This book, which deals with the study of past wisdom and the application of it to the present, was inspired by my grandparents and parents who follow in the old ways. In nearly every meeting or conversation with me, they have weaved in wise counsel that was based on the historic writings of the Jewish nation. My grandfathers, both skullcap-wearing observant Jews whose lives are led through the light of the Torah and according to the guidance of the wise men’s works, such as the Talmud. Even until today, my paternal grandfather, Yaakov Hodfi, tells me that “an act’s end is found in its initial thought.” This phrase is taken from the poem of “Let us go, my beloved, to meet the bride” that was written by the Kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Alkavetz in the sixteenth century (1548 C.E. or 5308 on the Hebrew calendar). “An act’s end is found in its initial thought” encourages me to think several times before making any decision or significant action.

This book is dedicated to the blessed memory of my grandfather, Shlomo Zweibel and his wife, Yaffa Zweibel. My grandfather provided a wonderful example of leading a life based on the words of our sages. He once had an argument with one of his neighbors regarding the usage rights of a common pathway that passed between their two houses. Any normal person would call a lawyer and draft a proper letter with all the convincing arguments in his favor. My grandfather, on the other hand, went home and returned with a Gemara, Tractate Bava Batra, opened to page 2a, and began to read to the neighbor the words of our sages about a similar case dealing with a “shared pathway”. My grandfather’s simple faith in the just way of our sages and its suitability for our times was astounding.

It is very important to be able to learn from the past without the need to “reinvent the wheel” each time anew. However, it is also always important to verify that the circumstances are truly identical and that essential things have not changed. Nevertheless, it usually is simple to look back and find many wise, beautiful, and useful words that could at least serve as an excellent base for beginning our lesson.