“What is this world? A mere curl of smoke for the wind to scatter.”

Life is much shorter than I imagined it to be.

Above all, you must fight conceit, envy, and every kind of ill-feeling in your heart.

Remember that it is not enough to abstain from lying by word of mouth; for the worst lies are often conveyed by a false look, smile, or act.

God, for example, appealed to me as a beardless man wearing a quilted silk cap; holiness was something burning, forbidding, something connected with fire while a day had the form of an oblong box.

If it be true that our people represent a high percentage of mental vigor, the distinction is probably due, in some measure, to the extremely important part which Talmud studies have played in the spiritual life of the race.

Be modest, humble, simple. Control your anger.

Only the other world has substance and reality; only good deeds and holy learning have tangible worth.

You must never tire fighting Satan.

The orthodox Jewish faith practically excludes woman from religious life.

If you study the Talmud you please God even more than you do by praying or fasting.

The dearest days in one’s life are those that seem very far and very near at once.

If you feel that you are good, don’t be too proud of it.

I was a great dreamer of day dreams.

What is wealth? A dream of fools.

If a man is tongue-tied, don’t laugh at him, but, rather, feel pity for him, as you would for a man with broken legs.

if you watch him closely, his mouth is gonna curl to the expression that he’s drawing.

For some reason it made me want to curl up in the fetal position. I could have slept right there on their kitchen table.

I smiled and ran my hand through his dark curls. “So, Death, what do we do now?