The limits of vocational education

Hi,

"While, however, this training for earning a living is unquestionably a father's duty, beware of seeing in it the whole of that duty and of thinking that you have done enough if your child is able to keep body and soul together by his own efforts, or even to set up house. Of what use are a living and a home to him if his spirit is unilluminated, if he knows how to make a living but not to live as a Jew?"

(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb paragraph 552)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Accidental lashon hara

Hi,


"Rav Dimi, brother of Rav Safra, taught: A person should not speak positively about another, for as a result of saying that which is positive, one may come to say that which is negative."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 164b)

[If you have ever complimented a person in front of someone who disagrees with the compliment, you know what this means...]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What righteous people do

Hi,

"Pure righteous people do not complain about evil, but increase righteousness.

"They do not complain about heresy, but increase faith.

"They do not complain about ignorance, but increase wisdom."

(R' Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook, Arpilei Tohar)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sins of the parents

Hi,

(This passage is a little more complex than those I usually bring, but the topic warrants it.)

"Why do we need the verse, ‘Children will not be put to death for their parents?’ If it is to reach that parents won’t die for their children’s sins and children will not die for their parents’ sins, it is already written, ‘Each man will die for his own sins!’…

"But wait - You say children will not die for their parents’ sins? It is written, ‘He remembers the sins of the parents on their kids!’ No; that is where they continue their parents’ sins."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 27b)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Anticipating reward for mitzvot

Hi,

"The sages also instructed us that one should not make some entity into the essence of his service and his fulfillment of mitzvot.

"This was the statement of the complete one, the pious one, the one who grasped the truth, Antignos Ish Socho: Do not be as servants who serve the master in order to receive a prize, but be as servants who serve the master on condition that they not receive a prize."

(Rambam, Commentary to Mishnah, Introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin)

[Note the key variation from the standard text of Pirkei Avot 1:3.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Words uttered in pain

Hi,

"Rava taught: A person is not punished for his reactions in a moment of pain."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 16b)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Hallel

Hi,

"Any individual who has encountered trouble and been saved from it may establish recitation Hallel for himself on that day every year, but he does not recite a blessing when reciting it. The same applies to every community. This was what the prophets established, to say Hallel for every trouble when we are saved."

(Meiri to Pesachim 117a)

Chag Atzmaut sameach,
Mordechai