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The Wisdom of the Talmud

Dover Publications, Inc.

ACTIONS

Actions speak louder than words.

* * *

Judge a man by his deeds, not by his words.

* * *

All the other rivers said to the Euphrates: "Why is the current of thy water not heard at a distance?" The Euphrates replied: "My deeds testify for me. Anything sown by men at my shores will be in full bloom within thirty days." The rivers then addressed the Tigris: "Why is the current of thy waters heard at a distance?" "I must direct the attention of the people to me by my tumultuous rapidity," the Tigris replied.

The moral: The less the merits of a person are, the more he will feel urged to proclaim them to the public.

* * *

The forest trees once asked the fruit trees: "Why is the rustling of your leaves not heard in the distance?" The fruit trees replied: "We can dispense with the rustling to manifest our presence, our fruits testify for us." The fruit trees then inquired of the forest trees: "Why do your leaves rustle almost continually?" "We are forced to call the attention of man to our existence."

ADVERSITY

Adversity is the true school of the mind.

* * *

When the ox is down, many are the butchers.

ADVICE

Not as thou sayest, but as thy fellows say.

* * *

Too many captains sink the ship.

* * *

Hear sixty advisers, but be guided by your own conviction.

* * *

The action of a fool cannot serve as a precedent.

* * *

Poor servants ask advice after a thing has happened.

* * *

A thing to which a fool does not consent, know as the right thing.

AGE

None may be called venerable save the wise.

* * *

Happy is the old age that atones for the follies of youth; but happier still the youth for which old age needs riot to blush.

* * *

An old man is a trouble in the house; an old woman is a treasure in the house.

ANCESTRY

He who has no inner nobleness has nothing, even if he be of noble birth.

ANGER

Anger profiteth nobody.

* * *

Avoid anger and thou wilt not sin.

* * *

Anger showeth the character of a man.

* * *

To accept excuse shows a good disposition.

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The beginning of anger is madness, the end penitence.

* * *

He who gives way to his wrath makes desolate his house.

* * *

When the wise is angry, he is wise no longer.

* * *

A man may be known by three things: by his conduct in money matters, his behavior at the table and his demeanor when angry.

* * *

Be not easily moved to anger.

* * *

To him who curbs his wrath, his sins will be forgiven.

* * *

He who is slow to anger and easily pacified is truly pious and virtuous.

APPEARANCES

Two pieces of coin in one bag make more noise than a hundred.

Look not at the cask, but at what is in it A new cask may contain old wine, and an old one may be altogether empty.

* * *

Where the sages bid us beware for the sake of outward appearances, they mean us to regard even our innermost chamber as a marketplace.

ARROGANCE

Arrogance is a kingdom without a crown.

ASSOCIATES

Ever associate with the good.

* * *

From vagrants chit-chat, from rags vermin.

* * *

If thy associates be insane, be thou sensible.

* * *

We may say to the bee, neither thy honey nor thy sting.

* * *

Birds of a feather flock together; and so with men—like to like.

* * *

Associate not with the wicked man, even if thou canst learn from him.

* * *

A man without a fitting companion is like the left hand without the right.

* * *

Not without reason goes the crow to the raven, but because it is of its kind.

If you touch pitch, it will stick to your fingers; even so, if you associate with evil companions, you will acquire their vices.

* * *

It is beautiful and rejoicing to see grapes on the vine; it is ugly and repugnant to see grapes on a thorn-bush.

* * *

When the iron was created the trees commenced to tremble. The iron, however, said to them: 'What are you trembling at? If none of your wood will join me, I will remain harmless."

* * *

Every beast associates with its kind, but man only with his equal. What can combine wolf with the sheep? So is the impious with the poor. Would the hyena associate with the dog? So the wealthy with the poor. The wild ass is tom to pieces by the lion, so the poor becomes the prey of the rich.

* * *

When the flood came over the earth, and everything was threatened with destruction, and every kind of beast in pairs came to Noah, the Lie, too, asked admittance into the ark. Noah, however, refused. "Only pairs may enter here," he said. The Lie went in search of a companion, and at last met Vice, whom it invited to go to the ark. "I am willing to keep company with thee, if thou wilt promise to give me all thy earnings," said Vice. The Lie agreed, and they were both admitted into the ark. After they left the ark the Lie regretted her agreement, and wished to dissolve partnership with Vice; but it was too late, and thus it is current, that "what Lie earneth, Vice consumeth."

BRIBERY

A judge that takes a bribe, even if he be otherwise perfectly righteous, will not depart from the world before he has become demented.

BUSINESS

He laid his money on the horns of a deer. Attend no auctions if thou hast no money.

* * *

Keep partners with him whom the hour favors.

* * *

If thy business does not prosper in one town try another.

* * *

He who looks daily after his field finds a com.

CARE

Let not your heart with cares be filled, for care has many a victim killed.

* * *

Do not worry thyself with the trouble of to-morrow; perhaps thou wilt have no to-morrow, and why shouldst thou trouble thyself about a world that is not thine?

CHARACTER

Three names are given to a man: one by his parents, another by the world, and the third by his works—the one which is written in the immortal book of his fate. Which of these three names is the best? Solomon teaches us, when he says: "A good name is better than the sweetest oil."

* * *

As a tree is known by its fruit, so man by his works.

* * *

There are three crowns: that of the Law, the priesthood, and royalty; but the crown of a good name is loftier than all these.

* * *

The righteous man is a pillar upon which all the world rests.

CHARITY

Charity is the salt of riches.

* * *

Charity is the greatest virtue.

* * *

Charity is more than sacrifices.

* * *

Good deeds are better than creeds.

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He who gives charity in secret is greater than Moses.

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Even he who lives upon charity should practise benevolence.

* * *

It is better to lend than to give. To give employment is better than either.

* * *

The practice of beneficence will assure the maintenance of one's possessions.

* * *

Our kindly deeds and our generous gifts go to heaven as messengers, and plead for us before our heavenly Father.

* * *

He who turns away from the works of love and charity, turns away from God.

* * *

The merit of charitable works is in proportion to the grace with which they are practiced.

* * *

The noblest of all charities is in enabling the poor to earn a livelihood.

* * *

Charity is more valuable than sacrifices, and alone equals the exercise of all religious forms.

* * *

As a garment is made up of single threads, so every single gift aids in building the great work of charity.

* * *

It is our duty to relieve the poor and the needy, to visit the sick and bury the dead without distinction of race or creed.

* * *

Whosoever engages in the study of the Law, and does not practise benevolence, is to be compared to a man who has no God.

* * *

Spending alms and practising benevolence exceed in importance all the other laws of the Torah.

* * *

The house that does not open to the poor will open to the physician.

* * *

He gives little who gives with a frown. He gives much who gives little with a smile.

* * *

The world stands on three things: on Law, Labor, and Benevolence.

* * *

He who performs a single good action gains for himself an Advocate, and he who commits a single sin procures for himself an Accuser.

* * *

Iron breaks stone; fire melts iron; water extinguishes fire; the clouds consume water; the storm dispels clouds; man withstands the storm; fear conquers man; wine banishes fear; sleep overcomes wine, and death is the master of sleep; but "Charity," says Solomon, "saves from death."

* * *

Four dispositions are found among those who bestow charity. There is he who is willing to give, but does not wish others to give: he has an envious eye towards others. There is he who wishes others to give, but who will not give himself: he has an evil eye towards himself. He who is willing to give and wishes others to give also, is a pious man. He who neither gives himself nor wishes others to give, is a wicked man.

* * *

Blessed is he who gives from his substance to the poor; twice blessed he who accompanies his gift with kind, comforting words.

* * *

Almsgiving is practised by means of money, but charity also by personal services and by words of advice, sympathy, and encouragement. Almsgiving is a duty towards the poor only, but charity towards the rich as well as the poor, nay, even towards the dead (by taking care of their decent burial).

* * *

Charitable people silence the complaints of the poor. God says to these pious ones: "By your liberality you reconcile the poor man with Myself; you make peace between us."

* * *

He who hesitates in the practice of charity commits a sin. This is proven in the life of Nachum of Gamzoo, so called because whatever occurred to him, he was in the habit of saying: "This, too, is for the best." ... In his old age he became blind; both of his hands and both of his feet were amputated, and the trunk of his body was covered with many sores. His scholars said to him: "If thou art a righteous man, why art thou so sorely afflicted?" "All this," he answered, "I brought upon myself. Once I was travelling to my father-in-law, and I had with me thirty asses laden with provisions and all manner of precious articles. A man by the wayside called to me: 'Oh, Rabbi, assist me.' I told him to wait until I had unloaded my asses. When I had removed the burdens from my beasts, and went to him, I found to my sorrow that he had fallen and expired. I threw myself upon his body and wept bitterly. 'Let these eyes, which had no pity on thee, be blind,' I said; 'these hands, that delayed to assist thee, let them be cut off, and also these feet, which did not run to aid thee. "And yet I was not satisfied until I had prayed that my whole body be stricken with sores."

* * *

One day the Roman Governor, T. Annius Rufus, asked Rabbi Akiba: "If your God loves the poor among the Hebrews, why does He not support them?" "Because God desires to give the rich an opportunity of doing good" was the Rabbi's reply. "How do you know" Rufus rejoined, "that this virtue of charity pleases God, since no master can be pleased, if a person aids a slave, whom he has seen fit to deprive of food and clothing?" "Even so," said Akiba; "but if the king, for some offence, had deprived his son of food and drink, and a person had prevented the prince from dying of hunger, would the king be wroth with that person? Certainly not, neither will God be displeased with those who dispense charity to His children, even to the fallen and the sinful."

CLEANLINESS

Poverty comes from God, but not dirt.

COMMERCE

Credit and mutual trust should be the foundation of commercial intercourse.

CONCEIT

Ignorance and conceit go hand in hand.

* * *

Take out the beam from thine eye.

* * *

First correct thyself, then correct others.

CONSISTENCY

There are some who preach beautifully, but practise not their beautiful doctrine.

The learned man should judge himself according to his own teaching, and not do anything that he has forbidden others to do.

* * *

Beautiful are the admonitions of those whose lives accord with their teachings.

CONTENTMENT

Little is much, if the heart be but turned toward heaven.

* * *

Who is rich? He who is satisfied with his lot.

* * *

The camel wanted to have horns, and they took away his ears.

* * *

One bird tied is better than a hundred flying.

* * *

Drink not from one cup with thine eye fastened on another.

* * *

The egg of to-day is better than the hen of to-morrow.

* * *

A small quantity in the house is better than much at a distance.

* * *

Grasp a little and you may secure it; grasp too much and you will lose everything.

* * *

Better eat onions all thy life than dine upon geese and chickens once and then long in vain for more ever after.

* * *

He that hires one garden will eat birds; he that hires many gardens, the birds will eat him.

Crave not after the table of kings: for thy table is greater than their table, and thy crown is greater than their crown; and the Master who employs thee is faithful to pay the reward of thy labor.

CONTRITION

One inward contrition in the heart of man is better than many flagellations.

CORDIALITY

Be in the habit of receiving every man with a pleasant countenance.

COSMETICS

Cold water, morning and evening, is better than all the cosmetics.

COVETOUSNESS

The question is asked, "Why is man born with hands clinched, but has his hands wide open in death?" And the answer is: On entering the world man desires to grasp everything, but when leaving it he takes nothing away.

Even as a fox who saw a fine vineyard, and lusted after its grapes, but being too fat to get through the only opening there was, he fasted three days. He then got in; but, having fed, he could not get out until he had fasted three days more. "Naked man enters the world, and naked does he leave"

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Do not put a greater burden upon thy beast than it can bear.

To have compassion upon animals is one of the laws of Moses.

* * *

He who has no mercy upon animals shall himself suffer pain.

* * *

A man should not buy cattle or poultry without having first bought food for them.

DEATH

Death is the haven of life, and old age the ship which enters the port.

* * *

Do not speak ill of the departed, but remember that his soul still lives, though the body is dead.

* * *

It is our duty to comply with the last wishes of a dying person.

DEBT

Go to sleep without supper, but rise without debt.

DECEIT

He who deceives his neighbor would also deceive his God.

* * *

Under no consideration lead men astray.

There is no greater evil-doer than he who takes away the earnings of the poor.

* * *

A lie has not a leg to stand upon.

DIGNITY

Dignity does not consist in a silk dress.

DISCORD

One loose cord loosens many.

DISCRETION

Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet.

DRESS

In the town where one lives the name will do; outside of it the dress must do.

* * *

The learned man whose garment is soiled is undeserving of honor.

ECONOMY

Live within your means; spend more on your clothing and most on your home.

ENVY

An envious man frowns when his neighbor rejoices.

ERROR

Error soon loses itself.

EXAMPLE

Precept with example produces example.

* * *

Two dry logs and one wet; the dry ones kindle the wet.

* * *

Let every man watch his own doings that he may be an example to his fellow man through life.

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Excerpted from The Wisdom of the Talmud by Madison C. Peters. Copyright © 2001 Dover Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
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