Bests of: Perkei Avot

(6) Yehoshua ben Perachiah and Nitai of Arbel received from them. Yehoshua ben Perachia says, "Make for yourself a mentor, acquire for yourself a friend and judge every person as meritorious."

(15) Shammai says, "Make your Torah fixed, say little and do much, and receive every person with a pleasant countenance."

(18) Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says, "On three things the world stands: on judgment, on truth and on peace, as it is said (Zachariah 8:16), 'Judge truth and the justice of peace in your gates.'"

(1) Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: Which is the straight path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it], And praiseworthy to him from [other] people. And be as careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one, for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments. Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [that may be obtained] for [fulfilling] it. And [weigh] the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [that may be sustained] by [committing] it. Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: An Eye that sees, and an Ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book.

...Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the congregation. Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place. Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard. Do not say, "When I will be available I will study [Torah]," lest you never become available.

(15) Rabbi Tarfon said: The day is short and the work is much, and the workers are lazy and the reward is great, and the Master of the house is pressing.

(1) Akavia ben Mahalalel says: Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin: Know from where you came, and to where you are going, and before Whom you are destined to give an account and a reckoning. From where did you come? From a putrid drop. And to where are you going? To a place of dust, worms, and maggots. And before Whom are you destined to give an account and a reckoning? Before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

(17) Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no worldly occupation; if there is no worldly occupation, there is no Torah. If there is no wisdom, there is no fear; if there is no fear, there is no wisdom. If there is no understanding, there is no knowledge; if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding. If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour...

(12) Rabbi Yishmael says: Be yielding to an elder, pleasant to a youth and greet every person with joy.

(1) Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99). Who is the mighty one? He who conquers his impulse, as it says, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person and the ruler of his spirit than the conqueror of a city." (Proverbs 16:32). Who is the rich one? He who is happy with his lot, as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come. Who is honored? He who honors the created beings, as it says, "For those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me will be held in little esteem" (I Samuel 2:30).

(3) He would say: Do not disparage anyone, and do not shun any thing. For you have no man who does not have his hour, and you have no thing that does not have its place.

(15) Rabbi Yanai says: We do not have [the ability to explain] the tranquility of the wicked or even the suffering of the righteous. Rabbi Mattia ben Charash says: Be the first to greet every person, and be a tail to lions, and do not be a head to foxes.

(18) Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Do not assuage the anger of your friend at the time of his anger; do not console him at the time when his deceased lies before him; do not question him at the time of his vow; and do not seek to see him at the time of his humiliation.

(19) Shmuel the Younger says: (Proverbs 24:17-18) "When your enemy falls, do not be happy, and when he stumbles, let your heart not rejoice. Lest God see and it be bad in His eyes and He turn from him [the enemy] His anger."

(10) There are four kinds of people: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" -- that's a "beinonit" (intermediate-level person). There are some who say that is the kind of people that were in Sodom. [A second type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] "am ha'aretz" (uneducated person). [A third type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours" -- [that's a] "chasid" (righteous person). [A final type is one who says] "what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine" -- [that's a] "rasha" (wicked person).

(11) There are four kinds of dispositions: [a person who is] easy to anger and easy to please -- his virtue cancels out his flaw. [A person who is] hard to anger but [also] hard to please -- his flaw cancels out his virtue. [A person who is] hard to anger, but easy to please -- [that's a] "chasid" (righteous person). Easy to anger and hard to please -- [that's a] "rasha" (wicked person).

(22) Ben Bag Bag says: Search in it and search in it, since everything is in it. And in it should you look, and grow old and be worn; and from it do not move, since there is no characteristic greater than it.

(23) Ben Hey Hey says: According to the pain is the reward.

(5) Do not ask for glory for yourself, and do not covet honour. More than just studying, act. And do not lust after the tables of kings since your table is greater than theirs and your crown is greater than theirs. And your employer is faithful; he will pay you the wages of your labour.