6. R. Chalaphta of the village of Chananya said, “ten men who assemble together and study the law, the Shechinah rests among them, as is said, ‘God standeth in the congregation of the mighty.’ ”[477] And hence it is inferred that it is also so with five, because it is said, “and hath founded his troop in the earth.”[478] And hence it is inferred that it is likewise so with three, because it is said, “He judgeth among the gods.”[479] And hence it is inferred that it is also thus with two, because it is said, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, etc.”[480] And [pg 206] hence it is inferred that it is likewise so with one, because it is said, “In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.”[481]
7. R. Eleazar of Barthota said, “give unto Him of His own, for thou and all that thou hast are His.” And thus said David, “For all things come of Thee, and of thine own have we given Thee.”[482] R. Simon said, “he who journeys on the road, meditating on the law, and ceases therefrom to admire this beautiful tree or that beautiful fallow ground, is considered in Scripture as endangering his life.”
8. R. Dosthai, the son of Jonai, in the name of R. Meier, said, “whoever forgetteth anything of what he had obtained by study, is considered in Scripture as having endangered his life”; as is said, “Only take heed to thyself and guard thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen.”[483] “Perhaps his study has been too powerful for him?” “But it is said, ‘And lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life.’ ”[484] Hence he endangers not his life, till he deliberately removes them from his heart.
9. Rabbi Chanina, son of Dose, said, “whosoever's fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom will remain; but whosoever's wisdom precedes his fear of sin, his wisdom will not remain.” He used to say, “whosoever's good deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom will remain; but whosoever's wisdom exceeds his good deeds, his wisdom will not remain.”
10. He also used to say, “with whomsoever the spirit of his companions is gratified, the Spirit of God is gratified; but with whomsoever the spirit of his companions is not gratified, the Spirit of God is not gratified.” R. José, son of Harchinas, said, “that morning sleep, noontide wine, childish conversation, and the assembly of the ignorant, take man out of the world.”
11. R. Eleazar Hamodai said, “he who profanes the holy offerings, despises the solemn feasts, puts his neighbor to shame in public, makes void the covenant of our father Abraham, and expounds the law contrary to its true sense, although he be well learned in the law and possessed of good deeds, yet has he no share in the world to come.”
12. R. Ishmael said, “be humble to thy superior, and affable to thy inferior, and receive all mankind with joy.”
13. R. Akiba said, “laughter and levity accustom mankind to lewdness, tradition is a fence to the law, tithes are a fence to riches, vows are a fence to abstinence, the fence to wisdom is silence.”
14. He used to say, “man is beloved as he was created in the image of God, but an additional love was shown to him that he was created in the image of God, as is said, ‘In the image of God he made man.’[485] Beloved are Israel in that they are called the children of God, but an additional love was shown to them in that they are called the children of God, as is said, ‘Ye are the children of the Lord your God.’[486] Beloved are Israel, to whom was given the desirable vessel wherewith the world was created, but an additional love was shown unto them, that the desirable vessel wherewith the world was created was given unto them, as is said, ‘For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.’ ”[487]
15. “Everything is seen by God, though freedom of choice is given unto man; the world is judged in goodness, though all is according to the greatness of the work.”