“I Thank Thee, That I Am Not as Other Men”

The Talmud is a collection of rabbinical discussions concerning Jewish law, ethics, history, and philosophy that was compiled in the first several centuries after Christ. Below is a prayer recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, originally uttered by Rabbi Nedhunya ben Ha Kana in about 70 A.D.:

“I give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast set my portion with those who sit in the Beth ha-Midrash [house of learning] and Thou hast not set my portion with those who sit in [street] corners, for I rise early and they rise early, but I rise early for words of Torah and they rise early for frivolous talk; I labour and they labour, but I labour and receive a reward and they labour and do not receive a reward; I run and they run, but I run to the life of the future world and they run to the pit of destruction” (Berakoth 28b, Zeraim, The Babylonian Talmud, 172; cited in http://www.come-and-hear.com/berakoth/berakoth_28.html).