2. The school of Shammai say, “the appearance in the Temple is with two pieces of silver, and the peace-offering with a meah of silver.”[354] But the school of Hillel say, “the appearance is with a meah of silver, and the feast-offering with two pieces of silver.”
3. The burnt-offerings of the appointed feasts come from ordinary money; but the peace-offering from tithes. “The offerings on the first holiday of the passover?”[355] The school of Shammai say, “from ordinary money,” but the school of Hillel say, “from tithes.”
4. Israelites discharge their duty with vows, with free-will offerings, and with tithes of animals; and priests with sin-offerings, with trespass-offerings, and with the breast and shoulder, and first-born, but not with fowls, nor with meat-offerings.
5. “If one have a large family and small income?” “He must bring more peace-offerings, and less burnt-offerings.” “If a small family and large income?” “He must bring more burnt-offerings, and less peace-offerings.” “If both be small?” “Of this they say, a silver meah, and two pieces of silver are sufficient.” “If both be large?” “Of this it is said, every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee.”[356]
6. When one did not bring his peace-offering on the first holiday of the feast, he may bring it during the holidays, and even on the last day of the feast. “If the feast passed over, and he did not bring the peace-offering?” “He is not obliged to bring it.” For this it is said, “that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.”[357]
7. Rabbi Simon, the son of Menasia, said, “if thou shalt say, a thief or a robber, he may return and become straight.” R. Simon, the son of Jochai, said, “we do not call one crooked, save one straight at first, and he became afterward crooked; and this is the disciple of the wise, who departs from the Law.”
8. The remission of vows is like flying in the air, and it has no foundation. The decisions for the Sabbath, peace-offerings, and trespasses, are as mountains hanging on a hair; because the verse is small, but the decisions are many. Jurisprudence, and the Temple service, cleanness and uncleanness, and illegal connections, have their own foundations; they, they are the body of the law.
Chapter II
1. Men may not discourse on illegal connections with three,[358] nor on the work of creation with two,[359] nor on the cherubs with one,[360] save when one is wise, and comprehends it of his own knowledge. Everyone who considers four things, it were suitable for him that he did not come into the world. What is in the height? what is in the depth? what is before? and what is behind? And everyone who is not anxious for the honor of his Creator, it were suitable for him that he did not come into the world.