other scale, he would outweigh them all." 13. He said to them, "Go
forth and see which is the good way to which a man should cleave." R.
Eliezer said, "A good eye" (30); R. Joshua said, "A good friend"; R.
Jose said, "A good neighbor" (31); R. Simeon said, "One who foresees
the fruit of an action" (32); R. Eleazar said, "A good heart."
Thereupon he said to them, "I approve of the words of Eleazar, the son
of Arach, rather than your words, for in his words yours are included"
(33). 14. He said to them, "Go forth and see which is the evil way
that a man should shun." R. Eliezer said, "An evil eye" (34); R.
Joshua said, "A bad friend"; R. Jose said, "A bad neighbor"; R. Simeon
said, "One who borrows and does not repay--it is the same whether one
borrows from man or the Omnipresent (35); as it is said, 'The wicked
borroweth and payeth not again, but the righteous dealeth graciously
and giveth'" (36); R. Eleazar said, "A bad heart." Thereupon he said
to them, "I approve of the words of Eleazar, the son of Arach, rather
then your words, for in his words yours are included."

(23) Of special excellence.

(24) On the life of R. Joshua (40-130 C.E.), see Bacher,
_ibid._, 129-194, Myers, _ibid._, 161-170, Danziger, _ibid._,
122-151.

(25) He forgets nothing he has learned. On R. Eliezer, see
Danziger, _ibid._, 91-121.

(26) When yet a child in the cradle, his mother took him into
the synagogue that he might thus early hear the words of the
_Torah_.