Polish Rabbi Quotes

Vilna Gaon

Moses Isserles

Proximity to the crowd, to the majority view, spells the death of creativity. For a soul can create only when alone, and some are chosen for the flowering that takes place in the dark avenues of night.

Abraham Joshua Heschel

When a man makes a reverent face before a face that is no face — that is idol worship!

Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

The principal safeguard is seclusion, that you should not, God forbid, leave the house, save for some exceedingly great need.... And even in the synagogue you should be very short and leave quickly. It is better to pray at home, for in the synagogue it is impossible to be saved from envy, and from hearing vain talk and gossip, and one is punished for this.

[A Jew] should make Torah his principal occupation and his work his casual one. He should minimize his business pursuits and occupy himself with Torah. And he should remove fleeting pleasures from his heart, and work each day enough to maintain himself.... The rest of the day and night, he should occupy himself with Torah.