time to learning other knowledge, so as to be able to refute
those who stray from the truth.

20. Rabbi Tafron (48) said, "The day is short, the task is great (49),
the laborers are sluggish, the reward is much, and the Master of the
house (50) is urgent." 21. He also used to say, "It is not thy duty
to complete the work, but neither art thou free to desist from it; if
thou hast studied much _Torah_, much reward will be given thee; and
faithful is thy Employer to pay thee the reward of thy labor; and know
that the grant of reward unto the righteous will be in the time to
come" (51).

Rabbi Chanania, the son of Akashia, said, "The Holy One, blessed be
He, was pleased to make Israel worthy; wherefore He gave them a
copious _Torah_ and many commandments, as it is said, 'It pleased the
Lord, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the _Torah_ and make it
honorable'".

(48) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai's five disciples
and of Akiba. See Bacher, _ibid._, pp. 348-358, and Meyer,
_ibid._, p. 179.

(49) The day, _i.e._, the life of man, is brief. Art is long,
but life is short.

(50) _I.e._, God.

(51) A man cannot finish the work of the world, yet he must
not yield to idleness and despair, but must do his share to
the best of his ability. His reward will come in the future.