First become a blessing to yourself so that you may become a blessing to others.
- R. Shamshon Raphael Hirsh, zt''l -
More from
R. Shamshon Raphael Hirsh, zt''l
He who could have kept the members of his household, his fellow citizens, or the whole world back from sinning and refrained from doing so is held responsible for their sins, and even if his own life is exemplary and blameless, he gets judged and punished first of all if he has kept himself to himself and not done everything to improve his fellow men.
One who shames his fellow in public is considered as if he sheds blood.
The education of children must never be interrupted, even to rebuild the Temple.
The highest form of wisdom is kindness.
Who is a wise person? He that learns from everyone. Who is strong? He who subdues his impulses. Who is wealthy? He who is satisfied with what he has. Who is honorable? He who honors others.
Not teaching your son a trade is like teaching him to steal.
The man who blows the foam of his glass is not really thirsty.
When a man transgresses and repeats his transgression, he deludes himself to believing that what he has done is permissible.
Some people are chained - gold and silver.
Do not condemn your friend: you do not know what you would have done in his place.
Better eat vegetables and fear no creditors, than eat duck and hide from them.
A light for one is a light for a hundred.
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow: that is the whole Law; all the rest is interpretation.
A woman recognizes the character of a guest sooner than her husband does.
One coin in a bottle rattles; the bottle filled with coins makes no sound.
One who loves his wife as he loves himself, and who respects her even more than he respects himself, of him it is said, And you shall know that there is peace in your home.
A man is led the way he wishes to follow.
The Divine Presence comes to rest upon one only through his rejoicing in a mitzvah.
He who is without a wife dwells without joy, blessing, goodness or peace.
Shame is the greatest pain.
A person need not fear that anyone else will encroach upon the parnassa or position which was destined for him by Heaven. No one loses a job on account of another, for no one is able to touch something which was preordained for someone else.
Wheat needs grinding, and men require correction.
Good men promise little and perform much; wicked men promise much and perform nothing.
If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?
Everything is in G-ds hands, except the fear of G-d.
A man should always be flexible like a reed and not rigid like a cedar.
A human being must either climb up or climb down.
Mens feet will manage to take them where they truly wish to go.
I should be surprised to find anybody living in our times who is ready to accept rebuke, said Rabbi Tarfun. and his colleague, Rabbi Azarya, said, There could hardly be found anybody who could give it correctly.
Never promise something to a child and not give it to him, because in that way he learns to lie.
Be careful to honor your wife, for blessings enter the house only because of the wife.
For a Jew to cheat a Gentile is worse than cheating a Jew, for in addition to violating the moral law, it brings Jews into contempt.
Let the honor of your fellow man be as dear to you as your own, and do not be easily moved to anger.
Who has a share in the World to Come? It is the one who is humble, polite, and meek of spirit, who bends his head when entering and leaving the house, who constantly toils in the study of Torah, and who does not ascribe credit to himself.
With a measure a man metes, it shall be measured to him.
Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures, and bringing them near to the Torah.
A person should always pray in a building with windows [through which he can look up to the heavens].
A person should always be careful about [not causing] suffering [for] his wife.
A person should always [take care] not [to] stand in a place of danger, insisting that a miracle will be performed for him. Perhaps a miracle will not be performed for him, and if a miracle is done, it will detract from his merits.
A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot, even if not for their own sake, as through it one comes to perform them for their own sake.
A person should always teach his son a clean and easy trade and pray to the One to Whom wealth and property belong, as there is no trade that does not include both poverty and wealth.
A person should always arrange his prayer [in his mind] and then pray.
A person should always teach his students in a succinct manner.
A person should always act [in a dignified manner] as if he is a Torah scholar.
A person should always divide his money into three: one-third in the ground [for the future], one-third [invested] in business, and one-third in his possession.
A person should always learn [humility] from the wisdom of his Creator, as G‑d disregarded all [tall] mountains and hills and rested His Divine Presence on the [lowly] Mount Sinai.
A person should always set forth the praises of G‑d and then pray [for his needs].
A person should always [first] study Torah and afterward analyze [what he learned].
A person should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination.
A person should always attach himself to good people.
A person should always [prefer] to be pursued rather than to pursue others.
A person should always [be prepared to] sell the beams of his house in order to purchase shoes for his feet.
A person’s money should always be found in his possession.
The day is short, the work is much, the workmen are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master is pressing.
A person should always be patient like Hillel and not exacting like Shammai.
A person should always be particular regarding the Afternoon Service [which comes in the middle of the work day].
A person should always learn the Torah topic that his heart desires.
Torah begins and ends with acts of kindness.
A person should always eat and drink less than what he can afford, dress and cover himself in accordance with his means, and honor his wife and children beyond his means.
A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot before he dies; once he is dead he is idle from Torah and mitzvot and unable to praise G‑d.
A person should always consider himself to have a sacred [item] in his bowels [which may become damaged by not eating properly].
A person should always sell a field to purchase goats [which produce shearings, milk, and meat] but never sell sheep to purchase land.
A person should always accustom himself to say: All that G‑d does is for the good.
A person should always speak but a few words before G‑d.
A person should always be careful with how he [formulates his] answers.
Always keep a low profile and [you will] prosper.
A person should always accustom himself to [using the bathroom] in the morning and in the evening so that he will not distance himself [during the day to find an appropriate place].
A person should always set his table [for the meal eaten] after Shabbat, even if he only needs [to eat the size of] an olive.
A person should always pray not to become ill.
A person should always run [to fulfill] a matter of Jewish law, even on Shabbat.
A protectve fence for wisdom is silence.
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel: All my days I have been raised among the sages, and I found nothing better for oneself than silence.
A person should always set his table on Shabbat eve, even if he only needs [to eat the size of] an olive.
One should always rise early to go to the synagogue in order to have the privilege to be counted among the first ten.
A person should always rise early to purchase his Shabbat needs.
The reward for charity depends entirely upon the extent of kindness in it.
He who comes to cleanse himself [from sin], will be assisted by Hashem.
The best medicine of all is silence.
One who reflects upon his ways in this world merits and sees salvation from the Holy One, Blessed is He.
Let your fellow mans honor be as dear to you as your own.
Whoever tries to force events is forced back by the events; whoever is more yielding finds circumstances eventually yielding to him.
When a person gets angry and loses control, he loses his wisdom.
Rabbi Tarfon said: The day is short, the work is much, the workmen are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master is pressing.
The bad teachers words fall upon his pupils like harsh rain; the good teachers, as gently as dew.
Idleness can bring a person to mental illness.
Whoever is merciful towards others merits mercy from heaven.
It is important for a growing child to be given things he can break. Rabbah often bought imperfect earthenware for his little ones to smash, should they want to.
Daily Tehillim Effort
The world is in serious trouble...
We can try to help it by collectively saying the entire sefer Tehillim daily. Click the link to select one or more to participate.
Please sign up to say a portion of Tehillim daily.
We are trying to have the whole Sefer Tehillim said daily as a z'chus for the safety of the Jews in Eretz Yisroel.
Useful Links
Our Contacts
Oak Park, MI 48237
Phone: 248-229-9320
Email: learn.torah.ahavas@gmail.com