"He who does good to his own person is a man of piety" (Provo 11:17),as may be inferred from what Hillel the Elder once said. After concluding a session of study with his disciples, he kept walking along with them. His disciples asked him, "Master, where are you going?" He answered, "To perform a precept." "What precept?" He replied, ''To wash up in the bathhouse." "But is this a precept?" "It is indeed. Kings' statues set up in theaters and circuses have to be scoured and washed down by a man specially appointed to look after them, who receives maintenance for the work. More -- he is esteemed as being among the notables of the kingdom. How much more and more am I required to scour and wash myself, I who have been created in God's image and likeness -- I, of whom it is written, 'In the image of God made He man'!" (Gen. 9:6).
Another exposition: "He who does good to his own person is a man of piety," as may be inferred from what Hillel the Elder once said. After concluding a session of study with his disciples, he walked along with them.
His disciples asked him, "Master, where are you going?" He replied, ''To do a good turn to a guest in my house." They said, "You seem to have a guest every day." He replied, "Is not my poor soul a guest in my body-here today, and tomorrow here no longer?
His disciples asked him, "Master, where are you going?" He replied, ''To do a good turn to a guest in my house." They said, "You seem to have a guest every day." He replied, "Is not my poor soul a guest in my body-here today, and tomorrow here no longer?
On one occasion Hillel the Elder had a meal prepared for a certain man. [Before they were called to sit down) a poor man came by, stood at Hillel's doorway, and said, "I am scheduled to marry today and have no provisions whatever."
Hearing that, Hillel's wife took the entire meal and gave it to the poor man [without telling her husband). Then she kneaded fresh dough, cooked another pot of stew, and, when it was ready, placed it before Hillel and his guest. Hillel asked, "My dear, why did you not bring it sooner?" She told him what happened. He said, "My dear, in asking about the delay, I meant to judge you not on the scale of guilt but on the scale of merit, because I was certain that everything you did, you did for the sake of Heaven."
Hearing that, Hillel's wife took the entire meal and gave it to the poor man [without telling her husband). Then she kneaded fresh dough, cooked another pot of stew, and, when it was ready, placed it before Hillel and his guest. Hillel asked, "My dear, why did you not bring it sooner?" She told him what happened. He said, "My dear, in asking about the delay, I meant to judge you not on the scale of guilt but on the scale of merit, because I was certain that everything you did, you did for the sake of Heaven."
It once happened that Hillel the Elder, while returning from a journey, heard a cry of anguish in the city and said to himself: I am confident that this cry does not come from my house. To him apply the words "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord" (Ps. 112:7)
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