There are four types of man: (1) One who says, “[What is] mine is mine and [what is] yours is yours,” this is average behavior. Some say: This is the behavior of Sodom. (2) “[What is] mine is yours and [what is] yours is mine,” [is] an ignoramus. (3) “[What is] mine is yours and [what is] yours is yours,” [is] a pious person. (4) “[What is] mine is mine and [what is] yours is mine,” [is] a wicked person.

There are four types of natures: (1) [One who is] easy to anger and easy to appease, his reward is offset by his loss; (2) [one who is] difficult to anger and difficult to appease, his loss is offset by his reward; (3) [one who is] difficult to anger and easy to appease [is] a pious person. (4) [One who is] easy to anger and difficult to appease [is] a wicked person.

There are four types of students: (1) [One who is] quick to grasp and quick to lose, his reward is offset by his loss. (2) [One who is] slow to grasp and slow to lose, his loss is offset by his reward. (3) [One who is] quick to grasp and slow to lose [is] a wise person. (4) [One who is] slow to grasp and quick to lose, this is a bad lot.

There are four types of charitable donors: (1) One who desires that he will give but others should not give, looks disparagingly at [the money] of others. (2) [One who desires that] others should give but he will not give, he is stingy with his own [money]. (3) [One who desires that] he will give and others should give [is] a pious person. (4) [One who desires that] he will not give and others should not give [is] a wicked person.

There are four types of people who go to the study hall: (1) [One who] goes but does not act, the reward for going is in his hand. (2) [One who] acts but does not go, the reward for acting is in his hand. (3) [One who] goes and acts [is] a pious person. (4) [One who] does not go and does not act [is] a wicked person.

There are four types of people who sit before sages: (1) a sponge, (2) a funnel, (3) a strainer, and (4) a sieve: a sponge, which soaks up everything; a funnel, which takes in one [end] and passes through to the other [end]; a strainer, which removes the wine but collects the dregs; a sieve, which removes the flour dust but collects the fine flour.

Any love that depends on a [particular] thing, when that thing ceases, the love will cease; but [a love] that does not depend on any [particular] thing, it will never cease. What is [an example of] love that depends on a [particular] thing? —- The love of Amnon and Tamar. And [what is an example of love] that does not depend on any [particular] thing? —- The love of David and Jonathan.

Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven will endure; but one that is not for the sake of Heaven will not endure. What is [an example of] a dispute that is for the sake of Heaven? —- The dispute between Hillel and Shammai. And what is [an example of] a dispute that is not for the sake of Heaven? —- The dispute of Korah and his entire company.

Whoever causes the public to do good will not be given the opportunity to sin. But whoever causes the public to do evil will not be given the opportunity to repent. Moses merited and brought merit to the public; [thus] the merit of the public is to his cred-it, as it is said: He carried out the righteousness of Hashem and His ordinances with Israel. Jeroboam son of Nevat sinned and caused the public to sin, [so therefore] the sin of the public is charged against him, as it is said: For the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit.

Anyone who has in his hand the following three things is [counted] among the stu- dents of our patriarch Abraham, and [any-one who has in his hand] three other things is [counted] among the students of the evil Balaam. (1) [One who has] a good eye, (2) a humble spirit, (3) and a reserved nature is [counted] among the students of our patriarch Abraham. [And one who has] an evil eye, a haughty spirit, (3) and an indulgent nature is [counted] among the students of the evil Balaam.  What is the difference between students of our patriarch Abraham and students of the evil Balaam? Students of our patriarch Abraham eat in this world and inherit in the next world, as it is stated: I [the Torah] have what to bequeath [to] those who love me, and I shall fill their storehouses. But students of the evil Balaam inherit Gehinnom and descend to the well of destruction, as it is stated: And You, O God, You will lower them into the well of destruction, men of bloodshed and deceit shall not live out half their days; but as for me, I will trust in You.

Yehudah ben Teima says: Be bold as a nameir, swift as an eagle, fast as a deer, and strong as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven.  He used to say: The brazen-faced to Gehin- nom; the shame-faced to the Garden of Eden.  May it be the will before You, Hashem our God, that You rebuild Your city speedily in our days and grant us our share in Your Torah.

He would say: A five-year-old to [study] Scrip- ture, a ten-year-old to [study] Mishnah, a thirteen-year-old to [observe] the mitzvos, a fifteen-year-old to [study] Talmud, an eighteen-year-old to [go to] the wedding canopy, a twenty-year-old to chase, a thirty-year-old for power, a forty-year-old for understanding, a fifty-year-old for counsel, a sixty-year- old for old age, a sev-enty-year-old for ripe old age, an eighty-year-old for strength, a ninety-year-old to [be] stooped over, a hundred-year-old is as if he died and passed away and ceased from the world.

Ben Bag Bag says: Delve into it and delve into it, for everything is [contained] in it. And with it you will see, and grow old and wizened with it, and do not stir from it, for you can have no better portion than it.

Ben Hei Hei says: The reward is commen-surate with the exertion.

The Sages taught [the following chapter] in the language of the Mishnah, blessed is he who chooses them and their teachings. 'RMeir says: Whoever engages in [the study of] Torah for its own sake merits many things. Moreover, the whole, entire world is worthwhile for his [sake]. He is called “Friend,” “Beloved”; he loves the Onmipresent, he loves [His] creatures; he gladdens the Omnipresent, he gladdens [His] creatures; [the Torah] clothes him [in] humility and fear [of God], and it makes him fit to be a righteous, devout, fair, and trustworthy person; distances him from sin, and draws him near to merit; and they enjoy from him counsel and wisdom, understanding and strength, as it is said: With me there is counsel and wisdom, I am under- standing, with me is strength; it gives him kingship and dominion and analytical judgment; they reveal to him secrets of the Torah, and he becomes like a steadily strengthening wellspring and like a river that does not cease; he will be discreet, patient, and forgiving of insult to himself; and it makes him great and exalts him above all things.