this world1 and it shall be well with thee in the world to come4 ,who is honored8 ,he who honors others1 as it is said1 ',for them that honor me ,i will honor1 and they that despise me shall be held in contempt' 7#e74 7#a7 ,simon ben ,zoma and ,simon ben ,azzai1 ,tannaim of the second century1 were generally known as ben ,zoma and ben ,azzai1 as they never received the title of ,rabbi1 according to one view4 ,according to another opinion1 they were called by their fathers' names1 because they both died young4 ,together with ,akiba and ,elisha ben ,abuyah 7,acher71 they entered1 legend says1 into the paradise of esoteric knowledge4 ,four 7sages71 we are told1 entered paradise1 ben ,azzai1 ben ,zoma1 ,acher1 and ,akiba4 ,ben ,azzai looked and died2 ben ,zoma went mad2 ,acher destroyed the plants2 ,akiba alone came out unhurt 7,chagigah1 #ad;b74 ,the interpretation of this passage is that ben ,azzai died prematurely1 worn out by his activities in mystical and theosophic speculation2 ben ,zoma became demented thereby2 ,elisha1 contemptuously referred to as ,acher 7the other71 became an apostate2 but ,akiba was unaffected4 ,ben ,zoma was famous for his wisdom1 it being said of him1 ,whoever sees ben ,zoma in his dream is assured of scholarship 7,berachot1 #eg;b74 ,with him1 it was said1 the last of the interpreters of the ,law 7darshanim7 died 7,sotah1 #di;b74 ,his interpretation of the biblical passage that thou mayest remember when thou camest forth out of ,egypt is found in the ,haggadah of ,passover eve4 ,see ,bacher1 ,agada der ,tanaiten1 pp4 #dbe-ecb2 ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,i1 pp4 #abi-acj2 ,h4 ,sperling1 in ,aspects of the ,hebrew ,genius1 p4 #aej4 7#b7 ,ps4 ,,cxix1 #i4 7#c7 ,prov4 ,,xvi1 #cb4 7#d7 ,ps4 ,,cxxviii1 #b4 ,the discontented rich man1 even1 is poor4 7#e7 ,i ,sam4 ,,ii1 #cj4 #b4 ,ben ,azzai 7#f7 said1 ,hasten to do even a slight precept 7#g71 and flee from transgression2 for one virtue leads to another1 and transgression draws transgression in its train2 for the recompense of a virtue is a virtue1 and the recompense of a transgression is a transgression 7#h74 #c4 ,he used to say1 ,despise not any man1 and carp not at any thing 7#i72 for there is not a man that has not his hour1 and there is not a thing that has not its place4 7#f7 ,simon ben ,azzai 7see n4 #a7 was a very assiduous student and a man of great piety4 ,he was betrothed to the daughter of ,akiba1 but separated from his prospective wife in order to devote all of his time to study4 ,it was said of him1 ,at the death of ben ,azzai1 the last industrious man passed away 7,sotah ,,ix1 #ae71 and ,he who sees ben ,azzai in a dream might hope for saintliness4 ,he declared that the greatest principle of ,judaism is the belief in the common brotherhood of all mankind1 which he derived from the passage1 ,genesis ,,vi1 #a1 ,this is the generation of ,adam 7man74 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 #dji-dbd4 7#g7 ,cf4 chapter ,,ii1 #a4 7#h7 ,well-doing is the fruit of well-doing1 and evil-doing the fruit of evil-doing4 7#i7 ,or do not consider anything as being impossible4 #d4 ,r4 ,levitas of ,jabneh said1 ,be exceedingly lowly of spirit 7#aj71 since the hope of man is but the worm4 7#aj7 ,r4 ,levitas lived probably about #abj ,c4,e4 ,maimonides declares that the medium way between the extremes of the too little and the too much is the path of virtue1 but he makes an exception in the case of humility1 and1 in accordance with this passage1 considers the extreme of being very humble the virtue4 ,see ,gorfinkle1 ,the ,eight ,chapters1 p4 #fj1 n4 #b4 #e4 ,r4 ,jochanan1 the son of ,berokah 7#aa71 said1 ,whosoever profanes the ,name of ,heaven 7#ab7 in secret will suffer the penalty for it in public2 and this1 whether the ,heavenly ,name be profaned in ignorance or in wilfulness4 7#aa7 ,a contemporary of ,akiba4 7#ab7 ,name of ,heaven is a common substitute for the name of ,god4 #f4 ,r4 ,ishmael 7#ac71 his son1 said1 ,he who learns in order to teach 7#ad71 to him the means will be granted both to learn and to teach2 but he who learns in order to practise1 to him the means will be granted to learn1 and to teach1 to observe1 and to practise4 7#ac7 ,he lived about #aej ,c4,e4 7#ad7 ,to one who learns ,torah and does not teach it are applied the words in ,num4 ,,xv1 #ca3 he hath despised the word of the ,lord 7,sanhedrin1 #ii;a74 #g4 ,r4 ,zadok said1 ,separate not thyself from the congregation2 7in the judge's office7 act not the counsel's part 7#ae72 make not of the ,torah a crown wherewith to aggrandize thyself1 nor a spade wherewith to dig 7#af74 ,so also used ,hillel to say1 ,he who makes a worldly use of the crown 7of the ,torah7 shall waste away 7#ag74 ,hence thou mayest infer that whosoever derives a profit for himself from the words of the ,torah is helping on his own destruction4 7#ae7 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #h4 7#af7 ,i4e41 for material and selfish ends4 7#ag7 ,cf4 chapter ,i1 #ac4 #h4 ,r4 ,jose 7#ah7 said1 ,whoso honors the ,torah will himself be honored by mankind1 but whoso dishonors the ,torah will himself be dishonored by mankind4 7#ah7 ,r4 ,jose ben ,chalafta was a contemporary of ,r4 ,meir4 #i4 ,r4 ,ishmael 7#ai71 his son1 said1 ,he who shuns the judicial office rids himself of hatred1 robbery1 and vain swearing 7#bj72 but he who presumptuously lays down decisions is foolish1 wicked1 and of an arrogant spirit4 #aj4 ,he used to say1 ,judge not alone1 for none may judge alone save ,one2 neither say 7to thy judicial colleagues71 ',accept my view1' for the choice is theirs 7to concur72 and it is not for thee 7to compel concurrence74 7#ai7 ,he lived about #afj-bbj ,c4,e4 7#bj7 ,the judge brings upon himself the hatred of the one who is disappointed by his judgment4 ,an erroneous judgment is equivalent to robbery4 ,when the judge exacts an unnecessary oath1 perjury may result4 #aa4 ,r4 ,jonathan 7#ba7 said1 ,whoso fulfils the ,torah in the midst of poverty shall in the end fulfil it in the midst of wealth2 and whoso neglects the ,torah in the midst of wealth shall in the end neglect it in the midst of poverty4 7#ba7 ,he lived about the middle of the second century ,c4,e4 ,he was a pupil of ,r4 ,ishmael 7verse #i74 #ab4 ,r4 ,meir 7#bb7 said1 ,lessen thy toil for worldly goods1 and be busy in the ,torah2 be humble of spirit before all men2 if thou neglectest the ,torah1 many causes for neglecting it will be present themselves to thee1 but if thou laborest in the ,torah1 ,he has abundant recompense to give thee4 7#bb7 ,see chapter ,,iii1 n4 #cb4 #ac4 ,r4 ,elieser 7#bc71 the son of ,jacob1 said1 ,he who does one precept has gotten himself one advocate2 and he who commits one transgression has gotten himself one accuser4 ,repentance and good deeds are as a shield against punishment4 7#bc7 ,he lived about #adj ,c4,e4 #ad4 ,r4 ,jochanan1 the sandal-maker 7#bd71 said1 ,every assembly which is in the ,name of ,heaven will in the end be established1 but that which is not in the ,name of ,heaven will not in the end be established4 7#bd7 ,most of the ,rabbis believed with ,rabban ,gamaliel that the study of the ,torah without employment brings transgression 7chapter ,,ii1 #b74 ,consequently1 each invariably followed some vocation4 ,hillel1 the senior1 gained his livelihood as a wood-chopper2 ,shammai was a builder2 ,r4 ,joshua1 a blacksmith2 ,r4 ,chanina1 a shoemaker2 ,r4 ,huna1 a water-carrier2 ,r4 ,abba1 a tailor2 ,r4 ,pappa1 a brewer1 etc4 ,other ,rabbis whose names indicate their trades1 as ,r4 ,jochanan ha-,sandalar 7lived about #aej ,c4,e471 were ,isaac ,nappacha 7the smith7 and ,r4 ,abin ,naggara 7the carpenter74 ,many were merchants and others agriculturists4 ,generally1 the ,rabbi studied during two-thirds of the day1 and worked at his trade during the remainder4 ,those engaged in agriculture would study in the winter and till the soil in the summer4 ,consult ,franz ,delitzch1 ,jewish ,artisan ,life in the ,time of ,christ2 and ,s4 ,meyer1 ,arbeit und ,handwerk im ,talmud1 ,berlin1 #ahgh4 #ae4 ,r4 ,eleazer1 the son of ,shammua 7#be71 said1 ,let the honor of thy disciple be as dear to thee as thine own1 and the honor of thine associate be like the fear of thy master1 and the fear of thy master like the fear of ,heaven4 7#be7 ,he lived about #aej ,c4,e4 #af4 ,r4 ,judah 7#bf7 said1 ,be cautious in study1 for an error in study may amount to presumptuous sin 7#bg74 7#bf7 ,r4 ,judah ben ,ilai lived about #adj ,c4,e4 7#bg7 ,cf4 ,chapter ,,iii1 #aj4 #ag4 ,r4 ,simeon 7#bh7 said1 ,there are three crowns3 the crown of ,torah1 the crown of priesthood1 and the crown of royalty2 but the crown of a good name excels them all4 7#bh7 ,on ,r4 ,simeon ben ,yochai1 see chapter ,,iii1 n4 #ab4 #ah4 ,r4 ,nehorai 7#bi7 said1 ,betake thyself to a home of the ,torah 7#cj71 and say not that the ,torah will come after thee2 for there thy associates will establish thee in the possession of it2 and lean not upon thine own understanding 7#ca74 7#bi7 ,he lived about #acj ,c4,e4 7#cj7 ,if there is no teacher where you live4 7#ca7 ,prov4 ,,iii1 #e4 #ai4 ,r4 ,jannia said1 ,it is not in our power 7to explain7 either the prosperity of the wicked or the afflictions of the righteous4 #bj4 ,r4 ,mattithiah1 the son of ,heresh 7#cb71 said1 ,be beforehand in the salutation of peace to all men2 and be rather a tail to lions than a head to foxes 7#cc74 7#cb7 ,he lived about #abj ,c4,e4 in ,rome4 7#cc7 ,it is better to be a pupil of great teachers than to be a teacher of worthless pupils 7,maimonides74 ,it is better to follow those who are greater than to lead those who are inferior4 #ba4 ,r4 ,jacob 7#cd7 said1 ,this world is like a vestibule before the world to come 7#ce72 prepare thyself in the vestibule1 that thou mayest enter into the hall4 #bb4 ,he used to say1 ,better is one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than the whole life of the world to come2 and better is one hour of blissfulness of spirit in the world to come than the whole life of this world4 7#cd7 ,he lived about #afj-bbj ,c4,e4 7#ce7 ,this world is a bridge that leads to the future world 7,maimonides74 #bc4 ,r4 ,simeon1 the son of ,eleazer 7#cf71 said1 ,do not appease thy fellow in the hour of his anger1 and comfort him not in the hour when his dead lies before him1 and question him not in the hour of his vow1 and rush not to see him in the hour of his disgrace4 7#cf7 ,a pupil of ,r4 ,meir4 ,he lived about #afj-bbj ,c4,e4 #bd4 ,samuel 7#cg71 the younger1 used to say1 ,rejoice not when thine enemy falleth1 and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth3 lest the ,lord see it and it displease him1 and he turn away his wrath from him 7#ch74 7#cg7 ,samuel 7about #abj ,c4,e47 is said to have composed1 at the request of ,r4 ,gamaliel ,,ii1 the prayer against heretics1 added to the ,eighteen ,benedictions 7,shemoneh ,esreh74 ,see the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 vol4 ,,xi1 p4 #bha4 7#ch7 ,prov4 ,,xxiv1 #ag1 #ah4 #be4 ,elisha1 the son of ,abuyah 7#ci71 said1 ,if one learns as a child1 what is it like8 ,like ink written in clean paper4 ,if one learns as an old man1 what is it like8 ,like ink written on used paper 7#dj74 7#ci7 ,see n4 #a1 above4 ,elisha ben ,abuyah1 otherwise known as ,acher1 lived at the end of the first and the beginning of the second century4 ,he is charged by the ,rabbis with having aided the ,romans in their attempts to suppress the ,jewish religion1 with having endeavored to estrange the young from ,judaism and from the study of its literature1 with having intentionally and openly broken the ceremonial laws1 and with having desecrated the ,sabbath4 ,r4 ,meir1 his pupil1 maintained a close intimacy with him1 in spite of his apostacy1 having high regard for ,elisha's intellectual worth4 ,when reproached for this1 ,r4 ,meir said1 ,i eat the kernel1 and throw away the husks4 ,elisha is often referred to as the ,faust of the ,talmud4 ,on his identification with the ,apostle ,paul1 see ,i4 ,m4 ,wise1 ,the ,origin of ,christianity1 p4 #caa1 and ,danziger1 ibid41 pp4 #cjd-cjf4 ,some have even identified him with ,jesus4 ,in ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan1 a parable that is very similar to that of ,jesus1 in ,luke ,,vi #dg-di1 is attributed to ,elisha4 ,a man who does good deeds and diligently studies the ,law1 to whom is he likened8 ,he is like a man building a house with a stone foundation and with tiles 7on the roof72 and when a flood arises1 and breaks against the walls1 that house cannot be moved from its place4 ,but the man who lives an evil life1 in spite of having deeply studied the ,law1 to whom is he like8 ,he is like a man building a house with tiles for a foundation and with heavy stones 7on the roof72 and when a little rain comes1 straightway the house falls in 7,g4 ,friedlander's translation1 in ,the ,jewish ,sources of the ,s,ermon on the ,mount1 pp4 #bei-bfj74 ,on the career of ,acher1 see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #dcb-dcf2 ,graetz1 ,history1 ,,ii1 passim2 ,myers1 ibid41 pp4 #bjj-bjb2 and ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 p4 #ia4 7#dj7 ,what one learns in youth1 one retains1 while the opposite is true of learning in old age4 ,the ,rabbis1 elsewhere1 liken learning in youth to engraving upon a stone1 and learning in old age to writing on the sand4 #bf4 ,r4 ,jose1 the son of ,judah 7#da71 of ,chefar ,babli said1 ,he who learns from the young1 to what is he like8 ,to one who eats unripe grapes1 and drinks wine from his vat 7#db74 ,and he who learns from the old1 to what is he like8 ,to one who eats ripe grapes1 and drinks old wine4 7#da7 ,a contemporary of ,judah ha-,nasi4 7#db7 ,i4e41 wine that is not forty days old1 and not yet clarified4 #bg4 ,rabbi ,meir said 7#dc71 ,look not at the flask1 but at what it contains3 there may be a new flask full of old wine1 and an old flask that has not even new wine in it 7#dd74 7#dc7 ,some texts read ,rabbi1 i4e41 ,judah ha-,nasi 7see chapter ,,ii1 n4 #a74 7#dd7 ,this verse expresses an opinion contrary to that of the preceding one4 ,the mind of a young man may be more mature than that of an old man4 #bh4 ,r4 ,eleazar ha-,kappar 7#de7 said1 ,envy1 cupidity1 and ambition take a man from the world 7#df74 7#de7 ,a contemporary of ,judah ha-,nasi4 7#df7 ,cf4 chapter ,,ii1 #af4 #bi4 ,he used to say1 ,they that are born are doomed to die2 and the dead to be brought to life again2 and the living to be judged1 to know1 to make known1 and to be made conscious that ,he is ,god1 ,he the ,maker1 ,he the ,creator1 ,he the ,discerner 7#dg71 ,he the ,judge1 ,he the ,witness 7#dh71 ,he the ,accuser2 ,he it is that will in future judge1 blessed be ,he1 with ,whom there is no unrighteousness1 nor forgetfulness1 nor respect of persons1 nor taking of bribes 7#di72 and know also that everything is according to the reckoning 7#ej72 and let not thy imagination give thee hope that the grave will be a place of refuge for thee2 for perforce thou wast formed1 and perforce thou wast born1 and thou livest perforce1 and perforce thou wilt die1 and perforce thou wilt in the future have to give account and reckoning before the ,supreme ,king of kings1 the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he4 7#dg7 ,cf4 ,ps4 ,,xxxiii1 #ae3 ,he fashioneth their hearts altogether2 he hath regard to all their works4 7#dh7 ,cf4 ,mal4 ,,iii1 #e4 7#di7 ,cf4 ,,ii ,chron4 ,,xix1 #g3 ,take heed and act2 for with the ,lord our ,god there is no injustice1 nor respect for persons1 nor taking of bribes4 ,maimonides interprets this verse of ,abot as meaning that one cannot bribe ,god with good deeds in order to have bad deeds forgiven4 ,the one bad deed is not forgiven even by the doing of one hundred good ones1 but punishment is meted out for the bad deed and reward in full for the hundred good ones4 ,that is1 each action is judged entirely on its own merits4 ,neither is ,god a respecter of persons4 ,on the one hand1 ,he punished ,moses for his anger at the waters of ,meribah1 and1 on the other1 ,he rewarded ,esau for honoring his parents1 and ,nebuchadnezzar for honoring ,god4 7#ej7 ,maimonides interprets as follows1 ,think of the physical things in which man has no choice1 as our sages said1 ',all is in the power of ,god1 except the fear of ,god4' ,it is not said that one must perforce1 and against one's will1 sin1 or that one is constrained to journey1 walk1 stand1 etc41 for these are in the power of man1 and are dependent upon his own free will1 and not upon any 7external7 compelling force1 as we have explained in chapter eight4 ,see ,rawicz1 ,commentar des ,maimonides1 p4 #hi1 n4 #d1 and ,garfinkle1 ibid41 p4 #hh et seq4 ,rabbi ,chanania1 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable'4 ,,chapter ,v ,all ,israel have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified4 #a4 ,with ten sayings the world was created4 ,what does this teach us8 ,could it not have been created with one saying8 ,it is to make known the punishment that will befall the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten sayings1 as well as the goodly reward that will be bestowed upon the just who preserve the world that was created with ten sayings 7#a74 #b4 ,there were ten generations from ,adam to ,noah1 to make known how long-suffering ,god is1 seeing that all those generations continued provoking him1 until he brought upon them the waters of the flood 7#b74 #c4 ,there were ten generations from ,noah to ,abraham1 to make known how long-suffering ,god is1 seeing that all those generations continued provoking him1 until ,abraham1 our father1 came1 and received the reward they should all have earned 7#c74 #d4 ,with ten trials our father ,abraham was tried 7#d71 and he stood firm in them all1 to make known how great was the love of our father ,abraham 7#e74 #e4 ,ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in ,egypt 7#f71 and ten at the ,sea 7#g74 #f4 ,ten plagues did the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 bring upon the ,egyptians in ,egypt1 and ten at the ,sea 7#h74 #g4 ,with ten temptations did our fathers tempt the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 in the wilderness1 as it is said1 ,and they tempted me these ten times1 and have not hearkened to my voice 7#i74 #h4 ,ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in the ,temple2 no woman miscarried from the scent of the holy flesh2 the holy flesh never became putrid2 no fly 7#aj7 was seen in the slaughter-house2 no unclean accident ever befell the high-priest on the ,day of ,atonement2 the rain never quenched the fire of the wood-pile on the altar 7#aa72 neither did the wind overcome the column of smoke that arose therefrom 7#ab72 nor was there ever found any disqualifying defect in the omer 7of new barley1 offered on the second day of ,passover7 or in the two loaves 7the first fruits of the wheat-harvest1 offered on ,pentecost7 7#ac71 or in the shewbread 7#ad72 though the people stood closely pressed together1 they found ample space to prostrate themselves2 never did serpent or scorpion injure any one in ,jerusalem2 nor did any man ever say to his fellow1 the place is too strait for me 7#ae7 to lodge over night in ,jerusalem4 #i4 ,ten things were created on the eve of ,sabbath in the twilight 7#af73 the mouth of the earth 7#ag72 the mouth of the well 7#ah72 the mouth of the ass 7#ai72 the rainbow 7#bj72 the manna 7#ba72 the rod 7#bb72 the shamir 7#bc72 the shape of written characters2 the writing1 and the tables of stone3 some say1 the destroying spirits also1 and the sepulchre of ,moses 7#bd71 and the ram of ,abraham our father 7#be72 and others say1 tongs1 also1 made with tongs 7#bf74 7#a7 ,the expression and ,god said occurs ten times in ,genesis ,i 7verses #c1 #f1 #i1 #aa1 #ad1 #bj1 #bd1 #bf #bh1 and #bi74 ,many commentators count the opening phrase of this chapter1 ,in the beginning ,god created the heavens and the earth1 as one of the sayings1 maintaining that the idea of saying is implied in it4 ,cf4 ,ps4 ,,xxxiii1 #af4 ,according to the ,rabbis1 the wicked destroy and the righteous preserve the world1 and1 since it required ten sayings to create the world1 the guilt of the sinner and the righteousness of the just are emphasized more than if it had been created merely by one word4 7#b7 ,the ten generations are ,adam1 ,seth1 ,enosh1 ,kenan1 ,mahalalel1 ,jared1 ,enoch1 ,methusaleh1 ,lamech1 and ,noah4 ,the period from ,adam to ,noah is known as the generation of the flood 7dor ha-mabbul74 7#c7 ,these are ,shem1 ,arpachshad1 ,shelah1 ,eber1 ,peleg1 ,reu1 ,serug1 ,nahor1 ,terah1 and ,abraham4 ,noah's good deeds were sufficient only to save himself and family1 while ,abraham's were sufficient to sustain the whole world4 7#d7 ,these trials may be reckoned as follows3 7#a7 his migration1 ,gen4 ,,xii1 #ab2 7#b7 the famine in ,canaan1 ,,xii1 #aj2 7#c7 the seizing of ,sarah by ,pharaoh1 ,,xii1 #ae2 7#d7 the battle with the four kings1 ,,xiv2 7#e7 his marriage with ,hagar because of ,sarah's sterility1 ,,xvi1 #b2 7#f7 the circumcision1 ,,xvii1 #aj2 7#g7 the seizing of ,sarah by ,abimelech1 king of ,gerar1 ,,xx1 #b2 7#h7 the banishment of ,hagar1 ,,xxi1 #aj2 7#i7 the banishment of ,ishmael1 ,,xxi1 #aj2 and 7#aj7 ,god's command to sacrifice ,isaac1 ,,xxii1 #b4 ,see ,pirke de-,rabbi ,eliezer1 chapter #bd1 and ,friedlander1 ,g41 ,rabbinic philosophy and ,ethics 7,london1 #aiab71 p4 #ge1 n4 #d4 7#e7 ,for ,god4 ,some interpreters explain this1 however1 as the love of ,god for ,abraham4 7#f7 ,that they escaped the ten plagues with which the ,egyptians were afflicted4 7#g7 ,legend says that at the passage of the ,red ,sea the ten miracles wrought were as follows3 7#a7 the waters divided2 7#b7 the waters were like a tent1 or a vault2 7#c7 the sea-bed was dry and hard2 7#d7 but when the ,egyptians trod upon it1 it became muddy and slimy2 7#e7 the sea was divided into twelve parts1 one for each tribe2 7#f7 the waters became as hard as stone2 7#g7 the congealed waters appeared like blocks of building-stone2 7#h7 the water was transparent so that the tribes could see one another2 7#i7 fresh drinking water flowed from the congealed water2 7#aj7 after ,israel had partaken of the drinking water1 it became congealed1 and did not wet the ground under foot4 ,see ,ginzberg1 ,legends of the ,jews1 ,,iii1 p4 #ba et seq4 7#h7 ,this verse is not found in the ,talmudic versions of ,abot4 ,the plagues at the sea are alluded to in the ,song of ,moses1 ,ex4 ,,xv4 ,see the commentary of ,bartenora4 7#i7 ,num4 ,,xiv1 #bb4 ,the ten are enumerated by ,maimonides1 ,bartenora1 ,hoffmann1 and others4 7#aj7 ,the fly is a symbol of impurity4 7#aa7 ,the altar stood in the midst of the roofless ,temple-hall4 7#ab7 ,the straight column of smoke denoted the acceptance of prayer and sacrifice4 7#ac7 ,see ,lev4 ,,xxiii1 #ae-ag4 7#ad7 ,every ,sabbath1 twelve loaves of bread were placed on a table in the ,sanctuary before the ,lord 7,lev4 ,,xxiv1 #e-i7 to serve as a constant reminder to the twelve tribes that their place was before the altar of ,god4 7#ae7 ,isa4 ,,xlix1 #bj4 7#af7 ,since all things were said to have been created during the first six days of creation1 and since there is nothing new under the sun 7,eccles4 ,i1 #i71 everything miraculous or supernatural that existed or occurred after creation was explained by the ,rabbis as having been made or preordained in the twilight at the moment of transition between the end of the work of creation and the beginning of the ,sabbath4 ,see ,gorfinkle1 ibid41 pp4 #ij-ia and n4 #a4 7#ag7 ,to swallow ,korah and his followers4 ,see ,num4 ,,xvi1 #cj4 7#ah7 ,which supplied the ,israelites with water during their wandering in the wilderness4 ,see ,num4 ,,xxi1 #af1 and ,shabbat1 #ce;a4 7#ai7 ,balaam's ass4 ,see ,num4 ,,xxii1 #bh4 7#bj7 ,ge4 ,,ix1 #ai4 7#ba7 ,ex4 ,,xv1 #af4 7#bb7 ,of ,moses4 ,see ibid41 ,,iv1 #ag4 7#bc7 ,a miraculous worm that split stones by its look4 ,it was used1 according to legend1 to engrave the names of the tribes on the jewels of the ephod of the high-priest1 and was also employed by ,solomon in the construction of the ,temple1 in which no tools of iron were used4 ,see ,gittin1 #fh;a1 and ,sotah1 #dh;b4 ,consult ,p4 ,cassel1 ,shamir1 ein archaol4 ,beitrag zur ,natur und ,sagenkunde1 ,erfurt1 #ahef1 and art4 ,shamir1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia4 7#bd7 ,deut4 ,,xxxiv1 #f4 7#be7 ,gen4 ,,xxii1 #ac4 7#bf7 ,an allusion to a saying found in ,tosefta ,erubin1 ,tongs are made with tongs2 but how was the first pair made8 ,it could only have been a creation of ,god4 ,one instrument presupposes another2 one thing is the cause of another1 but the original cause is ,god4 ,cf4 ,pesachim1 #ed;a4 #aj4 ,there are seven marks of an uncultured1 and seven of a wise man4 ,the wise man does not speak before him who is greater than he in wisdom2 and does not interrupt the speech of his companion2 he is not hasty to answer2 he questions according to the subject-matter2 and answers to the point2 he speaks upon the first thing first1 and upon the last1 last2 regarding that which he has not understood he says1 ,i do not understand it2 and he acknowledges the truth4 ,the reverse of all this is to be found in an uncultured man4 #aa4 ,seven kinds of punishment come into the world for seven important transgressions4 ,if some give their tithes 7#bg7 and others do not1 a dearth ensues from drought and some suffer hunger while others are full4 ,if they all determine to give no tithes1 a dearth ensures from tumult 7#bh7 and drought4 ,if they further resolve not to give the dough-cake 7#bi71 an exterminating dearth ensures4 ,pestilence comes into the world to fulfil those death penalties threatened in the ,torah1 the execution of which1 however1 is within the function of a human tribunal 7#cj71 and for the violation of the law regarding the fruits of the seventh year 7#ca74 ,the sword 7#cb7 comes into the world for the delay of justice1 and for the perversion of justice1 and on account of the offence of those who interpret the ,torah1 not according to its true sense 7#cc74 ,noxious beasts come into the world for vain swearing 7#cd71 and for the profanation of the ,divine ,name 7#ce74 ,captivity comes into the world on account of idolatry1 immortality1 bloodshed1 and the neglect of the year of rest for the soil 7#ca74 #ab4 ,at four periods pestilence grows apace3 in the fourth year1 in the seventh1 at the conclusion of the seventh year1 and at the conclusion of the ,feast of ,tabernacles in each year3 in the fourth year1 for default of giving the tithe to the poor in the third year 7#cf72 in the seventh year1 for default of giving the title to the poor in the sixth year 7#cg72 at the conclusion of the seventh year1 for the violation of the law regarding the fruits of the seventh year 7#ca71 and at the conclusion of the ,feast of ,tabernacles in each year1 for robbing the poor of the grants legally assigned to them 7#ch74 7#bg7 ,see chapter ,i1 n4 #cg4 7#bh7 ,of war1 when agriculture is neglected1 and crops are destroyed1 etc4 7#bi7 ,num4 ,,xv1 #bj3 ,ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for a heave offering4 ,this commandment is observed in spirit to-day by the ,jewish housewife1 who takes a part of bread which is kneaded1 and burns it1 after reciting the blessing1 ,blessed art ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 our ,god1 ,king of the universe1 ,who has sanctified us by ,thy commandments1 and commanded us to separate the challah4 ,the ninth treatise of the ,order ,zeraim of the ,mishnah is called ,challah4 ,see ,friedlander1 ,jewish ,religion1 p4 #ceg4 7#cj7 ,the execution of which is in the hands of ,god4 7#ca7 ,that is1 the ,sabbatical year or the year of release 7ha-shemittah74 ,see ,ex4 ,,xxiii1 #aj et seq41 and ,lev4 ,,xxv1 #a-g4 ,it is commanded that the land be allowed to lie fallow during that year1 that there be no sowing1 nor reaping1 nor pruning of the vineyards1 and that the servants1 strangers1 and animals1 as well as the owner1 shall share in the spontaneous growth of the fields and the vineyards4 ,see also ,deut4 ,,xv1 #a-aa1 and ,tractate ,shebiit of the ,mishnah4 7#cb7 ,i4e41 war4 7#cc7 ,by prohibiting the permissible and permitting the prohibited4 7#cd7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iv1 #i4 7#ce7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iv1 #e4 7#cf7 ,see ,deut4 ,,xiv1 #bh1 #bi2 ,,xxvi1 #ab1 and also above1 chapter ,i1 n4 #cg4 7#cg7 ,of the septennial cycle4 ,the tithe was to be brought at the end of every three years4 7#ch7 ,i4e41 the gleanings and the forgotten sheaves of the harvest1 the single bunches of grapes of the vineyard1 and the unreaped corners of the fields which were assigned to the stranger1 the fatherless1 and the widow4 #ac4 ,there are four characters among men3 he who says1 ,what is mine is mine and what is thine is thine1 his is a neutral character2 some say1 ,this is a character like that of ,sodom 7#ci72 he who says1 ,what is mine is thine and what is thine is mine1 is a boor 7#dj72 he who says1 ,what is mine is thine and what is thine is thine1 is a saint2 he who says1 ,what is thine is mine and what is mine is mine1 is a wicked man4 #ad4 ,there are four kinds of tempers3 he whom it is easy to provoke and easy to pacify1 his loss disappears in his gain2 he whom it is hard to provoke and hard to pacify1 his gain disappears in his loss2 he whom it is hard to provoke and easy to pacify is a saint2 he whom it is easy to provoke and hard to pacify is a wicked man4 #ae4 ,there are four qualities in disciples3 he who quickly understands and quickly forgets1 his gain disappears in his loss2 he who understands with difficulty and forgets with difficulty1 his loss disappears in his gain2 he who understands quickly and forgets with difficulty1 his is a good portion2 he who understands with difficulty and forgets quickly1 his is an evil portion4 #af4 ,as to almsgiving there are four dispositions3 he who desires to give1 but that others should not give1 his eye is evil toward what appertains to others 7#da72 he who desires that others should give1 but will not give himself1 his eye is evil against what is his own2 he who gives and wishes others to give is a saint2 he who will not give and does not wish others to give is a wicked man4 #ag4 ,there are four characters among those who attend the house of study3 he who goes and does not practise 7#db7 secures the reward for going2 he who practises 7#dc7 but does not go secures the reward for practising2 he who goes and practises is a saint2 he who neither goes nor practises is a wicked man4 #ah4 ,there are four qualities among those that sit before the wise3 they are like a sponge1 a funnel1 a strainer1 or a sieve3 a sponge1 which sucks up everything 7#dd72 a funnel1 which lets in at one end and out at the other2 a strainer1 which lets the wine pass out and retains the dregs2 a sieve1 which lets out the bran and retains the fine flour4 7#ci7 ,one who neither gives nor takes4 ,one who does no labor of love4 ,cf4 ,ezek4 ,,xvi1 #di4 7#dj7 ,he does not know the sacredness of the rights of property4 7#da7 ,he does not want his neighbors to be blessed because of their liberality4 7#db7 ,the duties of which he has learned4 7#dc7 ,the commands of the ,torah4 7#dd7 ,the true and the untrue4 #ai4 ,whenever love depends upon some material cause1 with the passing away of that cause1 the love1 too1 passes away 7#de72 but if it be not depending upon such a cause1 it will not pass away for ever4 ,which love was that which depended upon a material cause8 ,such was the love of ,ammon and ,tamar 7#df74 ,and that which depended upon no such cause8 ,such was the love of ,david and ,jonathan 7#dg74 7#de7 ,lasting love is disinterested love4 7#df7 ,see ,,ii ,sam4 ,,xii4 7#dg7 ,see ,i ,sam4 ,,xviii1 #a4 #bj4 ,every controversy that is in the ,name of ,heaven 7#dh7 shall in the end lead to a permanent result1 but every controversy that is not in the ,name of ,heaven shall not lead to a permanent result4 ,which controversy was that which was in the ,name of ,heaven8 ,such was the controversy of ,hillel and ,shammai 7#di74 ,and that which was not in the ,name of ,heaven8 ,such was the controversy of ,korah and all his company 7#ej74 7#dh7 ,i4e41 a controversy to arrive at the truth4 7#di7 ,see chapter ,i1 n4 #bi4 7#ej7 ,see ,num4 ,,xv1 #a et seq4 #ba4 ,whosoever causes the multitude to be righteous1 over him sin prevails not2 but he who causes the multitude to sin shall not have the means to repent 7#ea74 ,moses was righteous and made the multitude righteous2 the righteousness of the multitude was laid upon him1 as it is said1 ,he executed the justice of the ,lord and his judgments with ,israel 7#eb74 ,jeroboam1 the son of ,nebat1 sinned and caused the multitude to sin2 the sin of the multitude was laid upon him1 as it is said1 ,for the sins of ,jeroboam which he sinned and which he made ,israel to sin 7#ec74 7#ea7 ,he who leads the people astray is punished by being prevented from repenting4 ,this does not mean1 however1 that man1 in general1 does not act in accordance with his own free will4 ,maimonides1 in discussing this problem1 says1 in the eighth chapter of the ,shemonah ,perakim1 ,just as some of man's undertakings1 which are ordinarily subject to his own free will1 are frustrated by way of punishment1 as1 for instance1 a man's hand being prevented from working so that he can do nothing with it1 as was the case of ,jeroboam1 the son of ,nebat1 or a man's eyes from seeing1 as happened to the ,sodomites1 who had assembled about ,lot1 likewise how does ,god withhold man's ability to use his own free will in regard to repentance1 so that it never occurs to him to repent1 and he thus finally perishes in his own wickedness4 ,see ed4 ,gorfinkle1 p4 #id et seq4 7#eb7 ,deut4 ,,xxxiii1 #ba4 7#ec7 ,i ,kings ,,xv1 #cj4 ,cf4 ,sanhedrin ,x1 #b3 ,three kings have no portion in the world to come 4 4 4 ,jeroboam1 ,ahab1 and ,manasseh4 #bb4 ,whosoever has these three attributes is of the disciples of ,abraham1 our father1 but whosoever has three other attributes is of the disciples of ,balaam1 the wicked 7#ed74 ,a good eye 7#ee71 a humble mind1 and a lowly spirit 7are the tokens7 of the disciples of ,abraham1 our father2 an evil eye1 a haughty mind1 and a proud spirit 7are the signs7 of the disciples of ,balaam1 the wicked4 ,what is the difference between the disciples of ,abraham1 our father1 and those of ,balaam1 the wicked8 ,the disciples of ,abraham1 our father1 enjoy this world and inherit the world to come1 as it is said1 ,that ,i may cause those that love me to inherit substance1 and may fill all their treasuries 7#ef72 but the disciples of ,balaam1 the wicked1 inherit ,gehinnom 7#eg71 and descend into the pit of destruction1 as it is said1 ,but thou1 ,o ,god1 wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction2 bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days2 but ,i will trust in thee 7#eh74 7#ed7 ,see ,num4 ,,xxii-,,xxiv4 7#ee7 ,see chapter ,,ii1 note #cj4 7#ef7 ,prov4 ,,viii1 #ba3 ,substance1 i4e41 in the future world2 treasures1 i4e41 in this world4 7#eg7 ,see chapter ,i1 n4 #ah4 7#eh7 ,ps4 ,,liv1 #bd4 #bc4 ,judah1 the son of ,tema1 said1 ,be bold as a leopard1 swift as an eagle1 fleet as a hart1 and strong as a lion1 to do the will of thy ,father who is in ,heaven 7#ei74 #bd4 ,he used to say 7#fj71 ,at five years 7the age is reached for the study of the7 ,scripture1 at ten for 7the study of7 the ,mishnah 7#fa71 at thirteen for 7the fulfilment of7 the commandments 7#fb71 at fifteen for 7the study of7 the ,talmud 7#fc71 at eighteen for marriage1 at twenty for seeking 7a livelihood7 7#fd71 at thirty for 7entering into one's full7 strength1 at forty for understanding1 at fifty for counsel1 at sixty 7a man attains7 old age1 at seventy the hoary head1 at eighty 7the gift of special7 strength 7#fe71 at ninety1 7he bends beneath7 the weight of years1 at a hundred he is as if he were already dead and had passed away from the world4 7#ei7 ,cf4 ,our ,father which is in ,heaven of the ,lord's ,prayer 7,matt4 ,,vi1 #i74 ,the conception of ,god as a ,father goes back to earliest times4 ,see ,gen4 ,,xlix1 #ai1 #bj2 ,ex4 ,,iv1 #bb2 ,deut4 ,,xxxii1 #f2 ,,ii ,sam4 ,v1 #dd2 ,ps4 ,,lxxxix1 #bg1 #bh2 ,isa4 ,,lxiii1 #af1 ,,lxiv1 #h1 and ,mal4 ,,ii1 #aj4 ,deut4 ,,xxxii1 #f1 reads1 ,is ,he not thy ,father8 and ,isa4 ,,lxiii1 #ah1 ,doubtless ,thou art our ,father4 ,in the ,mishnah we find1 ,who purifies you8 ,your ,father which is in ,heaven 7,yoma ,,vii1 #h72 ,on whom have we to lean8 ,on our ,father which is in ,heaven 7,sotah1 ,,ix1 #ae71 and similar passages4 ,the ,rabbis constantly referred to ,god as ,father 7see ,schechter1 ,aspects1 pp4 #df1 #di1 #ej-ea74 ,they took issue1 of course1 with the ,new ,testament conception of ,god1 in not admitting and in denouncing the idea of a mediator4 ,to them all mankind were the sons of ,god4 ,that the ,rabbis borrowed this ,god-idea and the expression ,our ,father which is in ,heaven from ,christianity is untenable1 for1 as ,herford 7,pharisaism1 #abj et seq47 points out1 such borrowing would have been abhorrent to them4 ,this expression was undoubtedly current long before and during the time of ,jesus1 and it represented a conception of the divine acceptable to both the ,rabbis and ,jesus4 ,the ,rabbis had no quarrel with ,christianity on this score1 but did not admit the sonship of ,god in the ,christian sense4 ,the expressions ,our ,father and ,our ,father which is in ,heaven are found frequently in the ,jewish ,prayer-book4 ,on this subject1 consult ,taylor1 ,sayings1 pp4 #abd1 #agf1 and ,g4 ,friedlander1 ,the ,jewish ,sources of the ,sermon on the ,mount1 chapter ,x4 ,for a comparison of other parts of ,abot with the ,new ,testament see ,feibig1 ,pirque 'aboth1 especially the ,nachwort1 pp4 #db-dc1 and ,g4 ,friedlander1 ibid41 passim4 ,it seems that originally ,abot ended here1 as in the ,machzor ,vitry4 ,the verses which follow were added from other sources4 ,see ,bacher1 ,agada der ,tanaiten1 ,i1 #cgh2 ,taylor1 ibid41 p4 #ie1 n4 #df1 p4 #if1 n4 #dg2 ,hoffmann1 ,die erste ,mischna1 p4 #cj2 idem1 ,abot1 p4 #ceh1 notes #ajf and #ajh2 and ,strack1 ,spruche1 p4 #df1 notes t and u4 7#fj7 ,taylor makes this verse an addendum to chapter ,v1 and calls it ,the ,ages of ,man4 ,cf4 ,shakespeare's ,seven ,ages of ,man4 ,see in the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,ages of ,man in ,jewish ,literature1 ,the ,seven1 and ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,i1 pp4 #bii-cjj4 7#fa7 ,the ,mishnah is the oral or unwritten law based on the written law contained in the ,pentateuch 7see chapter ,i1 n4 #a74 ,the ,mishnah1 par excellence1 is the codification made by ,judah ha-,nasi 7see chapter ,,ii1 n4 #a74 ,it is divided into six orders or sections known as sedarim4 ,they are 7#a7 ,zeraim1 seeds1 which contains the laws regarding the cultivation of the land and its products1 introduced by a treatise concerning prayer and benedictions 7,berachot72 7#b7 ,mode1 festivals1 treating of the laws of the ,sabbath and the festivals2 7#c7 ,nashim1 women1 regulations concerning marriage and divorce2 7#d7 ,nezikin1 injuries or damages1 civil and criminal law2 7#e7 ,kodashim1 holy things1 the laws of sacrifice and of the service of the ,temple2 and 7#f7 ,tohorot1 purifications1 dealing with the clean and the unclean4 ,each order is subdivided into treatises 7massektot71 there being in all #fc such subdivisions4 ,the ,mishnah is known as the shas 7shin''samech71 which word is formed from the first letters of the words shishah sedarim 7six orders74 ,the ,talmud is also similarly termed4 ,for a discussion of the name1 origin1 contents1 compilation1 etc41 of the ,mishnah1 see ,mielziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud1 p4 #d et seq42 art4 ,mishnah1 in the ,jewish ,encyclopedia and the authorities cited there2 ,strack1 ,einleitung1 p4 #b1 #ae et seq41 #bb et seq41 and ,geiger1 ,judaism and its ,history1 p4 #bci et seq4 7#fb7 ,at thirteen1 the ,jewish boy becomes bar mitzwah1 i4e41 a son of commandment4 ,the rites and ceremonies connected with the bar mitzwah of to-day cannot be clearly traced earlier than the fourteenth century 7,abrahams1 ,jewish ,life in the ,middle ,ages1 p4 #cb74 ,see ,schurer1 ,history1 ,,ii1 ii1 p4 #ec and n4 #ch2 ,schechter1 ,studies1 ,i1 p4 #cjf et seq41 and art4 ,bar ,mitzwah1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia4 7#fc7 ,lit41 teaching1 learning1 study4 ,here1 it signifies study for the purpose of elucidating the ,mishnah4 ,some texts read1 for the study of the ,gemara4 ,the ,gemara 7from the ,aramaic1 meaning learning1 completion7 is a collection of explanations and discussions on the ,mishnah4 ,the word ,talmud was afterwards applied to the ,mishnah plus the ,gemara4 ,there is a translation of the ,talmud in ,english by ,rodkinson1 but it is free and incomplete in parts4 ,see ,meilziner1 ,introduction to the ,talmud2 ,bacher1 art4 ,talmud1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia2 idem1 art4 ,gemara1 in the ,hebrew ,union ,college ,annual 7,cincinnati1 #aijd72 ,e4 ,deutsch1 ,what is the ,talmud82 ,darmsteter1 ,the ,talmud2 ,strack1 ,einleitung in den ,talmud1 pp4 #d-e1 #f et seq41 #ii et seq41 #aac et seq41 #acb et seq42 ,schechter1 ,on the ,study of the ,talmud in ,studies1 ,,ii1 p4 #ajb et seq42 ,herford1 ,pharisaism1 pp4 #ec-ed4 7#fd7 ,lit41 at twenty1 to pursue4 ,this has been variously interpreted as follows3 7#a7 for seeking a livelihood 7,bartenora1 ,hoffmann1 ,strack1 ,singer72 7#b7 for the pursuit of military service 7cf4 ,num4 ,i1 #c1 and ,deut4 ,,xxiv1 #e2 ,machzor ,vitri1 p4 #eea4 ,shakespeare's ,then a soldier72 7#c7 the age to pursue him for his deeds1 for the celestial bet din 7tribunal7 does not punish at an age less than twenty 7,bartenora's second explanation2 cf4 ,rashi on ,num4 ,,xvi1 #bg72 7#d7 for the pursuit of ideals 7,taylor72 7#e7 to pursue the commandments 7,siddur ,korban ,minchah74 7#fe7 ,cf4 ,ps4 ,,xc1 #aj4 #be4 ,ben ,bag ,bag said1 ,turn it 7#ff71 and turn it over again1 for everything is in it1 and contemplate it1 and wax grey and old over it1 and stir not from it1 for thou canst have no better rule than this4 7#ff7 ,the ,torah4 #bf4 ,ben ,he ,he said1 ,according to the labor is the reward 7#fg74 7#fg7 ,the last two verses are ascribed by ,abot de-,rabbi ,natan to ,hillel 7chapter ,,xii1 ed4 ,schechter1 p4 #ee74 ,ben ,bag ,bag and ,ben ,he ,he were probably proselytes and disciples of ,hillel4 ,see ,bacher1 ibid41 pp4 #aj-ab1 ,taylor and ,hoffmann1 ad loc41 and ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,ben ,bag ,bag4 ,rabbi ,chanania1 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable'4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,acquisition ,,of ,,the ,,torah 7#a7 7#a7 ,see ,introduction pp4 #ah-ai4 refers to the end of the section titled ,,development ,,of ,,abot ,all ,israel have a portion in the world to come1 and it is said1 ,and thy people shall be all righteous2 they shall inherit the land for ever1 the branch of my planting1 the work of my hands1 that ,i may be glorified4 ,the sages taught 7the following7 in the language of the ,mishnah--blessed be ,he that made choice of them and their ,mishnah4 #a4 ,r4 ,meir 7#b7 said1 ,whosoever labors in the ,torah for its own sake merits many things2 and not only so1 but the whole world is indebted to him3 he is called friend1 beloved1 a lover of the ,all-present1 a lover of mankind3 it clothes him with meekness and reverence2 it fits him to become just1 pious1 upright1 and faithful2 it keeps him far from sin1 and brings him near to virtue2 through him are enjoyed counsel and sound knowledge1 understanding and strength1 as it is said1 ',counsel is mind1 and sound knowledge2 ,i am understanding2 ,i have strength' 7#c74 ,it gives him sovereignty and dominion and discerning judgment2 to him the secrets of the ,torah are revealed2 he is made like a never-failing spring and like a river that flows on with ever-increasing vigor2 he becomes modest1 long-suffering1 and forgiving of insults2 and it magnifies and exalts him above all things4 7#b7 ,chapter ,,iii1 n4 #cb4 7#c7 ,prov4 ,,viii1 #ad4 ,wisdom1 representing the ,torah1 utters these words4 #b4 ,r4 ,joshua1 the son of ,levi 7#d71 said1 ,every day a bat-kol 7#e7 goes forth from ,mount ,horeb1 proclaiming and saying1 ',woe to mankind for contempt of the ,torah1 for whoever does not occupy himself in the ,torah is said to be under the divine censure1 as it is said1 ',as a ring of gold in a swine's snout1 so is a fair woman who turneth aside from discretion' 7#f72 and it says1 ',and the tables were the work of ,god1 and the writing was the writing of ,god1 graven upon the tables' 7#g74 ,read not charut 7#h71 but cherut 7#i71 for no man is free but he who occupies himself in the learning of ,torah4 ,but whosoever labors in the torah1 behold he shall be exalted1 as it is said1 ',and from ,mattanah to ,nachaliel1 and from ,nachaliel to ,bamot' 7#aj74 7#d7 ,r4 ,joshua lived about the middle of the third century4 7#e7 ,bat kol 7lit41 daughter of a voice or daughter-voice71 a small voice1 sound1 resonance1 not echo1 as it is often translated4 ,the expression bat kol was used in place of the longer one bat kol min ha-shamayim1 which is a heavenly or divine voice which proclaims ,god's will or judgment1 ,his deeds1 and ,his commandments to individuals or to number of persons1 to rulers1 countries1 and even to whole nations4 ,this celestial voice was a means of divine revelation lower than that of prophecy4 ,according to ,schechter1 it has two peculiar features3 first1 its messages are reproductions of verses or sentences from the ,old ,testament or from the ,apocrypha1 and secondly1 it is audible only to those who are prepared to hear it4 ,see ,weber1 ,altsynag4 ,theol41 pp4 #ahg-ahi2 ,low1 ,gesammelte ,schriften1 ,,ii1 p4 #eh1 n4 #a2 ,kitto's ,cyclopedia of ,biblical ,lit41 art4 ,bath ,kil1 and ,ludwig ,blau1 art4 ,bat ,kol1 in ,jewish ,encyclopedia4 7#f7 ,proberbs ,,xi1 #bb4 ,the word nazaf 7nun-zayin-fey7 censured1 placed under ban1 by a form of ,rabbinical interpretation known as notarikon 7stenographer's method1 abbreviation71 is connected with the words of this verse in ,proverbs3 ,nezem ,zahav b'a,f 7,,nun-zayin-mem7sofit7 ,,zayin-hey-bet bet-alef-,,fey7sofit71 capitals indicating larger case ,hebrew letters74 ,another instance of this kind of interpretation is in connecting the word anochi ,i1 the first word of the ,decalogue1 with the phrase3 ,ana ,nafshi ,catvit ,yehavit 7,,alef-nun-alef ,,nun-pey-shin-yud ,,chof-tof-bet-yud-tet ,,yud-hey-bet-yud-tet7 ,i 7,god7 myself have written 7the ,torah71 and delivered it1 or with the words ,amirah ,n'imah ,k'tivah ,y'hivah 7,,alef-mem-yud-resh-hey ,,nun-ayin-yud-mem-hey ,,chof-tof-yud-bet-hey ,,yud-hey-yud-bet-hey7 a pleasant saying1 written and delivered 7,shabbat1 #aje;a74 ,see art4 ,notarikon1 in the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 and ,strack1 ,einleitung1 p4 #acj4 7#g7 ,ex4 ,,xxxii1 #af4 7#h7 ,graven4 ,the phrase al tikri 4 4 4 ele do not read 4 4 4 but followed by a suggested reading different from the original1 does not mean that the ,rabbis offered an emendation of the biblical text4 ,it was merely a change of the text for homiletical purposes4 ,see ,bacher1 ,die alteste ,terminologie der judischen ,schriftauslegung1 p4 #age et seq42 ,friedlander1 ,jewish ,religion1 p4 #bjd1 and ,talmudical dictionaries1 s4v4 7#i7 ,freedom4 7#aj7 ,num4 ,,xxi1 #ai ,mattanah1 gift2 ,nachaliel1 the heritage of ,god2 ,bamot1 high places4 ,the names of these three encampments of the ,israelites in the wilderness are interpreted according to their literal meanings4 #c4 ,he who learns from his companion a single chapter1 a single rule1 a single verse1 a single expression1 or even a single letter1 ought to pay him honor1 for so we find with ,david1 ,king of ,israel1 who learned only two things from ,ahitophel 7#aa71 and yet regarded him as his master1 his guide1 and familiar friend1 as it is said1 ,but it was thou1 a man1 mine equal1 my guide1 and my familiar friend 7#ab74 ,now1 is it not an argument from minor to major 7#ac71 that if ,david1 the ,king of ,israel1 who learned only two things from ,ahitophel1 regarded him as his master1 guide1 and familiar friend1 he who learns from his fellow a chapter1 rule1 verse1 expression1 or even a single letter1 is bound to pay him honor4 ,and honor is nothing but ,torah1 as it is said1 ,the wise shall inherit honor 7#ad7 and the perfect shall inherit good 7#ae74 ,and good is nothing but ,torah1 as it is said1 ,for ,i give you good doctrine1 forsake ye not my ,torah 7#af74 7#aa7 ,ahitophel deserted ,david to take up the cause of his rebellious son1 ,absalom4 ,see ,,ii ,sam4 ,,xvi1 #ae2 ,,xvii1 #a et seq4 7#ab7 ,see ,ps4 ,,lv1 #ad4 ,the two things ,david learned are hinted at in ,ps4 ,,lv1 #ae4 7#ac7 ,see chapter ,i1 n4 #ag4 7#ad7 ,prov4 ,,iii1 #ce4 7#ae7 ,ibid41 ,,xxviii1 #aj4 7#af7 ,ibid41 ,,iv1 #b4 #d4 ,this is the way that is becoming for the study of the ,torah3 a morsel of bread with salt thou must eat 7#ag71 and water by measure thou must drink 7#ah71 thou must sleep upon the ground1 and live a life of trouble the while thou toilest in the ,torah4 ,if thou doest thus1 ,happy shalt thou be1 and it shall be well with thee 7#ai71 happy shalt thou be in this world1 and it shall be well with thee in the world to come 7#bj74 7#ag7 ,even he who has only bread and salt to eat must busy himself with the study of the ,torah4 7#ah7 ,ezek4 ,,iv1 #aa4 7#ai7 ,ps4 ,,cxxviii1 #b4 7#bj7 ,cf4 chapter ,,iv1 #a4 #e4 ,seek not greatness for thyself1 and court not honor2 let thy works exceed thy learning2 and crave not after the table of kings2 for thy table is greater than theirs1 and thy crown is greater than theirs1 and thy ,employer is faithful to pay thee the reward of thy work4 #f4 ,the ,torah is greater than the priesthood and than royalty1 for royalty demands thirty qualifications 7#ba71 the priesthood twenty-four 7#bb71 while the ,torah is acquired by forty-eight4 ,and these are they3 by audible study2 by a listening ear 7#bc72 by distinct pronunciation2 by understanding 7#bd7 and discernment of the heart2 by awe1 reverence1 meekness1 cheerfulness 7#be72 by ministering to the sages1 by attaching one's self to colleagues1 by discussion with disciples2 by sedateness2 by knowledge of the ,scripture and of the ,mishnah2 by moderation in business1 in intercourse with the world1 in pleasure1 in sleep1 in conversation1 in laughter2 by long suffering2 by a good heart2 by faith in the wise2 by resignation under chastisement2 by recognizing one's place1 rejoicing in one's portion1 putting a fence to one's words1 claiming no merit for one's self1 by being beloved1 loving the ,all-present1 loving mankind1 loving just courses1 rectitude1 and reproof2 by keeping one's self far from honor1 not boasting of one's learning1 nor delighting in giving decisions2 by bearing the yoke with one's fellow1 judging him favorably1 and leading him to truth and peace2 by being composed in one's study2 by asking and answering1 hearing and adding thereto2 by learning with the object of teaching1 and by learning with the object of practising2 by making one's master wise1 fixing attention upon his discourse1 and reporting a thing in the name of who said it4 ,so thou hast learned1 ,whosoever reports a thing in the name of him that said it brings deliverance into the world1 as it is said1 ,and ,esther told the king in the name of ,mordecai 7#bf74 7#ba7 ,see ,sanhedrin ,,ii1 #b-e4 7#bb7 ,see ,baba ,kamma1 #aaj;b1 etc4 7#bc7 ,singer1 combining the first two1 reads by audible study4 7#bd7 ,taylor omits understanding and4 7#be7 ,taylor and ,hoffmann add by purity 7b'taharah74 7#bf7 ,esth4 ,,ii1 #bb4 #g4 ,great is the ,torah1 which gives life to those that practise it in this world and in the world to come1 as it is said1 ,for they are life unto those that find them1 and health to all their flesh 7#bg72 and it says1 ,it shall be health to thy navel1 and marrow to thy bones 7#bh72 and it says1 ,it is a tree of life to them that grasp it1 and of them that uphold it every one is rendered happy 7#bi72 and it says1 ,for they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head1 and chains about thy neck 7#cj72 and it says1 ,it shall give to thine head a chaplet of grace1 a crown of glory it shall deliver to thee 7#ca72 and it says1 ,for by me thy days shall be multiplied1 and the years of thy life shall be increased 7#cb72 and it says1 ,length of days is in its right hand2 in its left hand are riches and honor 7#cc72 and it says1 ,for length of days1 and years of life1 and peace shall they add to thee 7#cd74 7#bg7 ,prov4 ,,iv1 #bb4 7#bh7 ,ibid41 ,,iii1 #h4 7#bi7 ,prov4 ,,iii1 #ah4 7#cj7 ,ibid41 ,i1 #i4 7#ca7 ,ibid1 ,,iv1 #i4 7#cb7 ,prov4 ,,ix1 #aa4 7#cc7 ,ibid41 ,,iii1 #af4 7#cd7 ,ibid41 ,,iii1 #b4 #h4 ,r4 ,simeon1 the son of ,judah1 in the name of ,r4 ,simeon1 the son of ,yohai1 said1 ,beauty1 strength1 riches1 honor1 wisdom1 old age1 a hoary head1 and children are comely to the righteous and comely to the world1 as it is said1 ',the hoary head is a crown of glory1 if it be found in the way of righteousness' 7#ce72 and it says1 ',the glory of young men is their strength1 and the adornment of old men is the hoary head' 7#cf72 and it says1 ',a crown unto the wise is their riches' 7#cg72 and it says1 ',children's children are the crown of old men1 and the adornment of children are their fathers' 7#ch72 and it is said1 ',then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed2 for the ,lord of hosts shall reign in ,mount ,zion and in ,jerusalem1 and before his elders shall be glory' 7#ci74 ,r4 ,simeon1 the son of ,menasya1 said1 ,these seven qualifications which the sages enumerated as becoming to the righteous were all realized in ,rabbi ,judah1 the ,prince 7#dj71 and in his sons4 7#ce7 ,ibid41 ,,xvi1 #ca4 7#cf7 ,ibid41 ,,xx1 #bi4 7#cg7 ,prov4 ,,xiv1 #bd4 7#ch7 ,ibid41 ,,xvii1 #f4 7#ci7 ,isa4 ,,xxiv1 #bc4 7#dj7 ,see chapter ,,ii1 n4 #a4 #i4 ,r4 ,jose1 the son of ,kisma 7#da71 said1 ,i was once walking by the way1 when a man met me and saluted me1 and ,i returned the salutation4 ,he said to me1 ',rabbi1 from what place art thou8' ,i said to him1 ',i come from a great city of sages and scribes4' ,he said to me1 ',if thou art willing to dwell with us in our place1 ,i will give thee a thousand thousand golden dinars and precious stones and pearls4' ,i said to him1 ',wert thou to give me all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world1 ,i would not dwell anywhere but in a home of the ,torah'2 and thus it is written in the book of ,psalms by the hands of ,david1 ,king of ,israel1 ',the law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver' 7#db72 and not only so1 but in the hour of man's departure neither silver nor gold nor precious stones nor pearls accompany him1 but only ,torah and good works1 as it is said1 ',when thou walkest it shall lead thee2 when thou liest down it shall watch over thee2 and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee' 7#dc72 'when thou walkest it shall lead thee'--in this world2 and 'when thou awakest it shall talk with thee'--in the world to come4 ,and it says1 ',the silver is mine1 and the gold is mine1 saith the ,lord of hosts' 7#dd74 7#da7 ,he lived about #abj ,c4,e4 7#db7 ,ps4 ,,xcix1 #gb4 7#dc7 ,prov4 ,,vi1 #bb4 7#dd7 ,hag4 ,,ii1 #h4 #aj4 ,five possessions the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 made especially ,his own in ,his world1 and these are they1 the ,torah1 heaven and earth1 ,abraham1 ,israel1 and the house of the sanctuary4 ,whence know we this of the ,torah8 ,because it is written1 ,the ,lord possessed me as the beginning of his way1 before his works1 from of old 7#de74 ,whence of heaven and earth8 ,because it is written1 ,thus saith the ,lord1 the heaven is my throne1 and the earth is my footstool3 what manner of house will ye build unto me8 and what manner of place for my rest8 7#df72 and it says1 ,how manifold are thy works1 ,o ,lord6 ,in wisdom hast thou made them all3 the earth is full of thy possessions 7#dg74 ,whence of ,abraham8 ,because it is written1 ,and he blessed him1 and said1 ',blessed be ,abram of the ,most ,high ,god1 possessor of heaven and earth 7#dh74 ,whence of ,israel8 ,because it is written1 ,till thy people pass over1 ,o ,lord1 till the people pass over which thou hast acquired 7#di72 and it says1 ,as for the saints that are in the earth1 they are the noble ones in whom is all my delight 7#ej74 ,whence of the house of the sanctuary8 ,because it is written1 ,the place1 ,o ,lord1 which thou hast made for ,thee to dwell in1 the sanctuary1 ,o ,lord1 which ,thy hands have prepared 7#ea72 and it says1 ,and he brought them to the border of his sanctuary1 to this mountain which his right hand had acquired 7#eb74 #aa4 ,whatsoever the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 created in ,his world ,he created but for ,his glory1 as it is said1 ,everything that is called by my name1 it is for my glory ,i have created it1 ,i have formed it1 yea1 ,i have made it 7#ec72 and it says1 ,the ,lord shall reign for ever and ever 7#ed74 7#de7 ,prov4 ,,viii1 #bb4 7#df7 ,isa4 ,,lxvi1 #a4 7#dg7 ,ps4 ,,civ1 #bd4 7#dh7 ,gen4 ,,xiv1 #af4 7#di7 ,ex4 ,,xv1 #af4 7#ej7 ,ps4 ,,xvi1 #c4 7#ea7 ,ex4 ,,xv1 #ag4 7#eb7 ,ps4 ,,lxxviii1 #ed4 7#ec7 ,isa4 ,,xliii1 #g4 7#ed7 ,ex4 ,,xv1 #ah4 ,rabbi ,chanania1 the son of ,akashia1 said1 ,the ,holy ,one1 blessed be ,he1 was pleased to make ,israel worthy2 wherefore ,he gave them a copious ,torah and many commandments1 as it is said1 ',it pleased the ,lord1 for his righteousness' sake1 to magnify the ,torah and make it honorable'4 ,,transcription ,,notes ,for any accent marks noted in the following1 assume that the same accent appears with all subsequent occurrances of the word4 ,,introduction ,die ,spruche der ,vater umlaut over the u and the a ,maximes des ,peres grave over the last e role circumflex over the o footnote #i ,jewish ,encyclopedia3 in the source1 the word ,jewish was not italicized ,,bibliography s the document contained a special character known as section sign1 resembling two lower-case s's one above the other4 ,spruchen umlaut over tue u in ,vater umlaut over the a ,beitragen umlaut over the a ,spruche umlaut over the a ,tubingen umlaut over the u ubertragen umlaut over the u uberzetzt umlaut over the u erklart umlaut over the a ,maimonide umlaut over the i 7in this ,french title7 ,introduction a la 444 umlaut over the first a ,peres grave accent over the first e ,furth umlaut over the u umber umlaut over the u fur ,geschichte umlaut over the u ,brull umlaut over the u ursprunglicher umlaut over the second u ,jahrbucher fur ,jud umlauts over all three u's ,friedlander1 ,m4 umlaut over the a4 ,same in ,chapter ,i1 notes #d1 #aj1 #aa1 #ac1 #ah etc4 ,there is no umlaut in the next entry1 ,friedlander1 ,g4 samtlichen ,bucher umlauts over the a and u ,chaine circumflex over the i1 and wherever this word appears elsewhere in the book 7e4g4 ,introduction1 notes #e and #h74 ,loeb 444 ,pirke ,abot acute accent over the e in ,pirke1 for both entries ecole acute accent over the first e ,etudes acute accent over the first e le chapitre ,ier final er is superscript 7premier7 ,schurer umlaut over the u ,vortrage umlaut over the a ,,chapters ,,ii through ,,vi3 ,the source text included the following two lines3 ,all ,israel1 etc41 p4 #bi and ,rabbi ,chanania1 etc41 p4 #ch4 as the first and last line of each chapter1 the page numbers referring to the beginning and ending of ,chapter ,i4 ,rather than reference these two sentences as the source text did1 this text version copies the two sentences to their intended locations4 ,the transcriber believes this better captures the flavor of the text4 ,chapter ,,iii3 ,r4 ,meir umlaut over the i1 wherever this name appears footnote #bc mutual assistance4 as ,agudat ,achim period and lower-case 'as' are as found in the source text footnote #de ,chald4 ,worterbuch3 umlaut over the o ,,chapter ,,iv3 happy art thou in this world1 and in the source text1 the comma was a period4 ,,chapter ,v3 tables of stone are as written in the source text as a translation of the ,hebrew luchot2 modern readers may better recognize the phrase 'tablets of stone'4 footnote #bc archaol43 umlaut over the second a4 ,,chapter ,,vi3 footnote #e to individuals or to number of persons3 is as written in the source text footnote #h alteste3 umlaut over the a judischen3 umlaut over the u ,,page ,,reference ,,index ,this index is included strictly on the off-chance that an outside source would reference this text by page number4 ,it lists some page numbers1 and the first line that appears on that page4 ,with the use of this index1 readers will better be able to find the referenced materials4 ,in the edition used as a source text1 the ,table of ,contents appears as page iv on the back of the ,title ,page2 there were no pages i through iii6 ,the ,,preface started on page #g4 ,there were are no pages #a-f6 ,,preface 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #g ,,introduction ,name 4 4 4 4 4 4 #i ,purpose 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aa ,description 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ac ,contents 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ac ,language 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ae ,development of ,abot 4 4 4 4 #af ,abot in ,liturgy 4 4 4 4 4 #ai ,bibliography 4 4 4 4 4 #ba ,,chapter ,i 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bi ,,chapter ,,ii 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ci ,,chapter ,,iii 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ea ,,chapter ,,iv 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fd ,,chapter ,v 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ge ,,chapter ,,vi 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ia ,,hebrew ,,text 7,appendix7 4 4 4 4 #c-cj page - first line of that page #h wisdom of the ,father2 that it may serve as an #aj and in ,french it is usually rendered ,chaptres or #ab line of continuous tradition is plainly seen in the #ad ,b4 7#a7 ,chapters ,i1 #af-;,,ii1 #d3 ,sayings of the men of #af ,,development ,,of ,,abot 7#ac7 #ah having lived before the destruction of the second #bj all editions of the ,mishnah and the ,talmud1 but #bb ,gemara 7,talmudical commentary7 on the ,abot1 #bd 7#b7 ,an appendix to the ,sayings of the #bf #ag4 ,jehudah ,leb gordon1 ,pirke ,abot1 in ,siddur ,bet #bh ,chapitre des ,pirke ,abot1 in ,bibliotheque de #cj 7#f71 and the elders to the prophets1 and the proph- #cb of the ,great ,synagogue4 ,he used to say1 ,upon #cd bers of thy household1 and engage not in much #cf #ab4 ,hillel and ,shammai 7#bi7 received 7the tradi- #ch #ah4 ,rabban ,simeon1 the son of ,gamaliel 7#db71 #dj against the loss it involves4 ,consider three things1 #db the day of thy death 7#ab72 judge not thy neighbor #dd for himself words of ,torah has acquired for him- #df which is the good way to which a man should #dh the evil inclination 7#dj71 and hatred of his fellow- #ej also before whom thou toilest1 and who thy ,em- #eb #b4 ,r4 ,chanina1 the ,vice-,high-,priest 7#e71 said1 #ed a table and have spoken there words of ,torah1 it is #ef #h4 ,r4 ,eleazar of ,bertota 7#bh7 said1 ,give unto #eh fanes things sacred1 and despises the festivals1 and #fj rampart around the ,torah2 tithes are a safeguard #fb ,where there is no ,torah1 there are no manners2 #fd ,,chapter ,,iv #ff virtue is a virtue1 and the recompense of a trans- #fh not alone1 for none may judge alone save ,one2 #gj home of the ,torah 7#cj71 and say not that the ,torah #gb learns as a child1 what is it like8 ,like ink written #gd not thy imagination give thee hope that the grave #gf ten generations from ,noah to ,abraham1 to make #gh nor was there ever found any disqualifying defect #hj and upon the last1 last2 regarding that which he #hb the conclusion of the ,feast of ,tabernacles in each #hd love1 too1 passes away 7#de72 but if it be not depend- #hf disciples of ,abraham1 our father1 enjoy this world #hh at thirteen for 7the fulfilment of7 the command- #ij #bf4 ,ben ,he ,he said1 ,according to the labor is #ib becomes modest1 long-suffering1 and forgiving of #id friend1 as it is said1 ,but it was thou1 a man1 mine #if courses1 rectitude1 and reproof2 by keeping one's self #ih once walking by the way1 when a man met me and #ajj for ,his glory1 as it is said1 ,everything that is ,next appears page #cj1 the end of the ,hebrew text4 ,the ,hebrew text is numbered from #c to #cj1 in right-to-left format4