H i l l e l t h e E l d e r

"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?

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."

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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Do not lose your temper!

There is a famous incident in the Talmud: A person should always be gentle like Hillel… “The story is told about two people who made a wager between themselves. They said, “Any person who will go and make Hillel angry will receive 400 zuz.” One Friday one of them said, “I will go and make him angry!” That day was Friday and Hillel was washing his head, so he passed by the door of Hillel’s house shouting, “Is Hillel here? Where is Hillel?” (Disrespectfully and without mentioning his title as the Nasi). Hillel put on his robe and went out to him saying, “My son, how can I help you?” He replied, “I have a question to ask.” “Go ahead and ask, my son, prodded Hillel.” “Why are the heads of Babylonians round?” He asked (Not an urgent matter for a busy Erev Shabbos!) Hillel replied, “I’ll tell you. It is because they don’t have good midwives.”
The man left and waited and came and shouted again “Is Hillel here? Where is Hillel?” The man had a question equally inane and irrelevant for a busy Erev Shabbos discussion but Hillel answered him calmly and with equanimity. This scene repeated itself again and even again and he failed to upset Hillel. Desperate that he was about to lose his bet the man said to Hillel, “I have many other questions to ask but I am afraid you are going to get angry at me.” Hillel put on his robe and sat down and said to him, “Ask all the questions to have to ask.” Said, the man, “Are you Hillel who is called the Nasi-Prince of Israel?” “If you’re really the one” he retorted, “may there not be any more like you in Israel.” “Why not, my son?” inquired Hillel. “I lost 400 zuz because of you!” he exclaimed. Hillel replied, “Always be careful and watch your temper. It is worth that you lose 400 zuz because of Hillel and even another 400 zuz, but no matter what you do, do not lose your temper!” (Shabbos 31A)

Rabbi Label Lam ( Coutesy: Torah.org)

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