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Mishnah, Pirkei Avot 3:17

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ג,כ [יז] רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר, אם אין תורה, אין דרך ארץ; אם אין דרך ארץ, אין תורה. אם אין חכמה, אין יראה; אם אין יראה, אין חכמה. אם אין דעת, אין בינה; אם אין בינה, אין דעת. אם אין קמח, אין תורה; אם אין תורה, אין קמח.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah says: If there is no Torah study, there is no derech eretz (worldly involvement); if there is no derech eretz, there is no Torah study. If there is no wisdom, there is no fear of God; if there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom. If there is no reason, there is no understanding; if there is no understanding, there is no reason. If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour.

Translation from Soncino Classics, Version 2.2. Hebrew text from Mechon Mamre.

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Mishnah, Pirkei Avot 3:17." (Viewed on March 28, 2024) <http://jwa.org/media/mishnah-pirkei-avot-3-21>.