The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), Volume 6, p. 399
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Hillel stood in the gate of Jerusalem one day and saw the people on their way to work. "How much," he asked, "will you earn today?" One said: "A denarius"; the second: "Two denarii" "What will you do with the money?" he inquired. "We will provide for the necessities of life." Then he said to them: "Would you not rather come and make the Torah your possession, that you may possess both this world and the world to come?"
— The Jewish Encyclopedia
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Hillel stood in the gate of Jerusalem one day and saw the people on their way to work. "How much," he asked, "will you earn today?" One said: "A denarius"; the second: "Two denarii" "What will you do with the money?" he inquired. "We will provide for the necessities of life." Then he said to them: "Would you not rather come and make the Torah your possession, that you may possess both this world and the world to come?"" in the context of "The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), Volume 6, p. 399" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Hillel the Elder" (Quotes about Hillel the Elder)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Hillel the Elder
Hillel the Elder (c. 110 BCE–10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader who was born in Babylon and lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod. He is one of the most important figures in Judaic history, associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud. He was the ancestor of a long line of rabbis, including Judah haNasi, who compiled the Mishnah, and Judah's son, Hillel the Younger.
About Hillel the Elder
Hillel the Elder (c. 110 BCE–10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader who was born in Babylon and lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod. He is one of the most important figures in Judaic history, associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud. He was the ancestor of a long line of rabbis, including Judah haNasi, who compiled the Mishnah, and Judah's son, Hillel the Younger.
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