The sages taught (the following) in the language of the _Mishnah_--blessed be He that made choice of them and their _Mishnah_. 1. R. Meir (2) said, "Whosoever labors in the _Torah_ for its own sake merits many things; and not only so, but the whole world is indebted to him: he is called friend, beloved, a lover of the All-present, a lover of mankind: it clothes him with meekness and reverence; it fits him to become just, pious, upright, and faithful; it keeps him far from sin, and brings him near to virtue; through him are enjoyed counsel and sound knowledge, understanding and strength, as it is said, 'Counsel is mind, and sound knowledge; I am understanding; I have strength' (3). It gives him sovereignty and dominion and discerning judgment; to him the secrets of the _Torah_ are revealed; he is made like a never-failing spring and like a river that flows on with ever-increasing vigor; he becomes modest, long-suffering, and forgiving of insults; and it magnifies and exalts him above all things." (2) Chapter III, n. 32. (3) Prov. VIII, 14. Wisdom, representing the _Torah_, utters these words. 2. R. Joshua, the son of Levi (4), said, "Every day a _bat-kol_ (5) goes forth from Mount Horeb, proclaiming and saying, 'Woe to mankind for contempt of the _Torah_, for whoever does not occupy himself in the _Torah_ is said to be under the divine censure, as it is said, 'As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman who turneth aside from discretion' (6); and it says, 'And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables' (7). Read not _charut_ (8), but _cherut_ (9), for no man is free but he who occupies himself in the learning of _Torah_. But whosoever labors in the _torah_, behold he shall be exalted, as it is said, 'And from _Mattanah_ to _Nachaliel_, and from _Nachaliel_ to _Bamot_'" (10). (4) R. Joshua lived about the middle of the third century.