The essence of a person's existence

Hi,

"The essence of a person's existence in this world is to develop wisdom, that he might recognize his Creator."

(Sefer haChinuch, Mitzvah 257)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

A sign of wisdom

Hi,

"It is written (Proverbs 17:27), 'The breath of a person of understanding is precious.'

"This sentence is saying that if a person's each thought is precious to him, meaning that he will not waste it, then he is a person of understanding."

(Comment of Vilna Gaon to Proverbs 17:27)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

In honour of the wisdom of Torah

Hi,

"Fortunate is the one who finds wisdom,
the one who produces wisdom,
for its trade is better than commercial trade
and its fruit is better than engraved gold.
It is more precious than pearls,
and all of your possession are not its equal.
Long life is in its right,
and in its left are wealth and glory.
Its paths are paths of pleasantness,
and all of its ways are peace.
It is a tree of life for those who hold on to it,
and all who support it are fortunate."

(Proverbs 3:13-18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A parent's influence

Hi,

"Rabbi Akiva said: A parent determines five traits in his child: Beauty, physical strength, wealth, wisdom and lifespan."

(Talmud, Eduyyot 2:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Of wisdom and wealth

Hi,

[Mishlei 10:14 - Wise men guard store wisdom, and the fool's mouth soon leads to collapse.]

"First: A wise man should protect his ideas and guard them as a wealthy person guards his assets; otherwise, he will be lik a pauper, without assets.

"Second: Wisdom generally protects its holder, guarding him as money guards and protects its holder, and more so."

(Rav Saadia Gaon, Commentary to Mishlei 10:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The value of awe

Hi,

"The power of awe is great; one who has wisdom but lacks awe will be irreparably harmed, for wisdom alone is repellent... but when wisdom is accompanied by awe, then that wisdom is a medicine which cannot harm."

(Rabbeinu Bechayye, Kad haKemach, Yirah)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Wisdom of Moshe

Hi,

In honor of Moshe Rabbeinu, whose yahrtzeit is observed on the 7th of Adar, which begins Thursday evening. [Granted that there are two months of Adar this year.]

"Fifty levels of understanding were created in this world, and all but one were given to Moshe, as it is written [Tehillim 8], 'And You made him just less than Gd.'"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 21b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why are we here?

Hi,

"Man has no advantage over animal other than in his higher, wise soul, which will return to the Honored Gd who gave it. It was brought into the body for its education, in order to learn the deeds of its Master and guard His mitzvot. All wisdom will provide its master with life, and there are many forms of wisdom, each aiding and all like rungs of a ladder ascending to the true forms of wisdom. Fortunate is one whose heart’s eyes are open, turning toward Divine light and toward His good in the end."

(R’ Avraham ibn Ezra, Yesod Mora, Hakdamah)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wisdom does not necessarily translate into wealth

Hi,

"Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua were travelling on a boat. Rabban Gamliel had bread, Rabbi Yehoshua had flour. Rabban Gamliel’s bread was finished, and he depended on Rabbi Yehoshua’s flour. He said to Rabbi Yehoshua: Did you know we would take this long, that you brought flour?

"He replied: There is a star which ascends every seventy years, and it fools the sailors. I said, ‘Perhaps it might ascend and fool us.’

"Rabban Gamliel said: You knew all this, and still you entered the boat?!

"He replied: Before you express shock at me, express shock at your two students on land, Rabbi Elazar Chisma and Rabbi Yochanan ben Gudgida, who can estimate the drops in the sea but who lack bread to eat and clothes to wear!"

(Talmud, Horiyyot 10a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wisdom vs. Prophecy

Hi,

"Better to be a wise person than to be a prophet."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 12a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wisdom requires work

Hi,

"Don't [excuse yourself and] say, 'It's just that so-and-so is smart, and I am not smart.' It's that you did not apprentice yourself to scholars as he did."

(Derech Eretz Zuta 4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honesty and Justice

Hi,

"So speaks Gd: A wise person shall not honor himself for his wisdom, and a powerful person shall not honor himself for his power, a wealthy person shall not honor himself for his wealth.

"Rather, for this an honored person should honor himself: Take insight and know Me, for I am Gd, who performs kindness and justice in the land. These are the elements I desire; this is the word of Gd."

(Jeremiah 9:22-23, the last verses of the Haftorah for Tisha b'Av morning)

I hope you fasted well,
Mordechai

Demonstrating wisdom

Hi,

"It is written (Proverbs 17:27), 'The breath of a person of understanding is precious.'

"This means that if a person's each thought is precious to him - that he does not waste it - then he is truly a person of understanding."

(Comment of Vilna Gaon to Proverbs 17:27)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Divine aid for the Sages?

Hi,

"Although the visionary prophecy of prophets has been taken away, the prophecy of sages, which is in the manner of wisdom, has not been taken away. They know the truth with the Divine inspiration which is inside them."

(Ramban to Bava Batra 12b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The price of arrogance

Hi,

"If a person acts arrogantly, then if he is a prophet he loses his prophecy, if he is a sage he loses his wisdom."

(Talmud, Pesachim 66b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wisdom

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar taught: If a person develops wisdom, it is as though the Beit haMikdash [Jerusalem Temple] had been built in his lifetime."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 92a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai