Avot DeRabbi Natan, Recension B
- _.30.9
"And all of your deeds should be for the sake of heaven, like Hillel". When Hillel went somewhere, they would say to him "Where are you going?" "To do a mitzvah." “What mitzvah Hillel?” “I am going to the toilet!” “And is that a mitzvah?” He said to them, “Certainly, so that one’s body should not be damaged” “Where are you going?” “I am going to do a mitzvah” “What mitzvah Hillel?” “I am going to the bath-house!” “And is that a mitzvah?” He said to them, “Certainly, in order to clean one’s body. And you should know that this is so, for in the palaces of kings a person is paid a yearly salary to scrub and wash the icons there, and furthermore that person is esteemed amongst the dignitaries of the nation, regarding us humans then who are created in the image and likeness (of God) as is said, “For in the image of God he made humanity” (Genesis 9:6) all the more so." Shammai did not say thus, but rather, “Let a person perform his duties with this body.”
- _.31.2
He used to say: Do not cover over their high places—so that you do not end up rebuilding them yourself. Do not tear down brick structures, so that people won’t tell you, “Come rebuild them with stone. If you are holding a young plant in your hands and someone says to you,“Look—the Messiah has arrived!” first finish planting the plant, and only afterward go out to greet them. If children tell you, “Come, let’s build the Temple,” do not listen to them. But if elders tell you, “Come, let’s dismantle the Temple,” listen to them. Why? Because what children build often leads to destruction, and what elders dismantle can be true rebuilding. The proof of this is Rehoboam son of Solomon.
- _.48.12
Ten portions of fleshiness are in the world; nine are in the skin folds, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of magic are in the world; nine are in Egypt, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of licentiousness are in the world; nine are in Alexandria, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of beauty are in the world; nine are in Jerusalem, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of afflictions are in the world; nine are in Jerusalem, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of silliness are in the world; nine are with the Babylonians, and one is with the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of poverty are in the world; nine are in Lydia, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of strength are in the world; nine are in Judah, and one is in the [rest of the] world. Ten portions of wisdom are in the world; nine are in Jerusalem, and one is in the [rest of the] world, as it is stated: Go for yourself to the land of Moriah, etc. (Genesis 22:2). Ten portions of hypocrisy are in the world; nine are in Jerusalem, and one is in the [rest of the] world, as it is stated: for from the prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisy has gone out to all the land (Jeremiah 23:15). Ten portions of Torah are in the world; nine are in Jerusalem, and one is in the [rest of the] world, as it is stated: for from Zion will come out Torah, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3).
Sefaria Community Translation. Via Sefaria (sefaria.org), Sefaria-Export. Version source: https://www.sefaria.org Licence: CC0. Source.