and old flasks which have not even new wine in them."

21. Rabbi Eleazer Hakapher said, "envy, lust, and ambition take men out of
the world."

22. He used to say, "those who are born are doomed to die, the dead to
live, and the quick to be judged, to make us know, understand, and be
informed that He is God. He is the Former, Creator, Omniscient, Judge,
Witness, and Claimant, and He will judge thee hereafter, blessed be He;
for in His presence there is no unrighteousness, forgetfulness, respect of
persons, or acceptance of a bribe, for everything is His. Know also that
everything is done according to the account, and let not thine evil
imagination persuade thee that the grave is a place of refuge for thee,
for against thy will wast thou formed, and against thy will wast thou
born, and against thy will dost thou live, and against thy will shalt thou
die, and against thy will must thou hereafter render an account and
receive judgment in the presence of the King of kings, the Holy God,
blessed be He."

Chapter V

1. With ten expressions(494) the world was created. "But wherefore is this
taught, since God could have created it with one expression?" "This is to
punish the wicked, who destroy the world that was created with ten
expressions, and to reward the righteous who establish the world created
with ten expressions."

2. There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to let us know that God
is long-suffering, as all those generations provoked him before he brought
the deluge upon them. There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham, to
let us know that God is long-suffering, as all those generations provoked
him, until Abraham our father came and took the reward of them all.

3. Our father Abraham was proved with ten trials, and in all of them he
stood firm; to let us know how great was the love of our father Abraham to
God.

4. Ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in Egypt, and ten at the Red
Sea. Ten plagues did the blessed God send on the Egyptians in Egypt, and
ten at the Red Sea. Ten times did our fathers tempt the blessed God in the
wilderness, as is said, "And have tempted me now these ten times, and have
not hearkened to my voice."(495)

5. Ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in the holy temple--no woman
miscarried from the scent of the flesh of the sacrifices; nor did the
flesh of the sacrifices ever stink; nor was a fly seen in the slaughter
house; nor did legal uncleanness happen to t