The ethos of Rabbi Yeshua Ben Joseph
I. The Maxim of Humility (Matt 6:1-18)
a. Godliness is a private affair.
b. Prayer is a personal matter
c. Spiritual discipline without humility is the display of ego.
II. The Focus of Divine purpose (Matt 6:19-34)
a. Generosity is the currency of heaven (Matt 6:19-21)
b. Greed separates us from divine purpose (Matt 6:22-24)
c. Faith and trust in God (Matt 6:25-34)
III. The Gage of Righteousness ( Matt 7:1-13)
a. Judge oneself before the creator. (Matt 7:1-6)
b. Seeking God for the solutions of imperfections. (Matt 7:7-11)
c. Treat other as you desire to be treated (Matt 7:12-14)
IV. The warnings of the master (Matt 7:21-27)
a. Beware of false teachers
b. Lawlessness is not righteousness
c. The foolishness of disobedience
Hillel said: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn”
Modesty is a favorite theme with Akiva, and he reverts to it again and again. “He who esteems himself highly on account of his knowledge,” he teaches, “is like a corpse lying on the wayside: the traveler turns his head away in disgust, and walks quickly by”
“Take thy place a few seats below thy rank until thou art bidden to take a higher place; for it is better that they should say to thee ‘Come up higher’ than that they should bid thee ‘Go down lower’”