ANCIENT JEWISH PROVERBS
Being a Jew is like walking in the wind or swimming: People often avoid making decisions out of fear of making a mistake. Actually the failure to make decisions is one of life's biggest mistakes. You may not make the image of God because you are the image of God. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. A Jewish woman had 2 chickens.
One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well. I do not recall a Jewish home without a book on the table. Being a Jew, one learns to believe in the reality of cruelty and one learns to recognize indifference to human suffering as a fact. A Jewish man with his parents alive is half the time a helpless infant. What one Christian does is his own responsibility, what one Jew does is thrown back at all Jews. I think the thing that I most appreciate now is that stereotypes involving Jewish identity activate fears of persecution that exist in the present day.
Israel may have the right to put others on trial, but certainly no one has the right to put the Jewish people and the State of Israel on trial. Wise Old Sayings is a database of thousands of inspirational, humorous, and thoughtful quotes, sorted by category for your enjoyment. Jewish Sayings and Quotes Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old jewish quotes, jewish sayings, and jewish proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources. Be the first to ask a question about Ancient Jewish Proverbs. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
This book, first published in , is a compilation of common sayings of ancient Israel.
Very enjoyable to read. These were people who, while not perfect, were much closer to a perfect Biblical society than modern Americans. A lot of good Biblical wisdom here. Aaron Slack rated it it was amazing Jun 14, Kosmas rated it really liked it Sep 20, James Mcclellan rated it really liked it Jun 13, Abby Bartholomew marked it as to-read Nov 29, A non - jewish leader can be followed by a whole nation, but there is a whole nation backing up every jew. Vanessa , March 24, 1: Actually I believe this to be correct Because Hashem in his brilliance connected us and we are ONE I find it so easy to love Hashem when you are not blaming him for your life or the worlds problems.
Vlad Seder , February 26, 2: Kay , February 25, 5: But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life feeling dumb: Live well and you will always be happy. Everyone's well is different but if someone tells you that you can't do something, when you DO IT it is so sweet! Goldberg , February 25, It's said that if you ask ten Jews a question you'll get more then 20 answers. None of them will be right or wrong. But what you'll learn from hearing them is that you will have to think about them in relationship to the question.
And, that is the most important lesson and the benefit of Jewish learning. If you give something expect nothing in return, thus you will never be disappointed. There is nothing noble in feeling superior to another person. True nobility comes in feeling superior to your previous self.
Jewish Sayings and Quotes
There are those who imperiously demand everything at once without any idea of growing and becoming. By the way torah is not information but transformation is i belive how the saying goes by R. My concern is not whether G-d is on my side; my greatest concern is whether I am on G-d's side Judah , February 25, 8: Mose 25,10 ; Jonathan Pollard would have been released four years ago!
Keep everything in perspective, from tough times to life itself! Anonymous , March 2, 3: I wear a ring with the Hebrew equivalent of "this too shall pass" as a reminder. Do not concede your values" From "Moving forward" by David Peltzer. The will of Gd will never take you where the grace of Gd will not protect you. Don't be afraid of death, Whinnie, be afraid of the unlived life. Ur not going that way. When writing the story if ur life dnt let anyone else hold the pen.
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. Harry Potter Life isn't about finding yourself it's about creating yourself Yom asal yom basal- Arabic for some days are like honey some days are like onions.
Do not disdain any person; Do not underrate the importance of anything -- For there is no person who does not have his hour, And there is no thing without its place in the sun. Dvirah , August 1, 3: There is no system so strange, so illogical or so esoteric but that somebody, somewhere, somewhen will try it. Be a wellspring of life to all. Otherwise change your attitude.
For a friend no excuse is necessary but for an enemy no excuse will suffice. It does not matter how pure your intentions are if someone is negative and not a friend. We cannot waste our time. We can only fix ourselves and not others. This is my mantra: My mom always said in name of her dad Everyone's crazy except for me and you This is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation. Go and learn" Tractate Shabbos 31a This is what Hillel told a gentile who said he would convert if Hillel would teach him the entire Torah while standing on one foot.
This is similar to Rabbi Akiva's quoting the verse "Love your fellow as yourself" Leviticus Whenever you find yourself in the side of majority, its time to stop and reflect. To live a life of undiscovered sin, that's true joy. Although I have had several near fatal events in my life--heart attacks, open-heart surgery, and a massive stroke, I never thought that my life was over. I knew I would bounce back. Some friend started calling me "Timex," because I took a licking and kept on ticking. I've not a lot, I don't need a lot. Hashem gives us what we need, nu? I should worry, I'm very content with what I have.
My favorite past time is getting others to smile or laugh. Because I'm losing my ability to walk very far, I use a wheelchair most of the time, I am invisible to many people--they still do not want to see the disabled. So I just look up at them, give them big smile and say hello. If I can, I tell them an one-liner, or if they ask how I'm doing after I've asked them first I usually say "If I were doing any better, I'd charge you for asking, but then I'd be lying through my teeth and I don't have any! I love to see people laughing.
But to me, the most important thing is that I don't want what I don't have. And what could anyone ask for more than that? Lisa , May 4, 4: Judah , February 24, 6: Very interesting how colorful this collection of most essential quotes of dozens of different people becomes, compare comment Nr 34 Darwin. But one day, he saw water falling on a rock.
The constant dripping made a hole in the solid stone. Akiva thought, "Is my mind harder than this rock? If I work every day, than I too can change!
Ancient Jewish Proverbs Index
Ed Marcus , February 23, 9: You should grow like an onion with your head in the ground and your feet in the air. Whenever something went wrong or some unexpected problem cropped up, my mother, Rebetzen Shaindel Bulman a"h, always used to quote her father: When you run into trouble, major or minor, you can come up with some idea of how to deal with the problem or some way around it. There is also a connotation of Jewish hopefulness, that when you run into trouble you don't wring your hands and feel helpless, but you look at the situation optimistically and immediately start brainstorming ideas for how to solve the problem or get around it.
My mother, Sheindel bas Moshe Yechiel a"h, passed away this year on 29 Nissan. May her memory be blessed. There's real doubt as to whether Einstein made that remark about man's stupidity Mitzvah gedolah liyos be simcha tamid. Reb Nachman of Breslov. Shoshana , February 24, 6: Rabbi Beroka Hoza'ah used to spend time in the market at Bet Lapat where Elijah often appeared to him.
Once he asked him, "Is there anyone in this market who has a share in the world to come? Once there was amongst us a betrothed girl upon whom the Gentiles cast their eyes. I therefore took sediment of red wine and put them on her skirt and I told them that she was menstruating. It's this story because I see very much the three semitic religions personified and because the true heroes are the practitioners! My father,of blessed memory, had a sign on the wall if his office. It said , "I cried when I had no shoes, until I saw the boy with no feet!
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Nancy , December 15, 8: The commentary to Quote 8 "I don't speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don't have the power to remain silent" — Rabbi A. Kook is incredibly short-sighted and narrow-minded. Rabbi Kook's quote is much more akin to an even more famous quote from the Talmud "And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world. This is the essence of the value that Jews bring to the world.
To limit its meaning only to other Jews is shameful. Shoshana-Jerusalem , February 23, 8: Before slandering a great rabbi like Rabbi Kook, whose heart was as big as the whole outdoors, you should try to first understand what he meant and also learn a bit more about Judaism. Jews are considered one big family and just as a person's first obligation is to his own brothers and sisters before to the strangers down the block, though he certainly can and should help them also, so a fellow Jew comes first.
There are many many mitzvas in the Torah stating how a Jew should act toward his fellow Jew and I'm a little surprised that you are not aware of them. And by the way, the correct quote is "Whoever saves the life of a Jew nefesh echad miYisrael is as if he saved an entire world. As far as our obligations towards humanity are concerned, who don't you Goggle "The Jewish Contribution to Humanity", and "World Perfect".
For some reason that I don't understand, many people talk about loving everybody equally. Do you love absolute strangers as much as your own children and grandchildren? If your answer is yes, then I doubt that you really love anybody at all. Nobody is limiting the speaking out for justice only to Jews. Not Rav Kook or anybody else. But yes, we do have many Torah obligations to each other. That is why I started off by saying that you should learn more about Judaism before you speak.
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Spartan , February 24, 5: My criticism was of Yitzchak Tendler's commentary to Rabbi Kook's beautiful quote. Shoshana, it would be helpful for you to read my comments more closely to see that I agree with Rabbi's Kook;s words but not the interpretation of them by Yitzchak Tendler who does, in fact, limit its reach only to Jews. This I find shameful. I am quite familiar with the rich contributions to the world of Jews and Judaism throughout our history. The greatest of these I believe is in our commitment to justice and the obligation to look beyond ourselves or our "tribe".
Rabbi Kook understands this. You seem to agree with Mr. Eli Willner , February 23, If you don't care more for your brother than for a stranger you are less than human. Anonymous , February 24, 5: Eli, your comment is the antithesis of Rabbi Kook's words and is a base tribal instinct that harms more than it helps. Caring for my brother AND caring for others is not a mutually exclusive choice.
Ancient Jewish Proverbs
Cloistering our duty to speak only to within our own tribe makes us less of a Jew AND less of a human. Judith , February 24, 1: Can't you fargin Jews looking out for one another? Must you demand that we also look out for the billions of non-Jews? Do you criticize someone for sacrificing for his brother or sister and not a stranger? Jews are brothers and sisters. Zvi , February 24, 3: It reminds me of the quote: All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
We must speak because we don't have the strength to allow bad things to continue. That is one of my favorite quotes as well and is my view of the great power of Jewish heritage. It is what sets us apart from so many other belief systems. I realize that many Jews are still imperiled both in Israel and around the world. But we compromise our great promise to the world if we allow our oppression to become a siege mentality that limits our obligation to speak to only our own kind. Leave such tribalism to others. Disagree, in anger if necessary, but with respect.
I will yell till I am hoarse for the weak and helpless yet my strength and compassion come from the teachings of my clan. I will never forsake them. I will look to every member of human-kind with kindness and respect until they force me to turn away. The psalmist says G- d is close to everyone - to everyone who calls Him in truth That last word is all important To be close entails being true to G-d - not only when and how it suits us but at all times.
Arnevet , February 23, 5: Third sneeze in a row: Gaymer shoin uin dreirt du haust a kolt!!! Translations 1st sneeze - To your Good Health 2nd sneeze - you should grow 3rd sneeze - well we might as well all go to hell because you really have a cold! Torah is the best merchandise. My mother born in Galitzia from a long line of merchants. Of course she would say it in Yiddish.
Beware of unsolicited advice - Rabbi Akiva Following this precept will save you from a ton of grief. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. Max Ehrman, Desiderata poem. A shviger muz shmaychlen, shenken un shvigen. A mother in law should smile, give gifts and be quiet.
- Jewish proverbs - Wikiquote.
- The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language (Penguin Science)!
- Jewish Proverbs – The Gold Scales.
The day is short, the work is great, the reward is much, the labourers are sluggish and the Master of the House is urgent. It is not for you to complete the task but nor are you free to desist from it.