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 1916 liYINGS OF THE 
 
 ~ir-:r^WISH FATHERS 
 
 rtittoH^MMWliiifil^MMarilMlM
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 Xtbrar^ of 3e\vtgb Clagetcg 
 
 I. Leopold Zunz: The Sufferings of the 
 Jews During the Middle Ages 
 II. Hyman Hurwitz: Talmudic Tales 
 III. "PiRKE Abot": The Sayings of the 
 Jewish Fathers
 
 LIBRARY OF JEWISH CLASSICS— III. 
 
 C|)e ^apingsi of tfje 
 Sfetois!) jfatfjers 
 
 "PIKKE ABOT" 
 
 Translated, with an 
 Introduction and Notes 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSEPH I. GORFINKLE, Ph.D. 
 
 Author of 
 " The Eight Chapters of Maimoriides on Ethics " 
 
 r 
 
 I. 
 
 SECOND '^ff^f. yV fjil", 
 
 '•^ioux v-'i"y. lew 
 
 ^:-^--^-^- 
 
 NEW 
 BLOCK PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 " The Jewish Book Concern " 
 191G 
 
 Copyright, 1913, by Block Publishing Co.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Preface 
 Introduction 
 
 Name 
 
 Purpose . 
 
 Description 
 
 Contents 
 
 Language 
 
 Development of Abot 
 
 Abot in Liturgy 
 
 Bibliography 
 
 Chapter I 
 
 Chapter II J 
 
 Chapter III 
 
 Chapter IV 
 
 Chapter V ] 
 
 Chapter VI 
 
 Hebrew Text (Appendix) 
 
 PAGE 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 11 
 13 
 13 
 15 
 16 
 19 
 21 
 
 29 
 39 
 51 
 64 
 75 
 91 
 3-30 
 
 IV
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that there are many 
 editions of the Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, and 
 that it has been translated innumerable times in all 
 modern tongues, no apology need be given for the 
 appearance of this little volume in the series of 
 Jewish Class ics. The Pii'ke Abot is indeed a clas- 
 sical bit of that ancient Jewish classic, the Mishnah. 
 
 The translation in this edition is based largely 
 upon that of Taylor, in his Sayings of the Jewish 
 Fathers, and upon the excellent version of Singer, 
 in his Authorized Daily Prayer Book. 
 
 This edition is intended mainly for popular read- 
 ing, but it has oeen thought wise to amplify the 
 notes, especially with bibliog aphical references, so 
 that it may serve the purpose of a teacher's hand- 
 book, and also be useful as a text-book for the 
 higher grades of religious schools and for study 
 circles. The references are to books that are gen- 
 erally accessible, and, wherever possible, to books 
 in English. The notes are by no means intended 
 to be exhaustive, but rather to be suggestive. 
 
 It is the humble hope of the editor that this little 
 book may be the means of further popularizing the 
 practical and, at the same time, high-minded 
 
 7 
 
 ^aa
 
 8 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 wisdom of the "Fathers"; that it may serve as an 
 incentive to a more detailed study of their philoso- 
 phy of life, and that its appearance may help to 
 lead in a revival of that most ancient and praise- 
 worthy custom of reading the Pirke Ahot in the 
 house of worship on the Sabbath, during the sum- 
 mer months. Let him into whose hands these say- 
 ings fall "meditate upon them day and night," for 
 "he who would be saintly must fulfil the dicta of 
 the Fathers." 
 
 Joseph I. Gorfinkle. 
 Mt. Vernon, N. Y. 
 February, 1913.
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 Name 
 
 The Tractate Abet {Massechet Abet) is the ninth 
 treatise of The Order or Series on Damages (Seder 
 Nezikin), which is the fourth section of the Mish- 
 nah (1). It is commonly known in Hebrew as Pirke 
 Abot, The Chapters of the Fathers, and has also been 
 termed Mishnat ha-Chasidim, Instruction for the 
 Pious, because of the Rabbinic saying, "He who 
 wishes to be pious, let him practise the teachings 
 of Abot" (2). On account of the nature of its con- 
 tents, it is generally designated in English as the 
 Ethics of the Fathers. Taylor entitles his edition 
 Dibre Aboth ha-Olam, Saijings of the Fathers of the 
 World, and has as the English title. Sayings of the 
 Jewish Fathers. Gustav Gottheil refers to the Abot 
 as the Sayings of the Pharisaic Fathers (3). Its 
 German title is generally Die Spriiche der Vdter, 
 
 (1) See infra, p. 87, n. 61. 
 
 (2) Baba Kamma, 30a. See Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish 
 Fathers, p. 3. Maimonides refers to this saying in the Fore- 
 word of his Eight Chapters; see Gorfinkle, The Eight Chap- 
 ters, etc., p. 34. 
 
 (3) See Sun and Shield, p. 321 et passim. See infra, n. 8, 
 which accounts for the use of "Pharisaic."
 
 10 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 and in French it is usually rendered Chapitres or 
 Maximes des Peres. 
 
 The use of the word Abot (fathers), in the title, is 
 of very ancient date. We can only guess at the 
 reason for its being used, and, consequently, 
 there are various explanations for it. Samuel de 
 Uceda, in his collective commentary, says that as 
 this tractate of the Mishnah contains advice and 
 good counsel, which, for the most part, come from 
 a father, the Rabbis mentioned in it adopt the role 
 of "fathers," and are therefore so designated. 
 This explanation does not, however, deter him 
 f om advancing another to the effect that this 
 treatise is the basis of all subsequent ethical and 
 moral teachings and doctrines, and the Rabbis are, 
 in consequence, the "fathers" or prototypes of 
 all ethical teachers and moralists (4). Loeb at- 
 tributes its use to the fact that the Rabbis of Abot 
 are the "fathers" or "ancestors of Rabbinic Juda- 
 ism" (5), Hoffmarm states that the word abot 
 means "teachers of tradition" (Traditionslehrcr) , 
 and points to the expression abot ha-olam {Eduyot, 
 I. 4), which, translated Hterally, is "fathers of the 
 world," but is used to designate the most distin- 
 guished teachers, which is a true characterization 
 of the Rabbis of Abot (6). Taylor says in regard 
 
 (4) Midrash Shemuel (ed. Warsaw, 1876), p. 6. The Mid- 
 rash Shemuel is a collective commentary, first published in 
 Venice in 1579, and which has since passed through six edi- 
 tions. See p. 22, n. 21. 
 
 (5) La Chaine, etc., p. 307, n. 1. 
 
 (6) See Hoffmann, Seder Nesikin, Introd., p. xx, and p.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS II 
 
 to the title, "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 its 
 pages" (7). Hoffmann's seems the most accept- 
 able explanation. 
 
 Purpose 
 
 The original aim of Abot was to show the divine 
 source and authority of the traditional law revealed 
 to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and to demonstrate its con- 
 tinuity from Moses through Joshua, the elders, 
 and the men of the Great Synagogue, down to 
 those Rabbis who lived during the period between 
 200 B.c.E. to 200 c.E. Loeb maintains that Abot 
 was originally a composition of the Pharisaic 
 Rabbis who wished to indicate that the traditions 
 held and expounded by them, and which the Sad- 
 ducees repudiated, were divine and, in time and 
 sequence, uninterruptedly authoritative (8). This 
 
 258, n. 36. In this passage of Eduyot, Hillel and Shammai 
 are referred to as abot ha-olam; in Yerushalmi Shekalim, III, 
 47b, Rabbi Ishmael and Rabbi Akiba, and in Yerushalmi 
 Chagigah, II, 77d, all the pairs of Abot I are similarly desig- 
 nated. 
 
 (7) Taylor, loc. cit. 
 
 (8) La Chaine, etc. The Sadducees belonged to the 
 priestly and aristocratic families. They made light of the 
 oral traditions, did not believe in the future life, and were 
 indifferent to the independence of the Jewish nation. The 
 Pharisees, on the other hand, were constituted largely from 
 the common people; they were believers in, and strict ob- 
 servers of, the traditional laws, and were ardent nationalists.
 
 12 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 line of continuous tradition is plainly seen in the 
 first two chapters. A second and probably later 
 purpose was to present a body of practical maxims 
 and aphorisms for the daily guidance of the 
 people. 
 
 The bitter attack of Jesus upon them, which has resulted in 
 making the word "Pharisee" synonymous with "hypocrite" 
 and "self-righteous person," was, to say the least, unjust, as 
 Herford has so lucidly pointed out in his sympathetic study of 
 the Pharisees. Herford, though not a Jew, has taken up the 
 cudgels most ably in defence of this sect, with remarkable 
 insight into the life and literature of the ancient Jews. He 
 demonstrates conclusively that though there were hypo- 
 crites among the Pharisees, as among all classes and creeds, 
 yet the average Pharisee was a man of the most elevated 
 rehgious ideals, who misunderstood Jesus, but who, in turn 
 was misunderstood by him. Huxley, in his Evolution oj 
 Theology, says, "of all the strange ironies of history, perhaps 
 the strangest is that 'Pharisee' is current as a term of re- 
 proach among the theological descendants of that sect of 
 Nazarenes who, without the martyr spirit of those primitive 
 Puritans, would never have come into existence." Such 
 great teachers and men of sterling quaUty and golden utter- 
 ance as Antigonus of Soko (I, 3), Hillel (I, 12-14; II, 5-8), 
 Jochanan ben Zakkai (II, 9-19), Gamaliel, whose pupil was 
 Paul, the apostle (I, IG), and Judah, the Prince (II, 1), whose 
 sayings grace the pages of Ahot, were, as Loeb points out, 
 of the Pharisaic school or party. There is naturally a large 
 literature on the Pharisees. Herford 's Pharisaism deserves 
 careful perusal. See, also, Josephus (ed. Whiston-Margoh- 
 outh), Antiq., XIII, 10.6, XVIII, 1, 2-4; Schiirer, History 
 of the Jews, etc., II, ii, p. 14 et seq.; Jewish Encyclopedia and 
 literature mentioned there; Geiger, Judaism and Its His- 
 tory, p. 102 et seq., and Friedlander, G., The Jewish Sources 
 of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 34 ci seq.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 13 
 
 Description 
 
 The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers is the oldest col- 
 lection of ethical dicta of the Rabbis of the Mishnah 
 (9). It is a Rabbinic anthology. It has been happily 
 styled "a compendium of practical ethics " (10), 
 and, as Mielziner has said, ''these Rabbinical sen- 
 tences, if properly arranged, present an almost 
 complete code of hmiian duties" (11). The Ahot is, 
 then, a sort of moral code. 
 
 Contents 
 
 Even a superficial reading of Ahot will bring home 
 to one the fact that it is made up of various strata. 
 In fact, it falls naturally into the following strands 
 or divisions: 
 
 A. Chapter I, 1-15: Chronologically arranged say- 
 ings of the oldest authorities, from the men 
 of the Great Synagogue to Hillel and 
 Shammai. 
 
 (9) There was another, and apparently older, recension of 
 Pirke Ahot on which is based the Ahot de-Rahhi Natan, an 
 hagadic or honiiletical exposition of Ahot. Two recensions of 
 Ahot de-Rabbi Natan exist, and have been edited by Schech- 
 ter. On this work, see Hoffmann, Die ersle Mischna, p. 2G 
 et seq., Mielziner, article Abot de-Rubhi Natan, in Jewish 
 Encyclopedia, Strack, Einleituug, p. 69 et seq., anil Pollak, 
 Rabbi Nathans System, etc., Irdroduction, pp. 7-9. An Eng- 
 lish translation is found hi Rodkinson's edition of the Tal- 
 mud, vol. V, p. 1 et seq. 
 
 (10) Taylor, loc. cit. Lazarus, Ethics of Judaism, II, ll.'i, 
 calls it "a compendium of ethics. " 
 
 (11) In Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Ahot.
 
 14 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 B. (1) Chapters I, 16-11, 4: Sayings of the men of 
 
 the school of Hillel to Rabban GamaHcl 
 (about 230 c.e.), the son of Judah 
 ha-Nasi. 
 
 (2) Chapter II, 5-8: Additional sayings of 
 Hillel. 
 
 C. (1) Chapter II, 9-19: The sayings of Jochanan 
 
 ben Zakkai, the pupil of Hillel, and of his 
 disciples. 
 
 (2) Chapter II, 20-21: The sayings of Rabbi 
 Tarfon, a younger contemporary of Jochanan 
 ben Zakkai. 
 
 D. Chapter III: The maxims of seventeen Tan- 
 
 naim (authoritie ; mentioned in the Mish- 
 nah) to the time of and including Rabbi 
 Akiba. These are not arranged in strictly 
 chronological order. 
 
 E. Chapter IV: The sayings of twenty-five Tan- 
 
 naim after the time of Rabbi Akiba, who 
 were contemporaries of Rabbi Meir and 
 of Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi. These are not 
 chronologically arranged. 
 
 F. (1) Chapter V, 1-18: Anonymous sayings form- 
 
 ing a series of groups of ten, seven, and four 
 things, dealing with the creation of the 
 world, with miracles, and with the varieties 
 of men and minds. 
 
 (2) Chapter V, 19-22: Anonymous sayings
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 15 
 
 touching upon the varieties of motives and 
 contrasting the good and evil dispositions. 
 
 (3) Chapter V, 23: Sayings of Judah ben Tema. 
 
 (4) Chapter V, 24 : The ages of man. 
 
 (5) Chapter V, 25, 26: The sayings of Ben Bag 
 Bag and of Ben He He. 
 
 G. Chapter , VI: The acquisition of the Torah; 
 praise of the Torah. 
 
 Language 
 
 The language of Abot is easy Mishnaic Hebrew, 
 with portions of four verses (I, 13; II, 7; V, 25, and 
 V, 26) in Aramaic, \/hich is closely related to He- 
 brew. It is worth}; of note that these Aramaic 
 portions originated with the school of Hillel (12). 
 
 (12) On the language of the Mishnah, see Mielziner, In- 
 troduction to the Talmud, pp. 15-16, and Lauterbach in Jeu;- 
 ish Encyclopedia, vol. II, p. 614. On the use of Aramaic in 
 the Mishnah, see Schtirer, History, I, ii, p. 8 et seq., and 
 Bacher, in Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Aramaic Language Among 
 the Jews. Several centuries before the common era, Aramaic 
 was the vernacular of the Jews. Hebrew, however, remained 
 in use as the sacred language {^1\>T\ X\^7), it being the lan- 
 guage of the learned, and was employed for literary, litur- 
 gical, and legal purposes. This accounts for the Mishnah 
 being written almost entirely in Hebrew, though Aramaic 
 was spoken on the streets. It is related of Judah ha-Nasi 
 that he disliked the Aramaic jargon to such an extent that 
 he forbade its use in his home, where even the servants spoke 
 Hebrew with elegance {Rosh ha-Shanah, 26b). When 
 scholars used Aramaic in his presence, he chided them for 
 not speaking in Hebrew or in Greek {Baba Kamma, 82b).
 
 16 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 Development of Abot (13) 
 
 It is apparent from the literary construction of 
 Ahot that it has been edited several times, and that, 
 in its earhest form, the Abot collection was much 
 smaller than we have it to-day. Originally, prob- 
 ably shortly after the time of Hillel, it may have 
 been merely a sort of appendix to the Tractate San- 
 hedrin, with typical sayings of each of the heads 
 of the Sanhedrin. These dicta are contained in 
 what is designated as section A. Later, presum- 
 ably by Rabbi Akiba, there were added to this 
 original kernel of Abot the sayings of Rabbi Jo- 
 chanan ben Zakkai and his most illustrious pupils, 
 which comprise section C. This resulted in the 
 grouping together of the sayings of ten generations 
 of traditional authorities, as follows: (1) the men 
 of the Great Synagogue, (2) Simon, the Just, (3) 
 Antigonus of Soko, (4) Jose ben Joezer and Jose 
 ben Jochanan, (5) Joshua ben Perachiah and Nit- 
 tai, the Arbelite, (6) Judah ben Tabbai and Simeon 
 ben Shatach, (7) Shemaiah and Abtalion, (8) Hillel 
 and Shammai, (9) Jochanan ben Zakkai, and (10) the 
 latter's disciples. By association of idea with this 
 
 (13) On the subject-matter of this section, consult Hoff- 
 mann, Die erste Mischna, pp. 26-37; idem, Mischnaiot Seder 
 Nesikin, Introd., pp. XX-XXI; BriiU, Enstehung und urs- 
 priinglicher Inhalt des Traklates Abot; Loeb, La Chaine, etc.; 
 Ginzburg, Spruche der Vdter, erstes Capitel historisch beleuchlet 
 (Leipzig, 1889); Strack, Die Spruche der Vdtei, Introd., pp. 
 7-8; idem, Einleitung, p. 52, and Ilawicz, Commeniar des 
 Maimonides, p. 105, n. 3.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 17 
 
 number ten, there were added to this collection 
 numerical sayings of ten, and, then, others of seven 
 and four, found in chapter V, 1-9 and 10-13. 
 
 Into this enlarged kernel of pithy sayings of the 
 oldest authorities, which may be characterized as 
 the Abot of Rabbi Akiba, later Tannaim — Rabbi 
 Meir, Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, and others — interpo- 
 lated additional sayings of the afore-mentioned 
 Rabbis, and also typical utterances of their dis- 
 ciples, and of other well-known teachers. This 
 accounts for the presence in Abot of the body of 
 maxims of the six generations of the school of Hillel, 
 designated above as section B 1, and which was 
 very properly introduced after the aphorisms of 
 Hillel and of his contemporary, Shammai. The 
 thread of tradition being interrupted by this inter- 
 polation, it was again taken up by the introduc- 
 tion of another body of Hillel's sayings (B 2), thus 
 providing for a natural transition from Hillel to 
 Jochanan ben Zakkai. Proof of the fact that sec- 
 tion B is an addition is that in the Abot de-Rabbi 
 Natan — which, as has been said above, is based on an 
 older version of Abot (14) — the sayings of Jochan- 
 an ben Zakkai follow immediately upon those of 
 Shammai. The sayings of Judah ha-Nasi, the redac- 
 tor of the Mishnah, and of Rabbi Gamaliel, his son, 
 were undoubtedly added after the time of Judah. 
 
 Chapter III contains the sayings of authorities 
 who were the predecessors of Judah, the first two 
 
 (14) See supra, p. 13, n. 9.
 
 18 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 having lived before the destruction of the second 
 Temple. Chapter IV is made up of the dicta of a 
 number of Rabbis who were contemporaries of 
 Judah. These two chapters were, no doubt, in- 
 serted by Judah, the redactor of the MisJmah as 
 we virtually have it to-day. Evidence that Chap- 
 ter IV is an addition to the original Ahot is that it 
 has a number of aphorisms which are repetitions of 
 some found in Chapters I and II. The greater 
 part of Chapter V, as stated above, was a portion 
 of the Ahot of Rabbi Akiba. 
 
 Chapter VI, which is known as The Chapter on 
 the Acquisition of Tor ah (Perek Kinyan Tor ah), 
 as The External Teaching of Ahot (Baraita de-Ahot) 
 (15), as The Chapter of Rdbhi Melr {Perek Rahbi 
 Melr) (16), and as The External Teaching of Rahhi 
 Meir {Baraita de-Rahhi Meir), is a supplement of 
 the treatise Ahot, as is claimed for it by its super- 
 scription, "the sages taught in the language of the 
 Mishnah," a formula generally used in the Talmud 
 
 (15) A Baraita contains traditions and opinions of author- 
 ities of the Mishnah which are not embodied in the Mishnah 
 of Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi. See Mielziner, Introduction to the 
 Talmud, pp. 20-21, Strack, Einleitung in den Talmud, p. 3, 
 and the Jewish Encyclopedia, s.v. A gemara (Talmudical 
 commentary) to the Baraita de-Abot was published from a 
 MS. by Coronel in Chamishah Kuntresin (Vienna, 1864). 
 This baraita is found also in the seventeenth chapter of Tanna 
 de-Be Eliyahu Sidta, but with different textual readings. 
 See Ginzberg, in the Jewish Encyclopedia, II, pp. 516-517. 
 
 (16) Known thus because Rabbi Meir's name is found in 
 the first verse.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 19 
 
 to introduce a Baraita. One of the authorities 
 mentioned in it is Joshua ben Levi, a Palestinian 
 amora (an authority of the Gemara) who lived dur- 
 ing the third century. This demonstrates the com- 
 paratively late date of the final redaction of this 
 chapter. By the middle of the ninth century it 
 formed a part of the treatise Ahot. It was added 
 to the prayer-book to be read on the sixth Sabbath 
 of the period between Passover and the Festival of 
 Weeks (Shebuot) (17). 
 
 Abot in the Liturgy (18) 
 
 As Taylor has said, "Its simplicity and intrinsic 
 excellence have secured for Abot a widespread and 
 lasting popularity, and have led to its being ex- 
 cerpted from the Talmud and used liturgically in 
 the Synagogue, at certain seasons, from an early 
 period" (19). Thus, the Abot is found not only in 
 
 (17) See next section. The sixth chapter is found in some 
 editions of the Mishnah. 
 
 (18) On the subject-matter of this section, see the cita- 
 tion from Sar Shalom Gaon, in the Siddur of R. Amram, 30a; 
 Midrash Shemuel, pp. 3-4; Zunz, Die Ritus, pp. 85-86; 
 Strack, Die Spn'iche der Vdter, p. 6, and Siddur, ed. Baer, 
 p. 271, note. Other portions of the Mishnah and also of 
 the Talmud that are included in the hturgy are, in the morn- 
 ing service, Zebachim V {Siddur, ed. Singer, p. 11); in the 
 evening service for the Sabbath, Sabbat, II (pp. 120-122), 
 and, from the Talmud, end of Berachot (p. 122) ; in the addi- 
 tional service for Sabbath and festivals, from the Talmud, 
 Keritot, 6a, from the Mishnah, end of Tamid, and from the 
 Talmud, end of Berachot (pp. 167-168). 
 
 (19) Taylor, loc. cit.
 
 20 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 all editions of the Mishnah and the Talmud, but 
 also in the prayer-books of the Ashkenazic rite (20). 
 The practice of reading a chapter from Ahot, on 
 Saturday, after the afternoon prayer (Minchah), 
 originated as early as Gaonic times (seventh to 
 eleventh centuries). During the middle of the 
 ninth century, Ahot and its Baraita were thus 
 liturgically used. In Spanish (ommunities it was 
 recited in the morning of the Sabbath and not in 
 the afternoon. By the eleventh century, this cus- 
 tom was universally a part of the synagogal service. 
 Originally, Ahot was probably read only from 
 Passover to Shehuot; and, since this period has 
 generally six Sabbaths, and there are only five 
 chapters of Abot, the chapter Kinyan Tor ah was 
 appointed to be read on the sixth Sabbath. Later, 
 the period of the year in which Ahot was read varied 
 in different communities. In Germany, there were 
 kehillot in which it was recited during the winter 
 as well as during the summer. In some communities 
 it was read from Passover to the Feast of Taber- 
 nacles (Sukkot), in others from the Sabbath of 
 Parashah Yitro (Ex. XVIII, 1-XX, 26) to the Sab- 
 bath of Parashah Masse'e (Num. XXXIII, 1- 
 XXXVI, 13), that is, 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 Law," i.e., Deuteronomy. 
 In many orthodox congregations to-day this prac- 
 
 (20) German and Polish.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 21 
 
 tice is still adhered to, and Ahot is read on Sabbath 
 afternoons during the summer, or from the Sabbath 
 after Passover to the Sabbath before the New Year 
 {Rosh ha-Shanah). 
 
 A number of reasons have been suggested for the 
 custom of reading the Abot in the synagogue, the 
 most likely being that it was introduced to occupy 
 the minds of the worshippers during the long wait, 
 on a summer's day, between the afternoon and even- 
 ing services. Whatever the reason for this custom 
 may have been is immaterial and unimportant; 
 but what is of importance is that, by this ex- 
 cellent practice, a whole body of moral dicta — 
 each one summing up with remarkable conciseness 
 a life^s^^xijerrence and philosophy, each one breath- 
 ing the spirit of piety, saintliness, justice, and love 
 for humanity — has sunk deeply into the innermost 
 heart and consciousness of the Jewish people, 
 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 Rabbis. 
 To the lips of the Jew, these maxims spring spon- 
 taneously; to those who know them they are a safe 
 and secure guide through life; they are not only 
 heard in the synagogue, but are quoted and applied 
 at home and abroad. Such are the fruits of a 
 benign custom, which Israel will do well to prize 
 and preserve. 
 
 Bibliography 
 
 Because of its great popularity, the Pirke Abot 
 has appeared in many editions. There is no
 
 22 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 Gemara (Talmudical commentary) on the Abot, 
 which undoubtedly accounts for the numerous 
 commentaries on it (21). Because of the attrac- 
 tiveness of its contents, and since it forms a part of 
 the ritual, it has been translated many times into 
 many tongues (22), and a great deal has been 
 written upon it. The following bibliography will 
 
 (21) There are more than thirty-five. The best knowTi is 
 that of Maimonides (1135-1204), which was written orig- 
 inally in Arabic, as part of his commentary on the Mishnah. 
 A commentary has been attributed to Rashi. Other com- 
 mentaries are by (1) Rabbi Jacob ben Shimshon, found in 
 the Machzor Vitry (see Taylor, Introd., p. 5; Appendix, p. 23); 
 
 (2) Rabbi Israel of Toledo, in Arabic (tweKth to thirteenth 
 century; see Taylor, Introd., p. 5, Appendix, p. 46 et seq.); 
 
 (3) Simon Duran (1361-1444), Magen Abot; first edition, 
 Livorno, 1763; ed. Jellinek, Leipzig, 1855; (4) Bertinora 
 (died 1510), in his popular commentary on the Mishnah; 
 (5) Isaac ben Judah Abrabanel, Nachalat Abot; ed. Con- 
 stantinople, 1505; (6) Samuel de Uceda, Midrash Shemuel; 
 Venice, 1579, 1585, 1597, 1600, Cracow, 1594, Frankfurt 
 a. M., 1713, Warsaw, 1876; (7) Yom Tob Lippman Heller 
 (1579-1654), in Tosefot Yom Tob, on the Mishnah; (8) Elijah, 
 Gaon of Wihia (1720-1797), in Siddur Tefdlat Yacob, Berhn, 
 1864; and (9) S. Baer, in Siddur Abodat Yisroel, Rodelheim, 
 1868. There is also a commentary, by NaphtaU Herts 
 Wessely, known as Yayin Lebanon, Berlin, V77A^\115, which 
 has been translated into English, in the Hebrew Review 
 (edited by Morris J. Raphall, London, 1835-1837), Vol. I, 
 p. 177, p. 193, and further. 
 
 (22) Bischoff, in his Kritische Geschichte der Talmud- 
 Uebersetzungen aller Zeiten und Zungen (Frankfurt a. M., 
 1899), § 56, has a list of 62 translations and of 15 partial 
 translations. Others have appeared since this list was made. 
 For English translations, consult this liat.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 23 
 
 be helpful to the general reader and to the student 
 who wish to get a more detailed and intimate 
 knowledge of Abot than can be imparted in this 
 work. 
 
 Editions (23), Commentaries, and Translations 
 
 1. Joshua ben Mordecai Falk ha-Kohen, Abne Ye- 
 
 hoshua at Pirke Abot (New York, 1860). Text 
 and commentary (24). 
 
 2. Abraham Geiger, Pirke Aboth, in Nachgelassene 
 
 Schriften (Berlin, 1877), vol. IV, pp. 281-344. 
 A commentary on Chaps. I-III. Scholarly 
 and valuable. 
 
 3. Solomon Schechter, Abot de-Rabbi Natan (Vienna, 
 
 1877). Contains two versions, A and B, with 
 an introduction and notes in Hebrew. A 
 scholarly and valuable work. 
 
 4. Joseph Jabetz, Pirk^ Abot, with a commentary 
 
 (Warsaw, 1880). 
 
 5. Charles Taylor, (1) Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, 
 
 Comprising Pirqe Aboth and Perek R. Meir 
 in Hebrew an I English, with Notes and Ex- 
 curses. Second edition (Cambridge, 1897). 
 
 (23) A list of editions, mostly earlier than those mentioned 
 here, and of the Ahot in Mishnah editions may be found in 
 Steinsehneider, Catalogiis Librorum Hebraeorum in Bibliotheca 
 Bodleiana (Berlin, 1852-1860), No. 1433-1519, 1982-2034; 
 M. Roest, Catalog der Hebraica und Judaica (Amsterdam, 
 1875), pp. 818-821, 824-828; and Strack, Sprilche, pp. 8-9. 
 
 (24) Falk has been called the " father of American Hebrew- 
 literature."
 
 24 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 (2) An Appendix to the Sayi?igs of the 
 Jewish Fathers, Containing a Catalogue of 
 Manuscripts and Notes on the Text of Aboth 
 (Cambridge, 1900). These works are very 
 comprehensive and full of valuable material. 
 
 6. A. Berliner, Commentar zu den Spriichen der 
 
 Vdter, aus Machzor Vitry, mit Beitrdgen 
 (Frankfurt a. M., 1897). 
 
 7. David Hoffmann, Masseket Abot, in Mischnaiot 
 
 Seder Nesikin (Berlin, 1899), pp. 327-367. 
 Fully annotated, with a translation in Ger- 
 man, and constant reference to Rabbinical 
 sources. Excellent. 
 
 8. Hermann L. Strack, Die Spriiche der Vdter, ein 
 
 ethischer Mischna-Traktat, third edition (Leip- 
 zig, 1901). An excellent text with notes. 
 Very valuable. 
 
 9. Lazarus Goldschmidt, in Tamud Babli, Der 
 
 Babylonische Talmud (Berlin, 1903), vol. VII, 
 p. 1151 et seq. Based on oldest texts of Abot. 
 Textual variants and German translation with 
 notes. Very valuable. 
 
 10. Simeon Singer, Pirke Abot, Ethics of the Fathers, 
 
 in The Authorized Daily Prayer Book. Eighth 
 edition (London, 5668-1908), pp. 184-209. 
 Hebrew text, with an excellent English trans- 
 lation, and a few notes. 
 
 11. Kaim Pollak, Rabbi Nathans System der Ethik 
 
 und Moral (Budapest, 1905). A translation
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 25 
 
 in German, with notes, of Abot de-Rabbi Nalan 
 (Schechter's version A). 
 
 12. Paul Fiebig, Pirque 'aboth, Der Mischnahtrak- 
 
 tat Spriiche der Vdter (Tubingen, 1906). Ger- 
 man translation and notes, with especial refer- 
 ence to the New Testament. The Nachwort, 
 pp. 42-^3, consists of a comparison of Abot 
 with the New Testament, pointing out the 
 likenesses and differences. 
 
 13. Josef ibn Nachmia's, Perush Pirke Abot, Com- 
 
 mentar zu den Pirke Abot . . . nach der Par- 
 maer Handschrift De Rossi Nr. 1402 . . . mit 
 Anmerkungen von M. L. Bamberger (Berlin, 
 1907). 
 
 14. M. Rawicz, Der Commentar der Maimonides zu 
 
 den Spruchen der Vdter, zum ersten Male ins 
 Deutsche ilbertragen (Offenburg [Baden], 1910). 
 Contains "The Eight Chapters" (25). 
 
 15. Sefer Musar, Kommentar zum Mischnatraktat 
 
 Aboth von R. Joseph ben Jehudah. Zum ersten 
 Male herausgegeben von Dr. Wilhelm Bacher. 
 In the Schriften des Vereins Mekize Nirdamim. 
 3. Folge, Nr. 6 (Berlin, 1910). 
 
 16. M. Lehmann, Pirke Aboth, Spriiche der Vdter 
 
 iiberzetzt und erkldrt (Frankfurt a. M., 1909). 
 
 (25) The Eight Chapters is the introduction of Maimonides 
 to his commentary on Abot. Its Hebrew name is Shemonah 
 Perakim. It is a remarkable instance of the harmonious 
 welding of the ethical principles contained in Abot with medi- 
 aeval Aristotelian philosophy.
 
 26 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 17. Jehudah Leb Gordon, Pirke Ahot, in Siddur Bet 
 
 Yehudah (New York, 5672, 1911-1912), pp. 
 106-165. Prayer-book according to the Ash- 
 kenazic rite, with Yiddish translation and 
 notes. Contains biographical sketches of all 
 the authorities mentioned in Abot. 
 
 18. Jules Wolff, Les Huit Chapitres de Maimonide, 
 
 ou Introduction a la Mischna d'Aboth, Maximcs 
 des Peres (de la Synagogue). Traduits de 
 VArabe (Lausanne, Paris, 1912). 
 
 19. Joseph I. Gorfinkle, The Eight Chapters of Mai- 
 
 monides on Ethics, Edited, Annotated, and 
 Translated with an Introduction (New York, 
 1912). Columbia University Oriental Studies, 
 vol. VII (26). 
 
 Homiletical Works 
 
 1. Lazarus Adler, Spriiche der Voter (Fiirth, 1851). 
 
 2. W. Aloys Meisel, Homilien uber die Spriiche der 
 
 Vater (1885). 
 
 3. Alexander Kohut, The Ethics of the Fathers (New 
 
 York, 1885). Translated from the German 
 by Max Cohen. 
 
 General Works 
 
 Abelson, J., The Immanence of God in Rabbinical 
 Literature (London, 1912). 
 
 (26) A list of MSS., editions, translations, and commen- 
 taries of the Eight Chapters, some including Abot, is found 
 on pp. 27-33 of this work.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 27 
 
 Bacher, Wilhelm, (1) Die Agada der Tanaiten, I, II, 
 
 (Strassburg, 1884, 1890). 
 
 (2) Zwei alte Abotkommentare, in Monat- 
 schrift fiir Geschichte und Wiss. d. Judenthums, 
 1095, pp. 637-666; 1906, pp. 248-249. 
 
 Briill, Enstehung und urspriinglicher Inhalt des Trak- 
 tates Abot, in Jahrbiicher filr Jiid. Geschichte 
 und Lit, VII (1885). 
 
 Danziger, Jewish Forerunners of Christianity (New 
 York, 1903). 
 
 Dukes, Rabbinische Blumenlese (Leipzig, 1844), pp. 
 67-84. 
 
 Friedlander, M., The Jewish Religion (London, 
 1902). 
 
 Friedlander, G., The Jewish Sources of the Sermon 
 
 on the Mount (London, 1911). 
 Geiger, Judaism and its History (New York, 1911). 
 Graetz, History of the Jews. 
 Herford, Pharisaism (London, 1912). 
 Hoffmann, Die erste Mischna und die Controversen 
 
 der Tannairn (Berlin, 1882). 
 Isaacs, Stories from the Rabbis (New York, 1893). 
 Jewish Encyclopedia. 
 Josephus, Antiquities. 
 
 Jung, Kritik der sdmtlichen Bilcher Aboth in der 
 
 althebraischen Literatur (Leipzig, 1888). 
 Lazarus, The Ethics of Judaism (Philadelphia, 1900). 
 Lpeb^ (l) La Chaine de la Tradition dans le premier
 
 28 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 Chapitre des Pirke Abot, in Bibliotheque de 
 
 Vecole des hautes Etudes, Sciences religeuses, 
 
 vol. I, pp. 307-322 (Paris, 1889). 
 
 (2) Notes sur le chapitre 7^'' des Pirke Abot, 
 
 in Revue des Etudes Juives, Vol. XIX (1889), 
 
 pp. 188-201. 
 Mielziner, (1) Introduction to the Talmud, second 
 
 edition (New York, 1903). 
 
 (2) Articles Abot and Abot de-R. Natan, in 
 
 Jewish Encyclopedia. 
 Myers, The Story of the Jewish People, I (New York 
 
 and London, 1909). 
 Schechter, Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology (New 
 
 York, 1909). 
 Schiirer, History of the Jewish People in the Time of 
 
 Jesus Christ 127) (New York, 1891), I, i, p. 
 
 124; I, ii, p. 353 et seq.; Ill, ii, p. 30 et seq. 
 Strack, Einleitung in den Talmud, fourth edition 
 
 (Leipzig, 1908). 
 Zimz, (1) Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrdge der Juden 
 
 (Berlin, 1832), p. 101 et seq. 
 
 (2) Die Ritus des Synagogalen Gottesdienstes 
 
 (Berlin, 1859). 
 
 (27) Contains very full bibliographies and has other 
 excellent characteristics, but it is a work that must be used 
 with caution. Its chief fault, according to Schechter, is 
 that it is one of a class of works in which "no attempt is 
 made ... to gain acquaintance with the inner life of the 
 Jewish nation" {Studies, II, pp. 119-120).
 
 SAYINGS OF THE FATHERS 
 
 One of the following chapters is read on each Sabbath from the 
 Sabbath after Passouer until the Sabbath before New Year. 
 
 All Israel (1) have a portion in the world to come, 
 as it is said, " And thy people shall be all righteous; 
 they shall inherit the land (2) for ever, the branch of 
 my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be 
 Clorified" (3). 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 1. Moses received the Torah (4) from Sinai (5), and 
 handed it down to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders 
 
 (1) This does not mean that Israel alone, to the exclusion 
 of other nations, will have a portion in the future world. 
 On the future world (Nan D?iy), see p. 44, n. 21. "The pious 
 of all nations have a portion in the world to come" (Tosefta 
 Sanhedrin, chap. XII; Maimonides, in Mishneh Torah, 1, 
 Hilchot Teshubah, iii, 5) sums up the Rabbinic opinion. 
 
 (2) I.e., the land of everlasting life. 
 
 (3) SanhedrvUfX. (XI), 1; Isaiah Ix, 21. This passage is 
 recited before each chapter. 
 
 (4) The word Torah is usually translated by "law," but 
 it means rather "teaching," "instruction" of any kind, or 
 "doctrine." This term is generally used to designate the 
 Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch, called the "written 
 law" (3n33ti' min), but it is also employed as a designation 
 of the whole of the Old Testament. Besides the "written 
 
 29
 
 30 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 (6), and the elders to the prophets, and the proph- 
 ets dehvered it to the men of the Great Synagogue 
 (7). They said three things, "Be deliberate in 
 
 law," according to tradition, there was also communicated 
 to Moses, on Mt. Sinai, the "oral law" (HS pynK' miD), sup- 
 plementing the former with other laws and maxims, and 
 explaining it. This "oral law" was handed down by word of 
 mouth from generation to generation, but subsequently, after 
 the destruction of the second Temple, it was committed to 
 writing, and constitutes the Mishnah, the Talmud, and the 
 Midrashim. The "oral law" develops, illuminates, and 
 comments upon the "written law." Here, Torah means 
 the "oral law," which Moses communicated to Joshua, 
 Joshua, in turn, to the elders, and so on. See Taylor, Saij- 
 ings of the Jewish Fathers, p. 105 et seq., and 134-135; Fried- 
 lander, The Jewish Religion, p. 136 et seq.; Jewish Encyclo- 
 pedia, arts. Law and Oral Laxv; Schechter, Some Aspects of 
 Rabbinic Theology, Chapter VIII; Strack, Einleitimg, pp. 
 9-10, and Herford, Pharisaism, chapter on "The Theory of 
 Torah," p. 57 et seq. 
 
 (5) I.e., from God. Compare the expression riK'O? HD^n 
 ^JDD, "the law to Moses from Sinai (God)," Peah, II, 6, 
 Eduyot, VIII, 7, etc. 
 
 (6) The elders were the wise men who were the members 
 of the supreme national tribunal. See Joshua XXIV, 31. 
 
 (7) The Great Synagogue, whose establishment, after the 
 return from Babylonian captivity, tradition attributes to 
 Ezra the Scribe, consisted of 120 men, who comprised the 
 highest judicial tribunal, and who occupied a position in the 
 early days of the Temple similar to that of the later San- 
 hedrin. The historical foundation of this tradition is Ne- 
 hemiah VIII-X, in which is recounted the solemn acceptance 
 of the Law by a great assembly of the people. The men of 
 the Great Synagogue appear here in Abot as the depositaries 
 of the tradition of the Torah, coming in the chain between
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 31 
 
 judgment; raise up many disciples; and make a 
 fence about the Torah" (8). 
 
 2. Simon, the Just (9), was of the last survivors 
 
 the last prophets and the earliest scribes. From this chapter 
 and other Rabbinical sources, we gather that the men of the 
 Great Synagogue constituted a sort of college of teachers, 
 one of the last survivors being Simon, the Just (Chapter I, 
 2). Their work was to interpret, teach, and develop the 
 Torah, and to them were ascribed all kinds of legal enact- 
 ments. They instituted the Shemoneh Esreh (the Eighteen 
 Benedictions) and other prayers, and cast the entire ritual 
 into definite shape. They admitted Proverbs, the Song of Songs 
 and Ecclesiastes into the Old Testament canon. A number of 
 modern scholars, notably Kuenen, are of the opinion that 
 this body never existed in the form represented by Jewish 
 tradition (see Schlirer, History, I, ii, pp. 354-355). On the 
 controversy regarding the existence of the Great Synagogue 
 see Schechter, Studies, II, 105-106. Consult Taylor, ibid., 
 pp. 110-111; Graetz, History of the Jews, vol. I, p. 381, 
 394, vol. II, p. 19. For further bibliography, see Strack, 
 Spriiche, p. 11. See especially Herford, Pharisaism, pp. 
 18-28. 
 
 (8) Take measures to prevent the breaking of any of the 
 divine precepts. Thereby, certain things which are in them- 
 selves lawful are prohibited in order to enforce the observ- 
 ance of things the doing of which is unlawful. Compare 
 Leviticus XVIII, 30, "make a mishmeret to my mishmeret" 
 {Yebamot, 21a), and Abot, III, 17, "the Massorah is a fence 
 to the Torah." 
 
 (9) Simon, the Just, son of Onias, was high-priest about 
 300 B.c.E. See Josephus, Antiquities, XII, ii, 5. Consult 
 Sammter, Mischnaioth Ordnung Zeraim (Berlin, 1887), In- 
 troduction, pp. 10-22; Mielziner, Introduction to the Talmud, 
 pp. 22-39; the Jewish Encyclopedia, and Strack, Einleitung, 
 p. 82 et seq., for the lives of the authorities mentioned in 
 Abot and for bibliographies.
 
 32 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 of the Great Synagogue. He used to say, "Upon 
 three things the world rests: upon the Torah, upon 
 the Temple service (10), and upon the doing of 
 acts of kindness" (11). 
 
 3. Antigonus of Soko (12) received (the tradition) 
 from Simon, the Just. He used to say, "Be not 
 like hirelings who work for their master for the sake 
 of receiving recompense; but be like servants who 
 minister to their master without any thought of 
 
 (10) Cf. Nedarim, 32b, "Great is the Torah, for if it did 
 not exist, the heaven and the earth would have no perma- 
 nence." Abodah is the service and sacrifice of the Temple 
 which was then standing. After the destruction of the 
 Temple, this word was used to designate the service of prayer. 
 It is used in one of the benedictions after the reading of the 
 Haftarah: al ha-torah we-al ha-abodah, "for the law and for 
 the divine service," see Prayer-book, ed. Singer, p. 149. See 
 Friedliinder, ibid., p. 413 et seq. 
 
 (11) Dnon n)b'10i "benevolence," "the doing of kind- 
 nesses," consists of ])ractical deeds of personal service, as 
 visiting the sick, Ijurying the dead, comforting mourners, 
 peacemaking, etc. It is greater than ilpDi "charity" in its 
 narrower sense, as benevolence may be shown to the rich 
 as well as to the poor. See Friedlander, ibid., pp. 301-305. 
 On this verse, see Herford, ibid., p. 22 et seq. 
 
 (12) According to Abot de-Rabbi Natan, Chapter V, ed. 
 Schechter, p. 26, Antigonus had two disciples, Zadok and 
 Boethos, from whom arose the Sadducees and the heretical 
 sect of Boethusians, from their misinterpretation of this 
 verse, both denying the doctrines of immortality of the soul 
 and resurrection. See Kohut, The Ethics of the Fathers, p. 
 43; Schiirer, History, II, ii, p. 29 et seq.; Geiger, Judaism 
 and Its History, p. 99 ei seq.; and Jewish Encyclopedia, arts. 
 Boethusians and Sadducees.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 33 
 
 receiving a reward; and let the fear of Heaven (13) 
 be upon you." 
 
 4. Jose, the son of Joezer, of Zeredah, and Jose, 
 the son of Jochanan (14), of Jerusalem received 
 (the tradition) from them (15). Jose, the son of 
 Joezer, of Zeredah said, "Let thy house be a meet- 
 ing-place for the wise; cover thyself with the dust 
 of their feet (16), and drink in their words with 
 thirst." 
 
 5. Jose, the son of Jochanan, of Jerusalem said, 
 "Let thy house be open wide; let the poor be mem- 
 CIS) "The fear of Heaven" does not mean dread of pun- 
 ishment, but rather awe at the greatness and might of God, 
 and is identical with love and service (see Deuteronomy, 
 VI, 13 and X, 12). It is produced by following out the 
 practices ordained in the Torah (Maimonides, Guide for the 
 Perplexed, ed. Friedliinder, p. 392). Consult Friedlander, 
 Jewish Religion, pp. 273-274, the Jewish Encyclopedia, art. 
 Fear of God, and Schechter, Aspects, p. 72. 
 
 (14) In Chagigah, II, 2, we are told that when two leading 
 teachers are named in the Mishnah as having received the 
 Torah, they constitute a "pair" (JIT), the first being the 
 president (K^K'J), and the second the vice-president (0^3 3K 
 |n) of the Sanhedrin. There were five pairs of such teachers, 
 flourishing between 170 and 30 b.c.e., the first being Jose b. 
 Joezer and Jose b. Jochanan, and the last being Hillel and 
 Shammai. See Frankel, Monatschrift, 1852, pp. 405-421, 
 Mielziner, hitroduction, pp. 22-23, and Strack, Spriiche, 
 p. 13. 
 
 (15) Some texts read '-from him" (1JD0). "From them" 
 must refer to disciples of Antigonus whose sayings have been 
 lost. 
 
 (16) It was the custom of pupils to sit at the feet of their 
 teachers.
 
 34 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 bers of thy household, and engage not in much 
 gossip with woman," This apphes to one's own 
 wife; how much more (17), then, to the wife of 
 one's neighbor ? Hence the sages say, "Whoso 
 engages in much gossip with woman brings evil 
 upon himself, neglects the study of the Torah, and 
 will in the end inherit Gekinnom" (18). 
 
 6. Joshua, the son of Perachyah, and Nittai, the 
 Arbelite, received (the tradition) from them, 
 Joshua, the son of Perachyah, said, "Provide thy- 
 self with a teacher, and possess thyself of a com- 
 panion (19); and judge every man in the scale of 
 merit." 
 
 7. Nittai, the Arbelite, said, "Keep aloof from a 
 bad neighbor (20); associate not with the wicked, 
 and abandon not the belief in retribution" (21). 
 
 8. Judah, the son of Tabbai, and Simeon, the son 
 
 (17) On the fcaiti^a-c/iomer," a conclusion a minori ad niajus," 
 see Mielziner, Introduction to the Talmud, p. 130 et seq., and 
 Strack, Einleitung in den Talmud, p. 120. Cf. chapter VI, 3. 
 The equivalent biblical exjiression is ^3 P)N- 
 
 (18) D'Jirp ""J, D^Jn"'J, a glen south of Jerusalem where 
 Moloch was worshipped, whence a place where the wicked 
 were punished in the hereafter; "hell, being the opposite of 
 'the Garden of Eden,' " "paradise." Cf. chapter V, 22 and 
 23. See Friedlander, Jewish Religion, p. 223. 
 
 (19) A fellow-student. 
 
 (20) Cf. chapter II, 14. 
 
 (21) This may mean either that one must not imagine 
 that punishment for evil deeds will not befall him, or when 
 punishment has been meted out, one must not despair of 
 the good.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 35 
 
 of Shatach (22), received (the tradition) from them. 
 Judah, the son of Tabbai, said, "(In the judge's 
 office) act not the counsel's part (23) ; while the 
 litigants are standing before thee, let them be re- 
 garded by thee as guilty, but when they are de- 
 parted from thy presence, regard them as innocent, 
 the verdict having been acquiesced in by them." 
 
 9. Simeon, the son of Shatach, said, "Be very 
 searching in the examination of witnesses (24), and 
 be guarded in thy v/ords, lest through them they 
 learn to lie." 
 
 10. Shemaiah and Abtalion (25) received (the 
 tradition) from them. Shemaiah said, "Love work; 
 hate lordship (26) ; and seek no intimacy with the 
 ruling power" (27). 
 
 11. Abtalion said, "Ye sages, be heedful of your 
 words, lest ye incur the penalty of exile and be 
 exiled to a place of evil waters, and the disciples 
 who come after you drink thereof and die, and the 
 Heavenly Name be profaned" (28). 
 
 (22) Lived about 104-69 b.c.e. He was a leader of the 
 Pharisees at the time of Alexander Jannaeus. 
 
 (23) A judge should be strictly impartial. 
 
 (24) It is related that the son of Simeon b. Shatach was 
 innocently condemned to death, because the witnesses were 
 not carefully cross-questioned. 
 
 (25) Lived about the middle of the first century b.c.e. 
 
 (26) "Woe to leadership, for it buries those who possess 
 it." (Pesachim, 87b.) 
 
 (27) That is, Rome. Avoid office seeking. 
 
 (28) Scholars must be careful in their teaching, lest their 
 disciples misinterpret their words, and thus adopt false doc-
 
 36 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 12. Hillel and Shammai (29) received (the tradi- 
 tion) from them. Hillel said, "Be of the disciples of 
 Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace (30), lov- 
 ing mankind and drawing them nigh to the Torah" 
 (31). 13. He used to say, *' A name made great is a 
 name destroyed (32); he who does not increase 
 (his knowledge) decreases (it); and he who does 
 not study deserves to die; and he who makes a 
 worldly use of the crown (of the Torah) shall waste 
 away." 14. He used to say, " If I am not for myself, 
 who will be for me? But if I care for myself only, 
 what am I? (33). And if not now, when?" 
 
 trines, as was the case with the dis;'i{)les of Anti'j;onu3 of Soke 
 {supra, n. 12). "Evil v. ater.s" may stand fur evil doctrines 
 or evil people. \Micn a teacher went into banishment, he 
 was usually followed by his disciples. Departure from the 
 law is equivalent to death. 
 
 (29) Hillel and Sliaininai, the most renowned of the "pairs" 
 (niJIT), lived about 100 years before tlie destruction of the 
 Temple. Each was the founder of a school, Bel Hillel and 
 Bet Shammai, beinp; generally opposed to one another in the 
 interpretation of the Torah. Hillel was the embodiment of 
 humility, gentleness, and kindness; Shammai was irritable, 
 and lacked gentleness and patience. The former's most 
 celebrated saying is, "What is hateful to thee do not unto 
 thy fellow man; this is the whole Tnrah, the rest is mere 
 commentary." See Bacher, Agada der Tanailen', Schiirer, 
 History, 1, "\, p. 359 et seq.; Myers, Story of the Jewish People, 
 I, p. 136 et scq.; Geiger, Judaism and its History, p. 113 et seq. 
 
 (30) Psalm XXIV, 15: "Seek peace and pursue it." 
 
 (31) Draw men to the Torah by good example, not by 
 endeavoring to make converts. 
 
 (32) He who seeks a name loses fame. 
 
 (33) Be self-reliant, but n^-t. selfish.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 37 
 
 15. Shammai said, "Set a fixed time for thy 
 (study of) Torah; say little and do much (34); 
 and receive all men with a cheerful countenance." 
 
 16. Rabban (35) Gamaliel said, "Provide thy- 
 self with a teacher; be quit of doubt (36); and 
 accustom not thyself to give tithes (37) by a con- 
 jectural estimate." 
 
 17. Simeon (38), his son, said, "All my days I 
 have grown up amongst the wise, and I have found 
 nothing better for man than silence (39) ; not learn- 
 ing but doing is the chief thing (40); and whoso 
 multiplies words causes sin" (41). 
 
 (34) Or "promise little." Be like Abraham, who prom- 
 ised only bread, but brought "a calf tender and good" 
 (Genesis XVIII, 5 and 7). 
 
 (35) "Our teacher," "our master," a title given only to 
 the presidents of the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel being the first to 
 be thus known. GamaUel was a grandson of Hillel and a 
 teacher of Paul. See Strack, Einleitung, p. 85. 
 
 (36) Establish over you the authority of a teacher, to hold 
 you from the clutch of doubt (Kohut). 
 
 (37) There were three kinds of tithes (the tenth part of 
 anything): (a) "the first tithe" (maaser rishon), given to 
 the Levites; (b) "the second tithe" {maaser sheni), taken 
 to Jerusalem and consumed there by the owner and his fam- 
 ily; and (c) the tithe paid to the poor {maaser ani). See 
 Leviticus XXVII, 30 et seq., Numbers XVIII, 21-24, and 
 Deuteronomy XIV, 22-29; also Tractates Maasrot and Maaser 
 Sheni of the Mishnah. Consult Babbs, The Law of Tithes. 
 
 (38) Simeon ben Gamaliel I lived at the time of the war 
 with Rome. See Josephus, Jewish Wars, IV, 3, 9. 
 
 (39) Cf. chapter III, 17. 
 
 (40) Where words fail, deeds tell. . Non scholae sed vitae. 
 
 (41) Cf. Proverbs X, 19.
 
 38 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 18. Rabban Simeon, the son of Gamaliel (42), 
 said, "By three things is the world preserved (43); 
 by truth, by judgment, and by peace, as it is said, 
 'Judge ye the truth and the judgment of peace in 
 your gates ' ' ' (44) . 
 
 Rabbi Chanania (45), the son of Akashia, said, 
 " The Holy One, blessed be He, was pleased to make 
 Israel worthy; wherefore He gave them a copious 
 Torah and many commandments, as it is said, ' It 
 pleased the Lord, for his righteousness' sake, to 
 magnify the Torah and make it honorable' " (46). 
 
 (42) Rabban Simeon II, son of Gamaliel II (80-115'C.e.) 
 and grandson of Simeon (verse 17). 
 
 (43) Cf. chapter I, 2. Torah, Temple service, and benevo- 
 lence are the foundations and, at the same time, the aims 
 of the world. Truth, judgment, and peace maintain the 
 world's permanency. 
 
 (44) Zechariah VIII, 16. 
 
 (45) This saying did not belong originally to Abot, but 
 was taken from Makkot, III, 16. According to Goldschmidt, 
 it was introduced into the Mishnah from the separate editions, 
 and then found its way into the Talmudical texts of Abot, 
 This verse is recited at the end of each chapter. See Rawicz, 
 Commentar des Maimonides, p. 114, n. 1. 
 
 (46) Isaiah, xlii, 21.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 "All Israel," etc., p. 29. 
 
 1. Rabbi (1) said, "Which is the right course 
 that a man should choose for himself ? (2) That 
 which is a pride to him who pursues it and which also 
 brings him honor from mankind. Be as scrupulous 
 about a light precept as about a grave one, for thou 
 knowest not the grant of reward for each precept. 
 Reckon the loss incurred by the fulfilment of a 
 precept against the reward secured by its observ- 
 ance (3), and the gain gotten by a transgression 
 
 (1) Rabbi Judah (135-220 c.e.), son of Simeon (chapter 
 I, 18), was known as "Rabbi," as a mark of distinction, 
 owing to the fact that he was the chief reviser and compiler 
 of the Mishnah. Earlier compilers of the Mishnah had been 
 Hillel, Akiba, and R. Meir. Rabbi Judah was also known 
 as Rabbenu (our Master), ha-Nasi (the Prince), and ha- 
 Kodesh (the Holy). He is said to have died on the day that 
 Akiba met his death at the hands of the Romans. See Dan- 
 ziger, Jewish Forerunners of Christianity, pp. 242-274, Myers, 
 Story of the Jewish People, I, 210-222, and Strack, Einlei- 
 tung in den Talmud, p. 96. 
 
 (2) Maimonides interprets this verse as meaning to pur- 
 sue a medium course between two equally bad extremes, the 
 too much and the too little. On this subject, see his celebrated 
 fourth chapter of the Shemonah Perakim {The Eight Chapters) 
 on the "mean"; ed. Gorfinkle, p. 54, et seq. 
 
 (3) I.e., the loss in this world as against the reward in the 
 
 39
 
 40 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 against the loss it involves. Consider three things, 
 that thou mayest not come within the power of 
 sin (4). Know what is above thee — a seeing eye, 
 and a hearing ear, and all thy deeds written in a 
 book" (5). 
 
 2, Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah, 
 the Prince, said, "Excellent is the study of Tor ah 
 combined with some worldly pursuit (6), for the 
 effort demanded by them both makes sin to be for- 
 gotten. All study of Torah without work must at 
 
 future world. On the Rabbinic idea of reward and punish- 
 ment, see Schechter, Aspects, pp. 162-163, and Herford, 
 Pharisaism, p. 267 el seq. 
 
 (4) Cf. chapter III, 1. No deeds, great or small, are lost 
 sight of by God. 
 
 (5) On the divine books or book, see Exodus XXXII, 35. 
 Malachi III, 16, and Daniel VII, 10, etc. The heavenly 
 "Book of Life" is prominently mentioned in the ritual of 
 the New Year and the Day of Atonement, especially in the 
 celebrated prayer, U-netanneh Tokef of Rabbi Amnon of 
 Mayence. The New Year's greeting, "May you be inscribed 
 for a happy year!" is evidence of the popularity of the idea 
 of a divine book in which the fate of man is written. See 
 the Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Book of Life. 
 
 (6) The expression Talmud Torah (lit., "study of the 
 Law") means the study of all sacred learning. The word 
 Torah, here, is to be construed in its broadest sense. See 
 chapter I, n. 4. Such study was one of the duties to which 
 no limit was fixed (Peah I, 1). The ex-pression |*^N "I"!! 
 means "good manners" (chapter III, 21), or "worldly busi- 
 ness," or "care" (chapter III, 6), according to the context. 
 Study combined with some trade or profession is, according 
 to R. Gamaliel, the proper thing. See chapter IV, n. 24.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 41 
 
 length be futile, and leads to sin (7). Let all who 
 are employed with the congregation act with them 
 for Heaven's sake, for then the merit of their fathers 
 sustains them, and their righteousness endures for 
 ever (8). And as for you (God will then say), 'I 
 account you worthy of great reward, as if you had 
 wrought it all yourselves.' 3. Be on your guard 
 against the ruling power (9) ; for they who exercise 
 it draw no man near to them except for their own 
 interests; appearing as friends when it is to their 
 own advantage, they stand not by a man in the 
 hour of his need." 4. He used to say, ''Do His will 
 as if it were thy will, that He may do thy will as if 
 it were His will. Nullify thy will before His will, 
 that Hemay nullify the will of others before thy will." 
 5. Hillel (10) said, "Separate not thyself from 
 the congregation (11); trust not in thyself until 
 
 (7) Cf. Kiddushin, 29a, "He who does not teach his son 
 a trade teaches him to be a thief." 
 
 (8) In every community, the work and goodness of past 
 generations Hve in the present, and the good that the com- 
 munity does in the present will live on in the future. On 
 the "merit of the fathers" (ni2N 0131), see Schechter, So7ne 
 Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, chapter XII, especially pp. 
 175-177, where this passage is quoted. 
 
 (9) This verse is directed toward the leaders of the com- 
 munity. Cf. above, chapter I, 10. 
 
 (10) The chain of traditional sayings is continued here 
 from chapter I, 14, with other maxima of Hillel. See Intro- 
 duction, p. 17. 
 
 (11) I.e., share its weal and woe. Cf. Taanit, 11a, "He 
 who does not join the community in times of danger and 
 trouble will never enjoy the divine blessing."
 
 42 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 the day of thy death (12); judge not thy neighbor 
 until thou art come into his place; and say not 
 anjrthing which cannot be understood at once, in 
 the hope that it will be understood in the end (13) ; 
 neither say, 'When I have leisure I will study'; 
 perchance thou wilt have no leisure." 6. He used 
 to say, "An empty-headed man cannot be a sin- 
 fearing man, nor can an ignorant person (14) be 
 
 (12) One should constantly be on guard against oneself. 
 The Talmud {Berachot, 29a) illustrates this saying by re- 
 ferring to a certain Jochanan, who, after having been high- 
 priest for eighty years, became a heretic. 
 
 (13) This verse may be variously translated and inter- 
 preted. Its translation here is in accordance with the in- 
 terpretation of Maimonides. Do not express yourself in 
 such a way that your words may be understood only after 
 careful study and deep thought, but let them be clear and 
 intelligible. 
 
 (14) The word 113 means " uncultivated " ("lin ni^ "an un- 
 cultivated field"). It is used of an ignorant, uncultured, man- 
 nerless person, possessing no moral or spiritual virtues. Tay- 
 lor translates it by " boor." yiiiil Dy, hterally " people of the 
 land," "country people," is applied to an individual who 
 may possess good manners, and may be htcrate, but who has 
 no religious knowledge, nor training, nor does not observe 
 religious customs. Taylor renders it "vulgar." Mayer 
 Sulzberger maintains that this term was applied to an assem- 
 bly of representatives of the people constituting a body 
 similar to the modem Parliament, and divided into a lower 
 and upper house. See his "The Am Ha-arelz, The Ancienl 
 Hebrew Parliament." On the Am ha-areiz and his opposite 
 the chaber, see Schiirer, History, II, ii, pp. 8, 9 and pp. 22 et 
 seq., also Herford, ibid., pp. 46-47.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 43 
 
 pious, nor can a shamefaced man (15) learn, nor a 
 passionate man (16) teach, nor can one who is 
 engaged overmuch in business grow wise (17). In 
 a place where there are no men, strive to be a man" 
 (18). 7. Moreover, he once saw a skull floating 
 on the surface of the water. He said to it, "Be- 
 cause thou didst drown (others) they have drowned 
 thee, and at the last they that drowned thee shall 
 themselves be drowned" (19). 8. He used to say, 
 "The more flesh, the more worms; the more prop- 
 erty, the more anxiety; the more women, the more 
 witchcraft; the more maid-servants, the more 
 lewdness; the more men-servants, the more rob- 
 bery; the more Tor ah, the more life (20); the more 
 schooling, the more wisdom; the more counsel, 
 the more understanding; the more charity, the 
 more peace. He who has acquired a good name 
 has acquired it for himself; he who has acquired 
 
 (15) I.e., he who is ashamed to ask questions for fear of 
 exposing his ignorance. 
 
 (16) He who has no patience to answer all the questions 
 of his pupils. 
 
 (17) Cf. chapter IV, 12. One of the quaUfications neces- 
 sary for the acquirement of the Torah is moderation in busi- 
 ness. 
 
 (18) Do not boldly push j^ourself forward; but where 
 there is no one to fill the position of teacher or leader, or to 
 be the head of the community, and you have the qualifica- 
 tions, do not shrink from being the man. 
 
 (19) Retribution is sure. Cf. Sanhedrin, 100a and Sotah, 
 9b, "With what measure a man measures, is it measured 
 unto him." 
 
 (20) Cf. Prov. Ill, 1 and 2.
 
 44 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 for himself words of Torah has acquired for him- 
 self life in the world to come" (21). 
 
 9. Rabban Jochanan, the son of Zakkai (22), 
 received (the tradition) from Hillel and Shammai. 
 He used to say, ''If thou hast learnt much Torah, 
 ascribe not any merit to thyself, for thereunto wast 
 thou created." 
 
 10. Rabban Jochanan, the son of Zakkai, had 
 five disciples (23), and these are they: Rabbi Elie- 
 zer, the son of Hyrcanus; Rabbi Joshua, the son of 
 
 (21) The expression "the world to come" may mean the 
 Messianic days, the time after the Messianic era, the days 
 after the resurrection, or the spiritual hereafter. Maimonides 
 discusses at length the various theories, in Perek Chelek (Com- 
 mentary on Sanhedrin, X, 1), which has been translated into 
 EngUsh by J. Abelson, in the Jewish Quarterly Review (Lon- 
 don), vol. XXIX, p. 28 et seq. See also The Hebrew Review 
 (London, 1840), p. 254 et seq. Consult Schtirer, History, 
 II, ii, 92. 
 
 (22) Rabban Jochanan ben Zakkai was known as the least 
 of the disciples of Hillel. He was a contemporary of the 
 historian Josephus. Escaping in a coffin from Jerusalem, 
 when it was besieged by the Roman general Vespasian, and 
 predicting the latter's elevation to the imperial dignity, 
 Jochanan was allowed by Vespasian to go to Jabneh (Jamnia), 
 where he founded the celebrated academy which became the 
 centre of learning in Palestine, as Jerusalem had previously 
 been. He was the most important scribe in the first decade 
 after the destru(;tion of the Temple (70 c.e.). See Strack, 
 Einleitung in den Talmud, p. 86 el seq., Bacher, Agada dcr 
 Tanaiten, pp. 25-46, Myers, Story of the Jewish People, I, pp. 
 151-160, and Danziger, Jewish Forerunners of Christianity, 
 pp. 55-72. 
 
 (23) Of special excellence.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 45 
 
 Han'aniah (24); Rabbi Jose, the Priest; Kabbi 
 Simeon, the son of Nataniel; and Rabbi Eleazar, 
 the son of Arach, 11. He used thus to recount 
 their praise: "Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus, is a 
 cemented cistern, which loses not a drop (25); 
 Joshua, the son of Hananiah, happy is she that bare 
 him (26) ; Jose, the Priest, is a pious man (27) ; 
 Simeon, the son of Nataniel, is a fearer of sin; 
 Eleazar, the son of Arach, is like a spring flowing 
 with ever-sustained vigor" (28). 12. He used to 
 say, "If all the sages of Israel were in one scale of 
 the balance, and Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus, in the 
 other, he would outweigh them all." Abba Saul 
 (29) said in his name, "If all the sages of Israel 
 were in one scale of the balance, and Eliezer, the 
 son of Hyrcanus, also with them, and Eleazar, the 
 son of Arach, in the other scale, he would outweigh 
 them all." 13. He said to them, "Go forth and see 
 
 (24) On the life of R. Joshua (40-130 c.e.), sec Bacher, 
 ibid., 129-194, Myers, ibid., 161-170, Danziger, ibid., 122-151. 
 
 (25) He forgets nothing he has learned. On R. Eliezer, 
 see Danziger, ibid., 91-121. 
 
 (26) When yet a child in the cradle, his mother took him 
 into the synagogue that he might thus early hear the words 
 of the Torah. 
 
 (27) A chasid (TDH), "saint," is one who does more than 
 the strict letter of the law requires. See Schechter, Studies, 
 II, jjp. 148-181, idem, Aspects, p. 209, Rawicz, Comvientar 
 des Maimonides, pp. 95-96, and Gorfinkle, The Eight Chapters, 
 pp. 60-62. 
 
 (28) "A welHng spring" (Taylor). 
 
 (29) He lived in the first half of the second century, c.e.
 
 46 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 which is the good way to which a man should 
 cleave." R. Eliezer said, "A good eye" (30); 
 R. Joshua said, "A good friend"; R. Jose said, 
 "A good neighbor" (31); R. Simeon said, "One 
 who foresees the fruit of an action" (32); R. Elea- 
 zar said, "A good heart." Thereupon he said to 
 them, "I approve of the words of Eleazar, the son 
 of Arach, rather than your words, for in his words 
 yours are included" (33). 14. He said to them, 
 " Go forth and see which is the evil way that a man 
 should shun." R. Eliezer said, "An evil eye" 
 (34); R, Joshua said, "A bad friend"; R. Jose 
 said, " A bad neighbor " ; R. Simeon said, " One who 
 borrows and does not repay — it is the same whether 
 one borrows from man or from the Omnipresent 
 (35); as it is said, 'The wicked borroweth, and 
 
 (30) I.e., an eye that looks upon people with benevolence 
 and kind feelings, free from envy and ill-will. 
 
 (31) A good friend is one who induces his associate to 
 study Torah, and who reproves him when he sees him doing 
 wrong. The passage means not so much to gain a good 
 friend as to be a good friend. 
 
 (32) One who balances the present against the future. 
 
 (33) The heart was considered the seat of all moral and 
 spiritual functions. See Schechter, Aspects, p. 255 et seq. 
 
 (34) Denotes niggardliness, envy, or jealousy. 
 
 (35) I.e., one who lacks foresight and incurs responsibili- 
 ties he is unable to meet borrows from God, as all wealth 
 belongs to Him, and men are merely His stewards. The 
 word DIpD, literally "place," "space," was used to designate 
 Jerusalem, or the Temple, as being the place where God's 
 spirit dwells; or it may also refer to the divine court of the 
 Sanhedrin. It then came to be used as an appellative for
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 47 
 
 payeth not again, but the righteous dealeth gra- 
 ciously and giveth' " (36); R, Eleazar said, "A 
 bad heart." Thereupon he said to them, "I ap- 
 prove of the words of Eleazar, the son of Arach, 
 rather than your words, for in his words yours are 
 included." 
 
 15. They each said three things. R. Eliezer 
 said, "Let thy friend's honor be as dear to thee as 
 thine own (37); be not easily excited to anger; 
 and repent one day before thy death" (38). And 
 (he further said), "Warm thyself by the fire of the 
 wise; but beware of their glowing coals, lest thou 
 be burnt, for their bite is the bite of the fox, and 
 their sting is the scorpion's sting, and their hiss is 
 the serpent's hiss, and all their words are like coals 
 of fire" (39). 16. R. Joshua said, "The evil eye, 
 
 God. As Schechter remarks, "The term is mainly indica- 
 tive of God's ubiquity in the world and can best be trans- 
 lated by 'Omnipresent.' " See Hoffmann, Sanhedrin VI, note 
 56, Taylor, Sayings, p. 53, note 42, and Schechter, Aspects, 
 pp. 26-27, where the literature on this subject is given. See 
 also Friedliinder, The Jewish Religion, p. 287, and the Jewish 
 Encyclopedia, art. Names of God. 
 
 (36) Psahn XXXVII, 21. 
 
 (37) Of. chapter IV, 15. 
 
 (38) Man should repent every day of his life, for he knows 
 not on what day he may die {Shabbat, 153a). 
 
 (39) One who wishes to warm himseK remains a certain 
 distance away from the fire; if he approaches too near, he 
 is burned; so, do not endeavor to become too intimate with 
 the wise, as their opinion of you may change to your detri- 
 ment. The "bite," the "sting," and the "hiss" represent the 
 terribleness of the looks of the wise who have been angered.
 
 48 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 the evil inclination (40), and hatred of his fellow- 
 creatures (41), put a man out of the world." 17. R. 
 Jose said, "Let the property of thy friend be as 
 dear to thee as thine own; prepare thyself for the 
 study of Tor ah, since the knowledge of it is not an 
 inheritance of thine, and let all thy deeds be done 
 in the name of God" (42). 18. R. Simeon said, 
 "Be careful in reading the Shema (43) and the 
 Amidah (44); and when thou pray est, consider not 
 
 (40) Passion, evil nature, or evil imagination. 
 
 (41) Misanthropy. 
 
 (42) In making man's highest ideal the comprehension of 
 God, Maimonides, in the Shemonah Perakim, supports his 
 view by referring to the latter part of this verse. He says, 
 "The sages of blessed memory, too, have summed up this 
 idea in so few words and so concisely, at the same time eluci- 
 dating the whole matter with such complete thoroughness, 
 that when one considers the brevity with which they express 
 this great and mighty thought in its entirety, about which 
 others have written whole books and yet without adequately 
 explaining it, one truly recognizes that the Rabbis undoubtedly 
 spoke through divine inspiration. This saying is found 
 among their precepts, and is, "Let all thy deeds be done in 
 the name of God." See Gorfinkle, The Eight Chapters, p. 73. 
 
 (43) This prayer consists of three portions of the Pen- 
 tateuch (Deut. VI, 4-9; XI, 13-21; Num. XV, 37^1), 
 and gets its name from the initial word of the first portion. 
 It is appointed to be read twice daily, in the morning and 
 in the evening. On the time when the Shema is to be read, 
 see Berachot I, 1. See Schiirer, History, II, ii, 77, 83 et seq.; 
 Friedliinder, Jewish Religion, pp. 430, 435; Jewish Encyclo- 
 pedia, art. Shema, and Ailler, in the Jewish Review (London, 
 1910), vol. I, number 2, p. 159. 
 
 (44) An important part of the ritual said at the daily 
 morning, afterneon, and evening service, and also at the ad-
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 49 
 
 thy prayer as a fixed (mechanical) task, but as (an 
 appeal for) mercy and grace before the All-present, 
 as it is said, 'For he is gracious and full of mercy, 
 slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness, 
 and repenteth him of the evil' (45); and be not 
 wicked in thine own esteem" (46). 19. R. Eleazar 
 said, "Be diligent in studying Torah, and know 
 what answer to give to the unbeliever (47); know 
 
 ditional service on Sabbaths and holy days, is known as 
 (1) Tefillah (prayer), or (2) Shemoneh Esreh (eighteen), or 
 (3) Amidah (standing). It is known as Tefillah because it 
 is considered the prayer par excellence; as Shemoneh Esreh 
 because originally it consisted of eighteen prayers (now 
 nineteen); and as Amidah (by Sephardic Jews) because it 
 must be said standing. The Shema and the Shem/)neh Esreh 
 have been appropriately styled the "two pillars of the fabric 
 of the liturgy." See Schiirer, ibid.; Friedlander, ibid., pp. 
 430, 437; in the Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Shemoneh Esreh; 
 Schechter, Studies, II, pp. 67-68; Adler, ibid., p. 159; and 
 Herford, ibid., pp. 298-299. 
 
 (45) Joel II, 13. 
 
 (46) Do not do what your conscience tells you is wrong, 
 even though it does not appear to others as such; or, do not 
 sin in secret, thinking that you will escape punishment 
 because others do not see you. 
 
 (47) Apikuros is a term originally used to designate a 
 follower of the philosopher Epicurus, whose axiom was that 
 "happiness or enjoyment is the summum bonum of life." 
 Later, this word was used by the Rabbis to designate a free- 
 thinker, a heretic, an unbeliever, or a despiser of the Law, 
 Jewish or non-Jewish. Josephus {Antiquities, X, 11, 7, ed. 
 Whiston-Margohouth, p. 300) describes the Epicureans as 
 those "who cast providence out of human life, and do not 
 believe that God takes care of the affairs of the world, nor 
 that the universe is governed and continued in being by
 
 60 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 also before whom thou toilest, and who thy Em- 
 ployer is, who will pay thee the reward of thy labor." 
 
 20. Rabbi Tarfon (48) said, "The day is short, 
 the task is great (49), the laborers are sluggish, the 
 reward is much, and the Master of the house (50) 
 is urgent." 21. He used also to say, "It is not thy 
 duty to complete the work, but neither art thou 
 free to desist from it; if thou hast studied much 
 Torah, much reward will be given thee; and faith- 
 ful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy 
 labor; and know that the grant of reward unto the 
 righteous will be in the time to come" (51). 
 
 "Rabbi Chanania," etc., p. 38. 
 
 that blessed and immortal nature, but say that the world 
 is carried along of its own accord without a ruler and a 
 curator." Maimonides, in his commentary on Sanhedrin, 
 X, 1, derives the word from the Hebrew, IpDH, "freedom," 
 and defines it as one who refuses obedience to the Law. 
 Schechter {Studies in Judaism, I, p. 158) says, "It implies 
 rather a frivolous treatment of the words of Scripture and 
 tradition." See the Jetvish Encyclopedia, art. Apikuros, and 
 Barton, Ecclesiastes, p. 41. This verse may also be ren- 
 dered, "Study Torah, and also know (yil) how to answer 
 an unbeliever," meaning that first one should study Torah 
 and Talmud, and then give his time to learning other knowl- 
 edge, so as to be able to refute those who stray from the truth. 
 
 (48) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai's five dis- 
 ciples and of Akiba. See Bacher, ibid., pp. 348-358, and 
 Meyer, ibid., p. 179. 
 
 (49) The day, i.e., the Ufe of man, is brief. Art is long, 
 but life is short. (50) I.e., God. 
 
 (51) A man cannot finish the work of the world, yet he 
 must not yield to idleness and despair, but must do his share 
 to the bept of his abiUty. His reward will come in the future.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 "All Israel," etc., p. 29. 
 
 1. Akabia (l), the son of Mahalalel, said, "Con- 
 sider three things, and thou wilt not come within 
 the power of sin (2) : know whence thou earnest, 
 and whither thou art going, and before whom thou 
 wilt in the future have to give an account and 
 reckoning (3). Whence thou earnest: from a fetid 
 drop; whither thou art going: to a place of dust, 
 worms, and maggots (4); and before whom thou 
 wilt in the future have to give an account and 
 reckoning: before the Supreme King of kings, the 
 Holy One, blessed be He." 
 
 (1) He lived about the middle of the first century. 
 
 (2) Cf. chapter II, 1. 
 
 (3) Compare with this saying the exposition by Akiba of 
 Eccl. XII, 1 : T'N-lU-nK IIDTI "but remember thy creator." 
 Playing upon the word "I^N"l13, he says, "Remember thy 
 source ("I"1N3), thy grave ("IIH), and thy creator ("]N13)," 
 Kohelet Rabbah, ad. loc. If man thinks of whence he comes, 
 he is rendered humble; if he reflects upon whither he is 
 going, he prizes worldly things Ughtly; and if he considers 
 Him before whom he must give an account, he obeys God's 
 laws. 
 
 (4) Cf. Job XXV, 6: "How much less the mortal, the 
 mere worm (riDI) ? and the son of the earth, the mere mag- 
 got (nypin) ?" can be pure in God's eyes. 
 
 51
 
 52 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 2. R. Chanina, the Vice-High-Priest (5), said, 
 ''Pray for the welfare of the government, since but 
 for the fear thereof men would swallow each other 
 alive" (6). 
 
 3. R. Chananiah, the son of Teradion (7), said, 
 "If two sit together and interchange no words of 
 Torah, they are a meeting of scorners, concerning 
 whom it is said, 'The godly man sitteth not in the 
 seat of the scorners ' (8) ; but if two sit together and 
 interchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence (9) 
 
 (5) Chief of the priests, adjutant high-priest. The segan 
 was next in rank to the high-priest. None could be appointed 
 high-priest unless he had occupied the office of the segan 
 (Palestinian Talmud, Yoma, III, 41a, top). According to 
 Schiirer, he was "the captain of the Temple," whose duty 
 it was to superintend arrangements for keeping order in and 
 around the Temple. He was also present at all important 
 functions in which the high-priest took part, such as the 
 drawing of lots in the case of the two goats on Yom Kippur 
 (Yoma III, 9, IV, 1); when reading from the Torah {Yoma, 
 VII, 1; Solah VII, 7, 8), and when offering the daily sacrifice 
 {Tamid VII, 3). Rabbi Chanina was the last to bear this 
 title, his son being known as Simeon ben ha-Segan. See 
 Bacher, Agada der Tanaiten, pp. 55-58, Schiirer, History, 
 II, i, 257-259. 
 
 (6) Cf: Jer. XXIX, 7, "And seek the peace of the city 
 whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and 
 pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye 
 have peace," and Abodah Zarah, 3b. 
 
 (7) He hved about 120 c.e. He was the father of Beru- 
 riah, the wife of Rabbi Meir. 
 
 (8) Ps. I, 1. Verse 2 of this psalm continues, "But his 
 delight is in the Law of the Lord." 
 
 (9) nJOK' literally "dwelling," is a name appUed to God
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 53 
 
 abides among them; as it is said, 'Then they that 
 feared the Lord spake one with the other: and the 
 Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remem- 
 brance was written before Him, for them that 
 feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name,' 
 (10). Now the Scripture enables me to draw this 
 inference in respect to two persons; whence can it 
 be deduced that if even one person sedulously occu- 
 pies himself with the Torah, the Holy One, blessed 
 be He, appoints unto him a reward? Because it is 
 said, 'Though he sit alone, and meditate in still- 
 ness, yet he taketh it (the reward) upon him' " (11). 
 4. R. Simeon (12) said, "If three have eaten at 
 a table and have spoken there no words of Torah, 
 it is as if they had eaten of sacrifices to dead idols, 
 of whom it is said, 'For all their tables are full of 
 vomit and filthiness; the All-present is not (in 
 their thoughts)' (13). But if three have eaten at 
 
 when He is spoken of as dwelling among men. See Schechter, 
 Aspects, en passim; Abelson, Immanence of God, p. 77 et seq. 
 
 (10) Mai. Ill, 16. 
 
 (11) Lam. Ill, 27. 
 
 (12) Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai lived about the middle of 
 the second century c.e., and was a pupil of Akiba. See 
 Danziger, ibid., pp. 211-241. He was long thought to be 
 the author of the well-known kabbalistic work Zohar, which 
 was, however, probably WTitten in the thirteenth century by 
 Moses Shem Tob de Leon. See the Jewish Encyclopedia, 
 art. Zohar; Graetz, History, IV, p. 11 et seq.; Schechter, 
 Studies, I, pp. 18, 19, 133; and H. SperUng, in Aspects of the 
 Hebrew Genius, p. 165 et seq. 
 
 (13) Isa. XXVIII, 8. The literal interpretation of •'?3 
 DIpD is, there is "no place" clean of defilement; but the word
 
 54 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 a table and have spoken there words of Torah, it is 
 as if they had eaten at the table of the All-present, 
 for Scripture says, 'And he said unto me, This is 
 the table that is before the Lord' " (14). 
 
 5. R. Chanina, the son of Hakinai (15), said, 
 "He who keeps awake at night, and goes on his 
 way alone, while turning his heart to vanity, such 
 a one forfeits his own life" (16). 
 
 6. R. Nechunya, son of ha-Kanah (17), said, 
 "Whoso receives upon himself the yoke of the Torah, 
 from him the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of 
 worldly care will be removed (18), but whoso breaks 
 off from him the yoke of the Torah, upon him will 
 be laid the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of 
 worldly care." 
 
 7. R. Chalafta, the son of Dosa (19), of the vil- 
 lage of Chanania said, "When ten people sit to- 
 gether and occupy themselves with the Torah, the 
 
 DIpD being used to designate God (see above, chapter II, n. 
 35), suggests the interpretation, " without mention of the 
 name of God." 
 
 (14) Ezek. XLI, 22. 
 
 (15) He hved about 120 c.e., and was a pupil of Akiba. 
 See Bacher, ibid., 436 et seq. 
 
 (16) Even the sleepless man and the solitary traveller 
 must turn their thoughts to the Torah. 
 
 (17) He lived about 80 c.e. See Bacher, ibid., pp. 
 58-61. 
 
 (18) The "yoke of the kingdom" refers to the taxes and 
 burdens exacted by the government; the "yoke of worldly 
 care" is anxiety of the struggle for existence. 
 
 (19) He was probably a disciple of R. Meir. See below, 
 n. 32.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 55 
 
 Shechinah (20) abides among them, as it is said, 
 'God standeth in the congregation (21) of the 
 godly' (22). And whence can it be shown that the 
 same applies to five? Because it is said, 'He hath 
 founded his band (23) upon the earth' (24). And 
 whence can it be shown that the same applies to 
 three? Because it is said, 'He judgeth among the 
 judges' (25). And whence can it be shown that 
 the same applies to two? Because it is said, 'Then 
 they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; 
 and the Lord hearkened, and heard' (26), And 
 whence can it be shown that the same applies even 
 to one? Because it is said, 'In every place where I 
 cause my name to be remembered I will come unto 
 thee and I will bless thee' " (27). 
 
 (20) See above, n. 9. 
 
 (21) An edah, "assembly," "congregation," "prayer- 
 meeting," consists of at least ten persons {Megillah, 23b). 
 See Sulzberger, The Ancient Hebrew Parliament, chapter I. 
 
 (22) Ps. LXXXII, 1. 
 
 (23) An agudah (Ut., "bundle," "bunch"), "bond," 
 "union," is constituted of at least five, though some author- 
 ities maintain that it stands for three. See Taylor, Sayings, 
 p. 46, n. 15. This word is used in the name of a number of 
 Jewish societies whose members bind themselves to brotherly 
 love and mutual assistance, as Agudat Achim, "United 
 Brethren," etc. 
 
 (24) Amos IX, 6. 
 
 (25) Ps. LXXXII, 1. Every bet din, "judicial tribunal," 
 consisted of at least three members {Sanhedrin, 3b). 
 
 (26) Mai. Ill, 16. 
 
 (27) Ex. XX, 24.
 
 56 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 8. R. Eleazar of Bertota (28) said, "Give unto 
 Him of what is His, for thou and thine are His: 
 this is also found expressed by David, who said, 
 'For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own we 
 have given Thee' " (29). 
 
 9. R. Jacob said, " He who is walking by the way 
 and studying, and breaks off his study and says, 
 'How fine is that tree, how fine is that fallow,' him 
 the Scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life" 
 (30). _ ._ 
 
 10. R. Dostai (31), the son of Jannai, said in the 
 name of R. Meir (32), "Whoso forgets one word of 
 his study, him the Scripture regards as if he had 
 forfeited his life, for it is said, 'Only take heed to 
 thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou for- 
 get the things which thine eyes have seen' (33). 
 Now, one might suppose (that the same result fol- 
 lows) even if a man's study has been too hard for 
 him. (To guard against such an inference), it is 
 said, *And lest they depart from thy heart all the 
 
 (28) He lived during the second century c.e. See Bacher, 
 ibid., pp. 442-44.5. 
 
 (29) I Chron. XXIX, 14. 
 
 (30) One must not interrupt his studies even to admire 
 the beauties of nature. 
 
 (31) He lived about 160 c.e. 
 
 (32) Rabbi Meir was the celebrated pupil of Akiba. His 
 wife was the well-known Beruriah. On his interesting 
 career, see Blumenthal, Rabbi Meir, Myers, The Story of the 
 Jewish People, I, pp. 189-204, and Danziger, Jewish Fore- 
 runners of Christianity, pp. 185-210. 
 
 (33) Deut. IV, 9.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 57 
 
 days of thy life' (34). Thus a person's guilt is not 
 established until he deliberately and of set purpose 
 removes those lessons from his heart." 
 
 11. R. Chanina, the son of Dosa (35), said, "He 
 in whom the fear of sin precedes wisdom, his wis- 
 dom shall endure; but he in whom wisdom comes 
 before the fear of sin, his wisdom will not endure" 
 (36). 12. He used to say, "He whose works ex- 
 ceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he 
 whose wisdom exceeds his works, his wisdom will 
 not endure" (37). 13. He used to say, "He in 
 whom the spirit of his fellow-creatures takes not 
 delight, in him the Spirit of the All-present takes 
 not delight." 
 
 14. R. Dosa, the son of Horkinas (38), said, 
 "Morning sleep, midday wine, childish babbling, 
 and attending the houses of assembly of the ignor- 
 ant waste a man's life" (39). 
 
 15. R. Eleazar ha-Mudai said, "He who pro- 
 
 (34) Deut. IV, 9. 
 
 (35) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai (10 b.c.e.- 
 90 C.E.). See Friedlander, Ben Dosa und seine Zeit (Prag, 
 1872), and Bacher, ibid., 283 et seq. 
 
 (36) Cf. Ps. CXI, 10: "The beginning of wisdom is the 
 fear of the Lord." "A man's fear of sin should be instinc- 
 tive, rather than a result of calculation, ... a man should 
 build upon the foundation of religious feeling, rather than 
 upon philosophy" (Taylor). 
 
 (37) Cf. above, chapter I, 17, "Not learning but doing is 
 the chief thing." 
 
 (38) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai. 
 
 (39) Idleness, etc., indispose one for the study of the 
 Torah and for business.
 
 58 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 fanes things sacred, and despises the festivals, and 
 puts his fellow-man to shame in public, and makes 
 void the covenant of Abraham, our father (40), and 
 makes the Torah bear a meaning other than the 
 right (41); (such a one) even though knowledge of 
 the Torah and good deeds be his, has no share in 
 the world to come" (42). 
 
 16. R. Ishmael (43) said, "Be submissive to a 
 superior (44), affable to the young (45), and receive 
 all men with cheerfulness" (46). 
 
 17. R. Akiba (47) said, "Jesting and levity lead 
 
 (40) I.e., circumcision. 
 
 (41) Or "acts barefacedly against the Torah." 
 
 (42) Knowledge and moral excellence alone are not suffi- 
 cient. 
 
 (43) Lived about 120 c.e. See Bacher, ibid., pp. 240-271. 
 
 (44) Or "be pliant of disposition." 
 
 (45) mntJTlp is variously rendered as-the "young" (Mai- 
 monides, Bartenora, Geiger, Jastrow), "impressment" 
 (Rashbam, Taylor), "sovereign authority" (Levy, Chald. 
 Worterbuch, sub IH'^, Fiebig), and "a suppliant" (Singer). 
 
 (46) Cf. chapter I, 15. 
 
 (47) Akiba ben Joseph (born about 50 c.e., died about 
 132) was the greatest of the Tannaim (teachers mentioned in 
 the Mishnah). He was a "proselyte of righteousness" 
 iger tzedek). Until middle age, he remained illiterate and 
 averse to study, but was spurred on to become learned in 
 the Torah by the daughter of the rich Kalba Shabua, whom 
 he subsequently married. He was the pupil of R. Eliezer 
 ben Hyrcanos, R. Jochanan ben Chanania, and Nahum of 
 Gimzo. He espoused the cause of Bar Kochba, acknowl- 
 edging him as the Messiah, and is said to have travelled 
 throughout the land stirring up opposition to Rome. At 
 the fall of Betar, he was captured by the Romans, and most
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 59 
 
 a man on to lewdness. The Massorah (48) is a 
 
 cruelly put to death, expiring with the Shema upon his lips. 
 R. Akiba definitely fixed the canon of the Old Testament. 
 He compiled and systematized the traditional law, in this 
 respect being the forerunner of R. Judah ha-Nasi (see 
 chapter II, n. 1), whose Mishnah may be considered as being 
 derived from that of the school of Akiba. His importance 
 may be gauged by the following statement from the Talmud, 
 "Our Mishnah comes directly from R. Meir (a disciple of 
 Akiba), the Tosefia from R. Nehemiah, the Sifra from R. 
 Judah, and the Sifre from R. Simon; but they all took Akiba 
 for a model in their works and followed him" {Sanhedrin, 
 86a). Akiba introduced a new method of interpreting Scrip- 
 ture, in which not a word, syllable, or letter was considered 
 superfluous, finding thereby a basis for many oral laws. His 
 hermeneutical and exegetical activities were remarkable. 
 Many interesting legends have clustered about his name. 
 See Bacher, ibid., 271-348; Mielziner, Introduction to the 
 Talmud, pp. 29, 125-126; Isaacs, Stories from the Rabbis, 
 p. 61 et seq.; Danziger, ibid., pp. 152-184; the Jewish Ency- 
 clopedia, arts. Akiba ben Joseph and Akiba ben Joseph in 
 Legend; Myers, Story of the Jewish People, pp. 171-188; and 
 Geiger, Judaism and its History, p. 226 ct seq., 230 et seq. 
 
 (48) Massorah, from root masar, "to deliver," "hand 
 over," "transmit," means a "chain of tradition." It is used 
 to designate tradition in general, and is thus correlative with 
 kabbalah. The Massorah contains information for the cor- 
 rect transcription of the Scripture. As used here, it means 
 the traditional interpretation of the Torah. Cf. chapter I, 1, 
 "Moses received the Torah on Sinai, and handed it down 
 (utnsarah) to Joshua," and "make a fence around the Torah." 
 Consult Driver, Notes on Samuel, Intro., p. 37 et seq.; Schiirer, 
 ibid., II, i, 328; Taylor, Sayings, p. 55, n. 33; Friedlander 
 ibid., p. 55, 203, 266; Jewish Encyclopedia s.v.; and The 
 Companion Bible (London, Oxford University Press), Pt. I, 
 Appendix, 30.
 
 60 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 rampart around the Torah; tithes are a safeguard 
 to riches (49); good resolves are a fence to absti- 
 nence (50); a hedge around wisdom is silence" (51). 
 18. He used to say, "Beloved is man, for he was 
 created in the image (of God); but it was by a 
 special love that it was made known to him that 
 he was created in the image of God, as it is said, 
 'For in the image of God made he man' (52). Be- 
 loved are Israel, or they were called children of 
 the All-present, but it was by a special love that 
 it was made known to them that they were called 
 children of the All-present, as it is said, 'Ye are 
 children unto the Lord your God' (53). Beloved 
 are Israel, for unto them was given the desirable 
 instrument (54); but it was by a special love that 
 it was made knoAvn to them that that desirable in- 
 strument was theirs, through which the world was 
 created, as it is said, 'For I give you good doctrine; 
 forsake ye not my Torah* (55). 19. Everything is 
 foreseen, yet free will is given (56) ; and the world 
 
 (49) On tithes, see chaiilor I, n. 37. Cf. Shabhat, 119a, 
 and Taatiil, 9a (play on -|t:'j;mK'y, Deut. XXIV, 22), ntTJ? 
 "ICJ'ynnC' ^''3tJ'2 "give tithes in order that thou maycst 
 become rich." 
 
 (50) Lit., "separation," i.e., from defilement, hence "sanc- 
 tity" (Taylor). 
 
 (51) Cf. chapter I, 17. 
 
 (52) Gen. IX, 6. 
 
 (53) Deut. XIV, 1. 
 
 (54) I.e., the Torah. 
 
 (55) Prov. IV, 2. 
 
 (56) The onmiscience and prescience of God do not de-
 
 SAYINGS OF IHE JEWISH FATHERS 61 
 
 is judged by grace, yet all is according to the amount 
 of the work " (57). 20. He used to say, ''Every- 
 thing is given on pledge (58), and a net is spread' 
 for all the living (59) ; the shop is open (60) ; the 
 dealer gives credit; the ledger lies open; the hand 
 \\Tites; and whosoever wishes to borrow may come 
 and borrow; but the collectors regularly make their 
 daily round, and exact payment from man whether 
 he be content or not (61); and they have that 
 whereon they can rely in their demand; and the 
 judgment is a judgment of truth (62); and every- 
 thing is prepared for the feast" (63). 
 21. R. Eleazar, the son of Azariah (64), said, 
 
 prive men of free will. Maimonides explains this in the last 
 chapter of the Shemonah Pcrakim (ed. Gorfinkle, p. 85 et seq.). 
 
 (57) Maimonides interprets the last phrase as meaning to 
 do many small deeds of charity rather than one great deed 
 of goodness. For instance, it is better to distribute one 
 hundred coins among one hundred people than to give them 
 all to one person. 
 
 (58) The world is compared to the office of a merchant. 
 
 (59) Eccl. IX, 12: "for man also knoweth not his time, 
 like the fishes that are caught in an evil net." 
 
 (60) The shop stands for the world and its enjoyments. 
 
 (61) Man has free will, and is therefore responsible for 
 all his acts. 
 
 (62) For everything is recorded. 
 
 (63) This world is merely a preparation for the next. The 
 enjojonent of the world to come is likened by the Rabbis to 
 a banquet, which is shared in by the good and the bad, after 
 they have paid off their moral debts. 
 
 (64) R. Eleazar ben Azariah, a Mishnaic scholar of the 
 iirst century, was of a rich and influential family, and was a
 
 62 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 "Where there is no Torah, there are no manners; 
 where there are no manners, there is no Torah: 
 where there is no wisdom, there is no lear of God; 
 where there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom: 
 where there is no knowledge, there is no under- 
 standing; where there is no understanding, there 
 is no knowledge (65) : where there is no meal, there 
 is no Torah; where there is no Torah, there is no 
 meal" (66). 22. He used to say, "He whose wis- 
 dom exceeds his works, to what is he like? To a 
 tree whose branches are many, but whose roots are 
 few; and the wind comes and plucks it up, and 
 overturns it upon its face, as it is said, ' And he shall 
 be like a lonely juniper tree in the desert, and shall 
 not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the 
 parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and 
 not inhabited' (67). But he whose works exceed his 
 wisdom, to what is he like? To a tree whose branches 
 are few, but whose roots are many, so that though 
 
 descendant of Ezra the Scribe. At seventeen or eighteen, 
 upon the deposition of Gamaliel II, Eleazar, because of his 
 popularity and erudition, was chosen to fill the position of 
 the president of the academy at Jabneh. Upon Gamaliel's 
 restoration, he was made vice-president (ab bet din). See 
 Bacher, ibid., 219-240. 
 
 (65) Cf. Prov. IX, 10: "The fear of the Lord is the begin- 
 ning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understand- 
 ing." 
 
 (66) Where there is a want of the means of sustenance 
 there is no studying of Torah, and without spiritual nourish- 
 ment, physical nourishment has no value. 
 
 (67) Jcr. XVII, 6.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 63 
 
 all the winds in the world come and blow upon it, 
 they cannot stir it from its place, as it is said, 'And 
 he shall be as a tree planted by the waters; and 
 that spreadeth out its roots by the river and shall 
 not perceive when heat cometh, but his leaf shall 
 be green; and shall not be troubled in the year of 
 drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit' " 
 (68). 
 
 23. R. Eleazar Chisma (69) said, "The laws con- 
 cerning the sacrifices of birds and the purification 
 of women are essential ordinances (70) ; astronomy 
 and geometry are the after-courses of wisdom" (71). 
 
 "Rabbi Chanania," etc., p. 38. 
 
 (68) Jer., XVII, 8. Cf. verse 12, above. 
 
 (69) A contemporary of Akiba. 
 
 (70) Kinnim, "nests," is the name of a tract in Seder Kodas- 
 him of the Mishnah, and tells of the young birds, which men 
 and women were at times required to offer as sacrifice. Nid- 
 dah is a tract of Seder Teharot of the Mishnah, and relates of 
 the uncleannesses of woman. 
 
 (71) I.e., the mathematical sciences, in which R. Eleazar 
 was very proficient, are only to be considered as helps to the 
 study of the essentials of Turah.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 "All Israel," etc., p. 29. 
 
 1. Ben Zoma (1) said, "Who is wise? He who 
 learns from all men, as it is said, 'From all my 
 
 (1) Simon ben Zoma and Simon ben Azzai, Tannaim of 
 the second century, were generally known as ben Zoma and 
 ben Azzai, as they never received the title of Rabbi, according 
 to one view. According to another opinion, they were called 
 by their fathers' names, because they both died young. To- 
 gether with Akiba and Elisha ben Abuyah (Acher), they 
 entered, legend says, into the paradise of esoteric knowledge. 
 "Four (sages)," we are told, "entered paradise, ben Azzai, 
 ben Zoma, Acher, and Akiba. Ben Azzai looked and died; 
 ben Zoma went mad; Acher destroyed the plants; Akiba 
 alone came out unhurt" {Chagigah, 14b). The interpreta- 
 tion of this passage is that ben Azzai died prematurely, worn 
 out by his activities in mystical and theosophic speculation; 
 ben Zoma became demented thereby; EUsha, contemptu- 
 ously referred to as Acher (the other), became an apostate; 
 but Akiba was unaffected. Ben Zoma was famous for his 
 wisdom, it being said of him, "Whoever sees ben Zoma in 
 his dream is assured of scholarship" {Berachot, 57b). With 
 him, it was said, the last of the interpreters of the Law {dar- 
 shanim) died (Solah, 49b). His interpretation of the bib- 
 lical passage "that thou mayest remember when thou earn- 
 est forth out of Egypt" is found in the Ilaggadnh of Passover 
 eve. See Bacher, Agada der Tanailen, pp. 425-432; Schech- 
 ter, Studies, I, pp. 129-130; H. Sperling, in Aspects oj the 
 Hebrew Genius, p. 150. 
 
 64*
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 65 
 
 teachers I have gotten understanding' (2). Who is 
 mighty? He who controls his passions, as it is said, 
 ' He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, 
 and he that riileth over his spirit than he that 
 taketh a city' (3). Who is rich? He who rejoices 
 in his portion, as it is said, 'When thou eatest the 
 labor of thine hands, happy art thou, and it shall 
 be well with thoo ' (4) ; haii]:)y art thou in this world, 
 and it shall be well with thee in the world to come. 
 Who is honored? He who honors others, as it is 
 said, ' For them that honor me I will honor, and they 
 that despise me shall be held in contempt' " (5). 
 
 2. Ben Azzai (6) said, "Hasten to do even a 
 slight precept (7), and flee from transgression; for 
 one virtue leads to another, and transgression draws 
 transgression in its train; for the recompense of a 
 
 (2) Ps. CXIX, 9. 
 
 (3) Prov. XVI, 32. 
 
 (4) Ps. CXXVIII, 2. The discontented rich man, even, 
 is poor. 
 
 (5) I Sam. II, 30. 
 
 (6) Simon ben Azzai (see n. 1) was a very assiduous stu- 
 dent and a man of great piety. He was betrothed to the 
 daughter of Akiba, but separated from his prospective wife 
 in order to devote aU of his time to study. It was said of 
 him, "At the death of ben Azzai, the last industrious man 
 passed away" (Sotah IX, 15), and "He who sees ben Azzai 
 in a dream might hope for sainthness." He declared that 
 the greatest prmciple of Judaism is the belief in the common 
 brotherhood of all mankind, which he derived from the pas- 
 sage, Genesis VI, 1, "This is the generation of Adam (man)." 
 See Bacher, ibid., 409-424. 
 
 (7) Cf. chapter II, 1.
 
 66 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 virtue is a virtue, and the recompense of a trans- 
 gression is a transgression" (8). 3. He used to 
 say, "Despise not any man, and carp not at any 
 thing (9) ; for there is not a man that has not his 
 hour, and there is not a thing that has not its place." 
 
 4. R, Levitas of Jabneh said, "Be exceedingly 
 lowly of spirit (10), since the hope of man is but the 
 worm." 
 
 5. R. Jochanan, the son of Berokah (11), said, 
 "Whosoever profanes the Name of Heaven (12) in 
 secret will suffer the penalty for it in public; and 
 this, whether the Heavenly Name be profaned in 
 ignorance or in wilfulness." 
 
 6. R. Ishmael (13), his son, said, "He who learns 
 in order to teach (14), to him the means will be 
 
 (8) Well-doing is the fruit of well-doing, and evil-doing 
 the fruit of evil-doing. 
 
 (9) Or "do not consider anything as being impos- 
 sible." 
 
 (10) R. Levitas lived probably about 120 c.e. Mai- 
 monides declares that the medium way between the extremes 
 of the too Utile and the too much is the path of virtue, but ho 
 makes an exception in the case of himiility, and, in accord- 
 ance with this passage, considers the extreme of being very 
 humble the virtue. See Gorfinkle, The Eight Chapters, p. 
 60, n. 2. 
 
 (11) A contemporary of Akiba. 
 
 (12) "Name of Heaven" is a common substitute for the 
 "name of God." 
 
 (13) He lived about 150 c.e. 
 
 (14) To one who learns Torah and does not teach it are 
 applied the words in Num. XV, 31: "he hath despised the 
 word of the Lord" {Sanhedrin, 99a).
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 67 
 
 granted both to learn and to teach; but he who 
 learns in order to practise, to him the means will 
 be granted to learn, and to teach, to observe, and 
 to practise." 
 
 7. R. Zadok said, "Separate not thyself from 
 the congregation; (in the judge's office) act not 
 the counsel's part (15); make not of the Torah a 
 crown wherewith to aggrandize thyself, nor a spade 
 wherewith to dig" (16). So also used Hillel to 
 say, "He who makes a worldly use of the crown (of 
 the Torah) shall waste away" (17). Hence thou 
 mayest infer that whosoever derives a profit for 
 himself from the words of the Torah is helping on 
 his own destruction. 
 
 8. R. Jose (18) said, "Whoso honors the Torah 
 will himself be honored by mankind, but whoso dis- 
 honors the Torah will himself be dishonored by 
 mankind," 
 
 9. R. Ishmael (19), his son, said, "He who shuns 
 the judicial office rids himself of hatred, robbery, 
 and vain swearing (20) ; but he who presumptu- 
 ously lays down decisions is foolish, wicked, and of 
 an arrogant spirit." 10. He used to say, "Judge 
 
 (15) Cf. chapter I, 8. 
 
 (16) I.e., for material and selfish ends. 
 
 (17) Cf. chapter I, 13. 
 
 (18) R. Jose ben Chalafta was a contemporary of R. Meir. 
 
 (19) He Uved about 160-220 c.e. 
 
 (20) The judge brings upon himself the hatred of the one 
 who is disappointed by his judgment. An erroneous judg- 
 ment is equivalent to robbery. When the judge exacts an 
 unnecessary oath, perjury may result.
 
 68 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 not alone, for none may judge alone save One; 
 neither say (to thy judicial colleagues), 'Accept my 
 view,' for the choice is theirs (to concur); and it 
 is not for thee (to compel concurrence)." 
 
 11. R. Jonathan (21) said, ''Whoso fulfils the 
 Torah in the midst of poverty shall in the end ful- 
 fil it in the midst of wealth; and whoso neglects 
 the Torah in the midst of wealth shall in the end 
 neglect it in the midst of poverty." 
 
 12. R. Meir (22) said, "Lessen thy toil for 
 worldly goods, and be busy in the Torah; be hum- 
 ble of spirit before all men; if thou neglectest the 
 Torah, many causes for neglecting it will present 
 themselves to thee, but if thou laborest in the 
 Torah, He has abundant recompense to give 
 thee." 
 
 13. R. Elieser (23), the son of Jacob, said, "He 
 who does one precept has gotten himself one advo- 
 cate; and he who commits one transgression has 
 gotten himself one accuser. Repentance and good 
 deeds are as a shield against punishment." 
 
 14. R. Jochanan, the sandal-maker (24), said, 
 
 (21) He lived about the middle of the second century c.e. 
 He was a pupil of R. Ishmael (verse 9). 
 
 (22) See chapter III, n. 32. 
 
 (23) He hved about 140 c.K. 
 
 (24) Most of the Rabbis believed with Rabban Gamaliel 
 that the study of the Torah without employment brings 
 transgression (chapter II, 2). Consequently, each invaria- 
 bly followed some vocation. Hillel, the senior, gained his 
 livelihood as a wood-chopper; Shammai was a builder; R. 
 Joshua, a blacksmith; R. Chanina, a shoemaker; R. Huna,
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 69 
 
 "Every assembly which is in the Name of Heaven 
 will in the end be established, but that which is 
 not in the Name of Heaven will not in the end be 
 estabhshed." 
 
 15. R. Eleazer, the son of Shammua (25), said, 
 "Let the honor of thy disciple be as dear to thee 
 as thine own, and the honor of thine associate be 
 like the fear of thy master, and the fear of thy mas- 
 ter like the fear of Heaven." 
 
 16. R. Judah (26) said, "Be cautious in study, 
 for an error in study may amount to presumptuous 
 sin" (27). 
 
 17. R. Simeon (28) said, "There are three crowns: 
 the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and 
 the crown of royalty; but the crown of a good name 
 excels them all." 
 
 18. R. Nehorai (29) said, "Betake thyself to a 
 
 a water-carrier; R. Abba, a tailor; R. Pappa, a brewer, etc. 
 Other Rabbis whose names indicate their trades, as R. Jochan- 
 an ha-Sandalar (Hved about 150 c.e.), were Isaac Nappacha 
 (the smith) and R. Abin Naggara (the carpenter). Many 
 were merchants and others agriculturists. Generally, the 
 Rabbi studied during two-thirds of the day, and worked at 
 his trade during the remainder. Those engaged in agricul- 
 ture would study in the winter and till the soil in the sum- 
 mer. Consult Franz Dehtzch, Jewish Artisan Life in the 
 Time of Christ; and S. Meyer, Arbeit und Handwerk im Tal- 
 mud, Berlin, 1878. 
 
 (25) He lived about 150 c.e. 
 
 (26) R. Judah ben Ilai lived about 140 c.e. 
 
 (27) Cf. chapter III, 10. 
 
 (28) On R. Simeon ben Yochai, see chapter III, n. 12. 
 
 (29) He lived about 130 c.e.
 
 70 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 home of the Torah (30), and say not that the Torah 
 will come after thee; for there thy associates will 
 establish thee in the possession of it; and lean not 
 upon thine own understanding" (31). 
 
 19. R. Jannai said, "It is not in our power (to 
 explain) either the prosperity of the wicked or the 
 afflictions of the righteous." 
 
 20. R. Mattithiah, the son of Heresh (32), said, 
 "Be beforehand in the salutation of peace to all 
 men; and be rather a tail to lions than a head to 
 foxes" (33). 
 
 21. R. Jacob (34) said, "This world is like a ves- 
 tibule before the world to come ^35); prepare thy- 
 self in the vestibule, that thou mayest enter into 
 the hall." 22. He used to say, "Better is one hour 
 of repentance and good deeds in this world than the 
 whole life of the world to come; and better is one 
 hour of blissfulness of spirit in the world to come 
 than the whole life of this world." 
 
 23. R. Simeon, the son of Eleazar (36), said, "Do 
 not appease thy fellow in the hour of his anger, and 
 
 (30) If there is no teacher where you live. 
 
 (31) Prov. Ill, 5. 
 
 (32) He lived about 120 c.e. in Rome. 
 
 (33) It is better to be a pupil of great teachers than to be 
 a teacher of worthless pupils (Maimonides). It is better to 
 follow those who are greater than to lead those who are 
 inferior. 
 
 (34) He lived about 160-220 c.e. 
 
 (35) This world is a bridge that leads to the future world 
 (Maimonides). 
 
 (36) A pupil of R. Meir. He Hved about 100-220 c.e.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 71 
 
 comfort him not in the hour when his dead hes be- 
 fore him, and question him not in the hour of his vow, 
 and rush not to see him in the hour of his disgrace." 
 
 24. Samuel (37), the younger, used to say, 
 "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let 
 not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: lest 
 the Lord see it and it displease him, and he turn 
 away his wrath from him" (38). 
 
 25. Elisha, the son of Abuyah (39), said, "If one 
 
 (37) Samuel (about 120 c.e.) is said to have composed, at 
 the request of R. Gamaliel II, the prayer against heretics, 
 added to the "Eighteen Benedictions" {Shemoneh Esreh). 
 See the Jevoish Encyclopedia, vol. XI, p. 281. 
 
 (38) Prov. XXIV, 17, 18. 
 
 (39) See n. 1, above. Elisha ben Abuyah, otherwise 
 known as Acher, lived at the end of the first and the begin- 
 ning of the second century. He is charged by the Rabbis 
 with having aided the Romans in their attempts to suppress 
 the Jewish rehgion, with having endeavored to estrange the 
 young from Judaism and from the study of its literature, 
 with having intentionally and openly broken the ceremonial 
 laws, and with having desecrated the Sabbath. R. Mei'r, 
 his pupil, maintained a close intimacy with him, in spite of 
 his apostacy, having high regard for Elisha's intellectual 
 worth. When reproached for this, R. Mei'r said, "I eat the 
 kernel, and throw away the husks." Elisha is often referred 
 to as the "Faust of the Talmud." On his identification 
 with the Apostle Paul, see I. M. Wise, The Origin of Chris- 
 tianity, p. 311, and Danziger, ibid., pp. 304-306. Some have 
 even identified him with Jesus. In Ahot de-Rabbi Nalan, 
 a parable that is very similar to that of Jesus, in Luke VI, 
 47-49, is attributed to Elisha. "A man who does good deeds 
 and diligently studies the Law, to whom is he likened? He 
 is like a man building a house with a stone foundation and
 
 72 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 learns as a child, what is it like? Like ink written 
 on clean paper. If one learns as an old man, what 
 is it like? Like ink written on used paper" (40). 
 
 26. R. Jose, the son of Judah (41), of Chefar 
 Babli said, "He who learns from the young, to what 
 is he like? To one who eats unripe grapes, and 
 drinks wine from his vat (42). And he who learns 
 from the old, to what is he like? To one who eats 
 ripe grapes, and drinks old wine." 
 
 27. Rabbi Meir said (43), "Look not at the flask, 
 but at what it contains: there may be a new flask 
 full of old wine, and an old flask that has not even 
 new wine in it" (44). 
 
 with tiles (on the roof) ; and when a flood arises, and breaks 
 against the walls, that house cannot be moved from its place. 
 But the man who Uves an evil life, in spite of having deeply 
 studied the Law, to whom is he like? He is like a man build- 
 ing a house with tiles for a foundation and with heavy stones 
 (on the roof); and when a little rain comes, straightway the 
 house falls in" (G. Friedlander's translation, in The Jewish 
 Sources of the Sermon on the Mount, pp. 259-260). On the 
 career of Acher, see Bacher, ibid., pp. 432-436; Graetz, His- 
 tory, II, passim; Myers, ibid., pp. 200-202; and Strack, 
 Einleitung in den Talmud, p. 91. 
 
 (40) What one learns in youth, one retains, while the oppo- 
 site is true of learning in old age. The Rabbis, elsewhere, 
 liken learning in youth to engraving upon a stone, and learn- 
 ing in old age to writing on the sand. 
 
 (41) A contemporary of Judah ha-Nasi. 
 
 (42) I.e., wine that is not forty days old, and not yet 
 clarified. 
 
 (43) Some texts read "Rabbi," i.e., Judah ha-Nasi (see 
 chapter II, n. 1). 
 
 (44) This verse expresses an opinion contrary to that of
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 73 
 
 28. R. Eleazar ha-Kappar (45) said, "Envy, 
 cupidity, and ambition take a man from the world" 
 (46). 29. He used to say, "They that are born 
 are doomed to die; and the dead to be brought to 
 life again; and the living to be judged, to know, to 
 make known, and to be made conscious that He is 
 God, He the Maker, He the Creator, He the Dis- 
 cerner (47), He the Judge, He the Witness (48), 
 He the Accuser; He it is that will in future judge, 
 blessed be He, with Whom there is no unrighteous- 
 ness, nor forgetfulness, nor respect of persons, nor 
 taking of bribes (49) ; and know also that every- 
 thing is according to the reckoning (50) : and let 
 
 the preceding one. The mind of a young man may be more 
 mature than that of an old man. 
 
 (45) A contemporary of Judah ha-Nasi. 
 
 (46) Cf. chapter II, 16. 
 
 (47) Cf. Ps. XXXIII, 15: "He fashioneth their hearts 
 altogether; he hath regard to all their works." 
 
 (48) Cf. Mai. Ill, 5. 
 
 (49) Cf. II Chron. XIX, 7: "Take heed and act; for with 
 the Lord our God there is no injustice, nor respect for persons, 
 nor taking of bribes." Maimonides interprets this verse of 
 Abot as meaning that one cannot bribe God with good deeds 
 in order to have bad deeds forgiven. The one bad deed is 
 not forgiven even by the doing of one hundred good ones, 
 but punishment is meted out for the bad deed and reward 
 in full for the hundred good ones. That is, each action is 
 judged entirely on its own merits. Neither is God a respec- 
 ter of persons. On the one hand, He punished Moses for 
 his anger at the waters of Meribah, and, on the other. He re- 
 warded Esau for honoring his parents, and Nebuchadnezzar 
 for honoring God. 
 
 (50) Maimonides interprets as follows, "Think of the
 
 74 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 not thy imagination give thee hope that the grave 
 will be a place of refuge for thee; for perforce thou 
 wast formed, and perforce thou wast born, and thou 
 livest perforce, and perforce thou wilt die, and per- 
 force thou wilt in the future have to give account 
 and reckoning before the Supreme King of kings, 
 the Holy One, blessed be He." 
 "R. Chanania," etc., p. 38. 
 
 physical things in which man has no choice, as our sages 
 said, 'All is in the power of God, except the fear of God.' It 
 is not said that one must perforce, and against one's will, 
 sin, or that one is constrained to journey, walk, stand, etc., 
 for these are in the power of man, and are dependent upon 
 his own free will, and not upon any (external) compelling 
 force, as we have explained in chapter eight." See Rawicz, 
 Commentar des Maimonides, p. 89, n. 4, and Gorfinkle, ibid., 
 p. 88 et seq.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 "All Israel," etc., p. 29. 
 
 1. With ten sayings the world was created. 
 What does this teach us? Could it not have been 
 created with one saying? It is to make known the 
 punishment that will befall the wicked who destroy 
 the world that was created with ten sayings, as well 
 as the goodly reward that will be bestowed upon the 
 just who preserve the world that was created with 
 ten sayings (1). 2. There were ten generations 
 from Adam to Noah, to make known how long- 
 suffering God is, seeing that all those generations 
 continued provoking him, until he brought upon 
 them the waters of the flood (2). 3. There were 
 
 (1) The expression "and God said" occurs ten times in 
 Genesis I (verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, and 29). Many 
 commentators count the opening phrase of this chapter, "In 
 the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," as 
 one of the sayings, maintaining that the idea of saying is 
 impUed in it. Cf. Ps. XXXIII, 16. According to the Rab- 
 bis, the wicked destroy and the righteous preserve the world, 
 and, since it required ten sayings to create the world, the 
 guilt of the sinner and the righteousness of the just are em- 
 phasized more than if it had been created merely by one word. 
 
 (2) The ten generations are Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, 
 Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, Lamech, and Noah. 
 
 75
 
 76 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 ten generations from Noah to Abraham, to make 
 known how long-suffering God is, seeing that all 
 those generations continued provoking him, until 
 Abraham, our father, came, and received the re- 
 ward they should all have earned (3). 4. With 
 ten trials our father Abraham was tried (4), and he 
 stood firm in them all, to make known how great 
 was the love of our father Abraham (5). 5. Ten 
 miracles were wrought for our fathers in Egypt 
 (6), and ten at the Sea (7). G. Ten plagues did 
 
 The period from Adam to Noah is knowTi as the "generation 
 of the flood" {dor ha-mahhul). 
 
 (3) These are Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, 
 Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abraham. Noah's good 
 deeds were sufficient only to save himself and family, while 
 Abraham's were sufficient to sustain the whole world. 
 
 (4) These trials may be reckoned as follows: (1) his mi- 
 gration, Gen. XII, 12; (2) the famine in Canaan, XII, 10; 
 (3) the seizing of Sarah by Pharaoh, XII, 15; (4) the battle 
 with the four kings, XIV; (5) his marriage with Hagar 
 because of Sarah's sterihty, XVI, 2; (6) the cu'cumcision, 
 XVII, 10; (7) the seizing of Sarah by Abimelech, king of 
 Gerar, XX, 2; (8) the banishment of Hagar, XXI, 10; 
 (9) the banishment of Ishmael, XXI, 10; and (10) God's 
 command to sacrifice Isaac, XXII, 2. See Pirke de-Rabbi 
 Eliezer, chapter 24, and Friedlander, G., Rabbinic Philosophy 
 and Ethics (London, 1912), p. 75, n. 4. 
 
 (5) For God. Some interpreters explain this, however, aa 
 "the love of God for Abraham." 
 
 (6) That they escaped the ten plagues with which the 
 Egyptians were afflicted. 
 
 (7) Legend says that at the passage of the Red Sea the ten 
 miracles wrought were as follows: (1) the waters divided; 
 (2) the waters were like a tent, or a vault; (3) the sea-bed
 
 SxWINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 77 
 
 the Holy One, blessed be He, bring upon the Egyp- 
 tians in Egypt, and ten at the Sea (8). 7. With 
 ten temptations did our fathers tempt the Holy 
 One, blessed be He, in the wilderness, as it is said, 
 "And they tempted me these ten times, and have 
 not hearkened to my voice" (9). 8. Ten miracles 
 were wrought for our fathers in the Temple; no 
 woman miscarried from the scent of the holy flesh; 
 the holy flesh never became putrid; no fly (10) was 
 seen in the slaughter-house; no unclean accident 
 ever befell the high-priest on the Day of Atonement; 
 the rain never quenched the fire of the wood-pile 
 on the altar (11); neither did the wind overcome 
 the column of smoke that arose therefrom (12); 
 
 was dry and hard; (4) but when the Egyptians trod upon 
 it, it became muddy and slimy; (5) the sea was divided into 
 twelve parts, one for each tribe; (6) the waters became as 
 hard as stone; (7) the congealed waters appeared like blocks 
 of building-stone; (8) the water was transparent so that the 
 tribes could see one another; (9) fresh drinking water flowed 
 from the congealed water; (10) after Israel had partaken of 
 the drinking water, it became congealed, and did not wet the 
 ground under foot. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, III, 
 p. 21 et seq. 
 
 (8) This verse is not found in the Talmudic versions of 
 Abot. The plagues at the sea are alluded to in the "Song of 
 Moses," Ex. XV. See the commentary of Bartenora. 
 
 (9) Num. XIV, 22. The ten are enumerated by Mai- 
 monides, Bartenora, Hoffmann, and others. 
 
 (10) The fly is a symbol of impurity. 
 
 (11) The altar stood in the midst of the roofless Temple- 
 hall. 
 
 (12) The straight column of smoke denoted the acceptance 
 of prayer and sacrifice.
 
 78 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 nor was there ever found any disqualifying defect 
 in the omer (of new barley, offered on the second 
 day of Passover) or in the two loaves (the first 
 fruits of the wheat-harvest, offered on Pentecost) 
 (13), or in the shewbread (14); though the people 
 stood closely pressed together, they found ample 
 space to prostrate themselves; never did serpent 
 or scorpion injure any one in Jerusalem; nor did any 
 man ever say to his fellow, "The place is too strait 
 for me (15) to lodge over night in Jerusalem." 
 9. Ten things were created on the eve of Sabbath 
 in the twilight (16): the mouth of the earth (17); 
 the mouth of the well (18); the mouth of the ass 
 
 (13) See Lev. XXIII, 15-17. 
 
 (14) Every Sabbath, twelve loaves of bread were placed 
 on a table in the Sanctuary "before the Lord" (Lev. XXIV, 
 5-9) to serve as a constant reminder to the twelve tribes 
 that their place was before the altar of God. 
 
 (15) Isa. XLIX, 20. 
 
 (16) Since all things were said to have been created dur- 
 ing the first six days of creation, and, since "there is nothing 
 new under the sun" (Eccles. I, 9), everything miraculous or 
 supernatural that existed or occurred after creation was ex- 
 plained 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 Sabbath. 
 See Gorfinkle, ibid., pp. 90-91 and n. 1. 
 
 (17) To swallow Korah and his followers. See Num. 
 XVI, 30. 
 
 (IS) Which supplied the Israelites with water during their 
 wandering in the wilderness. See Num. XXI, IG, and Shab- 
 bat, 35a.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 79 
 
 (19); the rainbow (20); the manna (21); the rod 
 (22) ; the shamir (23) ; the shape of written charac- 
 ters; the writing, and the tables of stone: some 
 say, the destroying spirits also, and the sepulchre 
 of Moses (24), and the ram of Abraham our father 
 (25); and others say, tongs, also, made with tongs 
 (26). 
 
 10. There are seven marks of an uncultured, 
 and seven of a wise man. The wise man does not 
 speak before him who is greater than he in wis- 
 dom; and does not interrupt the speech of his 
 companion; he is not hasty to answer; he ques- 
 tions according to the subject-matter; and answers 
 to the point; he speaks upon the first thing first, 
 
 (19) Balaam's ass. See Num. XXII, 28. 
 
 (20) Gen. IX, 19. 
 
 (21) Ex. XV, 16. 
 
 (22) Of Moses. See ibid., IV, 17. 
 
 (23) A miraculous worm that split stones by its look. 
 It was used, according to legend, to engrave the names of the 
 tribes on the jewels of the ephod of the high-priest, and was 
 also employed by Solomon in the construction of the Temple, 
 in which no tools of iron were used. See Gittin, 68a, and Sotah, 
 48b. Consult P. Cassel, Shamir, ein archdol. Beitrag zur 
 Natur- U7id Sagenkunde, Erfurt, 1856, and art. Shamir, in 
 Jewish Encyclopedia. 
 
 (24) Deut. XXXIV, 6. 
 
 (25) Gen. XXII, 13. 
 
 (26) An allusion to a saying found in Tosefta Enibin, 
 "Tongs are made with tongs; but how was the first pair 
 made? It could only have been a creation of God." One 
 instrument presupposes another; one thing is the cause of 
 another, but the original cause is God. Cf. Pesachim, 54a.
 
 80 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 and upon the last, last; regarding that which he 
 has not understood he says, "I do not understand 
 it;" and he acknowledges the truth. The reverse 
 of all this is to be found in an uncultured man. 
 11. Seven kinds of punishment come into the world 
 for seven important transgressions. If some give 
 their tithes (27) and others do not, a dearth ensues 
 from drought and some suffer hunger while others 
 are full. If they all determine to give no tithes, a 
 dearth ensues from tumult (28) and drought. If 
 they further resolve not to give the dough-cake (29), 
 an exterminating dearth ensues. Pestilence comes 
 into the world to fulfil those death penalties threat- 
 ened in the Tor ah, the execution of which, how- 
 ever, is within the function of a human tribunal 
 (30), and for the violation of the law regarding the 
 fruits of the seventh year (31). The sword 
 
 (27) See chapter I, n. 37. 
 
 (28) Of war, when agriculture is neglected, and crops are 
 destroyed, etc. 
 
 (29) Num. XV, 20: "Ye shall offer up a cake of the first 
 of your dough for a heave offering." This commandment is 
 observed in spirit to-day by the Jewish housewife, who takes 
 a part of bread which is kneaded, and burns it, after reciting 
 the blessing, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of 
 the universe. Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments, 
 and commanded us to separate the challah." The ninth 
 treatise of the Order Zeraim of the Mishnah is called Challah. 
 See Friedlander, Jewish Religion, p. 357. 
 
 (30) The execution of which is in the hands of God. 
 
 (31) That is, the Sabbatical year or the year of release 
 (ha-shemittah) . See Ex. XXIII, 10 et seq., and Lev. XXV, 
 1-7. It is commanded that the land be allowed to lie fallow
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 81 
 
 (32) comes into the world for the delay of justice, and 
 for the perversion of justice, and on account of the 
 offence of those who interpret the Torah not accord- 
 ing to its true sense (33). Noxious beasts come 
 into the world for vain swearing (34), and for the 
 profanation of the Divine Name (35). Captivity 
 comes into the world on account of idolatry, immor- 
 ality, bloodshed, and the neglect of the year of rest 
 for the soil (31). 12. At four periods pestilence 
 grows apace: in the fourth year, in the seventh, 
 at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the 
 conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in each 
 year: in the fourth year, for default of giving the 
 tithe to the poor in the third year (36) ; in the 
 seventh year, for default of giving the tithe to the 
 poor in the sixth year (37) ; at the conclusion of 
 the seventh year, for the violation of the law re- 
 garding the fruits of the seventh year (31), and at 
 
 during that year, that there be no sowing, nor reaping, nor 
 ]5runing of the vineyards, and that the servants, strangers, 
 and animals, as well as the owner, shall share in the spon- 
 taneous growth of the fields and the vineyards. See also 
 Deut. XV, 1-11, and Tractate Shebiit of the Mishnah. 
 
 (32) I.e., war. 
 
 (33) By prohibiting the permissible and permitting the 
 prohibited. 
 
 (34) Cf. chapter IV, 9. 
 
 (35) Cf. chapter IV, 5. 
 
 (36) See Deut. XIV, 28, 29; XXVI, 12, and also above, 
 chapter I, n. 37. 
 
 (37) Of the septennial cycle. The tithe was to be brought 
 at the end of every three years.
 
 82 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 the conclusion of the Feast of Tal)crnaclcs in each 
 year, for robbing the poor of the grants legally 
 assigned to them (38). 
 
 13. There are four characters among men: he 
 who says, "What is mine is mine and what is thine 
 is thine," his is a neutral character; some say, 
 "This is a character like that of Sodom" (39); he 
 who saj^s, "What is mine is thine and what is thine 
 is mine," is a boor (40); he who says, "What is 
 mine is thine and what is thine is thine," is a saint; 
 he who says, "What is thine is mine and what is 
 mine is mine," is a wicked man. 14. There are 
 four kinds of tempers: he whom it is easy to pro- 
 voke and easy to pacify, his loss disappears in his 
 gain; he whom it is hard to provoke and hard to 
 pacify, his gain disappears in his loss; he whom it 
 is hard to provoke and easy to pacify is a saint; 
 he whom it is easy to provoke and hard to pacify 
 is a wicked man. 1.5. There are four qualities in 
 disciples: he who quickly understands and quickly 
 forgets, his gain disappears in his loss; he who 
 understands with difficulty and forgets with diffi- 
 culty, his loss disappears in his gain; he who under- 
 
 (38) I.e., the gleanings and the forgotten sheaves of the 
 harvest, the single bunches of grapes of the vineyard, and 
 the unreaped corners of the fields which were assigned to 
 the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. 
 
 (39) One who neither gives nor takes. One who does no 
 labor of love. Cf. Ezek. XVI, 49. 
 
 (40) He does not know the sacredness of the rights of 
 property.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 83 
 
 stands quickly and forgets with difficulty, his is a 
 good portion; he who understands with difficulty 
 and forgets quickly, his is an evil portion. 16. As 
 to almsgiving there are four dispositions: he who 
 desires to give, but that others should not give, his 
 eye is evil toward what appertains to others (41); 
 he who desires that others should give, but will not 
 give himself, his eye is evil against what is his own; 
 he who gives and wishes others to give is a saint; 
 he who will not give and does not wish others to 
 give is a wicked man. 17. There are four charac- 
 ters among those who attend the house of study: he 
 who goes and does not practise (42) secures the 
 reward for going; he who practises (43) but does 
 not go secures the reward for practising; he who 
 goes and practises is a saint; he who neither goes 
 nor practises is a wicked man. 18. There are four 
 qualities among those that sit before the wise: 
 they are like a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, or a 
 sieve: a sponge, which sucks up everything (44); a 
 funnel, which lets in at one end and out at the 
 other; a strainer, which lets the wine pass out and 
 retains the dregs; a sieve, which lets out the bran 
 and retains the fine flour. 
 
 19. Whenever love depends upon some material 
 cause, with the passing away of that cause, the 
 
 (41) He does not want his neighbors to be blessed because 
 of their hberahty. 
 
 (42) The duties of which he has learned. 
 
 (43) The commands of the Torah. 
 
 (44) The true and the untrue.
 
 84 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 love, too, passes away (45) ; but if it be not depend- 
 ent upon such a cause, it will not pass away for 
 ever. Which love was that which depended upon 
 a material cause? Such was the love of Ammon 
 and Tamar (46). And that which depended upon 
 no such cause? Such was the love of David and 
 Jonathan (47). 
 
 20. Every controversy that is in the Name of 
 Heaven (48) shall in the end lead to a permanent 
 result, but every controversy that is not in the 
 Name of Heaven shall not lead to a permanent 
 result. Which controversy was that which was in 
 the Name of Heaven? Such was the controversy 
 of Hillel and Shammai (49). And that which was 
 not in the Name of Heaven? Such was the contro- 
 versy of Korah and all his company (50). 
 
 21. Whosoever causes the multitude to be right- 
 eous, over him sin prevails not; but he who causes 
 the multitude to sin shall not have the means to 
 repent (51). Moses was righteous and made the 
 multitude righteous; the righteousness of the mul- 
 titude was laid upon him, as it is said, "He exe- 
 
 (45) Lasting love is disinterested love. 
 
 (46) See II Sam. XII. 
 
 (47) See I Sam. XVIII, 1. 
 
 (48) I.e., a conti-oversy to arrive at the truth. 
 
 (49) See chapter I, n. 29. 
 
 (50) See Num. XV, 1 et seq. 
 
 (51) He who leads the people astray is punished by being 
 prevented from repenting. This does not mean, however, 
 that man, in general, does not act in accordance with his 
 own free will. Maimonides, in discussing this problem,
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 85 
 
 cuted the justice of the Lord and his judgments 
 with Israel" (52). Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 
 sinned and caused the multitude to sin; the sin of 
 the multitude was laid upon him, as it is said, "For 
 the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned and which 
 he made Israel to sin" (53). 
 
 22. Whosoever has these three attributes is of 
 the disciples of Abraham, our father, but whoso- 
 ever has three other attributes is of the disciples 
 of Balaam, the wicked (54). A good eye (55), a 
 humble mind, and a lowly spirit (are the tokens) of 
 the disciples of Abraham, our father; an evil eye, a 
 haughty mind, and a proud spirit (are the signs) of 
 the disciples of Balaam, the wicked. What is the 
 difference between the disciples of Abraham, our 
 father, and those of Balaam, the wicked? The 
 
 says, in the eighth chapter of the Shcmonah Perakim, "Just 
 as some of man's undertakings, which are ordinarily subject 
 to his own free will, are frustrated by way of punishment, as, 
 for instance, a man's hand being prevented from working 
 so that he can do nothing with it, as was the case of Jero- 
 boam, the son of Nebat, or a man's eyes from seeing, as 
 happened to the Sodomites, who had assembled about Lot, 
 Hkewise does God withhold man's ability to use hia own 
 free will in regard to repentance, so that it never occurs to 
 him to repent, and he thus finally perishes in his own wicked- 
 ness." See ed. Gorfinkle, p. 94 et seq. 
 
 (52) Deut. XXXIII, 21. 
 
 (53) livings XV, 30. Cf. Sanhedrin X, 2: "Three kings 
 have no portion in the world to come . . . Jeroboam, Ahab, 
 and Manasseh." 
 
 (54) See Num. XXII-XXIV. 
 
 (55) See chapter II, note 30.
 
 8G SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 disciples of Abraham, our father, enjoy this world 
 and inherit the world to come, as it is said, "That 
 I may cause those. that love me to inherit substance, 
 and may fill all their treasuries" (56); but the dis- 
 ciples of Balaam, the wicked, inherit Gehinnom 
 (57), and descend into the pit of destruction, as it 
 is said, "But thou, O God, wilt bring them down 
 into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and de- 
 ceitful men shall not live out half their days; but 
 I will trust in thee" (58). 
 
 23. Judah, the son of Tema, said, "Be bold as 
 a leopard, swift as an eagle, fleet as a hart, and strong 
 as a lion, to do the will of thy Father who is in 
 Heaven "(59). 24. He used to say (60), "At five 
 
 (56) Prov. VIII, 21: "Substance," i.e., in the future 
 world; "treasures," i.e., in this world. 
 
 (57) See chapter I, n. 18. 
 
 (58) Ps. LIV, 24. 
 
 (59) Cf. "Our Father which is in Heaven" of the "Lord's 
 Prayer" (Matt. VI, 9). The conception of God as a "Father" 
 goes back to earUest times. See Gen. XLIX, 19, 20; Ex. 
 IV, 22; Deut. XXXII, 6; II Sam. V, 44; Ps. LXXXIX, 27, 
 28; Isa. LXIII, 16, LXIV, 8, and Mai. II, 10. Deut. XXXII, 
 6, reads, "is He not thy Father? " and Isa. LXIII, 18, "Doubt- 
 less Thou art our Father." In the Mishnah we find, "Who 
 purifies you? Your Father which is in Heaven" (Yoina VIII, 
 8); "On whom have we to lean? On our Father which is in 
 Heaven" {Sotah, IX, 15), and similar passages. The Rabbis 
 constantly referred to God as "Father" (see Schechter, As- 
 pects, pp. 46, 49, 50-51). They took issue, of course, with 
 the New Testament conception of God, in not admitting and 
 in denouncing the idea of a mediator. To them all mankind 
 were the sons of God. That the Rabbis borrowed this God-
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 87 
 
 years (the age is reached for the study of the) Scrip- 
 ture, at ten for (the study of) the Mishnah (61), 
 
 idea and the expression "Our Father which is in Heaven" 
 from Christianity is untenable, for, as Herford {Pharisaism, 
 120 et seq.) points out, such borrowing would have been abhor- 
 ent to them. This expression was undoubtedly current long 
 before and during the time of Jesus, and it represented a 
 conception of the divine acceptable to both the Rabbis and 
 Jesus. The Rabbis had no quarrel with Christianity on this 
 score, but did not admit the "sonship" of God in the Chris- 
 tian sense. The expressions "Our Father" and "Our Father 
 which is in Heaven" are found frequently in the Jewish 
 Prayer-book. On this subject, consult Taylor, Sayings, pp. 
 124, 176, and G. Friedlander, The Jewish Sources of the Ser- 
 mon on the Mount, chapter X. For a comparison of other 
 parts of Ahot with the New Testament see Fiebig, Pirque 
 'aboth, especially the Nachwort, pp. 42^3, and G. Fried- 
 lander, ibid., passim. 
 
 It seems that originally Abot ended here, as in the Machzor 
 Vilrij. The verses which follow were added from other 
 sources. See Bacher, Agada der Tanaiten, I, 378; Taylor, 
 ibid., p. 95, n. 46, p. 96, n. 47; Hoffmann, Die erste Mischna, 
 p. 30; idem, Abot, p. 358, notes 106 and 108; and Strack, 
 Spriiche, p. 46, notes t and u. 
 
 (60) Taylor makes this verse an addendum to chapter V, 
 and calls it "The Ages of Man." Cf. Shakespeare's "Seven 
 Ages of Man." See in the Jetvish Encyclopedia, art. Ages 
 of Man in Jewish Literature, the Seven, and Schechter, Studies, 
 I, pp. 299-300. 
 
 (61) The Mishnah is the oral or unwTitten law based on 
 the written law contained in the Pentateuch (see chapter I, 
 n. 1). The Mishnah, par excellence, is the codification 
 made by Judah ha-Nasi (see chapter II, n. 1). It is 
 divided into six orders or sections known as sedarim. They 
 are (1) Zeraim, "seeds," which contains the laws regarding 
 the cultivation of the land and its products, introduced by a
 
 88 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 at thirteen for (the fulfihnent of) the command- 
 ments (62), at fifteen for (the study of) the Talmud 
 (63), at eighteen for marriage, at twenty for seek- 
 
 treatise concerning prayer and benedictions (Berachot); (2) 
 Moed, "festivals," treating of the laws of the Sabbath and 
 the festivals; (3) Nashirn, "women," regulations concern- 
 ing marriage and divorce; (4) Nezikin, "injuries" or "dam- 
 ages," civil and criminal law; (5) Kodnshim, "holy things," 
 the laws of sacrifice and of the service of the Temple; and 
 (6) Tohorot, "purifications," dealing with the clean and the 
 unclean. Each order is subdivided into treatises (ynassektot) , 
 there being in all 63 such subdivisions. The Mishnah is 
 known as the shas (D"CJ'), which word is formed from the 
 first letters of the words shishah sedarim (six orders). The 
 Talmud is also similarly termed. For a discussion of the 
 name, origin, contents, compilation, etc., of the Mishnah, 
 see Mielziner, Ititroduclion to the Talmud, p. 4 et seq.', art. 
 Mishnah, in the Jewish Encyclopedia and the authorities 
 cited there; Strack, Einlciiung, p. 2, 15 et seq., 22 et seq., 
 and Geiger, Judaism and its History, p. 239 et seq. 
 
 (62) At thirteen, the Jewish boy becomes bar mitzwah, 
 i.e., "a son of commandment." The rites and ceremonies 
 connected with the bar mitzwah of to-day cannot "be clearly 
 traced earlier than the fourteenth century" (Abrahams, 
 Jeivish Life in the Middle Ages, p. 32). See Schiirer, His- 
 tory, II, ii, p. 53 and n. 38; Schechter, Studies, I, p. 306 et 
 seq., and art. Bar Mitzwah, in Jeivish Encyclopedia. 
 
 (63) Lit., "teaching," "learning," "study." Here, it 
 signifies study for the purpose of elucidating the Mishnah. 
 Some texts read, "for the study of the Gemara." The Ge- 
 mara (from the Aramaic, meaning "learning," "comple- 
 tion") is a collection of explanations and discussions on the 
 Mishnah. The word Talmud was afterwards applied to the 
 Mishnah plus the Gemara. There is a translation of the 
 Talmud in English by Rodkinson, but it is free and incom-
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 89 
 
 ing (a livelihood) (64), at thirty for (entering into 
 one's full) strength, at forty for understanding, at 
 fifty for counsel, at sixty (a man attains) old age, 
 at seventy the hoary head, at eighty (the gift of 
 special) strength (65), at ninety, (he bends beneath) 
 the weight of years, at a hundred he is as if he 
 were already dead and had passed away from 
 the world." 
 
 25. Ben Bag Bag said, "Turn it (66), and turn 
 it over again, for everything is in it, and contem- 
 plate it, and wax grey and old over it, and stir not 
 from it, for thou canst have no better rule than 
 this." 
 
 plete in parts. See Mielziner, Introduction to the Talmud; 
 Bacher, art. Talmud, in Jewish Encyclopedia; idem, art. 
 Gemara, in the Hebrew Union College An7iual (Cincinnati, 
 1904) ; E. Deutsch, What is the Talmud? ; Darmsteter, The 
 Talmud; Strack, Einleitung in den Talmud, pp. 4-5, 6 et 
 seq., 99 et seq., 113 et seq., 132 et seq.; Schechter, On the Study 
 of the Talmud, in Studies, II, p. 102 et seq.; Herford, Pharisa- 
 ism, pp. 53—54. 
 
 (64) Lit., "at twenty, to pursue." This has been vari- 
 ou.sly interpreted as follows: (1) for seeking a livelihood 
 (Bartenora, Hoffmann, Strack, Singer); (2) for the pursuit 
 of miUtary service (cf. Num. I, 3, and Deut. XXIV, 5; Mach- 
 zor Vitri, p. 551. Shakespeare's "Then a soldier"); (3) the 
 age "to pursue him for his deeds, for the celestial bet din 
 (tribunal) does not punish at an age less than twenty (Bar- 
 tenora's second explanation; cf. Rashi on Num. XVI, 27); 
 (4) for the pursuit of ideals (Taylor) ; (5) to pursue the com- 
 mandments (Siddur Korban Minchah). 
 
 (65) Cf. Ps. XC, 10. 
 
 (66) The Torah.
 
 90 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 26. Ben He He said, "According to the labor is 
 the reward" (67). 
 
 "Rabbi Chanania," etc., p. 38. 
 
 (67) The last two verses are ascribed by Abot de-Rabbi 
 Natan to Hillel (chapter XII, ed. Schechter, p. 55). Ben 
 Bag Bag and Ben He He were probably proselytes and dis- 
 ciples of Hillel. See Bacher, ibid., pp. 10-12, Taylor and 
 Hoffmann, ad loc, and Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Ben Bag Bag.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE ACQUISITION OF THE TORAH (1) 
 
 "All Israel," etc., p. 29. 
 
 The sages taught (the following) in the language 
 of the Mishnah — blessed be He that made choice of 
 them and their Mishnah. 1. R. Meir (2) said, 
 "Whosoever labors in the Tor ah for its own sake 
 merits many things; and not only so, but the whole 
 world is indebted to him: he is called friend, be- 
 loved, a lover of the All-present, a lover of man- 
 kind: it clothes him with meekness and reverence; 
 it fits him to become just, pious, upright, and faith- 
 ful; it keeps him far from sin, and brings him near 
 to virtue: through him are enjoyed counsel and 
 sound knowledge, understanding and strength, as 
 it is said, 'Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge; 
 I am understanding; I have strength' (3). It gives 
 him sovereignty and dominion and discerning judg- 
 ment; to him the secrets of the Torah are revealed; 
 he is made like a never-failing spring and like a 
 river that flows on with ever-increasing vigor; he 
 
 (1) See Introduction pp. 18—19. 
 
 (2) Chapter III, n. 32. 
 
 (3) Prov. VIII, 14. Wisdom, representing the Torah, 
 utters these words. 
 
 91
 
 92 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 becomes modest, long-suffering, and forgiving of 
 insults; and it magnifies and exalts him above all 
 things." 
 
 2. R. Joshua, the son of Levi (4), said, "Every- 
 day a bat-kol (5) goes forth from Mount Horeb, pro- 
 claiming and saying, 'Woe to mankind for con- 
 tempt of the Torah, for whoever does not occupy 
 himself in the Torah is said to be under the divine 
 censure, as it is said, 'As a ring of gold in a swine's 
 snout, so is a fair woman who turneth aside from 
 discretion' (6); and it says, 'And the tables were 
 
 (4) R. Joshua lived about the middle of the third century. 
 
 (5) Bat kol (lit., "daughter of a voice" or "daughter- 
 voice"), "a small voice," "sound," "resonance," not "echo," 
 as it is often translated. The expression bat kol was used 
 in place of the longer one bat kol min ha-shamayim, which 
 is "a heavenly or divine voice which proclaims God's will or 
 judgment, His deeds, and His commandments to individ- 
 uals or to number of persons, to rulers, countries, and even 
 to whole nations." This celestial voice was a means of di- 
 vine revelation lower than that of prophecy. According to 
 Schechter, it has two peculiar features: first, its messages 
 are reproductions of verses or sentences from the Old Testa- 
 ment or from the Apocrypha, and secondly, "it is audible only 
 to those who are prepared to hear it." See Weber, AUsynag. 
 Theol., pp. 187-189; Low, Gesammelle Schriflen, II, p. 58, 
 n. 1; Kitto's Cyclopedia of Biblical Lit., art. Bath Kol, and 
 Ludwig Blau, art. Bat Kol, in Jewish Encyclopedia. 
 
 (6) Proverbs XI, 22. The word eiTJ "censured," "placed 
 under ban," by a form of Rabbinical interpretation known 
 as notarikon (stenographer's method, abbreviation), is con- 
 nected with the words of this verse in Proverbs: 2riT dO 
 r]X3 Another instance of this kind of interpretation is 
 in' connecting the word ""SJi^ "I," the first word of the Deca-
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERI^^ 93 
 
 the work of God, and the writing was the writing 
 of God, graven upon the tables' (7). Read not 
 charut (8), but cherut (9), for no man is free but 
 he who occupies himself in the learning of Torah. 
 But whosoever labors in the Torah, behold he shall 
 be exalted, as it is said, 'And from Mattanah to 
 Nachaliel, and from Nachaliel to Bamot' " (10). 
 
 3. He who learns from his companion a single 
 chapter, a single rule, a single verse, a single expres- 
 sion, or even a single letter, ought to pay him honor, 
 for so we find with David, King of Israel, who 
 learned only two things from Ahitophel (11), and yet 
 regarded him as his master, his guide, and familiar 
 
 logue, with the phrase: n^DH^ TT'^nD ^E^sJ NJ^5 "I (God) 
 myself have written (the Torah), and delivered it," or with the 
 words: .iTn^ HTdD no-yj HT'n^^" a pleasant saying, writ- 
 ten and delivered" {Shabbat, 105a). See art. Nolarikon, 
 in the Jewish Encyclopedia, and Strack, Einleitung, p. 130. 
 
 (7) Ex. XXXII, 16. 
 
 (8) Graven. The phrase «!?« • • • npn f'N "do not read . . . 
 but" followed by a suggested reading different from the orig- 
 inal, does not mean that the Rabbis offered an emendation 
 of the bibUcal text. It was merely a change of the text for 
 homiletical purposes. See Bacher, Die dlteste Terminologie 
 der jiidischen Schriftauslegung, p. 175 et seq.; Friedlander, 
 Jewish Religion, p. 204, and Tahnudical dictionaries, s.v. 
 
 (9) Freedom. 
 
 (10) Num. XXI, 19 Mattanah, "gift"; Nachaliel, "the 
 heritage of God"; Bamot, "high places." The names of 
 these three encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness 
 are interpreted according to their Uteral meanings. 
 
 (11) Ahitophel deserted David to take up the cause of 
 his rebelhous son, Absalom. See II Sam. XVI, 15; XVII, 1 
 et seq.
 
 94 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 friend, as it is said, "But it was thou, a man, mine 
 equal, my guide, and my familiar friend" (12). 
 Now, is it not an argument from minor to major 
 (13), that if David, the King of Israel, who learned 
 only two things from Ahitophel, regarded him as 
 his master, guide, and familiar friend, he who learns 
 from his fellow a chapter, rule, verse, expression, 
 or even a single letter, is bound to pay him honor? 
 And "honor" is nothing but Torah, as it is said, 
 "The wise shall inherit honor (14) and the perfect 
 shall inherit good" (15). And "good" is nothing 
 but Torah, as it is said, "For I give you good doc- 
 trine, forsake ye not my Torah" (16). 
 
 4. This is the way that is becoming for the study 
 of the Torah: a morsel of bread with salt thou 
 must eat (17), "and water by measure thou must 
 drink" (18), thou must sleep upon the ground, and 
 live a life of trouble the while thou toilest in the 
 Torah. If thou doest thus, "Happy shalt thou be, 
 and it shall be well with thee" (19), "happy shalt 
 thou be" in this world, and "it shall be well with 
 thee" in the world to come (20). 
 
 (12) Sec Ps. LV, 14. The two things David learned are 
 hinted at in Ps. LV, 15. 
 
 (13) See chapter I, n. 17. 
 
 (14) Prov. Ill, 35. 
 
 (15) Ibid., XXVIII, 10. 
 
 (16) Ibid., IV, 2. 
 
 (17) Even he who has only bread and salt to eat must 
 busy himself with the study of the Torah. 
 
 (18) Ezck. IV, 11. 
 
 (19) Ps. CXXVIII, 2. (20) Cf. chapter IV, 1.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 95 
 
 5. Seek not greatness for thyself, and court not 
 honor; let thy works exceed thy learning; and 
 crave not after the table of kings; for thy table is 
 greater than theirs, and thy crown is greater than 
 theirs, and thy Employer is faithful to pay thee the 
 reward of thy work. 
 
 6. The Tor ah is greater than the priesthood and 
 than royalty, for royalty demands thirty qualifi- 
 cations (21), the priesthood twenty-four (22), while 
 the Torah is acquired by forty-eight. And these 
 are they: by audible study; by a listening ear 
 (23); by distinct pronunciation; by understand- 
 ing (24) and discerrmient of the heart; by awe, 
 reverence, meekness, cheerfulness (25); by minis- 
 tering to the sages, by attaching one's self to col- 
 leagues, by discussion with disciples; by sedate- 
 ness; by knowledge of the Scripture and of the 
 Mishnah; by moderation in business, in intercourse 
 with the world, in pleasure, in sleep, in conversa- 
 tion, in laughter; by long suffering; by a good 
 heart; by faith in the wise; by resignation under 
 chastisement; by recognizing one's place, rejoicing 
 in one's portion, putting a fence to one's words, 
 claiming no merit for one's self, by being beloved, 
 loving the All-present, loving mankind, loving just 
 
 (21) See Sanhedrin II, 2-5. 
 
 (22) See Baba Kamma, 110b, etc. 
 
 (23) Singer, combining the first two, reads "by audible 
 study." 
 
 (24) Taylor omits "understanding and." 
 
 (25) Taylor and Hoffmann add "by purity" (mnt31).
 
 96 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 courses, rectitude, and reproof; by keeping one's self 
 far from honor, not boasting of one's learning, nor 
 delighting in giving decisions; by bearing the yoke 
 with one's fellow, judging him favorably, and lead- 
 ing him to truth and peace; by being composed in 
 one's study; by asking and answering, hearing and 
 adding thereto; by learning with the object of 
 ^/Caching, and by learning with the object of prac- 
 tising; by making one's master wiser, fixing atten- 
 tion upon his discourse, and reporting a thing in 
 the name of him who said it. So thou hast learned, 
 ''Whosoever reports a thing in the name of him 
 that said it brings deliverance into the world," as 
 it is said, "And Esther told the king in the name of 
 Mordecai" (26). 
 
 7. Great is the Torah, which gives life to those 
 that practise it in this world and in the world to 
 come, as it is said, "For they are life unto those 
 that find them, and health to all their flesh" (27); 
 and it says, "It shall be health to thy navel, and 
 marrow to thy bones" (28); and it says, "It is a 
 tree of life to them that grasp it, and of them that 
 uphold it every one is rendered happy" (29); and 
 it says, "For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto 
 thy head, and chains about thy neck" (30); and it 
 says, "It shall give to thine head a chaplet of grace, 
 a crown of glory it shall deliver to thee" (31); and 
 it says, "For by me thy days shall be multiplied, 
 
 (26) Esth. II, 22. (29) Prov. Ill, 18. 
 
 (27) Prov. IV, 22. (30) Ibid., I, 9. 
 
 (28) Ibid., Ill, 8. (31) Ibid., IV, 9.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 97 
 
 and the years of thy life shall be increased" (32); 
 and it says, "Length of days is in its right hand; 
 in its left hand are riches and honor" (33); and it 
 says, "For length of days, and years of life, and 
 peace shall they add to thee" (34). 
 
 8. R. Simeon, the son of Judah, in the name of 
 R. Simeon, the son of Yohai, said, "Beauty, strength, 
 riches, honor, wisdom, old age, a hoary head, and 
 children are comely to the righteous and comely to 
 the world, as it is said, 'The hoary head is a crown 
 of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness' 
 (35) ; and it says, ' The glory of young men is their 
 strength, and the adormnent of old men is the hoary 
 head' (36); and it says, *A cro^vn unto the wise 
 is their riches' (37); and it says, 'Children's chil- 
 dren are the crown of old men, and the adornment 
 of children are their fathers' (38); and it is said, 
 'Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun 
 ashamed; for the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount 
 Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders shall 
 be glory' " (39). R. Simeon, the son of Menasya, 
 said, "These seven qualifications which the sages 
 enumerated as becoming to the righteous were all 
 realized in Rabbi Judah, the Prince (40), and in his 
 sons." 
 
 9. R. Jose, the son of Kisma (41), said, "I was 
 
 (32) Prov. IX, 11. (37) Prov. XIV, 24. 
 
 (33) Ibid., Ill, 16. (38) Ibid., XVII, 6. 
 
 (34) Ibid., Ill, 2. (39) Isa. XXIV, 23. 
 
 (35) Ibid., XVI, 31. (40) See chapter II, n. 1. 
 
 (36) Ibid., XX, 29. (41) He Uved about 120 c.e.
 
 98 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 once walking by the way, when a man met me and 
 saluted me, and I returned the salutation. He said 
 to me, * Rabbi, from what place art thou? ' I said to 
 him, 'I come from a great city of sages and scribes.' 
 He said to me, 'If thou art willing to dwell with us 
 in our place, I will give thee a thousand thousand 
 golden dinars and precious stones and pearls.' I 
 said to him, 'Wert thou to give me all the silver 
 and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world, 
 I would not dwell anywhere but in a home of the 
 Torah '; and thus it is written in the book of Psalms 
 by the hands of David, King of Israel, 'The law of 
 thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of 
 gold and silver' (42); and not only so, but in the 
 hour of man's departure neither silver nor gold nor 
 precious stones nor pearls accompany him, but 
 only Torah and good works, as it is said, 'When 
 thou walkest it shall lead thee; when thou liest 
 down it shall watch over thee; and when thou 
 awakest it shall talk with thee' (43); 'when thou 
 walkest it shall lead thee' — in this world; 'when 
 thou liest down it shall watch over thee'^ — in the 
 grave; and 'when thou awakest it shall talk with 
 thee' — in the world to come. And it says, 'The 
 silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord 
 of hosts' " (44). 
 
 10. Five possessions the Holy One, blessed be 
 He, made especially His own in His world, and these 
 are they, the Torah, heaven and earth, Abraham, 
 
 (42) Ps. XCIX, 72. (44) Hag. II, 8. 
 
 (43) Prov. VI, 22.
 
 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 99 
 
 Israel, and the house of the sanctuary. Whence 
 know we this of the Tor ah? Because it is written, 
 "The Lord possessed me as the beginning of his 
 way, before his works, from of old" (45). Whence 
 of heaven and earth? Because it is written, "Thus 
 saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the 
 earth is my footstool: what manner of house will 
 ye build unto me? and what manner of place for 
 my rest?" (46); and it says, "How manifold are 
 thy works, Lord! In wisdom hast thou made 
 them all: the earth is full of thy possessions" (47). 
 Whence of Abraham? Because it is written, "And 
 he blessed him, and said, 'Blessed be Abram of the 
 Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth" 
 (48). Whence of Israel? Because it is written, 
 "Till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people 
 pass over which thou hast acquired" (49); and it 
 says, "As for the saints that are in the earth, they 
 are the noble ones in whom is all my delight" (50). 
 Whence of the house of the sanctuary? Because 
 it is written, "The place, O Lord, which thou hast 
 made for Thee to dwell in, the sanctuary, Lord, 
 which Thy hands have prepared" (51); and it says, 
 "And he brought them to the border of his sanc- 
 tuary, to this mountain which his right hand had 
 acquired" (52). 11. Whatsoever the Holy One, 
 blessed be He, created in His world He created but 
 
 (45) Prov. VIII, 22. (49) Ex. XV, 16. 
 
 (46) Isa. LXVI, 1. (50) Ps. XVI, 3. 
 
 (47) Ps. CIV, 24. (51) Ex. XV, 17. 
 
 (48) Gen. XIV, 16. (52) Ps. LXXVIII, 54.
 
 100 SAYINGS OF THE JEWISH FATHERS 
 
 for His glory, as it is said, "Everything that is 
 called by my name, it is for my glorj^ I have created 
 it, I have formed it, yea, I have made it" (53); 
 and it says, "The Lord shall reign for ever and 
 ever" (54). 
 
 "Rabbi Chanania." etc., p. 38. 
 
 (53) Isa. XLIII, 7. (54) Ex. XV, LS.
 
 "^m^ p-iD nnt< p"iD 30 
 
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 r\r\ D^lyD n'tyly!? a^n njnu ^^ms:; rnin n!^*,-;^ t 
 n^5"'PD>i D'TiSV^^p on n^T'^^ iD^;}^',^2n Dbr;2) 
 ;rpniDVP>''ipt;^'l ?iT^^. v^ nwi "IDl^l :x?:-i.o 
 
 iTljiiPi-^i n-i,N;^n nifpy.^ Ju'^lp '^^^'^'^^ 1^^ "i^'^l 
 npiNi :D^:n mp ^^ "opri ?]p; Q7 ^5 ^d nt:'}<] 
 
 □''jnm r\2''wry\ r\2pir\ noDnm ilDDm it:r"vm n'Dm
 
 27 ^ID\D P"1D nD^< p"lD 
 
 n^'H "iy_^ ''.''ni i^^n fn^n bp_] nr)\^r\ mwr?2 d^qi 
 
 'IDi n^i-i^n-ip nnl"' nnin n^n^ 1 : ^n^iy^f "i^t^; t]^ 
 mr}:;)r\] nt^ip D^\Lfb^'2 mp:\ n-o^DW -nD'pDn 
 njiD^'i D^i^snt:?? n*":!:?: nninri] »V7W Q''1^JJ2 
 
 ♦Dn^q pBi 5 ,D^D5q i:;"iDe/? (nnn^o?) ,nnp6?^3 
 
 *21£D-D^5 ,D^p}St Tj-iN-l ,pT0 D1VP5 'Hn^^ DWP5 
 
 .lDip?p-n^ "T'Sisn ,Dn1D^•Jl n^jp^ ^o'lppq nJiD^5 
 HDiD p^ro u^N^ I ^ingit' TD nfe;iyn] ,lp^g5 np'^ni 
 nnl^vnln^n-n^ Dni^ ^Dlpon'm D^1^< ,2)n^ ,iD!iy b
 
 •^i:;::; pid hdn* ^pno 26 
 
 ^l2;^? Tin n^s dht dt: I'o^w nii^ ^"ipJ nmn^ 
 r]nr\ D'TtH nty^D nni^m ,^D1^<^ : d^:d nnm nc 
 'b^ >nnbn'bv. nnn t^tn oM^i^^ Dn^p Dnp??n] 
 ^p N^J^j riln-i5 ^^ r^^' nnn N^i^j nnn ^-pp) 
 niin "niD^n? ptyi^;?/ ^p'^gi nnin "no^n^ P^i>:^ 
 ^i!<^^mni ^i<^i?q: njnppi "i^^^^A^ n^y_op nj nn 
 nn^< ^D^n'1^^ in^ pis mDn^ -iofei ^ miDD 
 nn^ nl^< i^^ds^ lt< "in^ 1)21 in int< piDc ix 
 ^^<1^' l^p "in:? ^T^^ ]W n)23 d •Jin;^ -jn^ 
 lN"ip nD^3 DnDi ^:::;" i<b^ i^cn^nNQ-i?:)'' v^!:'^' 
 '>Di^!si •'51^,5 ^i^iJ^f nn^<i np^;^.t^" i^i^pi idi!^^^ i^n 
 'n.^g in npi npnj ^p_ cnDi ^<S-:il ♦•'^.Tpi 
 
 •T : •■ ; TV V I • ~: •• ~ T V ■• T : • 
 
 p*)D raqp npi^n ,i^"i^pi idi^5< di ixip "15^5 
 int< "im l^< "in^i pioe it< nnvv n^^n'^ in^ 
 
 iDxiii:^' n"iln 5*<i:5N 1D2 ]^2<i oiDD 13 r^:b 
 
 - ■:: V •.• T TV T ' •■ : t - ; • 
 
 2)^ TNI oiD i^m"* D^iD^Dm Abny> □'•DDn idd 
 
 I .. . ":: • ■ ■ : |T : • • t -: t 
 
 •^nnin D:^b ^nna did np^ o "idn^i:;' n'^ln n'^n
 
 25 ^aiD p-lD r,i2v^ 'p-iD 
 
 tzHD iro^if rrTLi nj^r^n ]Wb':i n-iD^n lit:/ 
 n^-ji? ,-nin3 pt:;^y it!:'d nniN tnd ^un ?< : nn Jt:;'DDi 
 
 T '^ T TV TV : ■" : ~ ■ T ;• 
 
 •T'Dn p"*"!!: r\Vnb Ihil^^'ddi nxn^i mjy Tnc:;3^ni 
 nci ""T^ inDippi Npn.TlP "inpnnpi jpwi "i^ 
 
 - v:v V T : T .• T ■ ; T IV ■ "."v: 
 
 : - V IV : T ; ' T ^^ • -; T • : t *=• 
 
 V ;~; T •• T ■ ~ : ' " ' * ; T T : V 
 
 vm np] r\b)n\ iD^OP^' Ti;?'i PPic I:\vl;;' j^y^pp 
 ^^_ Tnpplnpi in^TOi 1:13^^;!:'^. bnyo) nn "rj-iNi 
 
 on? ''iJ^ ^^.g''^l ^•Ht'^^ ^'^^ "1'^'? ^^^*"''' ^""'^ ^3
 
 ••ty^Dn p"iD nut< piD 24 
 
 Dv^:i'^^ n^D^HD nnnn e;'D3i nniD-i nni ny-i 
 
 ^: • T • : - • T T : viv: t : - i: 't t 
 
 • ; - ; ~ v: V V T - T ^ T • -; : v ~ T '^ T 
 
 -iD^<:^ nnt:^" ^^<Db onni^T d^n-^-i D^::;-ir yt^^nn 
 
 - v: V V ~i~ '■ : • ■ : : ■ ■■ • : ^ t t t 
 
 HDiDi D^Di ^i:;:^ nn:^' 1^2^ oinln dm^^^ nn^i 
 
 T : • • T •• : - ^ |- •• : • •• • • v: t - : 
 
 T •• ' V T : IT - : V ■":- v •• : v:v 
 
 •'^^{5 iId:] ^2^^ p,it;(p i^PJ np^3 ^v. n.in '"ipl^< 
 
 . . •■;•.• ; ' V • T : • - • T V IV 'V Tl ; • - 
 
 n^ty^ D^^^^t:^""!? n:pT> o':?/^"15 n^y> D^t^pq"!5
 
 23 ''W^^n p"iD nDN piD 
 
 »iq i^i^V'toi 115 D"":???^" ^??t^"^T ^2n-n^< :p'iD 
 
 T V 1 ~ V viv ' : ~ ' iv~ . V T f V T T : 
 
 1 -■ - T ■■ : T~T --T tt: t : ••.• t ~: ~ 
 
 t^^n 'iv^ ruby^b n^L::} ru*^< 121:1 nibn htni^'i 
 ,ii2r\) ]1:d^ n:3n{< it idid ^^'l^n■^<^■^iy hdh^j 
 
 T T ; I : ~ — : - T T ; T : • •.• t -: - 
 
 T 'TT ■ -T ~~:~ tt; t : T*'v: 
 
 nT^iU) Dpnn!^ hdid d^W n\L^b ^'^rwLf wbnn 
 
 1.. , -. - . .. tI _ . . . ^ I .. .|- ^ ... 
 
 riDTDH-bD ND : in"iy-!5Di nip np^nn it d^^vj Dt7'b 
 
 . -. - - ^ . T ^- ^ . .. I .. • - T 
 
 HDT IW'ti ♦ nD'iL^n VTiiDVb 1T3 Dp^CDD-]"'t< D^^IH 
 
 T T V T : :~ t: i...-i.. --t 
 
 np"i!^ ii2h:i^ 13 '»i^n n^^nn hdt D^:i"in-n^ nsTi 
 
 I - . . -._....._. y • - T ; • — T V T • ; 
 
 T T T ; I V T :tt "t:- '^^ tt;- t ^t t: 
 
 -nx ^<^:^^^ "it:;"vVT i^ton i'^^ d^^di"' niNton-i^y 
 
 • v: V V ~:~ T t V -; ^-r : tt - ^- 
 
 ^<l^ tbi DnDi hk;"^!:;' B-t:'"^t:r' ^r^'b^ ^d :!5^<nty'• 
 
 T -; • T : f : V V T .. .f . . 
 
 □nnt< DnDi ne/'bi:;! ^ijdn nniDN-!^;:;" ri^D^nD 
 
 . .. -. • T : T ; |- T T T ; - V f . .- . 
 
 ,— » ; T ' -^ ^ J T T T ; • V T • ; ~ •
 
 'iD^^n p-)D nD^< pnD 22 
 
 .... T T : T T T ; V TV •• T : . • ■ : 
 
 ,l-ipDn5 n^t;; ^<^; nliii^ n^p) ciyp!? ni!;p^ '1"i?fc?;3 
 ni^i:;] Dlyp^ nl: n^pn nliJi^ ni:i Dl:;p> n^i:; 
 
 *i?T P.^n II i3;si^ l^^?J^ yjot^'^ n^^^p oiD p^n 11 
 u:;i^ ^<b] in^;^" n:^nn -npi^ '':oi^3 nnp ysi^t ^t^ 
 
 np ,11^5 n5^Sq "i^'t^ np u^n] T]^in -b'liDn 
 fc<b ,"i^pn n^pi "^i?in ,n;5 nt^y_p n^^ r\br{ U^^] 
 "•^P^ D^p:f;vp nnp ]jTp ^' :v?^l nt^y Nb) r\b)n 
 ionp y\^Q :nDJi^ nigi^'p ^W^) :idq /D^pdh
 
 21 ^iD'r^n p-iD ni2N piD 
 
 TV • ■• : • ■• ~ : ■• T T T T : t ; • ; v i : 
 
 .run n.^l 1in> dj:?j T:^ni ,(]:;p5^) nnprj? mi2 
 
 T ^T • T .. T -T •• ■ 't : • V t : V •• • : 
 
 D j^^< nn^pp) D^i^vp nn^pp ': ni^y-.^siii nv^:^-!^^ 
 n"5ijr^^'i nninq-^c^" :iv;]iW-^ ^^^ w^ - Q'>^.5t?r 
 
 V IV T T T : V *> T T — V • V : t 
 
 -bv.D.^iv^' n5^3 Dip :n^^;5:?^ nnD ^y.i p^ n^3^ 
 -bi?i ^w nv^owb^ nb)):b ni^s n^n n^'n chd^hd 
 
 n^iJ''5?^3T n''i?;5ng ,n5iOP "155:1 np,l2? nv,3ii!<? 2- 
 :n:w') n:;i;'-bDDt:^'.:nn ^N^^iinm n'>j?^Di:^" ^t^^iiDDi 
 
 T T : TT T ; V TV •• T : • • : T :
 
 ^ly-'DH piD DDvN piD 20 
 
 HDD pnln^ D^D3 "inyi i:^Dt< DH-lDv^ HD^P: 
 
 nDD "i^j;/ :D)T i5y_ nn^yi nn^pD ct^^^^ 
 n^^j □:'7,ifP3 o^nvp^ i:'^. ^<^^ TjnD t:^"i"ipn n^dh 
 K^'ll^n-nt^ otidn; iDJ nUl^p: rr\^v..} '>ur-b^i 
 
 \t\ ,i:;'ipn iti;^ nnn ns^N riy^'^r^ ^ -m'^D'nr^ 
 
 .□n^pn DV? ^11^ ]ilD^ np.. pit< ^<!^] ,Dp5Ppn 
 
 ''n^'pi np^5 b)DD ^5^p;l i<^i ,i^'yn "nD^_Ti^ nnn 
 ,D^nn D^inn::;Di d^didij nnp^ ,d"':Dm Dn!:53T on^n 
 
 ■ T : ■-;-:• : • : '^ ■ t - viv : viv - 
 
 "^D -tn i^^^i r^wu^m p3 nsti/ Diys i^idj Dnni 
 
 I .. ,.. . ^ . _ 1 .. ^_ •.■'iv: : : • 't : 
 
 rp^ipn n^^ Q^"lP^^< t:^:i *nln^ni Dnppni Dnpr. 
 
 ■• : !• T T T : - V •• : v v t ' :
 
 19 ^^'DH pic n\2^ pnD 
 
 ]W ^^n "qns inb -i^n^^t<in ]^"i ^^s ^<in -ipn mi 
 
 -jD picnic N^t< nlNH^n!? b)y ini< "id^^ds nSii 
 ni^^j ^<154t?;' D^i^n"ni?<: □^i?^^??'^ a^y.^'-in 
 D^i^iTnjjD^pp.^i^np''"]^^ DID "15^ jn^inlnD^JD 
 1:^.] Di5<o nlin nntyy^^ :nl"inisip m\DV2 ^T?W 
 rn nlinn-^?;;/ r:?^ d^sni ^IS^j n^s ynin^ rip
 
 ^yi^T) P"1D HD^ ^p-iD 18 
 
 'tt tt; t— t'^t ••*• T' V~ T'^T 
 
 r^i^b ^C3D iDDii/ n^::;'3 ^:lD^:^-^^^^ Id^d rwt^ 
 nD^n-^:T]?:i< !?d^5 '"^t:lN ]^^r[ b^yop i^ : in^i-^^p 
 
 VI V . ~ • • T ~; ' V T • v: ~ T *> • • 
 
 II "T .. - : TT T; ^- T : : • V t : 
 
 "•^l "^ :pinD T;-i5y_nDin5 i^l5^ nijn Nin hd^ 
 
 "ID -iDli^n r\xM ^^Dsn nDS i:/''^ nmn^ ns ^dI'' 
 I . .. - .. . . — - . . ^ . _ .. 
 
 r\r)W\ nlnp.D^D:^^5l^<^ npn Nin nn^ c^^Dpn 
 iPQI^^'p'n^n t^in no!;' □^:p.in"lP iDl^n\'inAP r,l 
 
 -TO D''^^!ilD ilD3m m^<nm n^apn ntm 'y^^n 
 
 • • T - : T-; — : T : I • - •• t i - — 
 
 T 4.»- .. XT T'^t'- TTT 
 
 j^Tjn^i p;7in>i j^t^ jn^ c^nni nl^nn^ D^npni
 
 17 ^^T^^i piD nQ.^ pnD 
 
 lb"t:/: nninD n^py;a^<l •n;^:;^ n^in d^^dd ■?]> 
 
 i^iyni -!n^<: *iD''bpn5 ib rgip nn^ niVP n^l^n 
 D^'^nn^ HDiD D^nt:;' d^^ t<Mt:;' h^djd-^d n^l^ 
 :D*DL:;\silD3T|3i{<nlDi rm ^<-l1D^ tj-idh iddi 
 
 •|Tr T ; IT- T It- t ; ';"-: : 
 
 i)d?n r\mp "na^n? iv] ^D '^^"^ ^1^^] ^5"!) ^^ 
 -igD ]r\ Dn.n? nt?^'!pt?^' nDij< iiyt?tc;" ^5-1 1' : in; n^ij? 
 ^p_ n.^ly DID Di^' in?] hd^d nn^i n^np -ipD] n-^ln 
 'bi^] nnin Dlpp^ n J5l:i n.iri nnl^< ninj "'51 n* : jgi^^ 
 -^};<1 T]T2 nitp^p^ ^''i^.^Gt;^" ^"^HN NDn N%-!^" ^D^<^ 
 
 TT T ; • •' ; ~ *'V: Viv ' V t ; * ~ 
 
 • - "^ ': ~ ' '• ~ '• T -; T TT •••.7T 
 
 Dj'iyn "':p5 "injnD^ n^Tt np o^iyn nDi>< Dp^\
 
 ^V'^y) piD HD^ p-)D 16 
 
 :^:w^ im ""^p ligp d""^."!©: nop^ Qip^' ot;^ 
 nplx (1:5) b^v.i;>^f) ^51 ^ -D^n bi^n? "i''iP5 int<i 
 
 TT It: t t:~ :'•— : t v~:: tt ^-; 
 
 -by.^^nq TDiii n"3Tnn-n^f ^!?npn-^5\ nln^T^Xi 
 13> D^ni ,^w nyDi^"i ^ni nj-'j^ liipo pi\b no 
 it2iir\-bii,) nm ^bn '»Tn^ n r^ty* n-'P'' n mh 
 
 - : TV T V • • : ' T • •• V • • : • T • : 
 
 nplt< ig:l'' ">5"3 f*' *n^i< ^b] Q''t<^i DH^' ^n$;n li^^p 
 •to] 1^'yp nD^s> IDID ^;vp n^irn'ri^ op-PG"^? 
 
 ninj nnlns pt!;j;i pfe?^.5 ^^^pp nin nplt< tnp
 
 15 ^^y^ pis DQN p-)D 
 
 {^ppn (-15) ijv^!?i^ '•31 i^ :nD nwv.!^ ^Vl ^^] 
 
 nisp^ -niDSq "tDiii in in nn: vW'\ r;ip 'npit< 
 
 .•01 N'jjn on :np5ri^ nin?^n^ rriNji:?)?:! 
 
 no^^^'Dl^^"^5pnol55n,Dpnrir5^nolt<^plri5^' 
 .ni3J )nm :{t nrT\D ri'^rrw ^2) ^rb^\Dr\ ^d^d-^^o 
 
 iDN^i!;Mpi5n3 nDlyn ,tk^v ^nr^ n*"^ i^^d inn3 
 
 ~ v:v V ' : V : — r* t ~ ^ ^t v •■ ^. .. . . 
 
 -nt< nsDDn nsDo inr^< :^^3n o^l^i^ ^i? didi nn 
 
 njvp^ .nnD5^n-lP r\ya\ rfpp. ni^p^ n '"^S '"'^"'^ 
 niuD m^D nDl!:;t!; rrov nnnl-i nn^pi niiJD mnl-j 
 -tab n *'r\rrbt< ,112)^ n^n ^<^n :> : nn^^ nnDp_nDt!:;i 
 
 DD^)> ^51 T :Dipn lb r^^i;/ 15-3 r(p ]^i<\ n)i\iJ lb 
 nipn^ on '^W ^B "i^^? i^^p '^^'^ n;;: t^"^« 
 b^npn-b^ ,nDlt< npji5"15 pni-* ^51^ :npi ;:;"l:^
 
 ^\D^b\D p-^D nDt< pnD 14 
 
 "•^i^nm nmnc mjnn D^^nn-^3-by nti;nD nmijni 
 iDDD^*i^"nD by Dnb t:;"^i inyiD N^t:;'! inviD D-i^<n 
 
 I : ■ V ~ V T • • : : • ■,• ; "^ : - • t t t 
 
 "I? iK^JJ '51 ^^ • nni^Q^ ipnp bsn] npN n nni 
 
 nyi r^S nj^2 r5< DvS n:;5 pis nvi v^ dn nppn jnsi 
 
 n^{D nnm □'•^d^d vi:;"nt:;i d^bid rDjyt:;' ib^i5 
 "1^1^? r-!;ni iiD^^f ^t?^ i'>?"^y_ iTODim. inip.i^i 
 
 niN? D^iy^g;" nlnni^bD 'b^^nji^ d''519 ^'^'l^'l 
 n^'l^ "idj<|^" iDlp^t? inivS D^i^ip r^t d nix;"ij| 
 
 :iNT b<b ni^3 n:t^'?i i:i!.n rbv^ .thi dn nd^ ^5
 
 13 "^W^^ID p-iD nD^< pnD 
 
 -^i:;" ni^or ^n:] nrs^t:;"^"! D"'"i^*n nn-^^i n^ir^)^'b\iJ r:i 
 
 T T; V ■ ~ T *^ T J • T T T V • • I V|T T • • »^ 
 
 'bp inns -ipr?ni ngig ran ^:c r?^?5n] nliyjrsn 
 riN HDbnD ^b\D n-ilns d^:d Mt:5:om 1:^2^^ nnii^ 
 obii^b p^n t i\Nt d^dvld D^tc^y.pi ni.in It:? t:;rL;;" "'t: b^ 
 
 V I ; • : - I : : ' ~ "v: --^ t : • • - t - 
 
 ;nny^D>Nn-nt<D''^^-np t:?N-i m^pj pT0 n^)^ 
 
 ■T TT 'T-; t:t-t: •;- 
 
 V IV : t; • V '^-i- T": t • viv : t ■. ■ ■.• tt 
 
 T T T V T ^T • v: V i-.' : • • ~ •.•:•.• ■." ' v: 
 
 nyn: tat nsn (npn^) d^:d i^^np^ii^^-iti^^D^D^Dn 
 
 T ~ V - • T - v: .• •.• ' T - ■ T :l ; • V V t 
 
 ran mnri -^bD cnb jn:^:^' ^N"iti?^ d^d^-h :DT,it?t^ 
 tr\22 W mon ^bj on'^ jn:L:;* anb nymj nnn^ 
 
 t^DH] in: D^iyn dviodi -jin: n ii:^'-!-! ^ -c*^ ^531 u-
 
 ' ^w^b\D pnD nynn piD 12 
 
 nn^<i:/ fei^D ib-jn hdIn f^ninn^ e/^t< niy^ 
 T]Tpi ^3n ?]pp-^? "iniN ^<^^ ins p] 1^;^ "^J'^l 
 
 -S5 ,it:iN "i^ts?? 'SI D^O '^1 15 ''npn ^y\ ^ 
 
 . . T - T '^T V •^;- T ; ■ ■ TV T T -1" - 
 
 Ti0p: -iD^"i r(p ip^^'n PI nn;>{;!^' ii:^d:3 D^non 
 
 "li; lt:;'cJ5 D.^nop l:^5s; >s*n ,T]^p ^p^ ^3 7]:;?^p 
 
 nrDpHD inniDn inr^Dnb n^iip iN::n n^i"::^ ^'3 
 InpDn r>: iN'tpn n^tT> npip inoipn^* ':5D1 
 
 T '^;- • ■>■•._; T ; T V ; vii' - ; • t ; t t ; t •• 
 
 d™ ^3 npi« n;n Nin ^' :nt5;p.0P ^nppn p^^ 
 bD) iiiD^n nnlj Dlpr^n nn i^D^n nnu nnsn 
 
 IV •• T I T - - I IV •• T • : 
 
 nnl: Diprsn nn r^ i^dm nnlj ninsn nn t^i^l:/
 
 11 ^ID'^blD piD DDN •'plD 
 
 ♦D*:;^" i<b>i. ^b inv ')i2\d '^^ipn^i ;^ \x-)^^ r^p'p iroi 
 ^nD :ynp;:i;:^' nnin^ ptylyi Diy?;^' "in5< t^^^, p^^q 
 ip^y ^DJ ^D DT^ 113 DLy'^ iDv^:it:;" i::\d t yDip t<in 
 ib) imn |n';5^ !5y_ i'pdn^' -0k;" ,"ioin ]iyps^ ''5"l^ 
 
 ipWiy'DMD ^jDTO i^pi;^ I^ND HllH ""IDl V^y^npi^ 
 
 ^bN? nnin nDi vbv^ npNi nn^s in^t?; ^y. t>:)H\iJ 
 
 b:;] nD^D bv m^ o^y'^m nnln bv T'?H ^5P_pn 
 ^V vjy.D'jnij rn;n '^^y i^dd pi.lcn-i:'p] px "t]!! 
 
 niTO D p.'i;/'!;;] oq^'r^' n"i^y..npi>^ to:5:n isd 
 ^^*"nij;5 3^:1 □^'1^?< ""5^^?^' co^;''? n;ni:/ ru^DK; 
 
 r^Di ^t^'j' DMbN* 2np:: ")r:N*:i:;" nt:;'^!:;' p^dn rnoi
 
 ^:c; pnD nD{< piD lo 
 
 b^'^rb inln"i5 ^n^■^^^l "i1d:3> n?^^;?n r^^bv, {<b 
 ip^ r(p D^jnl: n^in nnin nip^ d^< n:?5Q 
 
 .'01 ^N-l'J^ Sd 
 
 l!?1n nn^5 jni^t n^<^ j^istt: yinnDy^n.^? ^«p r\m r^i 
 
 DO^'rpn ""D^D r(?n ^:^b ]Wr}) j"*"! in^ "i^n^^npN ^q 
 K/^ n^nlD ^br:ibM nobtD-bt:;' nnl^;:;'^ ^>2nn 
 
 T T T • •. ■ V : - V T ; • .. - . . 
 
 cv.^ 3^'iD nn-i.q nnin n;:-] nr}^^^^ ]^^\ DOt^^'r^ 
 i^< "iDw;:;" •Drp:''D rpnt:;' n^Dt:?' nnin n^i Dn^:^3 
 
 T - v:vv ...... T . T • ; T •■ : • V "
 
 9 ''j\D p"iD m::^^ pnD 
 
 ]n^ij: 5 TH] niniD^ppq-b^' p;n 1;:;^ am^^ nip.) 
 r\^:i\P] yin -i^;.i pin ry..npiN^_0T^5"l-^ iwij^ 
 
 nrlN ""Dl^ •^n I' : □i:5lyiTl?2 □"INiTD^^ D^N''*:ilD HlnBH 
 
 .... .- t'^ti- ttt V •• •: 
 
 T|?p:|»*y_ |p.O'j] 1^;c^'3 ^^,^^,,Mn rppq jIdd \t. 
 
 t:^>:p■^^? ^^20^ nnN^'pi (n^cnDi) yntc^' nisinpa 
 ciprsn ^:9> □'Ji^uni D''nq"! n^^ ^Dp..T]p^D:^ 
 npn-nii D;5^< "ti-i.n: ^i"l^ mnni lurn? "i^^^^t?^' 
 
 Wn^-HD vil nnln i1d>^ ipi^" niq ,"^D1^< ijv!?^ 
 iDivS iTH t<iM ND :pnn n^pn ^ynj n5"]n iD'^n]
 
 (^31) i^pn iriDG ''Dl'' C^^l) ini^l"^ nt^"t< ^<:;:3q-|5 
 
 . . . .... ^ -J — ^ ._ .^, ^_ |, . _ 
 
 "n^ p.npD n;j^" nD5 liri? IH^^] DO^k H^ 
 HDlD "n-n ^M lr^^ i^<"ii it<ij ,Drb ii^H y :d^3 
 
 T I V IV • •• ; : •.• T — T T •._ 
 
 • ~ T I •»!— •• '; v; ' v: • ~ tt t t i - ;■•.■ 
 
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 nip.] nsin n^^itD^]p "ilD^ ^3jp.?]n"jin n&v./"i^i{< 
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 • • • : - "T -f T ■ T VI": T T T ^ V ••) - ; 
 
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 n;^Di^* ' np^'> iip^: oDlnip i<5^' ^^515 "i^"] ".l") 
 
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 niU3;n by_i nninn by. nply o^lyn cnDi n^^b;^ 
 Ssp 1D1D c;>j^ D^^p^iNt :i ranpn nib>p^ by_l 
 
 vn x!5t^ DID bsp!^ njD-by Dnn-n^< n^^mi2n 
 
 •.-TV T : .. I - ; T : ^- - T V • : - ; - 
 
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 :Dn^l5Tn^^ t<p^n r\rfi\:f r\)Q)Dr}^bn'^w^ P^n^OP 
 
 3
 
 "PIRKE ABOT" 
 
 HEBREW TEXT 
 
 From the Roedelheini Edition of the Siddur 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 NEW YORK 
 BLOCH PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 " The Jewish Book Concern " 
 
 1916
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 
 \flM 
 
 t»5^- 
 
 ■ APR 1 7 rags 
 JUN] 
 
 •tJ/IW2 
 
 3 ISO*. 
 
 30»n-7,'70(N8475s8) — C-120
 
 I 
 
 3 1 158 00573 9254 
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 AA 000 999 734 7
 
 DU^ ^"512 
 
 ^PIRKE ABOT"