Ethics of the Fathers

a a a a I oa “Your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever; Is 60 they are a shoot of My own planting, | a work of My own hands, that I may be glorified.” CHAPTER 4 1. Ben Zoma said: Whois wise? One who learns from everyone, as it is said, “From all my teachers I have learned, for Your testimonies are my meditation.’ Who is _ Ps. 119 strong? One who masters his evil impulse, as it is said, “He whois slowto anger is Prov. 16 better than the mighty, and he who rules over his spirit is better than he who conquers a city.’ Who is rich? One who rejoices in what he has, as it is said, “When _ Ps. 128 you eat from the labor of your hands, you will be happy and all will be well with you.” “You will be happy” — in this world, “and all will be well with you” — in the World to Come. Who is honored? One who honors others, as it is said, “Those 1 Sam. 2 who honor Me, I will honor; but those who scorn Me will be despised.” 2. Ben Azzai said: Run to do even a minor mitzva, and flee from sin, for one mitzva leads to another, and one sin leads to another - for the reward of a mitzva is another mitzva, and the recompense of a sin is another sin. 3. He used to say: Despise no one and disdain nothing, for there is no one who does not have his hour and there is nothing that does not have its place. 4. Rabbi Levitas of Yavne said: Have extreme humility of spirit, for the end of mortal man is the worm [the grave]. 5. Rabbi Yohanan ben Beroka said: Whoever profanes God’s name in secret will be punished in public. Profaning the name is the same whether done inadvertently or deliberately. 6. Rabbi Yishmael his son said: One who learns in order to teach will be given the opportunity to learn and teach. One who learns in order to do will be given the opportunity to learn, teach, keep and do. 7. Rabbi Tzadok said: Do not separate yourself from the community. [When sitting as a judge] do not act as a lawyer. Do not use [the Torah] as a crown for self-glorification, or as a spade with which to dig. Likewise Hillel used to say: One who makes worldly use of the crown [of the Torah] shall fade away. From this you learn that one who seeks personal benefit from the words of Torah risks destroying his life.