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The Three Pillars of the World
This teaching, originating from Shimon HaTzaddik in Pirkei Avot, identifies Torah, divine service, and acts of loving kindness as the three foundational pillars upon which the world stands. Sources range from biblical prophecy to Rabbinic interpretation to Hasidic and modern philosophical elaboration, exploring how these three dimensions sustain both spiritual and social reality.
עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד
Receiving Every Person With a Pleasant Face
This teaching from Pirkei Avot, explored across rabbinic and Jewish ethical literature, emphasizes the importance of greeting and treating others with a warm, cheerful demeanor as a fundamental interpersonal virtue. The sources examine how a pleasant countenance reflects inner character and serves as a cornerstone of ethical conduct between people.
וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת