6. The law is more excellent than the priesthood and royalty; for royalty is acquired by thirty properties, and the priesthood by twenty-four; but the law is acquired by forty-eight things, and these are they—with study, attention, eloquence; an understanding heart, an intelligent heart; with dread and meekness, fear and joy; with attendance on the Sages, the acuteness of companions, and disputations of the disciples; with sedateness, the study of the Bible, and the Mishna; in purity, in taking little sleep, in using little discourse, in being little engaged in traffic, in taking little sport, in enjoying little delight and little worldly manners; in being slow to anger, in having a good heart, in having faith in the Sages, and in bearing chastisements; in being sensible of his situation, and rejoicing in his portion; in being circumspect in his language, in not pretending to pre-eminence, in sincerely loving God, and loving His creatures; in loving admonition, and that which is right; in avoiding honor, and in not priding himself on his acquired knowledge; not rejoicing in pronouncing sentence, in bearing the burden equally with his companion, and inclining him to merit, and confirming him in the truth and in peace; is sedate in his study, inquires according to the subject, and answers according to the constitution; is attentive to study, and extends it; learns it with a view to the teaching of others, and also with a view to perform the precepts; increases his teacher’s knowledge, and is attentive to his instruction, and reports everything in the name of the person who said it; hence it is inferred that whoever reports anything in the name of the person who said it, procures redemption for the world, as is said, “And Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.”(510) 7. Great is the law, which bestows life on the doers of it, both in this world and in the world to come; as is said, “For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”(511) And it is said, “It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”(512) And it is said, “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone that retaineth her.”(513) And it is said, “For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”(514) And it is said, “She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”(515) And it is said, “Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor.”(516) And it is said, “For length of days and long life, and peace shall they add to thee.”(517)