Jewish proverbs and sayings

Folk wisdom travels the world, penetrating from one national culture to another, crossing state borders, seas and oceans. Today it is difficult to establish when Jewish proverbs and sayings have become Russified, "Germanized," or "made themselves obsolete," but undoubtedly the centuries-old wisdom of "eternal pilgrims" influenced the everyday speech of various ethnic groups located in both hemispheres of the planet. Do not always people who use winged expressions know for themselves what language they sounded for the first time.

Who is this shlamazl?

The first thing that bribes Jewish proverbs, it's self-irony. The ability to make fun of yourself is a sign of wisdom, and this artistic technique is most clearly manifested in folk art. The hero of many sayings is a kind of "shlamazl". This word means, generally speaking, a loser, besides a narrow-minded and possessing many other personal vices. The "helmet" (abbreviated designation) is greedy, stupid, it never works. If the shlamazl sells snow - a warm winter is given, if there is a drought in water. He sometimes speaks well, but would rather be silent. Of the two evils, the shlumazl manages to choose both. He does not live to the point of luck, because he can not bear troubles, falls to someone's feet, and he is certainly attacked on his head. He tells the truth halfway, and it turns out a lie. In general, if some Jewish proverbs are funny, it's because they have a shlamazl: you can always laugh at him. The main thing is not to get carried away unnecessarily and not to become one yourself.

About wisdom

In themselves, the sayings used to the place are a kind of concentrate of wisdom accumulated over many centuries. It is not surprising that among them a considerable proportion are those in which the definition of intelligence and, on the contrary, of stupidity is given. It is important that wisdom is not always identified with old age. So, one of the sayings says that the presence of gray hair indicates old age, and not about the mind. However, in another it is asserted that the elderly person sees worse, but still more. Apparently, the accumulated experience affects. The call is also instructive not to be too sweet (eat), but also in bitterness it is also undesirable to overdo it (spit). Antialcoholic subjects are also presented: "The secret goes away when the wine comes in." These beautiful Jewish proverbs may seem too simple, their morals are too obvious. But the wisdom of this in them no less. After all, and the obvious rules of behavior, unfortunately, not all comply.

About family

Sometimes you can hear the catchphrase: "Love has gone!" "So, it did not begin!" - explains one of the sayings such a phenomenon. Jewish proverbs, dedicated to the lyrical theme, are diverse both in subject and in direction. Their range is wide - from romanticism (where love, there is no sin, and vice versa) and to dry practicality (from the sweetest love you can not make compote). For whom are all the brides good? For the matchmaker! Even an old maid becomes a young wife, after her wedding, of course. What can be more sacred than a mother for a proper Jew? It sends God to where he does not have time. And Adam was very lucky: his mother-in-law was not there. A bad wife is worse than a rain, because he is driving home, and she, on the contrary, put her through the threshold.

About words

Jews, as a rule, like to talk. Molchunov among them is not enough, everyone wants to say something clever. Despite the widespread opinion about the universal wisdom of the God of the chosen people, this is not all for everyone. Jewish proverbs warn of the danger of excessive verbosity. "Shut up, if you have nothing to say!" - it seems, too, nothing special, and yet if everyone did this ... "At first, children are taught to speak and then remain silent" is an excellent generalization of pedagogical methods.

A person has one mouth and two ears. This is anatomical fact. So, you need to listen twice as often as talking.

And again: do not trust someone who is willing to talk about his troubles, but hides his joys. This observation is very subtle, and each such advice can be useful.

About money and eternal values

Jewish proverbs and sayings concerning material issues are as diverse as all the others.

It is necessary to break another established stereotype about some special money-loving Jews and a special commercial vein, which is present almost in every Jew from birth. But what do we see? In fact, not so much attention is paid to poverty, it is not considered to be neither vice nor dignity, at least, so thought the Jews who composed proverbs.

Yes, they love money, but who does not? Not so good with them, how bad without them! And the problem that can be solved by paying is called not a disaster, but expenses. But it's not about money, but about how they are. And for this you need not just to save them, but to get knowledge with which you can always earn them. It's easy to wear an intelligent head on your shoulders, and no one will take it away from you, except that it will be demolished, but then it's all the same ...

Again, it's much better when the job is looking for you than if the situation is the opposite. There are also good sides in poverty. It is more difficult for a poor man to sin, his God protects from temptations - they tend to be expensive. And it is noteworthy that everyone has enough of the mind, this is the lack of money most people complain about.

And how many of them are few, but it is necessary to live. At least out of curiosity. I wonder what will happen next?

Anything is different

Sometimes Jewish proverbs are very difficult to classify. For example, the claim that a single beard looks much worse than a beardless Jew. What is it about? And it is enough to remember that there were once pogroms ...

Or the saying that for great things people are taken from idleness. And of the two fighting for the hat, and the third, to whom it gets. And that death from laughter is preferable to death from horror. And that the word "experience" is synonymous with human errors. And people from afar look good.

The irony of Jewish proverbs and sayings manifests itself in a certain pessimism, for which hope is still guessed. "Do not complain about the lack of change: you can wait a little, and it will get worse." And then: "Better at least some changes, albeit for worse, than none at all."

With God, it is not worth joking, but the Jews manage to do this. Most High, people are angry with sins, and others with benefactors. God behaves like a father, and fate is like an evil stepfather. And a prayer-request to him - to help raise, because a man can also fall himself.

In general, the proverbs the Jews composed a lot. They touch all sides of life, therefore, after reading them, you can be enriched, at least spiritually, and there will be someone to be lucky with. However, one should not believe sources, printed or electronic, offering headlines like "35 Jewish proverbs, the best and wisest". In fact, there are many more.