(70) _Kinnim_, "nests," is the name of a tract in _Seder Kodashim_ of the _Mishnah_, and tells of the young birds, which men and women were at times required to offer as sacrifice. _Niddah_ is a tract of _Seder Teharot_ of the _Mishnah_, and relates of the uncleannesses of woman. (71) _I.e._, the mathematical sciences, in which R. Eleazar was very proficient, are only to be considered as helps to the study of the essentials of _Torah_. CHAPTER IV All Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, "And thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified". 1. Ben Zoma (1) said, "Who is wise? He who learns from all men, as it is said, 'from all my teachers have I gotten understanding' (2). Who is mighty? He who controls his passions, as it is said, 'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth over his spirit than he that taketh a city' (3). Who is rich? He who rejoices in his portion, as it is said, 'When thou eatest the labor of thine hands, happy art thou, and it shall be well with thee' (4); happy art thou in this world, and it shall be well with thee in the world to come. Who is honored? He who honors others, as it is said, 'For them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be held in contempt'" (5). (1) Simon ben Zoma and Simon ben Azzai, _Tannaim_ of the second century, were generally known as ben Zoma and ben Azzai, as they never received the title of Rabbi, according to one view. According to another opinion, they were called by their fathers' names, because they both died young. Together with Akiba and Elisha ben Abuyah (_Acher_), they entered, legend says, into the paradise of esoteric knowledge. "Four (sages)," we are told, "entered paradise, ben Azzai, ben Zoma, Acher, and Akiba. Ben Azzai looked and died; ben Zoma went mad; Acher destroyed the plants; Akiba alone came out unhurt" (_Chagigah_, 14b). The interpretation of this passage is that ben Azzai died prematurely, worn out by his activities in mystical and theosophic speculation; ben Zoma became demented thereby; Elisha, contemptuously referred to as Acher (the other), became an apostate; but Akiba was unaffected. Ben Zoma was famous for his wisdom, it being said of him, "Whoever sees ben Zoma in his dream is assured of scholarship" (_Berachot_, 57b). With him, it was said, the last of the interpreters of the Law (_darshanim_) died (_Sotah_, 49b). His interpretation of the biblical passage "that thou mayest remember when thou camest forth out of Egypt" is found in the _Haggadah_ of Passover eve. See Bacher, _Agada der Tanaiten_, pp. 425-532; Schechter, _Studies_, I, pp. 129-130; H.