be sure of yourself until your day of death." (2:4) "The more flesh, the more worms. The more possessions, the more worry. The more wives, the more witchcraft. The more maidservants, the more licentiousness. The more manservants, the more theft." (2:8) "If you have learned much Torah, do not flatter yourself about it, because it was for this purpose you were created." (2:8) "Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven." (2:12) Be intent in prayer "Be careful when reciting the Shema and regarding prayer. Do not pray as though by rote, but plead for mercy and grace before God." (2:18) Combine Torah learning with labor "Torah learning is best combined with an occupation, because the effort of both will keep one from sin. Torah study alone without work will in the end be nullified and lead to sin." (2:2) (See Torah im Derech Eretz.) "Reduce your business activities and occupy yourself with the Torah instead, and be of a humble spirit before everyone." (4:10) "If there is no Torah study, there is no worldly involvement (derech eretz); if there is no worldly involvement, there is no Torah study. ... If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour." (3:21) Do not exploit your learning "One who exploits the crown (of scholarship) will pass away" (1:13) Be careful with speech "All my life I was raised amongst the Sages, and I never found anything better for a person than silence... one who talks too much causes sin." (1:17) "Do not speak (excessively) much with women. This regards a man's own wife, how much more so regarding another man's wife!" (1:5) "Sages, you should be careful in what you say, lest you be punished with exile and be sent to a place of evil waters, and your pupils who follow you will die, and the name of Heaven will be disgraced." (1:11) "Say little and do much." (1:15) "Do not say something that cannot be understood, thinking it will be understood later." (2:5) Do not seek rewards "Do not be like slaves who serve the master in order to obtain a reward. Rather, be like slaves who serve the master not to receive a reward. And let the fear of Heaven be upon you." (1:3) "Be as careful in observance of a minor commandment as in a major commandment, because