What R. Yosef Karo says about the RaMbáM

What R. Yosef Karo, the author of the Shulhán Arúkh, says about the RaMbáM (R. Moses Maimónides) -- all of blessed memory.

"Who is he whose heart conspires to approach forcing congregations who practice according to the RaMBáM of blessed memory, to go by any one of the early or latter-day Torah authorities?!

...

Is it not a case of a fortiori, that regarding the School of Shammai — that the halakháh does not go according to them — they [the Talmudic Sages] said ‘if [one practices] like the School of Shammai [he may do so, but] according to

their leniencies and their stringencies’:

The RaMBáM, is the greatest of all the Toráh authorities,and all the communities of the Land of Israel and the Arab-controlled lands and the West [North Africa] practice according to his word, and accepted him upon themselves as their Chief Rabbi.

Whoever practices according to him [the RaMbáM] with his leniencies and his stringencies, why coerce them to

budge from him? And all the more so if also their fathers and forefathers practiced accordingly: for their children are not to turn right or left from the RaMBaM of blessed memory.

And even if communities that practice according to the Rosh or other authorities like him became the majority, they cannot coerce the minority of congregations practicing according to the RaMBaM of blessed memory, to practice like they do. And there is no issue here concerning the prohibition against having two courts in the same city [‘lo tithgodedu’], since every congregation should practice according to its original custom…”

(Abqáth Rokhél, simán 32. Translation: r. M.S. Bar Ron)

Do You Care? Dealing with Unethical Behavior Among Jews

Do You Care? Dealing with Unethical Behavior Among Jews

Because of recent scandals that have rocked Jewish communities, I sent to a selected group a list of halakhót regarding the treatment of unethical Jews. This, however, was met with some perplexity by some of my friends, so I found it necessary to give more context around these halakhót. I also wrote this in part, because so many Jews are so good at bashing non-Jews, sometimes for no reason whatsoever, while Jews – of any sort, belief, status or activities – is given a green light to do as they please, and therefore the transgressing Jews become untouchables, void of criticism. I said of course, nonsense!!

Some of the misbehaved Jews allegedly involved in criminal activities have been rabbis with considerable influence and power. The scandals go from money embezzlement to money laundry, illegal traffic of organs, and misappropriation of funds to prostitution. Not to mention the past cases of sexual abuse of minors in religious schools, the pandering of adulterous relationships among members of the community, and now the routine discredit of other rabbis’ status from kasheruth to conversions.

One thing is that Jews who have become estranged from Toráh engage in unethical and criminal behavior (that is, unethical and criminal in our Jewish view); another very different one is when rabbis – the prime guards of our tradition – engage in illicit behavior, or lend themselves to Jews who engage in such behavior. Worse yet is when such scandals become in view of the public, and therefore impacts negatively on the public perception of Jews. As if Westerners need any extra help for their already historically bound anti-Jewish prejudices and suspicions, whether hidden or overt.

It has become also commonplace that when a courageous Jew raises his voice against these unethical Jews, it is the very Jewish community and its leadership who either defends them or covers their sins. The ethical Jew is then accused of evil speech, or worse yet, anti-Semitic leanings.

The ethical Jew is then trapped in a conundrum of forced silence and self-exile.

The believing and committed Jew gets confused at the disbelief that their religious leaders would ever engage in such anti-Toráh behavior. One just has to imagine what this does to the Jewish soul, driving it into faithlessness and cynicism, and its ultimate consequence: complete disbelief on anything Jewish and hence godlessness. Because of the way things are run these days, and the lack of emphasis of ethics in religious education – let alone secular education, be this a non-religious Jewish or non-Jewish school –, the Jew is not properly equipped to deal with these news, nor how to react in such situations; much less the corrective actions everyone must take.

While we should trust that such sinful individuals are just a minority (God willing!), their prominence should not be left unnoticed, nor the impact it leaves on our communities and collective soul. Nor should we ignore that this is just the tip of the iceberg of a much larger and convoluted problem that is rooted in the way Jewish communal and institutional life has been let to run, that in one way or another it involves us all.

To trace the causes that have led to these low points in our history is too complex and long for a short and simple article, but in my humble opinion we can point to two root causes: Lack of collective responsibility and education.

It is at this point where we must bring into emphasis the RaMbáM’s treatise on ethical behavior called Hilekhót De‘ot (Laws of Behavior), from his Sefer haMadda’ (Book of Knowledge). As anything with Jewish Law, this treatise cannot be understood in a vacuum, and must be placed into context with other laws found in the rest of the RaMbáM’s code, the Mishnéh Toráh (M”T).

Unlike other post-Talmudic rabbinical writings, the M”T attempts to record the totality of final decisions of Israel’s highest court as encoded in the Talmud, and not withstanding the RaMbáM’s own scattered few opinions in it, the M”T’s goal was not to interject and dominate 13^th century rabbinic discourse, but to help an unaware public to discern the finality of Jewish Law as once understood by the Sages and free them from clerical dependence.

Traditionally since the times of Moses, Israel’s judiciary had been a highly complex system of checks and balances, where single judge-rabbis could not wield the power of decision alone, and had to depend on a intricate set of collective decision making that has no parallel in any Judiciary in history. This changed drastically within the Jewries then living during the darkest period of Christian Europe during the Middle Ages, and further worsen by the rise of Orthodox Ashkenazi domination in the last century whose own tradition harbors the most of aggressive, competitive and controversial of movements, the Haredím-Chassidím, a group mostly mentally-assimilated to the system of Medieval Church authority, control-obsessiveness and tyranny.

Today in Orthodox circles and thanks to the general ignorance of the Jewish population, rabbis are seen almost as demigods whose voice cannot be contravened. There is a sense of fear, literally in the meaning of being frightened – first of the said “authority” then of the ignorant mob which follows it –, that makes it impossible to address the issue with rabbis, or influential Jews within any community or institution.

There are several key points in the Mishnéh Toráh’s Preface that deeply contrast with the way we perceive rabbinical authorities to be in our day, which directly upsets their monopoly of clerical power. From the monopolists’ perspective, there is good reason these key points are not of general knowledge or disseminated among the Jewish public:

1. The transmission of the semikháh, and hence the ability to effect the corpus juris, ends with Rabiná and Rab Ashé (23).
2. The post-Talmudic courts do not have the power of influence over other courts and communities (32).
3. As a result, (a) the inhabitants of one region are not obligated to follow what is decreed elsewhere, (b) even within the same city, (c) if one Bet Din is found in error of its decision by another Bet Din, the first one is not followed and vice versa (33).
4. All Jews in any place and time are bound by the decrees of the Talmud (34).

From post-Talmudic times until fairly recent memory, these key points gave every Jewish community a great sense of autonomy and empowerment to conduct its own affairs. Furthermore, it also gave the individual Jew a great deal of leverage to recur to the Bet Din of his choosing (B. Sanhedrín 32b; M”T Sefer Mishpatím, Hilekhót Sanhedrín 6:9).

The greatest infringement of the community’s, and its rabbi’s, sovereignty in recent memory has been the series of scandals involving the invalidation of kasheruth and conversion without due cause (though in some cases, these may be justified). In other words, there is no way to substantiate such invalidations under normative legal Jewish procedures. Yet, because the rabbis doing the invalidation enjoy the support of an ignorant mob and other underling rabbis in their network, it is only via the fiat of proxy-power that they are able to effect their destruction.

Whatever scandals involving rabbis in alleged criminal behavior too, it has been the self-perceived immunity of the rabbi that has allowed him to let himself become involved with other influential lay members – many prominent business men – bereft of any moral criteria, itself the result of a lack of education and enforcement in Jewish ethics: A monster feeding unto itself.

Among the first things that the M”T brings in its treatise of behavioral laws is honest speech.

M"T Sefer haMadda', Hilekhót De'ot, Chp. 2

11. It is forbidden to be accustomed to speak hypocritically and seductively. Be neither what proffers from your mouth different what you feel in your heart, but be the same inside as outside, having your mouth say things the same that you have in your heart.It is forbidden to lie to people, even gentiles.

Then, this immediately is tied with economic transactions, “for example, do not sell meat from an animal whose slaughter was not according to Jewish law to a gentile, as if it was . . . nor sell a shoe made from the leather of an animal that was found dead saying that it was made from an animal slaughtered according to the details found in the Toráh” (2:12). Sort of saying that honest speech leads to honest transactions, regardless of the fact that whomever we are transacting with is a Jew or non-Jew.

In a later chapter, the M”T deals with correcting the behavior of our fellow Jew,

Hilekhót De'ot, Chp. 6

8. That who sees his neighbor doing something wrong, or walking the wrong path, it is ordered [by the Toráh] to make him turn to good, making him see his mistake [that hurts him], being that it is the wrong way to be, as it is written: "And you shall admonish your neighbor! . . ." Lev. 19:17

Following this halakháh (6:9), the M”T goes into an intricate set of rules of how to admonish one’s neighbor, which cover the offenses made between two individuals and those between the individual and God. That is, the halakhic transgressions done against man, and those against God. This admonition ought to be done in private and repeatedly, making emphasis on the soft character of speech to make such admonition. At the end of this halakháh, the M”T makes a sweeping and haunting observation:

Anyone who has the power to admonish and does not do it, it is because he himself is given to the same types of transgressions over which are possible to administer admonitions.

In other words, one rotten apple is the result of another. An unethical individual is the result of an unethical collective. Here we see the acknowledgement that an unethical individual is the result of a larger problem, where silence, or lack of action to correct the behavior, becomes implicit consent that permits the issue to exist.

The Sages of the Talmud record a poignant observation regarding this point, where a corrupt collective leads to a corrupt leadership or vice versa. In Sotáh 47b of the Talmud Bablí we find,

When hedonists multiplied, justice became perverted, conduct deteriorated and there is no satisfaction [to God] in the world. When they who displayed partiality in judgment multiplied, the command Ye shall not be afraid [of the face of man] became void and Ye shall not respect [persons in judgment] ceased to be practiced; and people threw off the yoke of heaven (i.e. Toráh) and placed upon themselves the yoke of human beings . . . When there multiplied [men of whom it is said] Their heart goeth after their gain, there multiplied they who call evil good and good evil . . . When there multiplied [judges] who said ‘I accept your favour’ and ‘I shall appreciate your favour’, there was an Increase of Every man did that which was right in his own eyes; common persons were raised to eminence, the eminent were brought low, and the kingdom [of Israel] deteriorated more and more . . . When the haughty of heart multiplied, dissensions increased in Israel. When the disciples of Shammai and Hillel multiplied who had not served [their teachers] sufficiently, dissensions increased in Israel and the Torah became like two Toroth (i.e. creating a double-morale, hence social anarchy).

Then in halakhót 10 and 11 of Hilekhót De'ot, Chp. 6, the M”T pulls back and gives a few words of caution in regards of avoiding any kind of demeanor that might shame the person being admonished:

10. When admonishing – do not do it harshly, leading him onto shame, as it is written: “and not bear sin because of him” (Lev. 19:17) . . . From here comes the prohibition to cause shame to another Jew, mainly in public!

11. Even though that who causes shame to his neighbor is not punished with lashes, this is a grave transgression. This is what the Sages said: "Anyone who causes shame to someone in public, he does not have inheritance in the world to come!" Therefore, it is necessary that one must be very careful with this, and not to cause shame to nobody in public, be he an important person or not, and never call someone by a name that causes shame to someone, nor talk about something that causes him shame.

Then the M”T immediately gives a 180 degree turn and differentiates the purpose of the aforementioned laws:

12. To what cases [it refers to what is said above?] -- In what concerns the relationship between one person and another. Yet, regarding things that are between man and God, if he did not commit his transgression privately, one must shame him in public and disseminate his sins, insulting him and ridding [oneself of] him, as well as cursing him before everybody, until he turns to good, accordingly to what the Prophets of Israel did [in such cases].

It is here when we see that evil speech (Lashón haRá) does not involve halakhic transgressions in regards to our obligations towards God, particularly when the transgressions are done in the eyes of the public. Going after sinful Jews of this kind is in fact a halakhic obligation!! But for this to be operational, there has to be actual witnesses to the aberrá being done, and these are the ones who have the obligation to do the disseminating. The rest cannot do so on suspicion alone.

The next set of halakhót that I transcribed deal with the Jew who repudiates the Oral Toráh; the Oral Toráh includes the transmission of the interpretation of the Toráh from Moses and all addenda made by latter Prophets and the Judiciary. These are found in the very last book of the RaMbáM’s code.

M"T Sefer Shofetím, Hilekhót Mumarím, Chp. 3

1. He who repudiates the Oral Law is not to be identified with the rebellious elder (i.e. a Rabbi with semikháh from the Sanhedrín) spoken in Scripture but is classed with the epicureans [whom any person has a right to put to death].

3. This applies only to one who repudiates the Oral Law as a result of his reasoned opinion and conclusion, who walks light mindedly in the stubbornness of his heart, denying first the Oral Law, as did Zadok and Boethus and all who went astray. But their children and grandchildren, who, misguided by their parents, were raised among the Karaites and trained in their views, are like a child taken captive by them and raised in the laws of the gentiles, whose status that of an ’anús. . . since he was reared in the erroneous ways of his fathers . . . Therefore efforts should be made to bring them back in repentance, to draw them near by friendly relations . . .

Two clear sets of sinners who repudiate the Oral Law are displayed here, those with foreknowledge of Jewish Law who still transgress it are held liable to death; and those born from and raised by the latter are considered “forced” or “captive children” raised in the laws of the gentiles who ought to be treated with a lot of consideration and brought back into observance of the Toráh. In a different treatise called Hilekhót Teshubáh in Sefer haMadda’, the M”T has the remarks of a sinner who repudiates the whole Toráh, and one who repudiates one misswáh in particular (3:18) – also having foreknowledge of the Law, in general or the particular. In the very same treatise, the M”T brings the difference between intentional and unintentional transgressions, and the prescribed punishments or redemptions accordingly.

In this day and age, the latitude that all the foregoing leaves us with is daunting; how is one to determine which one is which? How is one to determine such and such person was raised in error? Or which one had foreknowledge of the law, in general or particular? And should a Jew been raised in error by his parents, but still is aware of what are his Jewish obligations, is he still held liable? Should any consideration be extended to the Jew who flaunts the Toráh in public, having foreknowledge – though however marginal – of it?

Following with the same laws stated in Hilekhót Mumarím, it goes into the particulars of what to do with a “rebellious elder,” that is, a rabbinical sage ordained by the Sanhedrín.

4. The rebellious elder of whom the Bible speaks is one of the wise men of Israel who is at home in traditional lore, functions as judge, imparts instruction in the Torah as do all the wise men of Israel, but is in disagreement with the Supreme Court with regard to a question of law, refuses to change his view, persists in differing with them, gives a practical ruling which counter to that given by them. The Toráh condemns him to death, . . .

5. A rebellious elder is not liable to death unless he is qualified to render decisions, that is, has been ordained by the Sanhedrín, takes issue with the latter either on a matter of wanton transgression of which involves the penalty of excision (karet) and the unwitting transgression a sin offering . . .

Although these halakhót involve transgressions regarding individual decisions against Israel’s Supreme Court, which would also include those made against the decisions recorded in the Talmud, both the ordained and lay rabbis (semukhím and hedyoth) are held liable, though the punishment differs pending on their ordination status. This comes to show that rabbis are not immune from the Law, or above the Law to do as they please on an individual basis.

Anti-clerical conversos, the Spanish & Portuguese anusím, fully aware of the distinction between the discrepancies of the outer face and the inner-soul reigning in Catholic Christendom, have a very colorful saying in dealing with corrupt priests who appear to be showered in sanctity: El hábito no hace al monje! / The frock does not make the priest!

Reprimanding rabbis, however, takes a bit more diplomacy and finesse than for the common Jew. Going back to Sefer haMadda’, there is another treatise regarding the laws of Torah study (Talmud Toráh), where we find in 5:13,

13. Upon seeing your rab transgressing something from the Toráh, one must say to him: “You taught us, rabbenu, in the following manner . . .” Every time that you reminded him of a teaching, you will say “ . . . In this manner you taught us, rabbenu . . .!”, without saying anything that was not heard from your rab, until remembering who said it . . .

Lastly, among the greatest challenges facing rabbis today is the issue of maintaining their status and respectability, in an ever-increasing environment of competition and absurd strictures aimed at complete domination. The invalidation of kasheruth and conversions has become sort of a extreme-sport in our days, where lesser-known or moderate rabbis are left scrambling as to how to make alliances, what side to pick or how to deal with problems should they be targeted for invalidation. Not to mention how this destructively rips into the fabric of Jewish observance, and the families whose spouses happen to be converts or children thereof.

While criminal behavior may have its shocking impact, it is not as lasting and damaging as discrediting a rabbi’s kasher supervision and conversions. Doing so has so many rippling and far-reaching consequences; not only touching the rabbi and what or who he oversees, but also the very rabbis who confirmed his rabbinical competence to do his job. It is a most heinous act of disrespect and dishonor to individual Jews and the long pedigree of rabbinical heirs that accompany rabbinical confirmation; more so because these are done on a whim and without any proof whatsoever. If someone ought to be accused of Lashón haRáh (evil speech) are these so-called rabbis who engage in the extreme-sport of invalidation without due cause.

It is for a good reason that the Sages of Israel considered the act of invalidation without due cause as indicative of invalid descent, or even worse, a descent from non-Jewish nations exhibiting the worst and most vile behavior in human society. On which point, the Law establishes:

M"T Sefer Qedusháh, Hilekhót Isuré Bi'ah 19:17

17. All families are presumed to be of valid descent, and it is permitted to intermarry with them in the first instance. Nevertheless, should you see two families continually striving with one another, or a family which is constantly engaged in quarrels and altercations, or an individual who is exceedingly contentious with everyone, or is excessively impudent, apprehension should be felt concerning them, and it is advisable to keep one's distance from them, for these traits are indicative of invalid descent. Similarly, if a man always casts aspersions upon other people's descent -- for instance, if he alleges that certain families and individuals are of blemished descent and refers to them as being bastards -- suspicion is justified that he himself may be a bastard. And if he says they are slaves, one may suspect that he himself is a slave, since whosoever blemishes others projects upon them his own blemish. Similarly, if a person exhibits impudence, cruelty, or misanthropy, and never performs an act of kindness, one should strongly suspect that he is of Gibeonite descent, since the distinctive traits of Israel, the holy nation, are modesty, mercy, and loving-kindness . . .

The key operating phrase found here in bold, and for a variety of reasons one which everyone would do well to learn by heart is:Shekhol haPosel, bemumó hu Posel, also found in the Talmud Bablí as haPosel bemumó A(t)smo posel (TB Eseré Yukhasín 70a, 70b).

Certainly as I hope anyone reading this should be able to discern, the so-called rabbis engaging in this sinful extreme-sport of invalidation have as the least of their priorities the safeguarding of Jewish Tradition. Nor should anyone be willing to tolerate such actions or be silent about the same, but at the same time one has to maneuver with a lot of finesse so not to be put in the same pigeonhole.

So, as we are able to review, Jewish Law gives a lot of strategies and ample latitude in how to deal with the subject matter of misbehaved Jews, including misbehaved rabbis. None whatsoever allows us to stay sitting idle or silent about the matter. Otherwise, as seen in Hilekhót De’ot 6:8, we are just as guilty for the transgression for which one is able to correct in others.

Though it is certainly difficult to put into action all the different choices, and because of how clever but not well-intended individuals can profile these laws and make it work against you, thus pushing you into the brig of silence and solitude, it is incumbent for us to learn them, and fully know their meaning and application.

As a last measure, should the Jewish world collapse on its own created and tolerated corruption, and all corrective actions have failed, what is the committed and ethical Jew to do to save his soul, or even his life? Well, for that too the halakháh gives different options!

1. Jewish Law obliges us to go to live in a country where the general customs of the people are good and just (what we Jews consider good and just according to Toráh, of course).
2. In case we cannot leave a country where people are wicked, because of war, disease, thus making the move difficult, dangerous or impossible, Jewish Law obliges us to isolate ourselves and remain quiet, citing Lam. 3:28 “Live alone, and be quiet . . .”
3. In case the country is in such a depth of sin, whose inhabitants do not let you be alone unless you behave like them, Jewish Law indicates to go to live in caves or the desert – away from everyone. (M”T Sefer haMadda’, Hilekhót De’ot 6:2)
4. For the inhabitants of the Land of Israel, even should the majority of the population therein is non-Jewish (though I am not certain if this too refers to Jewish sinners categorized as “Worst-than-Gentiles”!), the Jew cannot leave the Land of Israel. (Hilekhót Melakhím Umilhamót 5:12) Refer again to point # 1, 2 and 3 for further instructions.

May the Adonay, the God of Israel, Keep you and Protect you.

-- David Ramírez

When Israel's leadership becomes Tyranny Part I

This was stated by a Hakham that I greatly admire and learn from regularly. I pray that all will find benefit from the words he has shared with us from the Talmudh itself.

"This extract from the Talmud was brought here regarding the recent warm scandals that are hitting our people, from the money laundry, the Rabanuth standards and abuses against bona fide converts, Kashruth mafias and sexual cases. The decision of it to be put here and no on Facebook comes from the fact that non-Jews, specially a man who recently converted to Islam was engaging is the debates. This very man was a convert-to-be, but after many abusive delays, became Karaite and then went down to Islam. In any case, these issues are very sensitive and not to be given to Gentiles to lash on our people with our consent. On the other hand, we MUST NOT pretend these acts will stop, because the educational and ideological mentality inside of Haredi world, as well as all the other sects (Conservative, Reform etc) that wish to do just alike and use media to attack their own fellows, is an affront to our Sages and their memories. Let's not the wisdom and advices of or Sages to be good words to say in synagogues, but of mockery in our lives.

ביא"ע

תלמוד בבלי סוטה מז"ב

משרבו בעלי הנאה נתעותו הדינין ונתקלקלו המעשים ואין נוח בעולם משרבו רואי פנים בדין בטל (דברים א) לא תגורו ופסק לא תכירוופרקו עול שמים ונתנו עליהם עול בשר ודם משרבו לוחשי לחישות בדין רבה חרון אף בישראל ונסתלקה השכינה משום שנאמר (תהילים פב) בקרב אלהים ישפוט משרבו (יחזקאל לג) אחרי בצעם לבם הולך רבו האומרים (ישעיהו ה) לרע טוב ולטוב רע משרבו האומרים לרע טוב ולטוב רע רבו הוי הוי בעולם משרבו מושכי הרוק רבו היהירים ונתמעטו התלמידים והתורה חוזרת על לומדיה משרבו היהירים התחילו בנות ישראל להנשא ליהירים שאין דורינו רואה אלא לפנים איני והאמר מר האי מאן דמיהר אפילו אאינשי ביתיה לא מיקבל שנאמר (חבקוק ב) גבר יהיר ולא ינוה לא ינוה אפי' בנוה שלו מעיקרא קפצה עליה לסוף מיתזיל עלייהו משרבו מטילי מלאי על בעלי בתים רבה השוחד והטיית משפט ופסקה טובה משרבו מקבלני טובתך ומחזקני טובותיך רבו (שופטים יז) איש הישר בעיניו יעשה שפלים הוגבהו והגבוהים הושפלו ומלכותא אזלא ונולא משרבו צרי עין וטורפי טרף רבו מאמצי הלב וקופצי ידים מלהלוות ועברו על מה שכתוב בתורה (דברים טו) השמר לך פן וגו' משרבו (ישעיהו ג) נטויות גרון ומשקרות עינים רבו מים המרים אלא שפסקו משרבו מקבלי מתנות נתמעטו הימים ונתקצרו השנים דכתיב (משלי טו) ושונא מתנות יחיה משרבו זחוחי הלב רבו מחלוקת בישראל משרבו תלמידי שמאי והילל שלא שימשו כל צורכן רבו מחלוקת בישראל ונעשית תורה כשתי תורות משרבו מקבלי צדקה מן הגוים היו ישראל למעלה והם למטה ישראל לפנים והם לאחור

Talmudh Bablí, Sotáh 47b

When hedonists multiplied, justice became perverted, conduct deteriorated and there is no satisfaction in the world (for the Creator). When those who displayed partiality in judgment multiplied, the command You shall not be afraid (miPené 'Ish or of the face of man)(Debarím. 1:17) became void and You shall not respect [not give favoritism] (ibid) ceased to be practised; and people threw off the yoke of heaven and placed upon themselves the yoke of human beings. When those who engaged in whisperings in judgment multiplied, fierceness of wrath increased against Israel and the Shekhináh departed; because it is written: He judges among the judges [the Judges who judge with justice] (Tehilim 72:1). When there multiplied those who "Their heart goes after their gain" (Hizqyiahu 33:31), there multiplied those who call evil good and good evil (Yeshyiáhu 5:20). When there multiplied those who call evil good and good evil, woes increased in the world. When those who draw out their spittle multiplied, the arrogant increased, the disciples diminished, and Torah went about for those who would study it. When the arrogant multiplied, the daughters of Israel began to marry arrogant men, because our generation looks only to the outward appearance. But, is that so? For a Master has declared: An arrogant person is not acceptable even to the members of his household, as it is said: A haughty man one abides not at home (Habaqúq 2:5) i.e., even in his own house! At first they jump round him, but in the end he becomes repugnant to them.

When there multiplied those who forced their goods upon householders (to favour themselves and their associates), bribery augmented as well as miscarriage of justice, and happiness ceased. When there multiplied those who said 'I accept your favour' and 'I appreciate your favour' (Judges can not accept even the most tiny favour, past,present or future to show favour in court), there was an increase of "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Shofetím 17:6); common persons (ignorants) were raised to eminence, the eminent were brought down, and the kingdom deteriorated more and more. When envious men and plunderers multiplied, there increased they who hardened their hearts and closed their hands from lending (to help poor people to reestablish their lives), and they transgressed what is written in the Torah: beware that there be not etc (Debarím 15:9).When there multiplied women who had stretched forth necks and wanton eyes (Yeshayiáhu 3:16), increased the necessity for the bitter waters, but they ceased. When receivers of gifts multiplied, the days became fewer and years were shortened (of man's life); as it is written: but he who hates gifts will live (Mishlé 15:27). When the haughty-hearted multiplied, dissensions increased in Israel. When the disciples of Shammai and Hillel multiplied who had not served sufficiently (did not learn enough from their Masters, for the studies are not meant to only be a collection of information), dissensions increased in Israel and the Torah became like two Toroth. When there multiplied they who accepted charity of Gentiles, Israel became on top and they below, Israel went forward and they backward."