Sirach 7:10

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon

8 Do not commit a sin twice; not even for one will you go unpunished. 9 Do not say, "He will consider the great number of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it." 10 Do not grow weary when you pray; do not neglect to give alms. 11 Do not ridicule a person who is embittered in spirit, for there is One who humbles and exalts. 12 Do not devise a lie against your brother, or do the same to a friend. 13 Refuse to utter any lie, for it is a habit that results in no good. 14 Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray.

Eruvin 65a

Babylonian Talmud
Rabbinic

The Gemara asks: Now, since the verses may be interpreted both in accordance with the opinion of this Master and in accordance with the opinion of the other Master, what is the practical difference between them? The Gemara answers: The practical difference between them is with regard to the following practice of Rav Sheshet, as Rav Sheshet gave the responsibility for monitoring his sleep to his attendant, instructing the attendant to wake him when the time for prayer arrived. One Sage, Rabbi Ḥanina, is of the opinion that the practice of Rav Sheshet is correct, as Rabbi Ḥanina maintains that if one is in great need of sleep, it is better to nap for a while and then wake up with renewed vigor. And one Sage, Rabbi Yoḥanan, is not of the opinion that the practice of Rav Sheshet is correct. He holds that a person must marshal his strength and pray, rather than succumb to the need for sleep. Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi said that Rav said: Anyone whose mind is unsettled should not pray, as it is stated: When distressed, one should not issue decisions. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥanina, on a day that he was angry, would not pray, as he said that it is written: When distressed, one should not issue decisions. The Gemara similarly relates that Mar Ukva, on a day of a south wind, would not venture out to the court, for this hot and harsh wind would disturb his usual clarity of mind.

 Notes and References

"... I have given these quotations just as they are in the works from which they are taken, without putting them in verses or even providing them with stops. Such an arrangement would have implied some metrical division, which I strongly desired to avoid ... That my collection will contribute much towards solving the great Sirach difficulties, I in no way flatter myself. The quotations are too few in proportion to the bulk of the book to throw much light on the problem. I must also distinctly state that the quotations do not always exactly correspond with references given to Ecclesiasticus. Sometimes only one of many sentences of the quotation is contained in Sirach, sometimes none at all. And thus they can only be used after the closest examination. But still I venture to think that the bringing together of all the passages with their varice lectiones will be of some service to the student, as revealing the fact that the version of Ecclesiasticus known to the Rabbis was mostly written in pure Hebrew. And when the Rabbis who did not quote literally made some alteration, it was for such terms as are to be found in the Mishnah or the Barait hot, e.g., the Aboth de Rabbi Nathan ..."

Schechter, Solomon The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus in Rabbinic Literature (pp. 682-706) University of Pennsylvania Press, 1891

 User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.