Religiosity

In observance of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, I present wisdom from the Talmud, a sacred text of the Jewish faith.

Hanukkah, “Festival of Lights”

This year, the eight-day Hanukkah festival began at sunset on December 1 and concludes on December 9. Hanukkah was established in 165 BCE by the warrior-leader Judah Maccabee to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem following a past desecration of the temple by invaders. Hanukkah (‘Dedication’ in Hebrew) is also known as the “Festival of Dedication,” or the “Festival of Lights.”

Jewish families celebrate Hanukkah by kindling the lights of a nine-branched candlestick called the ‘Menorah‘. They kindle one light on the first night, two on the second night and so on. Each night, they also kindle the ninth light, the ‘Shamash‘, for kindling the others. The Shamash is usually higher or lower than the other eight in the Menorah.

The Talmud

The word Talmud is short for ‘Talmud Torah,’ which means “study of the Torah” in Hebrew. The Torah is the Hebrew term for the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.) The Talmud is composed of several volumes of rabbinical discussions about the interpretation of the Biblical text related to Jewish history, philosophy, ethics, and customs—the meaning and conduct of life, in general.

The central part of the Talmud is the Mishnah, a record of the core teachings of Jewish faith that were previously preserved only orally. Surrounding the Mishnah is the Gemara, the interpretation and commentaries of the Mishnah. The Talmud has no single author. Rather, it is a collection of several volumes, to which Jewish scholars have added their accumulated knowledge over the course of time since about 220 CE.

For an introduction to the significance and the development of the Talmud, I recommend the excellent video documentary, “The Talmud” (available on NetFlix.)

The world’s most recognized dictum, the “golden rule,” is based in the Talmud: “Do not unto others that which you would not have them do unto you. That is the entire Torah; the rest is commentary.”

29 Inspirational Teachings from The Talmud

First correct thyself, then correct others.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

Sinful thoughts are even more dangerous than sin itself.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

No Israelite is allowed to lend usuriously to a non-Israelite.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

Learn first and philosophize afterwards.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

As a tree is known by its fruit, so man by his works.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

A miser is as wicked as an idolater.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

Even for the rebuilding of the Temple the instruction of the children must not be interrupted.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

A dream that is not interpreted is like a letter that has not been opened.
—The Talmud (Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith)

The Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs all around the world celebrate the three-day festival of Deepavali festival from today. Deepawali (literally, “row of lamps,” often contracted to “Diwali”) celebrates, among other things, the return of Lord Rama, his consort Sita, and brother Lakshmana, from a fourteen-year long exile that culminated in the slaying of demon-king Ravana. People celebrated Lord Rama’s return to his kingdom by illuminating his kingdom with lamps—hence the label Deepavali.

Happy Deepavali to all our readers!

To observe Deepavali, we present below a few inspirational quotations from the Bhagavad Gita, one of the noblest scriptures of the Hindu faith.

Inspirational Quotations from the Bhagavad Gita

“Bhagavad Gita,” literally “Songs of the Lord,” is a compilation of 700 verses rendered by Krishna, an incarnation of one of the central deities of Hinduism, to the warrior Arjuna. The occasion is the historic battle of Kurukshetra between Arjuna and his brothers on one side and their cousins on the other.

Like the great scriptures of the other faiths, Bhagavad Gita discusses various beliefs, values, and disciplines central to the conduct of a good and meaningful life: devotion, attachment, conflict of motives, ethical actions and consequences, sense of duty, and misgiving from right actions—values and teachings very much even to this day. We recommend these translations and commentaries by Sri Sankaracharya, Annie Besant, Edwin Arnold, and other free texts from the Internet Archive.

From the “‘Songs of the Lord”

Let a man lift himself by his own self alone, let him not lower himself; for this self alone is the friend of oneself and this self alone is the enemy of oneself.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

Because the fool wants to become God, He never finds him. The master is already God, Without ever wishing to be.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

In this world three gates lead to hell—the gates of passion, anger and greed. Released from these three qualities one can succeed in attaining salvation and reaching the highest goal.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps, and whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

There is more happiness in doing one’s own (path) without excellence than in doing another’s (path) well.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the vital force (breath), as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

Whatever the state of being that a man may focus upon at the end, when he leaves his body, to that state of being he will go.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

He who sees Me everywhere, and sees everything in Me, I am not lost to him, nor is he lost to me.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

Set thy heart upon thy work but never its reward.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)

There are two ways of passing from this world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.
—The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Scripture)