12. There are four sorts of disciples: He who is quick to hear and quick to forget loses more than he gains; he who is slow to hear and slow to forget gains more than he loses; he who is quick to hear and slow to forget is wise; he who is slow to hear and quick to forget has an evil portion.
13. There are four sorts in those who bestow charity: He who is willing to give but does not wish that others should give, has an envious eye toward others; he who likes to see others give but will not give, has an evil eye toward himself; he who is willing to give and that others should also give, acts piously; he who will not give and likes not that others should give, acts wickedly.
14. There are four sorts in those who go to college: He who goes but does not study, has only the reward of going; he who studies and does not go, has the reward of action; he who goes and studies, is pious; he who neither goes nor studies, is wicked.
15. There are four sorts in those who sit before the Sages: Those who act as a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, and a sieve; as a sponge which sucks up all, as a funnel which receives at one end and lets out at the other, as a strainer which lets the wine pass through, but retains the lees, and as a sieve which lets the bran pass through but retains the fine flour.
16. Every affection that depends on some carnal cause, if that cause ceases the affection ceases, but that which does not depend on such a cause will never cease. Where do we meet with an affection dependent on a carnal cause? Such was the love of Ammon to Tamar; but that which does not depend on such a cause was the love of David and Jonathan.
17. Every dispute that is carried on for God's sake, will in the end be established; but that which is not for God's sake, will not be established. “What may be considered a dispute for God's sake?” “Such as the disputes of Hillel and Shammai; but that which was not for God's sake was the contention of Korah and all his company.”
18. He who by his conduct justifies the public, no sin will be caused through his means, and whosoever causes the public to sin is not suffered to repent. Moses acted justly and caused the public to obtain merit: the merit of the public was attributed to him, as is said, “He executed the justice of the Lord and his judgments with Israel.”[498] Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, sinned, and caused Israel to sin: the sin of the public was attributed to him, as is said, “Because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.”[499]
19. He who possesses these three virtues is of the disciples of our father Abraham, and he who is possessed of the three opposites is of the disciples of the wicked Balaam. The disciples of our father Abraham possess a benevolent eye, a humble spirit, and a contented mind. The disciples of Balaam have an evil eye, a haughty spirit, and a narrow mind. “What is the difference between the disciples of our father Abraham and the disciples of the wicked Balaam?” “The disciples of our father Abraham eat of the fruit of their good works in this world, and inherit the future one, for it is said, ‘That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures.’[500] But the disciples of the wicked Balaam inherit hell and descend to the pit of destruction, as is said, ‘But Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction; bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in Thee.’ ”[501]
20. Judah, son of Tamai, said, “be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a roe, and strong as a lion, to do the will of Thy Father, who is in heaven.” He used to say, “the impudent are for hell and the modest for paradise. May it be acceptable in Thy presence, O Lord our God! that Thy city may speedily be rebuilt in our days, and let our portion be in Thy law.”
21. He also said, “at five years of age a child should study the Bible; at ten he should study the Mishna; at thirteen he should observe the precepts; at fifteen he should study the Gemara; at eighteen he should get married; at twenty he should study the law; at thirty he is arrived at full strength; at forty he is arrived at understanding; at fifty he is able to give counsel; at sixty he is accounted aged; at seventy he is hoary; at [pg 216] eighty he may still be accounted strong; at ninety he is only fit for the pit;[502] at 100 he is as if already dead and forgotten from the world.”