(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
See also: https://www.notfreetodesist.org/
(anti-racism in Jewish organizations; Kadima has pledged to the benchmarks)
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי:
(14) He [also] used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am for my own self [only], what am I? And if not now, when?
See also: https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/
(Jews organizing for Palestinian liberation)
(יב) מחמין חמין לחולה בשבת בין להשקותו ובין לרפאותו ואין אומרין המתינו לו שמא יחיה אלא ספיקו דוחה שבת ולא ספק שבת זו אלא ספק שבת אחרת ואין אומרים [יעשו] דברים בנכרים ובקטנים אלא בגדולים שבישראל אין אומרים יעשו דברים הללו ע"פ נשים ע"פ נכרים אלא מצטרפין דעת ישראל עמהן.
(12) They may heat water for a sick person on the Sabbath, whether for his peace of mind or for medical purposes, and they should not say, "Let us delay [heating it] for him lest he live." Rather, the uncertainty [of his survival] overrides the Sabbath, and not just the uncertainty on this Sabbath, but rather the uncertainty on [even] another Sabbath. And they should not say, "Let Gentiles or minors do these things"; rather, [they should be done] with adults among the Jewish people. They should not say, "These things should be done [in reliance] upon the word of a woman or upon the word a Gentile"; rather, their words combine together with the consent of a [male] Jew.
Saving a life is the only Jewish value / mitzvah that overrules the mitzvot about keeping Shabbat in traditional Jewish law. This text seems to be saying that even actions adjacent to saving a life should be considered similarly.
If the Mishnah is "varsity" early rabbi teachings, then the Tosefta is the "JV" teachings. It comes from the same time period and the same rabbis, and has a similar structure. But it's made of the teachings that weren't codified into the Mishnah. However, it's still a major source of Jewish law/philosophy/tradition/thought.
Note: the bold print is the direct translation. The non-bold is added based on context earlier or later on the page and/or for clarity.
Like the text above that makes a comparison to Shabbat, here there's a comparison to Torah study, another Jewish value traditionally considered extremely important. Is there a larger lesson looking at both texts?
(10) When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace.
(א) לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר הָרִיעוּ לִפְנֵי וְכוּ': (תהילים צ״ח:ו׳)
(ב) א כִּי צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לוֹמַר: כָּל הָעוֹלָם לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילִי (סנהדרין לז). נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁהָעוֹלָם נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִילִי, צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לִרְאוֹת וּלְעַיֵּן בְּכָל עֵת בְּתִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם, וּלְמַלְּאוֹת חֶסְרוֹן הָעוֹלָם, וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲבוּרָם.
(1) “B’chatzotzrot (With trumpets) and the sound of the shofar shout out before God, the King.” (Psalms 98:6)
(2) Now, each person must say: “The entire world was created only for my sake” (Sanhedrin 37a). Consequently, because the world was created for my sake, I must constantly look into and consider ways of making the world better; to provide what is missing in the world and pray on its behalf.
The Likutei Moharan is a major text of the Chassidic movement of the 19th century. Breslov Chassidism is major sect within the Chassidic movement today. Breslov Chassidism focuses on developing an intense, joyous relationship with God. (Eg the Na Nachs, who are famous for wearing white and dancing joyously with loud music, even in really ordinary situations).
Author: Nachman of Breslov
Composed: Bratslav, Ukraine, c.1802 – c.1808 CE
The first part (teachings 1–286) was printed in 1808 in Ostrog, during the life of the author. The second part was printed in 1811 in Mogilev, after the death of the author. Rebbe Nachman died at age 38.