13. There are four characters among men: he who says, "What is mine is
mine and what is thine is thine," his is a neutral character; some
say, "This is a character like that of Sodom"; he who says, "What is
mine is thine and what is thine is mine," is a boor; he who says,
"What is mine is thine and what is thine is thine," is a saint; he who
says, "What is thine is mine and what is mine is mine," is a wicked
man. 14. There are four kinds of tempers: he whom it is easy to
provoke and easy to pacify, his loss disappears in his gain; he whom
it is hard to provoke and hard to pacify, his gain disappears in his
loss; he whom it is hard to provoke and easy to pacify is a saint; he
whom it is easy to provoke and hard to pacify is a wicked man. 15.
There are four qualities in disciples: he who quickly understands and
quickly forgets, his gain disappears in his loss; he who understands
with difficulty and forgets with difficulty, his loss disappears in
his gain; he who understands quickly and forgets with difficulty, his
is a good portion; he who understands with difficulty and forgets
quickly, his is an evil portion. 16. As to almsgiving there are four
dispositions: he who desires to give, but that others should not give,
his eye is evil toward what appertains to others; he who desires that
others should give, but will not give himself, his eye is evil against
what is his own; he who gives and wishes others to give is a saint; he
who will not give and does not wish others to give is a wicked man.
17. There are four characters among those who attend the house of
study: he who goes and does not practise secures the reward for going;
he who practises but does not go secures the reward for practising; he
who goes and practises is a saint; he who neither goes nor practises
is a wicked man. 18. There are four qualities among those that sit
before the wise: they are like a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, or a
sieve: a sponge, which sucks up everything; a funnel, which lets in at
one end and out at the other; a strainer, which lets the wine pass out
and retains the dregs; a sieve, which lets out the bran and retains
the fine flour.
19. Whenever love depends upon some material cause, with the passing
away of that cause, the love, too, passes away; but if it be not
depending upon such a cause, it will not pass away for ever. Which
love was that which depended upon a material cause? Such was the love
of Ammon and Tamar. And that which depended upon no such cause? Such
was the love of David and Jonathan.
20. Every controversy that is in the Name of Heaven shall in the end
lead to a permanent result, but every controversy that is not in the
Name of Heaven shall not lead to a permanent result. Which
controversy was that which was in the Name of Heaven? Such was the
controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And that which was not in the Name
of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his company.
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