A man wagered 400 zuz he could vex Hillel. When he failed and lost the wager, Hillel consoled him: "It's worth losing twice 400 zuz for Hillel not to get angry." (Shabbos 31a) Such is the importance of guarding one's temper.Hillel is a blessing to the Jewish people and a blessing to the world. Like Hillel, all Torah-sages beamed a perfection of mind and character, and were very close to God. Because God loves Israel above all nations (Deut. 10:14-15, Ex. 33:16-17, Jer. 31:3, Malachi 1:2-3), therefore God loves the Torah-sages above all people in the world.
Hillel, the paragon of humility, kindliness and wisdom, was leader of the Jews throughout the reign of Herod and his son Archelaus. His contemporaries included the sages Jonathan ben Uziel, Akaviah ben Mehalalel, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, Bava ben Buta, and many others - all beloved, wise men. The latter once got a lamp broken over his head by a foolish woman. This disciple of Shammai then heaped upon her his blessings.
The Nazarene's Jewish followers called the Torah-sages "hypocrites" and "vipers". They mentioned no names as the targets of their slander; They just took a broad swipe against the whole lot of them. (Who do YOU think were the crooked and the venomous? Ignorami betray themselves as they project their own failures upon others.)
The Gentiles of the time who followed these ignorami of Israel did not especially hate the sages any more than they hated Jews in general. Only these ignorami of Israel especially hated the Torah-sages.
Which goes to show you that the Christians themselves are better than Christianity!
The evil inclination of these ignorami of Israel found it necessary to concoct slanderous insults against the holy nation, particularly against its elite representatives, to ensure that no Gentile emulate the beloved Jewish ways.
Until today you have huge numbers of human beings who cannot take their minds to a higher level, to separate dogma from clear thought, and therefore continue to plod the path some ignorant Jews paved for them, one that envisages a god in man's image, rather than take the high road and trust the Jews of today who still follow Torah and the Torah-sages - so more of the world could recognize the One and Only God, and be all the more thankful for it!
The concept of a pure God they pollute with an image of man, much like Muslims pollute the purity of God with their own animalistic inclinations; Thereby the goodness and oneness of God deteriorates from a pristine concept into an inferior one fouled by lowly human projection or beastly desires.
(Taken in part from the prolific Rabbi/author/teacher/savant Avigdor Miller ע''ה, in his book "Sing You Righteous")
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