עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר: הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְּבָרִים, וְאִי אַתָּה בָּא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה:

Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Look at, consider and profoundly analyze, three matters, and you will not encounter transgression:

דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.

Know, from where you came, to where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an accounting.

מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ – מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה.

The mishna elaborates: From where did you come; where did your life begin?It was from a putrid dropof semen, and there is no basis for taking pride in your origins.

וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ – לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה.

To where are you going at the end of your days? It is to a place of dust, maggots, and worms, i.e., to the grave, in which nothing remains of a person’s flesh or material possessions.

וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן – לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

And before whom are you destined to give an accounting for your actions? It is before the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He.Considering these matters will promote a sense of both lowliness and reverence, and it will prevent you from transgressing.

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Ḥanina, the deputy High Priest,who was in charge of the Temple service of the priests, says:

הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁלוֹמָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ – אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בְּלָעוֹ.

You should pray for the well-being of the monarchy,any monarchy, even a gentile monarchy, and even if it has negative qualities. As, were it not for fear of it, the fear that it imposes on people, there would be total anarchy, in which one person would swallow another alive.People would dominate others, murder them, and confiscate their property.

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon says:

שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה – הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב".

Two who were sitting together, and there is no Torah discourse between them, then even if they are not performing anything evil, it is considered a company of scoffers, as it is stated: “And he has not sat in the company of scoffers, but his desire is the Torah of the Lord"(Psalms 1:1–2).

אֲבָל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה – שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה׳ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ, וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה׳ וַיִּשְׁמָע וַיִּכָּתֵב סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן לְפָנָיו לְיִרְאֵי ה׳ וּלְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ".

However, two who were sitting together and there is Torah discourse between them, the Divine Presence rests in their midst, as it is stated: “Then those who fear the Lord spoke one to another, and the Lord listened and heeded; a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name" (Malachi 3:16). They spoke matters of Torah with each other, and God listened and rested His Divine Presence in their midst.

אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שְׁנַיִם, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹבֵעַ לוֹ שָׂכָר? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו".

The mishna adds: I have derived only regarding two who are engaging in Torah study; from where do I derive that God sets a reward for even one who sits and engages in Torah study?It is as it is stated: “Let him sit alone and be silent, because he took it upon himself" (Lamentations 3:22). Even if he studies in silence or a hushed voice, he takes, receives, a reward for himself.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Shimon says:

שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ עַל שֻׁלְחָן אֶחָד, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה – כְּאִלּוּ אָכְלוּ מִזִּבְחֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי כָּל שֻׁלְחָנוֹת מָלְאוּ קִיא צֹאָה בְּלִי מָקוֹם".

Three who dined at one table and did not state upon it matters of Torah, it is as though they partook of offerings of the dead,referring to offerings to idols. A meal of that kind is tantamount to a person sacrificing an offering to his appetites, as it is stated: “For all tables are full of vomit, excrement, with no room [makom]” (Isaiah 28:8). The word makom is expounded as an appellation for the Omnipresent. A meal that does not contain words of God’s Torah is morally and religiously revolting.

אֲבָל שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ עַל שֻׁלְחָן אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה – כְּאִלּוּ אָכְלוּ מִשֻּׁלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי ה'".

However, three who dined at one table and stated matters of Torah, it is as though they partook from the table of the Omnipresent, blessed be He. This refers to the altar, which is called the “table," as it is stated: “The altar was of wood, three cubits high…He said to me: This is the table that is before the Lord" (Ezekiel 41:22).

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן חֲכִינַאי אוֹמֵר: הַנֵּעוֹר בַּלַּיְלָה, וְהַמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ יְחִידִי, וְהַמְפַנֶּה לִבּוֹ לְבַטָּלָה –

Rabbi Ḥanina ben Ḥakhinai says: With regard to one who is awake at nightand does nothing during that time, one who walks along the way alone,which is dangerous, and one who directs his heart to idleness and engages in insignificant matters,

הֲרֵי זֶה מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ.

he incurs liability to be put to death in both a physical sense, as he endangers himself, and in the spiritual sense, due to the idleness that grips him.

רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר: כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עוֹל תּוֹרָה – מַעֲבִירִין מִמֶּנּוּ עוֹל מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ.

Rabbi Neḥunya ben HaKana says: Anyone who accepts upon himself the yoke of Torahas a framework for life that determines his practical and internal worlds, the yoke of the monarchy, the obligations to and entanglements with the authorities, and the yoke of livelihood, needing to work hard to earn a livelihood, and the business and social aspects of this world, are removed from him.

וְכָל הַפּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עוֹל תּוֹרָה – נוֹתְנִין עָלָיו עוֹל מַלְכוּת וְעוֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ.

Conversely, anyone who removes the yoke of Torah from upon himself, they place upon him the yoke of the monarchy and the yoke of livelihood.

רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא אִישׁ כְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Ḥalafta of Kefar Ḥananya says:

עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה – שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל״.

When there are ten men who are sitting and engaging in Torah study, the Divine Presence rests in their midst, as the Holy One blessed be He gives to them from His wisdom and His strength, both covertly and openly. This is as it is stated: “God stands in the assembly [baadat] of the Almighty" (Psalms 82:1);eda is ten people, and if it is the “eda of the Almighty," meaning that its members accept upon themselves the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of Torah, the Holy One blessed be He stands in its midst.

וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִילּוּ חֲמִשָּׁה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ".

From where is it derivedwith regard to even five who engage in Torah study, that the Divine Presence is in their midst? It is as it is stated: “And has established His coterie [vaagudato] upon the earth" (Amos 9:6).Even an aguda, formed by the five fingersof the hand, is called by the name of the Holy One blessed be He.

וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִילּוּ שְׁלשָׁה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט".

From where is it derived even with regard to three? It is as it is stated in the verse: “God stands in the assembly of the Almighty, in the midst of the judges [elohim] He renders judgment" (Psalms 82:1); a standard court has three judges, and the Holy One blessed be He is found in their midst.

וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִילּוּ שְׁנַיִם? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה' וַיִּשְׁמָע וְגוֹ'".

From where is it derived even with regard to two? It is as it is stated: “Then those who fear the Lord spoke one to another, and the Lord listened and heeded; anda book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name"(Malachi 3:16). The phrase “one to another" indicates two.

וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִילּוּ אֶחָד? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ".

From where is it derived with regard to even one who engages in Torah study, that the Divine Presence is with him? It is as it is stated: “In every place where I mention My name, I will come to you and I will bless you" (Exodus 20:21).

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִישׁ בַּרְתּוֹתָא אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Elazar of Bartota says:

תֶּן לוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, שֶׁאַתָּה וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלּוֹ.

Give to Him, the Holy One blessed be He, through performance of mitzvot with your body and your possessions, with a sense that you are giving Him of what is His, as both you and all that is yours are completely His.

וְכֵן בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר: "כִּי מִמְּךָ הַכֹּל וּמִיָּדְךָ נָתַנּוּ לָךְ".

Likewise, regarding David, it says, when he summarizes everything that he collected and consecrated for the purpose of the Temple: “For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You" (I Chronicles 29:14).

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Shimon says:With regard to one who walks along the way and is reviewing Torahthat he studied, and he interrupts his study and says: How beautiful this tree that he encountered on the way is, or how beautiful this plowed field is, the verse ascribes to him as though he incurs liability to be put to death.He endangers his life by interrupting his Torah study for that purpose.

הַמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְשׁוֹנֶה, וּמַפְסִיק מִמִּשְׁנָתוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר: “מַה נָּאֶה אִילָן זֶה״ וּ״מַה נָּאֶה נִיר זֶה״ – מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ.

רַבִּי דּוֹסְתַּאי בְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Dostai son of Rabbi Yannai says in the name of Rabbi Meir:

כָּל הַשּׁוֹכֵחַ דָּבָר אֶחָד מִמִּשְׁנָתוֹ – מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ".

Anyone who forgets one matter of his Torah study, because he does not review it and is not studying Torah, the verse ascribes to him as though he incurs liability to be put to death.He endangers his life, as this conduct is an indication that the Torah is not important to him. This is as it is stated: “Only beware, and protect yourself greatly, lest you forget the matters that your eyes saw" (Deuteronomy 4:9). Remembering these matters is crucial to protecting one’s life.

יָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ תָּקְפָה עָלָיו מִשְׁנָתוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: "וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ", הָא אֵינוֹ מִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ עַד שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב וִיסִירֵם מִלִּבּוֹ.

Could it be so even if his studies overwhelmed him,that he studied much material and forgot some of it, which is a natural occurrence in the course of study? Is it possible that even then he would incur liability for forgetting?No, as the verse states: “And lest they move from your heart all the days of your life" (Deuteronomy 4:9); he is liable to receive the death penalty only if he sits and removes them from his heartin an intentional and conscious manner.

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa says: Anyone whose fear of sin precedes, in its significance for him, his wisdom,the wisdom of the Torah, and he works first and foremost on perfecting his character traits and only then turns to acquiring wisdom and knowledge, his wisdom endures,because it is not merely an intellectual, abstract matter, unconnected to his life, but an indivisible part of his life. Conversely, with regard to anyone whose wisdom precedes his fear of sin, his wisdom does not endure over time.

כָּל שֶׁיִּרְאַת חֶטְאוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת לְחָכְמָתוֹ – חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּימֶת. וְכָל שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ קוֹדֶמֶת לְיִרְאַת חֶטְאוֹ – אֵין חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּימֶת.

In addition, he, Rabbi Ḥanina, would similarly say: With regard to anyone whose good deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom endures, because it is not merely a theoretical matter, but a means of improving his behavior and perfecting it. Conversely, with regard to anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, meaning that he does not implement his extensive knowledge in practice, his wisdom does not endure,because it is detached from practical reality.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר:

כָּל שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְרוּבִּין מֵחָכְמָתוֹ – חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּימֶת. וְכָל שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מְרוּבָּה מִמַּעֲשָׂיו – אֵין חָכְמָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּימֶת.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כָּל שֶׁרוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ – רוּחַ הַמָּקוֹם נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ. וְכָל שֶׁאֵין רוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ – אֵין רוּחַ הַמָּקוֹם נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ.

He, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, would say: With regard to anyone with whom people are pleased,i.e., people relate to him with appreciation or love, the Omnipresent, too, is pleased with him; and conversely, with regard to anyone with whom people are displeased, it indicates that the Omnipresent is displeased with him.

רַבִּי דּוֹסָא בֶּן הַרְכִּינַס אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas says:

שֵׁינָה שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית, וְיַיִן שֶׁל צָהֳרַיִם, וְשִׂיחַת הַיְּלָדִים, וִישִׁיבַת בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת שֶׁל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ – מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם.

Extended sleep in the morning, as one thereby wastes the hours of the day; wine at noon, a long midday break that includes drinking wine or participating in a meal where people become inebriated;engaging in idle conversation with childrento pass the time; sitting in gathering places of ameihaaretz,unrefined people, lacking in knowledge and manners; all these, although they are not prohibited per se, expel a person from the world,because they are appealing and lead people to waste time on frivolous matters.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says:

הַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַקָּדָשִׁים,

With regard to one who profanes the Temple consecrations,rendering them non-sacred and treating them with contempt;

וְהַמְבַזֶּה אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת,

and likewise, one who scorns the appointed times,the intermediate days of a festival, performing unnecessary labor on those days;

וְהַמַּלְבִּין פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ בָּרַבִּים,

and, likewise, one who humiliates another in public;

וְהַמֵּפֵר בְּרִיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם,

and one who violates the covenant of Abraham our forefather, of blessed memory,i.e., one who does not wish to be circumcised or conceals the fact that he is circumcised;

וְהַמְגַלֶּה פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֲלָכָה –

and one who interprets the Torah inappropriately,in a manner that runs counter to accepted halakha;

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תּוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

even though he has Torah and good deeds in other areas to his credit, he has no share in the World to Come,because by performing theseactions, he compromises fundamental matters.

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Yishmael says:

הֱוֵי קַל לְרֹאשׁ,

Be vigilant for a leader,be vigilant in fulfilling the will of a person greater than you,

וְנוֹחַ לְתִשְׁחוֹרֶת,

and, on the other hand, solicitous and easygoing todark-haired youth,

וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּשִׂמְחָה.

and, in general, receive every person, regardless of their status, joyfully.

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Akiva says:

שְׂחוֹק וְקַלּוּת רֹאשׁ – מַרְגִּילִין לְעֶרְוָה.

Flippancy and frivolity accustom and lead a person to matters of lewdness.

מָסוֹרֶת – סְיָיג לַתּוֹרָה.

Tradition,precisely counting the verses, words, and letters of the Torah,is a safeguard for the Torah, so that it will not be lost due to errors in its transmission from generation to generation.

מַעַשְׂרוֹת – סְיָיג לָעוֹשֶׁר.

Meticulousness in giving tithes from one’s property to Levites and to the pooris a safeguard and protection for maintaining wealth.One who handles his property as the Torah commands is worthy of retaining his wealth.

נְדָרִים – סְיָיג לַפְּרִישׁוּת.

Vows that a person accepts upon himself to undertake positive matters or refrain from negative mattersare a safeguard for abstinence.They help a person be abstinent and detached from subservience to worldly matters, because they reinforce his good decisions and compel him to implement them.

סְיָיג לַחָכְמָה – שְׁתִיקָה.

Likewise, a safeguard for wisdom, a fence against nonsense and foolishness, is silence

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּצֶלֶם.

He, Rabbi Akiva, would say: Beloved and special is the human racebeyond all other creations,in that it was created in God’s image.

חִבָּה יְתֵירָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם".

Moreover, there is added love in that he was informedby God that he was created in His image, as it is stated: “As He made man in the image of God" (Genesis 9:6).

חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָּנִים לַמָּקוֹם.

Beloved are Israel beyond all other people, in that, not only were they created in His image, but they were also called children of the Omnipresent.

חִבָּה יְתֵירָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָּנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם".

Moreover, there is added love in that they were informed that they were called children of the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “You are children to the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 14:1).

חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּיתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה.

Moreover, beloved are Israel, beyond the fact that they were called children of the Omnipresent, that a precious vessel, the Torah, which is the most magnificent and pleasant vessel, was given to them.

חִבָּה יְתֵירָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּיתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה, שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ".

It is a great gesture of love that they were informed that a precious vessel, with which the world was created, was given to them, as it is stated: “For a good lesson I have given you: My Torah; do not forsake it" (Proverbs 4:2). Not only did the Holy One blessed be He give them the Torah, but He described its virtue to them, that it is a uniquely “good lesson."

הַכֹּל צָפוּי, וְהָרְשׁוּת נְתוּנָה,

Everything is foreseen;the Holy One blessed be He foresees everything that is destined to transpire. But, at the same time, license is given to a person to choose how he will behave, and he is judged on the basis of his actions, for better or for worse.

וּבְטוֹב הָעוֹלָם נִדּוֹן.

And in general, although when a person chooses evil he is punished for it, ultimately, the world is judged favorably.

וְהַכֹּל לְפִי רוֹב הַמַּעֲשֶׂה.

And everything, a person’s entire sentence, is according to the majority of the actions,whether most of his actions are good, or are not good.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר:

He, Rabbi Akiva, would say:

הַכֹּל נָתוּן בְּעֵרָבוֹן, וּמְצוּדָה פְּרוּסָה עַל כָּל הַחַיִּים.

Everything that a person possesses in this world is given as collateral,from which the Holy One blessed be He can exact repayment; and a trapper’s net is spread over all the living, and no one can escape from it.

הַחֲנוּת פְּתוּחָה, וְהַחֶנְוָנִי מֵקִיף, וְהַפִּנְקָס פָּתוּחַ, וְהַיָּד כּוֹתֶבֶת,

The store, the whole world, is open,and it is possible to take anything that one wants from it. The storekeeper, the Holy One blessed be He, does not demand immediate payment, whether it is punishment or reward, but instead, he extends credit. And the storekeeper’s writing tablet [pinkas] is open, and the hand is writing the person’s actions, so they are not forgotten.

וְכָל הָרוֹצֶה לִלְוֹת יָבֹא וְיִלְוֶה. וְהַגַּבָּאִים מַחֲזִירִים תָּדִיר בְּכָל יוֹם, וְנִפְרָעִין מִן הָאָדָם מִדַּעְתּוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעְתּוֹ, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּסְמוֹכוּ.

Anyone who wishes to borrow may come and borrow from what is in the “store"; however, he must remember that everything he uses has a price. The debt collectors, emissaries of the Holy One blessed be He in this world, regularly circulate in the world, each and every day. And they collect the debt from a person with or without his awareness. But they have a basis upon which they can rely, as everything is done with uprightness and justice.

וְהַדִּין דִּין אֱמֶת, וְהַכֹּל מְתוּקָּן לַסְּעוּדָה.

And one must know that the judgment is a just judgment, even though we do not know how it is made, and even if it appears to us to be too lenient or too severe; and everything is prepared for the banquet,for the granting of the great reward in the future, in the World to Come.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says:

אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה – אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, אִם אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ – אֵין תּוֹרָה.

If there is no Torah, there is no civility; it is not sustainable over time without Torah. If there is no civility, there is no Torah. Civility is considered a preface, foundation, and framework for Torah. Torah that is not accompanied by civility is deficient.

אִם אֵין חָכְמָה – אֵין יִרְאָה, אִם אֵין יִרְאָה – אֵין חָכְמָה.

If there is no wisdom, there is no fearof God, because fear of God is an outgrowth of understanding His greatness. On the other hand, if there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom. If fear of God does not precede wisdom, wisdom by itself can lead a person to haughtiness, which will blind him from a true perception of reality, and all the more so from understanding of the Torah.

אִם אֵין בִּינָה – אֵין דַּעַת, אִם אֵין דַּעַת – אֵין בִּינָה.

If there is no understanding, i.e., intellectual ability to analyze and synthesize concepts, there is no knowledge;it is impossible to grasp matters properly, to assess their value, and to arrive at a determination in one direction or another. On the other hand, if there is no knowledge, if there is no basic grasp of the matters, there is no understanding, as without basic knowledge of what anything is, a person has just an accumulation of items that he sensed or intuited that cannot amount to an ordered system of analysis and synthesis.

אִם אֵין קֶמַח – אֵין תּוֹרָה, אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה – אֵין קֶמַח.

If there is no flour, sustenance, there is no Torah, as a person is not free to engage in it.On the other hand, if there is no Torah, there is no flour,as the person does not merit it.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כָּל שֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מְרוּבָּה מִמַּעֲשָׂיו, לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה? לְאִילָן שֶׁעֲנָפָיו מְרוּבִּין וְשָׁרָשָׁיו מוּעָטִין, וְהָרוּחַ בָּאָה וְעוֹקַרְתּוֹ וְהוֹפַכְתּוֹ עַל פָּנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “וְהָיָה כְּעַרְעָר בָּעֲרָבָה וְלֹא יִרְאֶה כִּי יָבוֹא טוֹב וְשָׁכַן חֲרֵרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶץ מְלֵחָה וְלֹא תֵשֵׁב״.

He, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, would say: Any person whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds, as he does not implement wisdom and ethics in his life, to what is he comparable? It is to a tree whose branches are many and its roots are few, and despite its beauty and splendor, it will not endure long; because it is not sturdy, a wind comes and uproots itfrom its place and overturns it. It is as it is stated: “He will be like a solitary tree in the desert and will not see when good comes; he will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salty land and uninhabited” (Jeremiah 17:6).So, the lack of solid roots in the world of good deeds creates a personality lacking in endurance, and in a time of crisis, intellectual ability alone is unable to save the person from collapse of his world and his personality.

אֲבָל כָּל שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו מְרוּבִּין מֵחָכְמָתוֹ, לְמַה הוּא דוֹמֶה? לְאִילָן שֶׁעֲנָפָיו מוּעָטִין וְשָׁרָשָׁיו מְרוּבִּין, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כָּל הָרוּחוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בָּאוֹת וְנוֹשְׁבוֹת בּוֹ – אֵין מְזִיזִין אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל מַיִם וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו, וְלֹא יִרְאֶה כִּי יָבֹא חֹם, וְהָיָה עָלֵהוּ רַעֲנָן, וּבִשְׁנַת בַּצֹּרֶת לֹא יִדְאָג, וְלֹא יָמִישׁ מֵעֲשׂוֹת פֶּרִי".

But by contrast, anyone whose deeds exceed his wisdom, to what is he comparable? To a tree whose branches are few relative to its roots, which are many. The existence of this proper ratio leads to the fact that even if all the winds in the world were to come and blow at it, they would not move it from its place. Distress and crises of all kinds do not shake him, as the stability of his roots, i.e., his deeds, his steadfastness, and his constancy, enable him to avoid collapse even at the most difficult times. He is able to continue to be productive and creative, as it is stated: “He will be like a tree planted by water, that spreads its roots near a stream; it does not see when heat comes, and its leaves flourish. During a year of drought it is not concerned, and it does not cease from producing fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8).

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן חִסְמָא אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Elazar ben Ḥisma says:

קִנִּין וּפִתְחֵי נִדָּה, הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת.

With regard to the halakhot of bird nests,which deal with cases when pairs of birds that would be brought as an offering in the Temple intermingled with other birds; and the beginnings of menstruation,the halakhotassociated with a woman’s menstrual period; these two areas are notable in that they require logical and mathematical calculations in order to resolve them. Although they are, ostensibly, technical matters, nevertheless, these are the fundamentals of halakhot,part of the essence of the Torah, and one should relate to them in this way; it is appropriate to engage in them and clarify them.

תְּקוּפוֹת וְגִימַטְרִיאוֹת, פַּרְפְּרָאוֹת לַחָכְמָה.

By contrast, seasons,referring to calculations of the precise time of solstices and equinoxes, which integrate astronomy and mathematics, and calculations based on the numerical value of lettersand the various combinations that can be calculated on their basis, are appetizers to wisdom.