Yoda or Jewish sage: Who said what?
The character of Yoda will not be featured in the upcoming Star Wars film, since he passed away peacefully at age 900 in The Return of the Jedi.
But the small, green Jedi master has lived on in pop culture and beyond for his eternal wisdom — which, in some ways, resembles that of past Jewish sages, like Maimonides and Hillel the Elder.
In honor of the Dec. 18 release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens — the seventh film in the franchise — try deciphering which of the following quotes were uttered by Yoda in a Star Wars film and which were said by Jewish sages of centuries past.
Fool you not, we aim: In order to make the quiz appropriately difficult, the quotes from the ancient rabbis have been modified to conform to Yoda’s syntactical tendencies, which usually include reversing the order of subjects and verbs or adjectives. Think of it as “Yodish” (as opposed to Yiddish).
May the force be with you — because Yoda sounds more like a rabbi than you thought.
•••••••••
1. “In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
2. “Accept the truth, you must, from whatever source it comes.”
3. “On three things, the world stands: On judgment, on truth and on peace.”
4. “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
5. “Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.”
6. “For myself, if I am not, for me, who will be?”
7. “Size matters not.”
8. “Preferable, the risk of a wrong decision is, to the terror of indecision.”
9. “Wicked, do not be, in one’s own eyes.”
10. “At the flask, look not, but at what is therein.”
11. “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.”
12. “Wars not make one great.”
13. “A master, assume for yourself, a friend, acquire for yourself, and every man, judge to the side of merit.”
14. “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.”
15. “A man, you must strive to be, in a place where there are no men.”
16. “Always two there are, no more no less. A master and an apprentice.”
17. “Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.”
18. “That which to you is hateful, to your neighbor do not.”
Answers: Yoda — 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17 Jewish Sage — 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 18
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