Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Babylonian Talmud

One of the Two Major Compilations of Jewish Religious Teachings and Commentary that was Transmitted Orally

"An ignorant man will always be the first to be heard."

"A name made great is a name destroyed."

"As learned men grow older, they increase their wisdom; As ignorant men grow older, they increase in folly."

"Better is one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than a whole life in the World to Come."

"Be wise enough to be silent."

"Charity is equal to all the other precepts put together."

"Follow the customs of the city wherein thou comest."

"First learn, then form opinions."

"Greater is he who lends (in time) than he who performs an act of charity."

"He who bears reproach without resentment escapes a thousand grievances."

"He who does not teach his son a trade teaches him as it were to become a robber."

"He who eats much evacuates much, and he who increaseth this flesh multiplieth food for worms; but he who multiplieth good works causes peace within himself."

"He who is loud in his prayers is short in his faith... He who prays must direct his heart to heaven."

"One who repeats his lesson a hundred times is not like one who repeats it a hundred and one times."

"Righteous men are greater after their death than during their lifetime."

"Silence is good for the wise; how much more for the foolish."

"Six hundred and thirteen commandments were given to Moses. King David came and reduced them to eleven (Psalms XV). The prophet Isaiah further reduced them to six (Isaiah XXXIII) Micah (VI, 8) reduced them to three: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God."

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?"

"It is not the place that honors the man, but the man that adds luster to the place."

"No man shall be held responsible for words uttered in affliction."

"Let the property of your fellow-man be as dear to you as your own."

"Let every man divide his money into three parts, and invest a third in land, a third in business, and a third let him keep in reserve."

"Man comes into the world with grasping hands, but leaves it with open hands."

"Slander is called the third tongue because it slays three persons, the speaker, the spoken to, and the spoken of."

"The Holy One, blessed be He, hates a person who says one thing with his mouth and another in his heart."

"The man who causes the deed is greater than he who does it."

"The reward of studying is understanding."

"This is the punishment of a liar: He is not believed, even when he speaks the truth."

"Truth is the seal of God."

"What is hateful to thyself, do not to thy fellow man."

"When a man gives vent to his wrath his wisdom leaves him."

"When a thief is breaking into a house, he calls on God to help him."

"Who is rich? He who enjoys his wealth."

"Whose works exceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; whose wisdom exceeds his works, his wisdom shall perish."

"Wise is he who learns from every man."

"Ambition destroys its possessor. "

"If a man commit an offence and repeat it, it becomes in his eyes something permitted. "

"Physical cleanliness leads to spiritual purity. "

"The end of wisdom is repentance and good works. "

"Who is honoured? He who honours others. "