Sholom Aleichem Quotes & Sayings

No one knows whom the shoe pinches - no one. — Sholom Aleichem

I will never permit myself to give in to American taste and lower the standards of art. — Sholom Aleichem

One cannot live on potatoes alone. It is said that one wants bread with potatoes. And when there's no bread, a Jew takes his stick, and goes through the village in search of business. — Sholom Aleichem

When have you ever heard of a cantor or any artist turning anyone down when he is strongly urged to perform? — Sholom Aleichem

Our town, Kasrilevke - that's where I'm from, you know - is a small town, and a poor one. There is no thievery there. No one steals anything for the simple reason that there is nobody to steal from and nothing worth stealing. And besides, a Jew is not a thief by nature. That is, he may be a thief, but not the sort who will climb through a window or attack you with a knife. He will divert, pervert, subvert, and contravert as a matter of course, but he won't pull anything out of your pocket. He won't be caught like a common thief and led through the streets with a yellow placard on his back.

("A Yom Kippur Scandal") — Sholom Aleichem

The rich swell up with pride, the poor from hunger. — Sholom Aleichem

Barking dogs don't bite, but they themselves don't know it. — Sholom Aleichem

Love is a taste of paradise. — Sholom Aleichem

Ah, how many luxuries has the good God prepared for his Jewish children. — Sholom Aleichem

A real pleasure is a pleasure that one enjoys by one's self, without a companion, and without a single argument. — Sholom Aleichem

When the heart is full, the eyes overflow. — Sholom Aleichem

A cantor, when he starts singing, it's like rain - once it starts, it's hard to stop. — Sholom Aleichem

Remember, you must not sleep at the Seder. If you do, Elijah the Prophet will come with a bag on his shoulders. On the two first nights of Passover, Elijah the Prophet goes about looking for those who have fallen asleep at the Seder, and takes them away in his bag. — Sholom Aleichem

To go to the synagogue with one's father on the Passover eve - is there in the world a greater pleasure than that? What is it worth to be dressed in new clothes from head to foot, and to show off before one's friends? Then the prayers themselves - the first Festival evening prayer and blessing. — Sholom Aleichem

If you listen carefully, you get to hear everything you didn't want to hear in the first place. — Sholom Aleichem

Here lies a plain and simple Jew who wrote in plain and simple prose. — Sholom Aleichem

It is an old custom amongst Jewish children, to become war-like on the 'L'ag Beomer.' They arm themselves from head to foot with wooden swords, pop-guns and bows and arrows. They take food with them, and go off to wage war. — Sholom Aleichem

A wise word is not a substitute for a piece of herring. — Sholom Aleichem

You can take a Jew out of a shtetl, but you cannot take a shtetl out of a Jew. — Sholom Aleichem

There are people who have never been taught anything, and know everything, have never been anywhere, and understand everything, have never given a moment's thought to anything, and comprehend everything. 'Blessed hands' is the name bestowed on these fortunate beings. The world envies, honours and respects them. — Sholom Aleichem

They say that children become men, and men become children. Many generations have grown up, become men, and gone hence. — Sholom Aleichem

Playing nuts is a game like any other, neither better than tops, nor worse than cards. The game is played in various ways. There are 'holes' and 'bank' and 'caps.' But every game finishes up in the same way. One boy loses, another wins. And, as always, he who wins is a clever fellow, a smart fellow, a good fellow. — Sholom Aleichem

If somebody tells you you have ears like a donkey, pay no attention. But if two people tell you, buy yourself a saddle. — Sholom Aleichem

Each Jew must either give or take tzedakah [charity] for Passover. — Sholom Aleichem

To make people laugh was almost a sickness with me. — Sholom Aleichem

Gossip is nature's telephone. — Sholom Aleichem

When you die, others who think they know you, will concoct things about you ... Better pick up a pen and write it yourself, for you know yourself best. — Sholom Aleichem

Without love our life is ... a ship without a rudder ... like a body without a soul. — Sholom Aleichem

If somebody tells you that you have ears like a donkey, pay no attention. But if two people tell you so, buy yourself a saddle. — Sholom Aleichem