(36) Cf. Ps. CXI, 10: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of
the Lord." "A man's fear of sin should be instinctive, rather
than a result of calculation, . . . a man should build upon
the foundation of religious feeling, rather than upon
philosophy" (Taylor).

(37) Cf. above, chapter I, 17, "Not learning but doing is the
chief thing."

14. R. Dosa, the son of Horkinas (38), said, "Morning sleep, midday
wine, childish babbling, and attending the houses of assembly of the
ignorant waste a man's life" (39).

(38) A contemporary of Jochanan ben Zakkai.

(39) Idleness, etc., indispose one for the study of the
_Torah_ and for business.

15. R. Eleazar ha-Mudai said, "He who profanes things sacred, and
despises the festivals, and puts his fellow-man to shame in public,
and makes void the covenant of Abraham, our father (40), and makes the
_Torah_ bear a meaning other than the right (41); (such a one) even
though knowledge of the _Torah_ and good deeds be his, has no share in
the world to come" (42).

(40) _I.e._ circumcision.

(41) Or "acts barefacedly against the _Torah_."