14. He used to say, “man is beloved as he was created in the image of God, but an additional love was shown to him that he was created in the image of God, as is said, ‘In the image of God he made man.’(485) Beloved are Israel in that they are called the children of God, but an additional love was shown to them in that they are called the children of God, as is said, ‘Ye are the children of the Lord your God.’(486) Beloved are Israel, to whom was given the desirable vessel wherewith the world was created, but an additional love was shown unto them, that the desirable vessel wherewith the world was created was given unto them, as is said, ‘For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.’ ”(487) 15. “Everything is seen by God, though freedom of choice is given unto man; the world is judged in goodness, though all is according to the greatness of the work.” 16. He used to say, “everything is given to man on pledge, and a net is spread over all living; the shop is open, and the merchant credits; the ledger is open, and the hand records, and whosoever chooses to borrow may come and borrow, as the collectors are daily coming round and getting payment of man, whether with his consent or without it, for they have good authority to support them, and the judgment is true justice, and all things are ready for the feast.” 17. R. Eleazar, son of Azariah, said, “if there be no law, there is no morality, and if there be no morality, there is no law; if there be no wisdom, there is no reverence, and if there be no reverence, there is no wisdom; if there be no understanding, there is no knowledge, and if there be no knowledge, there is no understanding; if there be no meal, there can be no study of the law, and if there be no law, there will be no meal.” He used to say, “to what may he be likened whose wisdom exceeds his goods deeds? To a tree whose branches are many and his roots few, so that the wind comes and plucks it up and overturns it, as is said, ‘For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and he shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land and not inhabited.’(488) But to what is he like whose good deeds exceed his wisdom? To a tree whose branches are few and its roots many, so that if all the winds in the world come and assail it, they cannot move it from its place, as is said, ‘For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ ”(489) 18. R. Eleazar, son of Chisma, said, “sacrifices of doves and observance of times are important constitutions. Astronomy and geometry are the ornaments of wisdom.” Chapter IV