(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃
(4) Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. (5) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.
(ז) לבניך. אלו התלמידים מצינו בכל מקום שהתלמידים קרויים בנים, שנאמר.. בחזקיהו שלמד תורה לכל ישראל וקראם בנים שנאמר (ד"ה ב' כט, יא) בני עתה אל תשלו. וכשם שהתלמידים קרויים בנים, שנאמר בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם, כך הרב קרוי אב, שנאמר (מלכים ב' ב) אבי אבי רכב ישראל וגו' :
(7) לבניך [AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY] UNTO THY CHILDREN — These are the disciples. Everywhere do we find that disciples are termed בנים, as it is said...in the case of Hezekiah that he taught Torah to all Israel and termed them בנים, as it is said, (II Chronicles 29:11), “My sons (בני) be not now negligent". And even as disciples are termed בנים, “children", so the teacher is termed אב, "father", as it is said, (2 Kings 2:12) that Elisha referred to his teacher Elijah by the words, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, etc."
(ז) ודברת בם. שלא יהא עיקר דבורך אלא בם עשם עיקר ואל תעשם טפל:
(7) ודברת בם AND THOU SHALT SPEAK OF THEM — i.e. that your principal topic of conversation should be only about them: make them the principal, and do not make them of secondary importance (Siphre).
Education is at the heart of Judaism. It is the subject of arguably the most well-known prayer, the Shema, and continues as an important theme throughout classical Jewish texts. Rashi explains that the children who are to be educated refers to all students, and that the relationship between parent and child is often extended to include the teacher-student relationship.
(כא) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה...
(21) He [Yehudah ben Teima] used to say: Five years [is the age] for [the study of] Scripture, Ten [is the age] for [the study of] Mishnah, Thirteen [is the age] for [observing] commandments, Fifteen [is the age] for [the study of] Talmud, Eighteen [is the age] for the [wedding] canopy, Twenty [is the age] for pursuit, Thirty [is the age] for [full] strength, Forty [is the age] for understanding, Fifty [is the age] for [giving] counsel, Sixty [is the age] for mature age...
This Mishnah in Pirkei Avot reflects an understanding of the idea that children should be learning different things at different ages. Nowadays, our curricular requirements might be different, but we retain the idea that there are certain subjects that are important for students to engage with as they reach new milestones in their development.
In Greek mythology, the world is held up by Atlas. In classical art and sculpture we see Atlas supporting the whole world on his shoulders. Judaism contains multiple texts that describe what it is that sustains the entire world, and one of them is this depiction of children studying.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Letters to the Next Generation: Jewish Education
The Egyptians built pyramids, the Greeks built temples, the Romans built amphitheatres. Jews built schools. They knew that to defend a country you need an army, but to defend a civilisation you need education. So Jews became the people whose heroes were teachers, whose citadels were schools, and whose passion was study and the life of the mind.
(ב) כְּשֵׁם שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם לְלַמֵּד אֶת בְּנוֹ כָּךְ הוּא חַיָּב לְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן בְּנוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד-ט) "וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ". וְלֹא בְּנוֹ וּבֶן בְּנוֹ בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא מִצְוָה עַל כָּל חָכָם וְחָכָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְלַמֵּד אֶת כָּל הַתַּלְמִידִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן בָּנָיו. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו-ז) "וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ" מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ בָּנֶיךָ אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֶיךָ שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים קְרוּיִין בָּנִים...
(2) Just as a person is obligated to teach his son, so too he is obligated to teach his grandson, as it says, "And make them known to your children, and to your children's children" (Deut 4:9). And not just his son and his grandson: rather, there is a command upon each and every wise person [heb. chacham] in Israel to teach all students, even though they are not their children. As it says, "And you shall tutor them to your children" (Deut 6:7) - from an [Oral] Tradition they learned that "your children" [here] refers to your students, for students can be called children...
Although parents have the primary responsibility to educate their children, traditional sources recognize that they cannot do it alone. This source discusses the responsibility of grandparents and community in the education of children.
מושיבין מלמדי תינוקות בכל מדינה ומדינה ובכל פלך ופלך ובכל עיר ועיר וכל עיר שאין בה תינוקות של בית רבן מחרימין את אנשי העיר עד שמושיבין מלמדי תינוקות ואם לא הושיבו מחרימין את העיר שאין העולם מתקיים אלא בהבל פיהם של תינוקות של בית רבן.
Teachers of young children should be appointed in every country and every region and every city. And every city which does not have a school of Torah study for children, citizens of the city are placed under excommunication until teachers for children are appointed. And if they do not appoint them, excommunicate the city because the world only exists because of the breath of children engaged in Torah study.
The communal responsibility for education is so great that, according to Maimonides, one cannot deal in good faith with another city if they have neglected to appoint teachers for the young.
והיינו דאמר ר' חנינא הרבה למדתי מרבותי ומחבירי יותר מרבותי ומתלמידי יותר מכולן
Rabbi Chanina said: I have learned a great deal from my masters, but I have learned much more from my colleagues, and above all I have learned from my students."
This piece from the Talmud reflects the idea that learning is always mutual and communal; we learn from our students and those around us. Therefore, the more people we include, the more we can all learn.
...זכור אותו האיש לטוב ויהושע בן גמלא שמו שאלמלא הוא נשתכח תורה מישראל שבתחלה מי שיש לו אב מלמדו תורה מי שאין לו אב לא היה למד תורה מאי דרוש (דברים יא, יט) ולמדתם אותם ולמדתם אתם התקינו שיהו מושיבין מלמדי תינוקות בירושלים מאי דרוש (ישעיהו ב, ג) כי מציון תצא תורה ועדיין מי שיש לו אב היה מעלו ומלמדו מי שאין לו אב לא היה עולה ולמד...עד שבא יהושע בן גמלא ותיקן שיהו מושיבין מלמדי תינוקות בכל מדינה ומדינה ובכל עיר ועיר ומכניסין אותן כבן שש כבן שבע...
...Remember this man for good, namely Yehoshua ben Gamla, for if not for him, Torah would have been forgotten from Israel. For originally, whoever had a father, [the father] would teach him Torah; whoever had no father would not learn Torah. What was expounded? (Deuteronomy 11:19) "And ye shall teach them ('otam')." "And you yourselves ('atem') shall teach." They decreed that teachers of children should be set up in Jerusalem. What was expounded? (Isaiah 2:3) "For out of Zion shall go forth the law." But still, whoever had a father, [the father] would bring him up [to Jerusalem] and teach him; whoever didn't have a father would not go up and learn...Until Yehoshua ben Gamla came and decreed that teachers of children should be set up in each and every province and in each and every city, and [that] they are brought in at around age six or seven...
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Gamla understood that educating Jewish children is a communal responsibility, and ensured that school existed in every location so that every child would receive the gift of a Jewish education.
(א) משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
(1) Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples and make a fence for the Torah.
Essential to the transmission of Torah through the generations is the injunction to teach as many students as possible. This idea is further developed by Rabbeinu Yonah in the next source.
(א) והעמידו תלמי' הרבה. כדעת ב"ה. כענין ששנינו ב"ש אומרים אין מלמדין אלא לתלמיד הגון וצנוע וכשר וירא שמים...וב"ה אומרים מלמדין לכל אדם... לפי שאינכם יודעים אי זה מהם יכשר זה או זה ואם שניהם כאחד טובים. וכה הוא מעשה של הלל שכנס לכל תלמידיו ואמר להם תלמידי יש כאן כולכם אמרו לו הן. א"ל אחד מתלמידיו כלם כאן חוץ מקטן שבהם אמר להם יבא קטן שעתיד הדור להתנהג על ידו. והביאו לו לרבן יוחנן בן זכאי...הנה כי הרבות תלמידים דבר טוב הוא עד מאד וזכות הוא לו לרב:
Raise up many disciples - in accordance with that which we learned: Beit Shammai say we only teach students who are serious and modest, fit to learn and who fear the Divine...and Beit Hillel say we teach every person....for you do not know which ones will turn out to be most fit, or if two are equally as good as one another. And this is consistent with the story of Hillel, who gathered all of his students, and said: "My students, is everyone here?" And they said: "Yes." And one of his students said: "Everyone is here, except for the smallest of them." And he said: "Let the smallest come, because in the future, he will be the leader of a generation." And they brought to him Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai...behold having many students is a good thing for a teacher, and is a source of great merit.
Unlike Shammai, Hillel's objective is clear: Educate as many students as possible, and never decide in advance that a student will not succeed. Our mission as educators is to draw in as many students as we can, while it may take years, ultimately our community as a whole benefits from the fruits of our labor.
אף על פי שחכם גדול אתה אינו דומה לומד מעצמו ללומד מרבו
According to this Talmudic text, even the greatest scholar needs a "rabbi" - a teacher, an inspirational leader, someone to help us learn and try new things.
(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שִׂיחָה לִּי.
(1) Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? He who learns from everyone, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99).
The ideal of constantly learning presented in Pirkei Avot implies a kind of openness to new things and adaptability that truly characterizes only "the wise." It is a characteristic we can all strive to adopt.
...נכנס רבי אלעזר בן רבי שמעון ודרש לעולם יהא אדם רך כקנה ואל יהא קשה כארז ולפיכך זכה קנה ליטול הימנה קולמוס לכתוב בו ספר תורה תפילין ומזוזות:
...R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon entered [the Beit Midrash] and expounded, A man should always be soft like a reed and not hard like a cedar. And for this reason the reed merited that of it should be made a quill for the writing of the Torah scroll, phylacteries and mezuzot.
This Talmudic statement follows a story in which Rabbi Eleazar himself was at first unwilling to yield, but he then realizes the importance of being flexible. The "moral" of the reed that is used to write our holiest books teaches the essential quality of flexibility and adaptability.
א"ר אבא אמר שמואל שלש שנים נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו והללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו יצאה בת קול ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים הן והלכה כב"ה וכי מאחר שאלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים מפני מה זכו ב"ה לקבוע הלכה כמותן מפני שנוחין ועלובין היו ושונין דבריהן ודברי ב"ש ולא עוד אלא שמקדימין דברי ב"ש לדבריהן
Rabbi Abba said in the name of Shmuel, For three years, the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai argued. One said, 'The halakha is like us,' and the other said, 'The halakha is like us.' A heavenly voice spoke: "These and these are the words of the living God, and the halakhah (legal ruling) is like the House of Hillel." A question was raised: Since the heavenly voice declared: "Both these and those are the words of the Living God," why was the halachah (legal ruling) established to follow the opinion of Hillel? It is because the students of Hillel were kind and gracious. They taught their own ideas as well as the ideas from the students of Shammai. Furthermore, they went so far as to teach Shammai's opinions first.
This very famous piece from the Talmud expresses the quintessential ideal for important Jewish arguments: We present and respect both sides of the story. Even when a decision must be made in order to move forward on practical matters, this does not represent a total rejection of the other's ideas.
ת"ר הרואה אוכלוסי ישראל אומר ברוך חכם הרזים שאין דעתם דומה זה לזה ואין פרצופיהן דומים זה לזה
The Rabbis have taught : Who sees crowds of Israelites should say "Blessed... You who are wise in secrets," because their minds differ and their faces differ.
In any crowd of people - Jewish or not - there are as many different opinions as there are differences in physical characteristics. This Talmudic text reminds us to recite a blessing over this diversity; we are grateful to be among so many different ideas and talents.
(ד) פן נפוץ על פני כל הארץ. אמנם יש להבין מה חששו אם יצאו כמה לארץ אחרת. ומובן שזה היה שייך לדברים אחדים שהיה ביניהם ובאשר אין דעות ב״א שוים חששו שלא יצאו ב״א מדעה זו ויהיו במחשבה אחרת ע״כ היו משגיחים שלא יצא איש מישוב שלהם. ומי שסר מדברים אחדים שביניהם היה משפטו לשריפה כאשר עשו לא״א. נמצא היו דברים אחדים שביניהם לרועץ שהחליטו להרוג את מי שלא יחשוב כדעתם...
(4) Lest we be scattered over all the face of the earth - However, we must understand why they feared that someone might leave to another land. And it is understood that this was related to the uniformity that was among them. And since the opinions of people are not identical, they feared that people might abandon this philosophy and adopt another. Therefore they sought to ensure that no one would leave their society. And one who veered from this uniformity among them was judged with burning, just as they did to our forefather Abraham. And the "same words" can also be seen as the fact that they would kill whoever did not think like them...
In this source, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin explains the problem with the tower of Babel. He introduces a phenomenon which we now call "groupthink".
"Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment” (p. 9). Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making."
Heads of schools and presidents of boards work with people who hold different sets of opinions and priorities. This text reminds us that unity, but not uniformity, is a blessing, and that we accomplish more when we are open to multiple points of view.
(ב) היה מונע הגדולים מפני הקטנים, והיה מוציא הקטנים לרעות, כדי שירעו עשב הרך, ואחר כך מוציא הזקנים, כדי שירעו עשב הבינונית, ואחר כך מוציא הבחורים, שיהיו אוכלין עשב הקשה. אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: מי שהוא יודע לרעות הצאן איש לפי כחו, יבא וירעה בעמי
(When Moses shepherded the flocks of Jethro), he used to stop the bigger sheep from grazing before the smaller ones, and let the smaller ones loose first to feed on the tender grass; then he would let the older sheep loose to feed on the grass of average quality; lastly he let the strong ones loose to feed on the toughest. God said, "The person who knows how to shepherd a flock, each according to its strength, (he should be the one to) come and lead My people.
Moses was one of our greatest Jewish leaders. He spoke truth to power at the risk of his life and led a demoralized, down-trodden people out of slavery. This Midrash speaks to the criteria for selecting him; he was merely a shepherd, but his ability to to care for the vulnerable and see that everyone's needs were met spoke to his innate leadership abilities.
...הלכה: אם ראה הרבה אוכלוסין של בני אדם, אומר: בא"י אלהינו מלך העולם חכם הרזים, כשם שאין פרצופותיהן דומין זה לזה, כך אין דעתן שוין זה לזה, אלא כל אחד ואחד יש לו דעה בפני עצמו... שכן משה מבקש מן הקב"ה בשעת מיתה. אמר לפניו: ריבונו של עולם! גלוי וידוע לפניך דעתן של כל אחד ואחד, ואין דעתן של בניך דומין זה לזה, וכשאני מסתלק מהן, בבקשה ממך מנה עליהם מנהיג, שיהא סובלם לאחד ואחד לפי דעתו...
The law is: If one sees many thousands of people, one should say: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Wise One who knows secrets, just as their faces are different from one another's, so too their understandings are different, for each one has a different understanding...and so too Moses requested from God, when he died. He said: Master of the Universe! Every person's thoughts are known and revealed before you, and none of your children's thoughts are similar to another's. When I die, please appoint a leader who can sustain them all according to their own understanding....
According to this Midrash, Moses understood that for any leader of the Jewish people to be successful, it would have to be someone who could appreciate and be responsive to the diversity contained among the Jewish people.
(יז) וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (יח) וַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
The text above teaches another aspect of leadership. Sometimes, the direct way is not the best way. Sometimes we have to take an indirect route and wander around a little before we are ready to take on a new task or direction. A strong leader knows his institution and stakeholders and recognizes when they are ready to move forward and when they need to take the long route.
ואמר רב אסי שקולה צדקה כנגד כל המצות...
(א) חַיָּבִין אָנוּ לְהִזָּהֵר בְּמִצְוַת צְדָקָה יוֹתֵר מִכָּל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה. שֶׁהַצְּדָקָה סִימָן לַצַּדִּיק זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח-יט) "כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו" (בראשית יח-יט) "לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה". וְאֵין כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְכּוֹנֵן וְדַת הָאֱמֶת עוֹמֶדֶת אֶלָּא בִּצְדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נד-יד) "בִּצְדָקָה תִּכּוֹנָנִי". וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאָלִין אֶלָּא בִּצְדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א-כז) "צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה":
(1) We are obligated to be careful about the commandment [to give] charity, more than any other positive commandment for charity is a sign of the righteous, the seed of Avraham, as it says "For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness... " And the seat of Israel is not established nor is the True Faith preserved except through charity as it says "In righteousness shalt thou be established" nor shall Israel be redeemed except through charity as it says "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness."
Multiple sources in the Jewish tradition emphasize the primacy of giving, above all else. Tzedakah, the word for charity, has the same root as the word for righteousness, and Maimonides makes it clear that this is not just a coincidence.
מעשה במונבז המלך שבזבז אוצרותיו ואוצרות אבותיו בשני בצורת וחברו עליו אחיו ובית אביו ואמרו לו אבותיך גנזו והוסיפו על של אבותם ואתה מבזבזם אמר להם אבותי גנזו למטה ואני גנזתי למעלה שנאמר (תהלים פה, יב) אמת מארץ תצמח וצדק משמים נשקף אבותי גנזו במקום שהיד שולטת בו ואני גנזתי במקום שאין היד שולטת בו שנאמר (תהלים פט, טו) צדק ומשפט מכון כסאך אבותי גנזו דבר שאין עושה פירות ואני גנזתי דבר שעושה פירות שנאמר (ישעיהו ג, י) אמרו צדיק כי טוב כי פרי מעלליהם יאכלו אבותי גנזו [אוצרות] ממון ואני גנזתי אוצרות נפשות שנאמר (משלי יא, ל) פרי צדיק עץ חיים ולוקח נפשות חכם אבותי גנזו לאחרים ואני גנזתי לעצמי שנאמר (דברים כד, יג) ולך תהיה צדקה אבותי גנזו לעולם הזה ואני גנזתי לעולם הבא שנאמר (ישעיהו נח, ח) והלך לפניך צדקך כבוד ה' יאספך:
It is related of King Moonbaz that he gave away all his own stores of treasure and the stores of his fathers in years of scarcity. His brothers and his father's household came in a deputation to him and said to him, 'Your father saved money and added to the treasures of his fathers, and you are squandering them. ' He replied: 'My fathers stored up below and I am storing above, as it says, Truth springs out of the earth and righteousness looks down from heaven. (Psalms 85,12) My fathers stored in a place which can be tampered with, but I have stored in a place which cannot be tampered with, as it says, Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (Psalms 89,15) My fathers stored something which produces no fruits, but I have stored something which does produce fruits, as it is written, Say ye of the righteous [zaddik] that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings. (Isaiah 3,10) My fathers gathered treasures of money, but I have gathered treasures of souls, as it is written, The fruit of the righteous [zaddik] is a tree of life, and he that is wise wins souls. (Proverbs 11,30) My fathers gathered for others and I have gathered for myself, as it says, And for thee it shall be righteousness [zedakah]. (Deuteronomy 24,13) My fathers gathered for this world, but I have gathered for the future world, as it says, Thy righteousness [zedakah] shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. (Isaiah 58,8)
The Talmud tells us that, faced with scarcity in the world, King Moonbaz decided to distribute his wealth so that it would leave a lasting impact on the community. Each of us is charged to do what we can to improve the world around us while we can. As King Moonbaz says, only when it has been spent on others can the money bear fruit.
(ה) קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה .... וְכָל־חֲכַם־לֵ֖ב בָּכֶ֑ם יָבֹ֣אוּ וְיַעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה יְהוָֽה׃
(5) Take from among you gifts to the LORD; everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them... (10) And let all among you who are skilled come and make all that the LORD has commanded:
(ג) וַיִּקְח֞וּ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַתְּרוּמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵבִ֜יאוּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִמְלֶ֛אכֶת עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ לַעֲשֹׂ֣ת אֹתָ֑הּ וְ֠הֵם הֵבִ֨יאוּ אֵלָ֥יו ע֛וֹד נְדָבָ֖ה בַּבֹּ֥קֶר בַּבֹּֽקֶר׃ (ד) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ כָּל־הַ֣חֲכָמִ֔ים הָעֹשִׂ֕ים אֵ֖ת כָּל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ אִֽישׁ־אִ֥ישׁ מִמְּלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִֽׂים׃ (ה) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה לֵּאמֹ֔ר מַרְבִּ֥ים הָעָ֖ם לְהָבִ֑יא מִדֵּ֤י הָֽעֲבֹדָה֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽהּ׃ (ו) וַיְצַ֣ו מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַל־יַעֲשׂוּ־ע֛וֹד מְלָאכָ֖ה לִתְרוּמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם מֵהָבִֽיא׃ (ז) וְהַמְּלָאכָ֗ה הָיְתָ֥ה דַיָּ֛ם לְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֹתָ֑הּ וְהוֹתֵֽר׃ (ס)
The Torah describes the first capital campaign and the subsequent response of the people. What makes this campaign so successful is that people don't just send money; they contribute their time and their talents.
ואמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן אל יתפלל אדם אלא בבית שיש שם חלונות שנאמר (דניאל ו, יא) וכוין פתיחן ליה בעליתיה (לקבל) [נגד] ירושלם...
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: One may only pray in a place that has windows, as it says (Daniel 6:11): "There were open windows in his attic facing Jerusalem."
This source addresses the topic of prayer, but might be similarly extended to all holy endeavors, such as the study of Torah: The physical environment of such an activity matters. A space with windows is more comfortable (and possibly, more inspiring, being open to the beauty of nature) and therefore more conducive to such activities.
נשכימה לכרמים אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות נראה אם פרחה הגפן אלו בעלי מקרא פתח הסמדר אלו בעלי משנה הנצו הרמונים אלו בעלי גמרא שם אתן את דודי לך אראך כבודי וגודלי שבח בני ובנותי
"Let us get up early to go to the vineyards" (Song of Songs 7:12-13) - these are the synagogues and houses of study. "Let us see if the vine has flowered" - these are the masters of the Bible. "If the grape blossoms have opened" - these are the masters of Mishnah. "If the pomegranates have flowered" - these are the masters of the Talmud. "There I will give you my love" - there I will show you my honor and my greatness, the praise of my sons and daughters."
This highly poetic text speaks of the House of Study as a vineyard, and uses the words of the Song of Songs as an allegory for the space in which learning takes place. Each stage of learning is described as a kind of flowering or blooming, and it is there, in that carefully cultivated space, that Divine love can be expressed and felt.
דתניא זה אלי ואנוהו התנאה לפניו במצות עשה לפניו סוכה נאה ולולב נאה ושופר נאה ציצית נאה ספר תורה נאה...
As it was taught: "This is my God and I will glorify God" (Exodus 15:2) - beautify yourself before God with mitzvot. Make a beautiful Sukkah, a beautiful lulav, and beautiful shofar, beautiful tzitzit, a beautiful Torah scroll...
This piece from the Talmud emphasizes an obligation that is mentioned in many places in Rabbinic literature: The need to do mitzvot in the most beautiful way possible. When crafting the materials that allow us to fulfill mitzvot - building a building, creating a Torah scroll, or whatever it may be - doing so in the most physically attractive way demonstrates our love and devotion to God.