Ethics of the Fathers

a icc <i a a a ia lc i aa justice and admonishment; shunning honors, avoiding arrogance in one’s learning or delight in giving decisions; sharing someone else’s burden, giving him the benefit of the doubt, guiding him to truth and peace; concentrating on one’s study, asking and answering questions, listening and adding to one’s knowledge; learning in order to teach, learning in order to do, making one’s | teacher wiser, being precise in one’s studies, and reporting a saying in the | name of the one who said it. For you have learned: Whoever reports a saying in the name of the one who said it brings deliverance to the world, as it is said, “And Esther told the king in the name of Mordekhai.” Esther 2 7. Great is Torah for it gives life to its practitioners in both this world and the World to Come, as it is said, “For they are life to those that find them, and Prov. 4 healing to all their flesh”; and it says, “It shall be healing for your body and Prov. 3 marrow for your bones”; and it says, “It is a tree of life to those who grasp it, and those who support it shall be happy”; and it says, “They shall be a garland Prov. 1 of grace on your head, and pendants for your neck”; and it says, “It willadorn Prov. 4 your head with a garland of grace, and bestow on you a crown of glory”; and it says, “Through me shall your days increase, and years of life shall be added Prov. 9 to you”; and it says, “At its right hand is length of days; in its left, riches and Prov. 3 honor’; and it says, “For length of days and years of life and peace shall they Ibid. add to you.” 8. Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: Beauty, strength, wealth, honor, wisdom, old age, gray hair, and children are fitting for the righteous and for the world, as it is said: “Gray hair is a crown Prov. 16 of glory; it is attained by the way of righteousness”; and it says, “The crown Prov. 14 of the wise is their wealth”; and it says, “Grandchildren are the crown of Prov. 17 their elders; the glory of children is their parents”; and it says, “The glory of Prov. 20 the young is their strength; the majesty of the old is their gray hair”; and it says, “Then the moon shall be ashamed and the sun shall be abashed, for the Is. 24 LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and glory shall be before His elders.” Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya said: These seven qualities which the sages attributed to the righteous were all present in Rabbi [Judah the Prince] and his sons. | 9. Rabbi Yose ben Kisma said: Once I was walking along the road when a man met and greeted me, and I returned his greeting. He said to me, “Rabbi, where do you come from?” I replied, “I come from a great city of sages and scribes.” He said to me, “Rabbi, if you are willing to live with us in our place I will give you a million gold dinars, as well as precious stones and pearls.” I replied, | “Were you to give me all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls