Gaon Of Vilna Quotes

Marx’s methodology, too, was wholly rabbinical. All his conclusions were derived solely from books. He never set foot in a factory and rejected Engels’ offer to take him to one. Like the gaon of Vilna, he locked himself up with his texts and solved the mysteries of the universe in his study. As he put it, ‘I am a machine condemned to devour books.

One cannot subordinate himself simultaneously to God and to his own idolized self. Thus the Sages say: "Whoever becomes angry, [even if he is a prophet] the Devine Presence leaves him". (Pesachim 66b)

Vilna Gaon was also an expert in nearly all secular wisdom of his time, for he felt that such knowledge enhanced the understanding of many aspects of Torah and Kabbalah; he even left several volumes which deal with mathematics and astronomy (personal testimony of the Vilna Gaon's children in the introduction of the Hebrew text of this book)/

The Gaon explains that the juggler in the first story in this book represents a man who has devoted himself entirely to materialism. Like a juggler who concerns himself with nothing else but throwing one ball after the other, materialistic man lives exclusively to juggle activities which afford him gratification. His life is a constant switch between the pursuit of fleshly pleasure and of status and prestige. The King of the universe observes all this with disappointment, for He created him for nobler ends. Finally, he passes judgement on the juggler's antics.

Nothing demonstrates this more than man's intelligence: it has a capacity far beyond what would have been necessary in animal terms.

The Talmudic sage Rav Amram reached such a high level os spirituality that his evil inclination left him, the Talmud tells us that it did so "like a pillar of fire." (kiddushin 81a)

Lust drives the chariot of the yetzer hara; the seat on which it sits is pride.

The least among you [the Sages] has the capacity to revive the dead (Avodah Zarah 10b)

The Sages promise us that anyone who studies the Torah will derive spiritual purification from his studies (Berachos 16a).

Because anger is the ultimate expression of pride, anger and a feeling of closeness to God are mutually exclusive.

All evil was created by God to block out spirituality from the world so that man would be forced to struggle for it and therefore appreciate it more deeply.

Human endeavour is not competent to obtain success and wealth. "Bread is not the possession of the wise nor wealth the possession of the astute (Kohelet 9:11). No one can be sure that his efforts will succeed as the Torah says many times over, it is God who decides who will be rich and who will be poor (Dvarim 28:12).

Art is man added to nature. ~ Francis Bacon An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult. ~ Lord Chesterfield We has met the enemy and he is us. ~ Pogo The best revenge is living well. The goal of human existence is to break our (savage, self-centered, animal) nature. ~ Attributed to the Vilna Gaon 'dum spiro, spero' - Enquanto respiro, tenho esperança. ~ Um lema da Carolina do Sul)

Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, vice president of the Rabbinical Court, said in early December, 2015 that the political conflict between Turkey and Russia means that Jews should anticipate the imminent coming of the Messiah. “We have received a direct teaching, passed down from one to another, from the Gaon of Vilna, that when Russia goes and conquers Istanbul...it is time to quickly put on your Shabbat clothes and expect the Messiah,” he said.[56]

Man (אדם) is meant to be God's garden, his אֲדָמָה, and bring forth a unique fruit. The "fruit" of his labors is a life of unselfish devotion to the service of God.