Here is a characteristic bit of rabbinic midrash on a Bible text: "The dove returned ... and in her mouth an olive leaf" (Gen. viii, 11):—
"She said to the Holy One: 'Rather let my food be as bitter as the olive, but received from Thy hands, than honey-sweet but dependent on the hand of man.'"
"It is one's duty to support a slave crippled in his employ."
"O, River Euphrates, why is thy current not heard? My deeds testify for me; what is sown at my shores will bloom in thirty days."
"Judge by deeds not works."
"Say little, do much."
"Like a tree, man is known by his fruit."
"Say not, 'I will do nothing,' because thou canst not do everything."
"One good deed leadeth to another."
"Thy works commend thee; thy works repel thee."
"He who makes another perform a deed, is greater than the doer."
"A worthy action done in this world anticipates and leads the doer to the world to come."
"When God said to Adam, 'Thorns and thistles shall it (the earth) bring forth for thee,' Adam wept and said: 'Lord of the world, shall I and my ass eat from the same crib?' But when God further said, 'by the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread,' Adam was cheered and comforted."
Truth.
"Truth is the seal of God."
"Jerusalem was destroyed because of the lack of truth-telling people."
"Who breaks his word is as one who worships an idol."
"Thus is the liar punished: even when he speaks the truth, none hearken."
"Truth is heavy, therefore few carry it."
Justice and Honesty.
"Let justice pierce the mountain."
"The judge who renders a true judgment for but one brief hour, is deemed as though he shared with God in the work of creation."
"Judge every man in the scale of merit."
"Judge not your neighbor till you stand in his place."
"Woe to the generation whose judges must be judged."
"Rabbi Phineas hospitably received two strangers. On departing they accidentally left behind them a few measures of barley. They returned a year later. 'Presumably our barley is spoilt by this time: never mind.' 'Nay,' said Phineas, leading them to his barn. He gave them five hundred measures of barley, the product of their few measures, which he had sown in his fields."
He who lends on usury is compared to a shedder of blood.
"Thy neighbor's honor and his possessions should be as dear to thee as thine own."
"Be honest in trade: if goods are damaged, acknowledge it."
"Credit and mutual trust should be the foundations of commerce."
A prince once made a law that a receiver of stolen property should be hanged and the thief go free.
"Not the mouse but the hole is the thief."
"An Israelite must not deceive even an idolater."
"Go to sleep without supper, but rise without debt."
"Rabbi Simon bought a camel of an Ishmaelite and later discovered diamonds under its saddle. 'The blessing of God maketh rich,' said his overjoyed servant. 'Nay,' rebuked the rabbi: 'Return those diamonds; I bought a camel, not precious stones.'"
Alexander, the world conqueror, came across a simple people in Africa who knew not war. He lingered to learn their ways. Two citizens appeared before the chief with this point of dispute. One had bought a piece of land and discovered a treasure in it; he claimed that this belonged to the seller and wished to return it. The seller, on the other hand, declared that he sold the land with all it might contain. So he refused to accept the treasure. The chief, turning to the buyer, said: "Thou hast a son?" "Yes." And addressing the seller: "Thou hast a daughter?" "Yes." "Marry one to the other and make the treasure their marriage portion." They left content. "In my country," said the surprised Alexander, "the disputants would have been imprisoned and the treasure confiscated for the king." "Is your country blessed by sun and rain?" asked the chief. "Yes," replied Alexander. "Does it contain cattle?" "Yes." "Then it must be for the sake of these innocent animals that the sun shines upon it; surely its people are unworthy of such blessing."
Kindness.
"Whoever showeth compassion is as the seed of Abraham."
"Remove from the highway what might endanger the property of others."
"To deserve mercy, practice it."
A sage, meeting Elijah in the thoroughfare, asked him to reveal the worthiest in the passing throng. First he singled out a turnkey. "He was kind to his prisoners." Next he pointed out two tradesmen. The sage ran to them and said, "Tell me your saving works." They were surprised. "We are only poor workmen, said to be cheerful and good-natured; we sympathize with people in sorrow and we try to reconcile friends who have quarreled. That is all."
"Be not cruel to inferiors."
"Rather be thrown into a fiery furnace than bring anyone to public shame."
"He who declines to tend the sick and he who hateth his neighbor, are as though they shed blood."
"Even though thy left hand pushes from thee, let thy right hand draw towards thee."
"Hospitality is a form of divine worship."
"Cast no stone in the well from which thou hast drunk."
"One should not partake of his own meal until his animals are first provided for."
"He who has no mercy on dumb animals should himself suffer pain."
While Moses was tending the flock of Jethro he noticed a lamb stray from the fold. He followed it; it did not stop until it reached a pool and there its slaked its thirst. "Thou dear innocent creature," said Moses, "had I but known thy wishes, I myself would have borne thee in my arms to the water." So he gently carried it back to the flock. Then was a voice heard from heaven exclaiming: "Moses, thou hast shown such compassion for the dumb sheep, thou art indeed worthy to be the shepherd of the flock of Israel."
"Give me your blessing," said R. Nachman to R. Isaac. He replied, "Thy request reminds me of the story of a weary traveler, who, after the day's exhaustion reached a well-watered date tree. Refreshed by its fruit and rested in its shade, he gratefully desired to bestow upon it a blessing. 'What can I wish thee; thou already hast foliage, shade, fruit, water; I can but pray that thy offshoots may flourish like thee,' 'Now, R. Nachman, thou already hast learning, wealth, children; I can only wish that thy descendants may be blessed like thee.'"