FAMOUS JEWISH QUOTES

Famous Jewish Quotes:

1. “In Jewish history there are no coincidences.” – Elie Wiesel

If you would have asked me my favourite Yiddish word, I would have said bashert. It translates into the idea that Wiesel so beautifully captured as aphorism in my favourite quote. The older I get the more I am astonished by its truth, both in a national as well as personal sense. The seemingly haphazard, random, and arbitrary events that comprise the story of our lives begin to form a coherent and purposeful narrative when we view them from a divine perspective. With the wisdom of retrospective insight I have countless times learned to acknowledge that coincidence is but God’s way of choosing to remain anonymous. Rabbi Benjamin Blech

2. "A righteous man falls down seven times and gets up." – King Solomon, Proverbs, 24:16.

Life is all about the ability to get up from challenge. Greatness is defined as getting up one more time than what you've fallen down. The Torah defines someone who's righteous not as someone who had succeeded, but someone who has persevered. It creates a paradigm of what righteousness is – trying to do what's right, getting up from failure, and keep moving forward. Charlie Harary

3. "I do not want followers who are righteous; rather I want followers who are too busy doing good that they won’t have time to do bad." – Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. People who focus on being righteous can become self-absorbed and self-righteous. While those pursing good deeds and actions become righteous. Rabbi Ari Kahn

4. 13. “If I am not for me, who is for me; and if I am (only) for myself, what am I. And if not now, when?” – Hillel, Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14

I find this to be the most inspirational and motivating message. I was created for a specific purpose – there is no other 'me.' Consider that I am here for others – bearing the 'me' in mind, how can I make the difference to the world? Lastly, there's no time like the present. Rabbi Chaim Cohen

5. “Gam zu l'tova. This too is for the good.” – Nachum Ish Gamzu, Talmud, Taanit, 21a When things get "hard" it reminds me that this too is for the best and I need to reorient my thinking to this realization. Rabbi Yitz Greenman

6. "I don't speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don't have the power to remain silent" – Rabbi A.Y. Kook. This quote embodies the depth of love every Jew needs to feel for another. The connection between Jews is instinctive, therefore one has no choice but to speak. Caring for other Jews cuts to the core of who we are as a people and we need to reach a point where that is so deep that it is impossible not to say or do something.

7. “Who is wise? One who learns from every man… Who is strong? One who overpowers his inclinations… Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his lot… Who is honorable? One who honors his fellows.” – Ben Zoma, Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1 This is my favorite quote because it upends our society’s definitions of these things. We tend to think strength, happiness, wisdom and honor are reliant on external circumstances – how much wealth you have, how strong you are, how much you know…. Jewish wisdom shows all four are internal; it's all up to the person himself. Want to be rich? It's about your attitude, not about how much money you have. Want to be smart? You don't need Einstein’s genes, just the ability to open your eyes and watch people around you. Want to be strong as a hero? It's in your heart – just be strong enough to do the right thing.