The Rabbi once shared this parable, "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and he squandered his possessions there."

On one occasion there were some who reported to the Rabbi about the horrendous murder of some men whose blood had been mixed with their sacrifice to HaShem.

He said to them, "Do you suppose that these men were greater sinners than all others because they suffered this fate?"

A certain sage stood up to put the Rabbi to the test, saying, "Rabbi, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And the Rabbi responded, "What is written in the Torah? How does it read to you?"

A certain sage stood up to put the Rabbi to the test, saying, "Rabbi, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And the Rabbi responded, "What is written in the Torah? How does it read to you?"

One of the Prushim asked the Rabbi to have dinner with him so he came the house of the Parush and reclined at his table. There was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the house of the Parush, she brought a vial of perfume, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Parush who had invited the Rabbi saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were truly a prophet he would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him, that she is a sinner."

And the Master answered him, "Shimon, I have something to say to you."

The Rabbi taught us, "The kingdom of heaven is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five kikkarim of silver, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.  Immediately the one who had received the five kikkarim went and traded with them, and earned five additional kikkarim."

The Rabbi taught us, "The kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten alamot [young, unmarried women], who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  When the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any oil with them.  The prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps."

The Rabbi taught us about the malchut shamayim [kingdom of heaven] saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.  And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast!"'"

The Rabbi taught about the malchut shamayim [kingdom of heaven] saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king of flesh and blood who wished to settle accounts with his slave.  When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand kikkarim of silver was brought to him.  But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'"

The Rabbi taught about the malchut shamayim [kingdom of heaven] saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.