Rabbi Tarfon רבי טרפון

The first: "the day is short, the work is much, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house is pressing." The second, immediately after: "it is not upon you to complete the work, nor are you free to desist from it."

The two are usually quoted separately, but in the Mishnah they stand one after the other and work as a pair. The first describes the situation honestly and without consolation: finishing is impossible. The second removes the one false conclusion that could be drawn from it — that if it cannot be finished there is no point beginning.

Rabbi Tarfon was a priest and had known the Temple service; the Talmud preserves his recollections of standing on the platform with his fellow priests. He was older than Rabbi Akiva and often disputes with him, but also concedes to him aloud: "Akiva, whoever separates from you separates from life."

He is also known for his generosity and for honouring his mother with a literalness remarkable even in the Talmud.