The Jewish Wisdom Database

If a person wishes to become a priest or a Levite, he cannot; but even a Gentile can be righteous.

Whoso hates the righteous is as though he hated God.

The root of the tree is deep in the earth, but a man's is above; for the soul is his root and it is from heaven.

Sacrifices offered by the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.

There is no sacrifice like heartbreak.

God's salvation may come in the twinkling of an eye.

Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.

If ten men sit together and occupy themselves with the Law, the Divine Presence is in their midst.

The Shekhina does not bide amidst gloom and sloth, amidst frivolity, levity or idle chatter, but only in the joy of performing a precept.

Whithersoever Israel were exiled, the Divine Presence was with them.

The future Temple will be spiritual, out of Heaven.

When you come to serve God, prepare your soul against temptation.

If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank.

To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the Loyal Opposition.

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.

We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

The end of faith is but the pursuit of good.

Who speaks slander is as one that denies the principle of faith, the existence of God.

One of the main distinguishing features which set man apart from all other creatures is the free choice of action which the Creator bestowed upon him. Man can use this Divine gift either for self-destruction and the destruction of everything around him; or he can choose the right way of life, which would elevate him and his environment to the highest possible perfection.

The division of Judaism into 'Orthodox,' 'Conservative,' 'Reform,' etc., is artificial. For all Jews have one and the same Torah, given by the one and same G-d, though there are more observant Jews and less observant Jews. To tag on a label does not, of course, change the reality of Jewish essence.

Every Jew - wherever he or she may find themselves, even a solitary Jew in the most remote corner of the earth - must remember that they are part of the whole Jewish people and representatives of the entire Jewish people - the one people ever since the Torah was given at Mt. Sinai, until the end of time.

If you find a Jew who has love of G-d, but lacks love of the Torah and the Jewish people, tell him that his love shall not endure. If you find a Jew who has love of the Jewish people but no love for G-d or the Torah, work with him to fan that love, for he will come to an enduring love of G-d, Torah and the Jewish people.

If you want to give God a good laugh, tell Him your plans.

Obeying from love is better than to obey from fear.