by Sayings of the Jewish Fathers PREFACENotwithstanding 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 Classics. The Pirke Abot is indeed a classical 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 reading, but it has been thought wise to amplify the notes, especially with bibliographical references, so that it may serve the purpose of a teacher's handbook, 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 generally 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 wisdom of the “Fathers”; that it may serve as an incentive to a more detailed study of their philosophy of life, and that its appearance may help us to lead in a revival of that most ancient and praiseworthy custom of reading the Pirke Abot in the house of worship on the Sabbath, during the summer months. Let him into whose hands these sayings 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.
INTRODUCTIONNAME The Tractate Abot (Massechet Abot) is the ninth treatise of The Order or Series on Damages (Seder Nezikin), which is the fourth section of the Mishnah (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 contents, it is generally designated in English as the Ethics of the Fathers. Taylor entitles his edition Dibre Aboth ha-Olam, Sayings 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 Spruche der Vater, and in French it is usually rendered Chapitres or Maximes des Peres. (1) See infra, [Chapter V], n. 61. (2) Baba Kamma, 30a. See Taylor, Sayings of the
Jewish
(3) See Sun and Shield, p. 321 et passim. See
infra, n.
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 the 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 from 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 attributes its use to the fact that the Rabbis of Abot are the “fathers” or “ancestors of Rabbinic Judaism” (5). Hoffman states that the word abot means “teachers of tradition” (Traditionslehrer), and points to the expression abot ha-olam (Eduyot, I. 4), which, translated literally, is “fathers of the world,” but is used to designate the most distinguished teachers, which is a true characterization of the Rabbis of Abot (6). Taylor says in regard 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 the pages” (7). Hoffmann's seems the most acceptable explanation. (4) Midrash Shemuel (ed. Warsaw, 1876), p. 6. The
Midrash
(5) La Chaine, etc., p. 307, n. 1. (6) See Hoffman, Seder Nesikin, Introd., p. xx, and p.
258,
(7) Taylor, loc. cit. PURPOSEThe 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 continuity 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 Sadducees repudiated, were divine and, in time and sequence, uninterruptedly authoritative (8). This 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. (8) La Chaine, etc. The Sadducees belonged to the
priestly
DESCRIPTIONThe Sayings of the Jewish Fathers is the oldest collection 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 sentences, if properly arranged, present an almost complete code of human duties" (11). The Abot is, then, a sort of moral code. (9) There was another, and apparently older, recension of
(10) Taylor, loc. cit. Lazarus, Ethics of Judaism, II.
(11) In Jewish Encyclopedia, art. Abot. CONTENTSEven a superficial reading of Abot 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 sayings of the oldest
B. (1) Chapters I, 16-II, 4: Sayings of the men of the school of
(2) Chapter II, 5-8: Additional sayings of Hillel. C. (1) Chapter II, 9-19: The sayings of Jochanan ben Zakkai, the
(2) Chapter II, 20-21: The sayings of Rabbi Tarfon, a younger
D. Chapter III: the maxims of seventeen Tannaim (authorities
E. Chapter IV: The sayings of twenty-five Tannaim after the
time
F. (1) Chapter V, 1-18: Anonymous sayings forming a series of groups
(2) Chapter V, 19-22: Anonymous sayings touching upon the
(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
G. Chapter VI: The acquisition of the Torah; praise of the
LANGUAGEThe language of Abot is easy Mishnaic Hebrew, with portions of four verses (I, 13; II, 7; V, 25, and V, 26) in Aramaic, which is closely related to Hebrew. It is worthy of note that these Aramaic portions originated with the school of Hillel (12). (12) On the language of the Mishnah, see Mielziner,
DEVELOPMENT OF ABOT (13) (13) On the subject-matter of this section, consult Hoffmann,
It is apparent from the literary construction of Abot that it has been edited several times, and that, in its earliest form, the Abot collection was much smaller than we have it to-day. Originally, probably shortly after the time of Hillel, it may have been merely a sort of appendix to the Tractate Sanhedrin, with typical sayings of each of the heads of the Sanhedrin. These dicta are contained in what is designated as section A. Later, presumably by Rabbi Akiba, there were added to this original kernel of Abot the sayings of Rabbi Jochanan 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 Nittai, 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 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—interpolated additional sayings of the afore-mentioned Rabbis, and also typical utterances of their disciples, 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 introduce after the aphorisms of Hillel and of his contemporary, Shammai. The thread of tradition being interrupted by this interpolation, it was again taken up by the introduction 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 section 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 Jochanan ben Zakkai follow immediately upon those of Shammai. The sayings of Judah ha-Nasi, the redactor of the Mishnah, and of Rabbi Gamaliel, his son, were undoubtedly added after the time of Judah. (14) See supra, p. 13, n. 9. Chapter III contains the sayings of authorities who were the predecessors of Judah, the first two 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, inserted by Judah, the redactor of the Mishnah as we virtually have it to-day. Evidence that Chapter IV is an addition to the original Abot is that it has a number of aphorisms which are repetitions of some found in Chapters I and II. The greater part of Chapter V, as stated above, was a portion of the Abot of Rabbi Akiba. Chapter VI, which is known as The Chapter on the Acquisition of Torah (Perek Kinyan Torah), as The External Teaching of the Abot (Baraita de-Abot) (15), as The Chapter of Rabbi Meir (Perek Rabbi Meir) (16), and as the External Teaching of Rabbi Meir (Baraita de-Rabbi Meir), is a supplement of the treatise Abot, as is claimed for it by its superscription, “the sages taught in the language of the Mishnah,” a formula generally used in the Talmud 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 during the third century. This demonstrates the comparatively late date of the final redaction of this chapter. By the middle of the ninth century it formed a part of the treatise Abot. 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). (15) A Baraita contains traditions and opinions of
(16) Known thus because Rabbi Meir's name is found in the
(17) See next section. The sixth chapter is found in some
ABOT IN THE LITURGY (18) (18) On the subject-matter of this section, see the citation
As Taylor has said, “Its simplicity and intrinsic excellence have secured for Abot a widespread and lasting popularity, and have led to its being excerpted 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 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 Abot, on Saturday, after the afternoon prayer (Minchah), originated as early as Gaonic times (seventh to eleventh centuries). During the middle of the ninth century, Abot and its Baraita were thus liturgically used. In Spanish communities it was recited in the morning of the Sabbath, and not in the afternoon. By the eleventh century, this custom was universally a part of the synagogal service. (19) Taylor, loc. cit. (20) German and Polish. Originally, Abot was probably read only from Passover to Shebuot; and, since this period has generally six Sabbaths, and there are only five chapters of Abot, the chapter Kinyan Torah was appointed to be read on the sixth Sabbath. Later, the period of the year in which Abot 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 Tabernacles ( Sukkot), in others from the Sabbath of Parashah Yitro (Ex. XVIII, 1-XX, 26) to the Sabbath 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 practice is still adhered to, and Abot 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 worshippers during the long wait, on a summer's day, between the afternoon and evening services. Whatever the reason for this custom may have been is immaterial and unimportant; but what is of importance is that, by this excellent practice, a whole body of moral dicta—each one summing up with remarkable conciseness a life's experience and philosophy, each one breathing 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 spontaneously; 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. BIBLIOGRAPHYBecause of its great popularity, the Pirke Abot has appeared in many editions. There is no Gemara (Talmudic commentary) on the Abot, which undoubtedly accounts for the numerous commentaries on it (21). Because of the attractiveness 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 on it. The following bibliography will be helpful to the general reader and to the student who wish to get a more detailed and intimate knowledge of the Abot than can be imparted in this work. (21) There are more than thirty-five. The best known is that
(22) Mischoff, in his Kritische Geschichte der
Editions (23), Commentaries, and Translations (23) A list of editions, mostly earlier than those mentioned
1. Joshua ben Mordecai Falk ha-Kohen, Abne Yehoshua al Pirke Abot (New York, 1860). Text and commentary (24). (24) Falk has been called the “father of American Hebrew
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, Pirke Abot, with a commentary (Warsaw, 1880). 5. Charles Taylor, (1) Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, Comprising
Pirqe Aboth and Perek R. Meir in Hebrew and English, with Notes and
Excurses. Second edition (Cambridge, 1897).
6. A. Berliner, Commentar zu den Spruchen der Vater, aus Machzor Vitry, mit Beitragen (Frankfurt a. M., 1897). 7. David Hoffmann, Masseket Abot, in Mischnaiot Seder Nesikin (Berlin, 1899), pp. 327-367. Fully annotated, with a translation in German, and constant reference to Rabbinical sources. Excellent. 8. Hermann L. Strack, Die Spruche der Vater, ein ethischer Mischna-Traktat, third edition (Leipzig, 1901). An excellent text with notes. Very valuable. 9. Lazarus Goldschmidt, in Talmud Babli, Der Babylonische Talmud (Berline, 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, Perke 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 translation, and a few notes. 11. Kaim Pollak, Rabbi Nathans System der Ethik un Moral (Budapest, 1905). A translation in German, with notes, of Abot de Rabbi Natan (Schechter's version A). 12. Paul Fiebig, Pirque 'aboth, Der Mischnahtraktat Spruche der Vater (Tubingen, 1906). German translation and notes, with especial reference to the New Testament. The Nachwort, pp. 42-43, consists of a comparison of Abot with the New Testament, pointing out the likenesses and differences. 13. Josef ibn Nachmia's, Perush Pirke Abot, Commentar zu den Pirke Abot . . . nach der Parmaer Hadschrift De Rossi Nr. 1402 . . . mit Anmerkungen von M. L. Bamberger (Berlin, 1907). 14. M. Rawicz, Der Commentar der Maimonides zu den Spruchen der Vater, zum ersten Male ins Deutsch ubertragen (Offenberg [Baden], 1910). Contains “The Eight Chapters” (25). (25) The Eight Chapters is the introduction of
Maimonides to
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 Makize Nirdamim. 3. Folge, Nr. 6 (Berlin, 1910). 16. M. Lehmann, Pirke Aboth, Spruche der Vater uberzetzt und erklart (Frankfurt a. M., 1909). 17. Jehudah Leb Gordon, Perki Abot, in Siddur Bet Yehudah (New York, 5672, 1911-12), pp. 106-165. Prayer-book according to the Ashkenazic 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, Maximes des Peres (de la Synagogue). Traduits de l'Arabe (Lausanne, Paris, 1912). 19. Joseph I. Gorfinkle, The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics, Edited, Annotated, and Translated with an Introduction (New York, 1912). Columbia University Oriental Studies, vol. VII (26). (26) A list of MSS., editions, translations, and commentaries
Homiletical Works 1. Lazarus Adler, Spruche der Vater (Furth, 1851). 2. W. Aloys Meisel, Homilien uber die Spruche 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). Bacher, Wilhelm, (1) Die Agada der Tanaiten, I, II, (Strassburg, 1884, 1890). (2) Zwei alte Abotkommentare, in Monatschrift fur Geschichte und Wiss. d. Judenthums, 1095, pp. 637-666; 1906, pp. 248-248. Brull, Enstehung und ursprunglicher Inhalt des Traktates Abot, in Jahrbucher fur Jud. 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, Pharasaism (London, 1912). Hoffmann, Die erste Mischna und die Contraversen der Tannaim (Berlin, 1882). Isaacs, Stories from the Rabbis (New York, 1893). Jewish Encyclopedia. Josephus, Antiquities. Jung, Kritik der samtlichen Bucher Aboth in der althebraischen Literatur (Leipzig, 1888). Lazarus, The Ethics of Judaism (Philadelphia, 1900). Loeb, (1) La Chaine de la Tradition dans le premier Chapitre des
Pirke Abot, in Bibliotheque de l'ecole des hautes Etudes,
Sciences religeuses, vol. I, pp. 307-322 (Paris, 1889).
Mielziner, (1) Introduction to the Talmud, second edition
(New York, 1903).
Myers, The Story of the Jewish People, I (New York and London, 1909). Schechter, Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology (New York, 1909). Schurer, Some Aspects of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ (27) (New York, 1891), I, i, p. 124; I, ii, p. 353 et seq.; III, ii, p. 30 et seq. (27) Contains very full bibliographies and has other excellent
Strack, Einleitung in den Talmud, fourth edition (Leipzig, 1908). Zunz, (1) Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrage der Juden (Berlin,
1832), p. 101 et seq.
SAYINGS OF THE FATHERSOne of the following chapters is read on each Sabbath from the Sabbath after Passover until the Sabbath before New Year. All Israel (1) have a portion in the world to come, and 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 glorified” (3). (1) This does not mean that Israel alone, to the exclusion of
(2) I.e., the land of everlasting life. (3) Sanhedrin, X (XI), 1; Isaiah lx, 21. This passage
is
CHAPTER I1. Moses received the Torah (4) from Sinai (5), and handed it down to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders (6), and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets delivered it to the men of the Great Synagogue (7). They said three things, “Be deliberate in judgment; raise up many disciples; and make a fence about the Torah” (8). (4) The word Torah is usually translated by “law,” but
it
(5) I.e., from God. Compare the expression [halacha
l'moshe
(6) The elders were the wise men who were the members of the
(7) The Great Synagogue, whose establishment, after the return
(8) Take measures to prevent the breaking of any of the divine
2. Simon, the Just (9), was of the last survivors 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). (9) Simon, the Just, son of Onias, was high-priest about 300
(10) Cf. Nedarim, 32b, “Great is the Torah, for
if it did
(11) [g'milut chasadim] “benevolence,” “the doing of
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 receiving a reward; and let the fear of Heaven (13) be upon you.” (12) According to Abot de-Rabbi Natan, Chapter V, ed.
(13) “The fear of Heaven” does not mean dread of punishment,
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 meeting-place for the wise; cover thyself with the dust of their feet (16), and drink in their words with thirst.” (14) In Chagigah, II, 2, we are told that when two
leading
(15) Some texts read “from him” ([mimenu]). “From them” must
(16) It was the custom of pupils to sit at the feet of their
5. Jose, the son of Jochanan, of Jerusalem said, “Let thy house be open wide; let the poor be members of thy household, and engage not in much gossip with woman.” This applies 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 gehinnom “ (18). (17) On the kalwa-chomer, “a conclusion a minori ad
(18) [gey-hinim (gimil-yud hey-nun-yud-mem(sofit))], [gei
6. Joshua, the son of Perachyah, and Nittai, the Arbelite, received (the tradition) from them. Joshua, the son of Perachyah, said, “Provide thyself with a teacher, and possess thyself of a companion (19); and judge every man in the scale of merit.” (19) A fellow-student. 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). (20) Cf. chapter II, 14. (21) This may mean either that one must not imagine that
8. Judah, the son of Tabbi, and Simeon, the son of Shatach (22), received (the tradition) from them. Judah, the son of Tabbi, said, “(In the judge's office) act not the counsel's part (23); while the litigants are standing before thee, let them be regarded by thee as guilty, but when they are departed from thy presence, regard them as innocent, the verdict having been acquiesced in by them.” (22) Lived about 104-69 B.C.E. He was a leader of the
(23) A judge should be strictly impartial. 9. Simeon, the son of Shatach, said, “Be very searching in the examination of witnesses (24), and be guarded in thy words, lest through them they learn to lie.” (24) It is related that the son of Simeon b. Shatach was
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). (25) Lived about the middle of the first century B.C.E. (26) “Woe to leadership, for it buries those who possess it.”
(27) That is, Rome. Avoid office seeking. 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). (28) Scholars must be careful in their teachings, lest their
12. Hillel and Shammai (29) received (the tradition) from them. Hillel said, “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace (30), loving mankind and drawing them night 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?” (29) Hillel and Shammai, the most renowned of the “pairs"
(30) Psalm XXIV, 15: “Seek peace and pursue it.” (31) Draw men to the Torah by good example, not by
(32) He who seeks a name loses fame. (33) Be self-reliant, but not selfish. 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.” (34) Or “promise little.” Be like Abraham, who promised only
16. Rabban (35) Gamaliel said, “Provide thyself with a teacher; be quit of doubt (36); and accustom not thyself to give tithes (37) by a conjectural estimate.” (35) “Our teacher,” “our master,” a title given only to the
(36) Establish over you the authority of a teacher, to hold
(37) There were three kinds of tithes (the tenth part of
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 learning but doing is the chief thing (40); and whoso multiplies words causes sin” (41). (38) Simeon beg Gamaliel I lived at the time of the war with
(39) Cf. chapter III, 17. (40) Where words fail, deeds tell. Non scholae sed vitae. (41) Cf. Proverbs X, 19. 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). (42) Rabban Simeon II, son of Gamaliel II (80-115 C.E.) and
(43) Cf. chapter I, 2. Torah, Temple service, and
(44) Zechariah VIII, 16. 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). (45) This saying did not belong originally to Abot, but
was
(46) Isaiah, xlii, 21. CHAPTER IIAll Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, “And thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified”. 1. 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 observance (3), and the gain gotten by a transgression 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). (1) Rabbi Judah (135-220 C.E.), son of Simeon (chapter I, 18),
(2) Maimonides interprets this verse as meaning to pursue a
(3) I.e., the loss in this world as against the reward
in
(4) Cf. chapter III, 1. No deeds, great or small, are lost
(5) On the divine books or book, see Exodus XXXII, 35.
2. Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah, the Prince, said,
“Excellent is the study of Torah combined with some worldly
pursuit (6), for the effort demanded by them both makes sin to be
forgotten. All study of Torah without work must at 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.”
(6) The expression Talmud Torah (lit., “study of the
Law")
(7) Cf. Kiddushin, 29a, “He who does not teach his son
a
(8) In every community, the work and goodness of past
(9) This verse is directed toward the leaders of the
5. Hillel (10) said, “Separate not thyself from the congregation (11); trust not in thyself until the day of thy death (12); judge not thy neighbor until thou art come into his place; and say not anything 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 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, “Because 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 works; the more property, the more anxiety; the more women, the more witchcraft; the more maid-servants, the more lewdness; the more men-servants, the more robbery; the more Torah, 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 for himself words of Torah has acquired for himself life in the world to come” (21). (10) The chain of traditional sayings is continued here from
(11) I.e., share its weal and woe. Cf. Taanit,
11a, “He
(12) One should constantly be on guard against oneself. The
(13) This verse may be variously translated and interpreted.
(14) The word [bur (bet-vov-resh)] means “uncultivated"
(15) I.e., he who is ashamed to ask questions for fear
of
(16) He who has no patience to answer all the questions of his
(17) Cf. chapter IV, 12. One of the qualifications necessary
(18) Do not boldly push yourself forward; but where there is
(19) Retribution is sure. Cf. Sanhedrin, 100a and
Sotah,
(20) Cf. Prov. III, 1 and 2. (21) The expression “the world to come” may mean the Messianic
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.” (22) Rabban Jochanan ben Zakkai was known as the least of the
10. Rabban Jochanan, the son of Zakkai, had five disciples (23), and these are they: Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus; Rabbi Joshua, the son of Hananiah (24); Rabbi Jose, the Priest; Rabbi 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 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. Eleazar 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 the Omnipresent (35); as it is said, 'The wicked borroweth and payeth not again, but the righteous dealeth graciously and giveth'“ (36); R. Eleazar said, “A bad heart.” Thereupon he said to them, “I approve of the words of Eleazar, the son of Arach, rather then your words, for in his words yours are included.” (23) Of special excellence. (24) On the life of R. Joshua (40-130 C.E.), see Bacher,
(25) He forgets nothing he has learned. On R. Eliezer, see
(26) When yet a child in the cradle, his mother took him into
(27) A chasid ([chasid]), “saint,” is one who does more
than
(28) “A welling spring” (Taylor). (29) He lived in the first half of the second century, C.E. (30) I.e., an eye that looks upon people with
benevolence
(31) A good friend is one who induces his associate to study
(32) One who balances the present against the future. (33) The heart was considered the seat of all moral and
(34) Denotes niggardliness, envy, or jealousy. (35) I.e., one who lacks foresight and incurs
(36) Psalm XXXVII, 21. 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, 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 Torah, 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 prayest, consider not 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 also before whom thou toilest, and who thy Employer is, who will pay thee the reward of thy labor.” (37) Cf. chapter IV, 15. (38) Man should repent every day of his life, for he knows not
(39) One who wishes to warm himself remains a certain distance
(40) Passion, evil nature, or evil inclination. (41) Misanthropy. (42) In making man's highest ideal the comprehension of God,
(43) This prayer consists of three portions of the Pentateuch
(44) An important part of the ritual said at the daily
(45) Joel II, 13. (46) Do not do what your conscience tells you is wrong, even
(47) Apikuros is a term originally used to designate a
20. Rabbi Tafron (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 also used 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 faithful 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, 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'”. (48) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai's five disciples
(49) The day, i.e., the life of man, is brief. Art is
long,
(50) I.e., God. (51) A man cannot finish the work of the world, yet he must
CHAPTER IIIAll Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, “And thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified”. 1. Akabia (1), the son of Mahalalel, said, “Consider three things, and thou wilt not come within the power of sin (2): know whence thou camest, and whither thou art going, and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning (3). Whence thou camest: from a fetid drop; whether thou art going: to a place of dust, worms, and maggots (4); and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give an account and reckoning: before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.” (1) He lived about the middle of the first century. (2) Cf. chapter II, 1. (3) Compare with this saying the exposition by Akiba of Eccl.
(4) Cf. Job XXV, 6: “How much less the mortal, the mere worm
2. R. Chanina, the Vice-High-Priest (5), said, “Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for the fear thereof men would swallow each other alive” (6). (5) Chief of the priests, adjutant high-priest. The segan
(6) Cf. Jer. XXXIX, 7, “And seek the peace of the city whither
3. R. Chananiah, the son of Teradion (7), said, “If two sit together and interchange no words of Torah, they are a meeting of scorners, concerning whom it is said, 'The godly man sitteth not in the seat of the scorners' (8); but if two sit together and interchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence (9) abides among them; as it is said, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name,' (10). Now the Scripture enables me to draw this inference in respect to two persons; whence can it be deduced that if even one person sedulously occupies himself with the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, appoints unto him a reward? Because it is said, 'though he sit alone, and meditate in stillness, yet he taketh it (the reward) upon him'“ (11). (7) He lived about 120 C.E. He was the father of Beruriah,
(8) Ps. I, 1. Verse 2 of this psalm continues, “But his
(9) [shechinah] literally “dwelling,” is a name applied to God
(10) Mal. III, 16. (11) Lam. III, 27. 4. R. Simeon (12) said, “If three have eaten at a table and have spoken there no words of Torah, it is as if they had eaten of sacrifices to dead idols, of whom it is said, 'For all their tables are full of vomit and filthiness; the All-present is not (in their thoughts)' (13). But if three have eaten at a table and have spoken there words of Torah, it is as if they had eaten at the table of the All-present, for Scripture says, 'And he said unto me, This is the table that is before the Lord'“ (14). (12) Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai lived about the middle of the
(13) Isa. XXVIII, 8. The literal interpretation of [bli
(14) Ezek. XLI, 22. 5. R. Chanina, the son of Hakinai (15), said, “He who keeps awake at night, and goes on his way alone, while turning his heart to vanity, such a one forfeits his own life” (16). (15) He lived about 120 C.E., and was a pupil of Akiba. See
(16) Even the sleepless man and the solitary traveller must
6. R. Nechunya, son of ha-Kanah (17), said, “Whoso receives upon himself the yoke of the Torah, from the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care will be removed (18), but whoso breaks off from him the yoke of the Torah, upon him will be laid the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly care.” (17) He lived about 80 C.E. See Bacher, ibid., pp. 58-61. (18) The “yoke of the kingdom” refers to the taxes and burdens
7. R. Chalafta, the son of Dosa (19), of the village of Chanania said, “When ten people sit together and occupy themselves with the Torah, the Shechinah (20) abides among them, as it is said, 'God standeth in the congregation (21) of the godly' (22). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to five? Because it is said, 'He hath found his band (23) upon the earth' (24). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to three? Because it is said, 'He judgeth among the judges' (25). And whence can it be shown that the same applies to two? Because it is said, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; and the Lord hearkened, and heard' (26). And whence can it be shown that the same applies even to one? Because it is said, 'In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come unto thee and I will bless thee'“ (27). (19) He was probably a disciple of R. Meir. See below, n. 32. (20) See above, n. 9. (21) An edah, “assembly,” “congregation,”
“prayer-meeting,”
(22) Ps. LXXXII, 1. (23) An agudah (lit., “bundle,” “bunch"), “bond,”
“union,”
(24) Amos, IX, 6. (25) Ps. LXXXII, 1. Every bet din, “judicial tribunal,”
(26) Mal. III, 16. (27) Ex. XX, 24. 8. R. Eleazar of Bertota (28) said, “Give unto Him of what is His, for thou and thine are His: this is also found expressed by David, who said, 'For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own we have given Thee'“ (29). (28) He lived during the second century C.E. See Bacher,
(29) I Chron. XXIX, 14. 9. R. Jacob said, “He who is walking by the way and studying, and breaks off his study and says, 'How fine is that tree, how fine is that fallow,' him the Scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life" (30). (30) One must not interrupt his studies even to admire the
10. R. Dostai (31), the son of Jannai, said in the name of R. Meir (32), “Whoso forgets one word of his study, him the Scripture regards as if he had forfeited his life, for it is said, 'Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen' (33). Now, one might suppose (that the same result follows) even if a man's study has been too hard for him. (To guard against such an inference), it is said, 'And lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life' (34). Thus a person's guilt is not established until he deliberately and of set purpose removes those lessons from his heart.” (31) He lived about 160 C.E. (32) Rabbi Meir was the celebrated pupil of Akiba. His wife
(33) Deut. IV, 9. (34) Deut. IV, 9. 11. R. Chanina, the son of Dosa (35), said, “He in whom the fear of sin precedes wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he in whom wisdom comes before the fear of sin, his wisdom will not endure” (36). 12. He used to say, “He whose works exceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he whose wisdom exceeds his works, his wisdom will not endure” (37). 13. He used to say, “He in whom the spirit of his fellow-creatures takes not delight, in him the Spirit of the All-present takes not delight.” (35) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai (10 B.C.E.-90
(36) Cf. Ps. CXI, 10: “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of
(37) Cf. above, chapter I, 17, “Not learning but doing is the
14. R. Dosa, the son of Horkinas (38), said, “Morning sleep, midday wine, childish babbling, and attending the houses of assembly of the ignorant waste a man's life” (39). (38) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai. (39) Idleness, etc., indispose one for the study of the
15. R. Eleazar ha-Mudai said, “He who profanes things sacred, and despises the festivals, and puts his fellow-man to shame in public, and makes void the covenant of Abraham, our father (40), and makes the Torah bear a meaning other than the right (41); (such a one) even though knowledge of the Torah and good deeds be his, has no share in the world to come” (42). (40) I.e. circumcision. (41) Or “acts barefacedly against the Torah.” (42) Knowledge and moral excellence alone are not sufficient. 16. R. Ishmael (43) said, “Be submissive to a superior (44), affable to the young (45), and receiv |