10. Rabban Jochanan, the son of Zakkai, had five disciples, and these
are they: Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus; Rabbi Joshua, the son of
Hananiah; Rabbi Jose, the Priest; Rabbi Simeon, the son of Nataniel;
and Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Arach. 11. He used thus to recount
their praise: "Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus, is a cemented cistern,
which loses not a drop; Joshua, the son of Hananiah, happy is she that
bare him; Jose, the Priest, is a pious man; Simeon, the son of
Nataniel, is a fearer of sin; Eleazar, the son of Arach, is like a
spring flowing with ever-sustained vigor." 12. He used to say, "If
all the sages of Israel were in one scale of the balance, and Eliezer,
the son of Hyrcanus, in the other, he would outweigh them all." Abba
Saul said in his name, "If all the sages of Israel were in one scale
of the balance, and Eliezer, the son of Hyrcanus, also with them, and
Eleazar, the son of Arach, in the other scale, he would outweigh them
all." 13. He said to them, "Go forth and see which is the good way to
which a man should cleave." R. Eliezer said, "A good eye"; R. Joshua
said, "A good friend"; R. Jose said, "A good neighbor"; R. Simeon
said, "One who foresees the fruit of an action"; R. Eleazar said, "A
good heart." Thereupon he said to them, "I approve of the words of
Eleazar, the son of Arach, rather than your words, for in his words
yours are included." 14. He said to them, "Go forth and see which is
the evil way that a man should shun." R. Eliezer said, "An evil eye";
R. Joshua said, "A bad friend"; R. Jose said, "A bad neighbor"; R.
Simeon said, "One who borrows and does not repay--it is the same
whether one borrows from man or the Omnipresent; as it is said, 'The
wicked borroweth and payeth not again, but the righteous dealeth
graciously and giveth'"; R. Eleazar said, "A bad heart." Thereupon he
said to them, "I approve of the words of Eleazar, the son of Arach,
rather then your words, for in his words yours are included."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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