1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. Hillel the Elder

Hillel the Elder Quotes

Hillel was a Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history. He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud. Renowned within Judaism as a sage and scholar, he was the founder of the House of Hillel school for Tannaïm and the founder of a dynasty of Sages who stood at the head of the Jews living in the Land of Israel until roughly the fifth century of the Common Era.

He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: "If I am not for myself who is for me? And being for my own self, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" and the expression of the ethic of reciprocity, or "Golden Rule": "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn."

✵ 112 BC – 9 AC
Hillel the Elder photo
Hillel the Elder: 10 quotes9 likes

Famous Hillel the Elder Quotes

“Do not say "When I free myself of my concerns, I will study," for perhaps you will never free yourself.Do not say: "When I am free, I will study"; perhaps you will never be free.”

Hillel the Elder

2:4
Pirkei Avot

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? And if not now, when? That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow [...] go and learn.”

Hillel the Elder

Quoted by Jan Lundius, in Does WFP Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?, Inter Press Service News Agency, (December 2020)

“One who increases flesh, increases worms; one who increases possessions, increases worry; one who increases wives, increases witchcraft; one who increases maidservants, increases promiscuity; one who increases man-servants, increases thievery; one who increases Torah, increases life; one who increases study, increases wisdom; one who increases counsel, increases understanding; one who increases charity, increases peace.”

Hillel the Elder

2:7
Pirkei Avot

“A name made great is a name destroyed. He who does not increase his knowledge decreases it.”

Hillel the Elder

1:13
Pirkei Avot

“Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and drawing them near to the Law.”

Hillel the Elder

1:12
Pirkei Avot

“A boor cannot be sin-fearing, an ignoramus cannot be pious, a bashful one cannot learn, a short-tempered person cannot teach, nor does anyone who does much business grow wise.”

Hillel the Elder

2:5
Pirkei Avot

Hillel the Elder Quotes

“D'`alakh s'nai l'khavrekh la ta`avaid. Zo hi kol hatora kulahh, ve'idakh perusha hu: zil g'mor”

Hillel the Elder

That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation. Go and study it.
Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 31a

“Im ein ani li, mi li? U'kh'she'ani le'atzmi, mah ani? V'im lo 'akhshav, eimatai?”

Hillel the Elder

<span lang="he" dir="rtl">אם אין אני לי, מי לי? וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני? ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי?</span>
If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? But when I am for myself, then what am "I"? And if not now, when?
1:14
Pirkei Avot

“In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.”

Hillel the Elder

<span lang="he" dir="rtl">במקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש.</span>
Bemakom she'ein anashim, hishtadel lihyot ish.
2:6
Pirkei Avot

“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation. Go and study it.”

Hillel the Elder

<span lang="arc" dir="rtl">דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד. זו היא כל התורה כולה, ואידך פירושה הוא: זיל גמור</span>
D'`alakh s'nai l'khavrekh la ta`avaid. Zo hi kol hatora kulahh, ve'idakh perusha hu: zil g'mor
Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 31a

Similar authors

Akiba ben Joseph photo
Akiba ben Joseph9
Tanna None
Judas Iscariot photo
Judas Iscariot5
one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus Christ, known … None