This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Let the foundation of thy affection be virtue, then make the building as rich and as glorious as thou canst; if the foundation be beauty or wealth, and the building virtue, the foundation is too weak for the building, and it will fall: happy is he, the palace of whose affection is founded upon virtue, walled with riches, glazed with beauty, and roofed with honor.
Beauty | Character | Happy | Honor | Riches | Virtue | Virtue | Wealth | Will | Beauty |
Knowledge of ourselves teaches us whence we come, where we are and whither we are going. We come from God and we are in exile; and it is because our potency of affection tends towards God that we are aware of this state of exile.
No matter how one's heart aches, one can do the necessary things and do them well.
It’s not the things that can be bought that are life’s richest treasures. It’s priceless little courtesies that money cannot measure. Each little act of graciousness or kindly little favor that fills the heart with gratitude leaves memories to savor.
Character | Gratitude | Heart | Life | Life | Little | Money |
The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite’s dinner, yet the whole world is not sufficient for it.
Liberty is not to be found in any form of government, she is in the heart of the free man, he bears her with him everywhere.
Character | Government | Heart | Liberty | Man |
Sholem Aleichem, pen name of Sholem Yakovf Rabinowitz or Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich
When the heart is full, the eyes overflow.
All the kindness which a man puts out into the world works on the heart and thoughts of mankind, but we are so foolishly indifferent that we are never in earnest in the matter of kindness. We want to topple a great load over, and yet will not avail ourselves of a lever which would multiply our power a hundredfold.
Character | Heart | Kindness | Man | Mankind | Power | Will | World |