Hillel the Elder
Hillel the Elder was a famous Jewish religious leader who was born in Babylon and lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod; he is one of the most important figures in Judaic history, associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud. He was the ancestor of a long line of rabbis, including Judah haNasi, who compiled the Mishnah, and Judah's son, Hillel the Younger.
Sourced
- דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד. זו היא כל התורה כולה, ואידך פירושה הוא: זיל גמור
- d'`alakh sani l'khaverkha la ta`avid. Zo hi kol hatora kulahh, v'idakh peirusha hu: zil g'mor
- Translation: That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it.
- Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 31a
Pirkei Avot
- Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and drawing them near to the Law.
- 1:12
- A name made great is a name destroyed. He who does not increase his knowledge decreases it.
- 1:13
- אם אין אני לי, מי לי? וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני? ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי?
- Im ein ani li, mi li? U'kh'she'ani le'atzmi, mah ani? V'im lo 'akhshav, eimatai?
- Translation: If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?
- 1:14