(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שִׂיחָה לִּי.
(1) Ben Zoma said:Who is wise? The one who learns from each person, as it is said: “From all who taught me have I gained understanding” (Psalms 119:99). "From all my teachers I have gained understanding."
1. What's the lesson here about learning? Who might one consider their teachers?
2. Think about a time when you had a teacher who was not hired in the role of a teacher. How did they become your teacher? What did they teach you?
3. Maimonides said, "I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and from my students most of all." How does this add to your understanding of the learning process?
(ג) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּהִי בָז לְכָל אָדָם, וְאַל תְּהִי מַפְלִיג לְכָל דָּבָר, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שָׁעָה וְאֵין לְךָ דָבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם:
(3) He (Ben Azzai) used to say: do not despise any person, and do not underrate the importance of anything, for there is no person that has not their hour, and there is no thing that has not its place.
4. Have you had an experience when this has been true? Will you please share about it?
5. What does this add to your previous discussion?