The Jewish Wisdom Database

When you are asked a question and do not know what to answer, be not ashamed to say: 'I know not!'

A single fool may ask questions which even a thousand Sages cannot answer.

A man's wit can be judged better by his questions than by his answers.

Every 'why' invites a 'because'.

A teacher who surrenders the respect due to him is no longer respected.

When scholars vie, wisdom mounts.

Warm yourself at the fire of the Sages!

Scholars enhance peace in the world.

A scholar who abandons study is like 'a bird that strays from the nest.'

Who declines to endow a scholar with his worldly goods will see no blessing.

The wife of a scholar is accounted one, too.

Cursed be the scholar who adorns not himself with the glory of Torah.

A synagogue may be turned into a school: but not a school into a synagogue.

One does not keep children from school even to build the Temple.

A town without schoolchildren is doomed to destruction.

The tavern will not spoil the good nor school mend the bad.

You cannot liken the self-taught man to the schooled.

A scholar who fears not sin is as a craftsman without his tools.

Say not: when I have leisure I will study, lest you may not have it!

If you forsake study for one day, it will forsake you for two.

A man must repeat the lesson until his pupil has learnt it.

Study leads to action.

If you see a student who finds it as hard as iron to study, it is because his studies are without system.

Just as a man does not blush to ask his friend to give him water, so he should not be ashamed to ask a younger man to teach him Torah.

If you do not suffer the toil of study, you will suffer the toil of ignorance.