Who said “Greater even than the pious man is he who eats that which is the fruit of his own toil;…”?

Paraphrased

The Talmud, in different words: the idea is theirs, but this popular wording has been altered from the original.

SourceBabylonian Talmud, Berakhot 8a (R. Hiyya bar Ami in the name of Ulla)

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“Greater even than the pious man is he who eats that which is the fruit of his own toil; for scripture declares him twice-blessed.”
— The Talmud
Original (Hebrew), Berakhot 8a

גדול הנהנה מיגיעו יותר מירא שמים

Text: Wikisource Talmud Bavli via Sefaria (CC-BY-SA)

ParaphrasedBabylonian Talmud, Berakhot 8a (R. Hiyya bar Ami in the name of Ulla) · evidenceRewards

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 8a (R. Hiyya bar Ami in the name of Ulla).

APA

The Talmud (n.d.). Greater even than the pious man is he who eats that which is the fruit of his own toil; for scripture declares him twice-blessed. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36041-greater-even-than-the-pious-man-is-he/

MLA

The Talmud. “Greater even than the pious man is he who eats that which is the fruit of his own toil; for scripture declares him twice-blessed.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36041-greater-even-than-the-pious-man-is-he/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

The Talmud. “Greater even than the pious man is he who eats that which is the fruit of his own toil; for scripture declares him twice-blessed.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36041-greater-even-than-the-pious-man-is-he/.

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