Truls Ljungström’s Reviews > Hillel: If Not Now, When? > Status Update

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Thus, as Hillel perceived, this speaker was speaking out of the context of the Gentile intellectual world. He was implying that if the Torah had something to say, it could be stated simply and clearly, and, if so, he wanted to hear it. If the message of the Torah could be understood only after much long-winded explanation, that in itself would argue against it being valid”

”Regarding the unusual question posed by the non-Jew, Talmud scholar Edward Gershfield speculates that the request was characteristic

of the Hellenistic intellectual. Many of the philosophical schools of the time strove to give clear and concise statements of their views. For some, especially the Stoics, clarity and simplicity were in themselves evidence of truth.

“That which is hateful unto you, do not do unto your neighbor. This is the whole Torah, all the rest is commentary. Now, go and study.” (Shabbat 31a)”

Kal va-chomer: a conclusion drawn from a lenient law that is then applied to a stricter one. The term may be translated, although not literally, as “how much more so.” For example, if we know that a certain country mandates capital punishment for the crime of stealing, how much more so can we be sure that it mandates capital punishment for murder.

He who does not increase, will decrease.

“When the community is in trouble, a person should not say, ‘I will go to my house and I will eat and drink and be at peace with myself’ ” (Ta’anit 11a).

If I Am Not for Myself, Who Will Be for Me? And If I Am [Only] for Myself, What Am I?

Jesus forgives all sins: “The Son of man has the authority to forgive sins” (Matt. 9:6). Traditional Jewish theology teaches that not even God Himself forgives all sins, only those sins committed against Him alone. As the Mishnah teaches: “The Day of Atonement atones for sins against God, not for sins committed against man, unless the injured party has been appeased” (Mishnah Yoma 8:9).