wind comes and plucks it up, and overturns it upon its face, as it is
said, 'And he shall be like a lonely juniper tree in the desert, and
shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places
in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited' (67). But he whose
works exceed his wisdom, to what is he like? To a tree whose branches
are few, but whose roots are many, so that though all the winds in the
world come and blow upon it, they cannot stir it from its place, as it
is said, 'And he shall be as a tree planted by the waters; and that
spreadeth out its roots by the river and shall not perceive when heat
cometh, but his leaf shall be green; and shall not be troubled in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit'" (68).

(64) R. Eleazar ben Azariah, a Mishnaic scholar of the first
century, was of a rich and influential family, and was a
descendent of Ezra the Scribe. At seventeen or eighteen, upon
the deposition of Gamaliel II, Eleazar, because of his
popularity and erudition, was chosen to fill the position of
the president of the academy at Jabneh. Upon Gamaliel's
restoration, he was made vice-president (_Ab bet din_). See
Bacher, _ibid._, 219-240.

(65) Cf. Prov. IX, 10: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

(66) Where there is a want of the means of sustenance there is
no studying of _Torah_, and without spiritual nourishment,
physical nourishment has no value.

(67) Jer. XVII, 6.