--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each generation of rabbis is necessarily…" description: "\"Each generation of rabbis is necessarily less perfect than the rabbis that came before, since each generation is more removed from the perfection of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/cory-doctorow-1928_definitions_each-generation-of-rabbis-is-necessarily_1317730.png" --- # Each generation of rabbis is necessarily less perfect than… ![“Each generation of rabbis is necessarily less perfect than the rabbis that came before, since each generation is more removed from the perfection of the Garden. Therefore, no rabbi is allowed to overturn any of his forebears' wisdom, since they are all, by definition, smarter than him.” quote by Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/cory-doctorow-1928_definitions_each-generation-of-rabbis-is-necessarily_1317730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/cory-doctorow-1928_definitions_each-generation-of-rabbis-is-necessarily_1317730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/cory-doctorow-1928_definitions_each-generation-of-rabbis-is-necessarily_1317730.png) > “Each generation of rabbis is necessarily less perfect than the rabbis that came before, since each generation is more removed from the perfection of the Garden. Therefore, no rabbi is allowed to overturn any of his forebears' wisdom, since they are all, by definition, smarter than him.” [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each generation feels farther from an ideal past, so they preserve traditions, assuming predecessors were wiser. **In simple terms:** Later generations think they’re less perfect, so they keep old wisdom. Key Takeaway Respect tradition but question assumptions. Themes tradition humility generational wisdom Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic discourse - family decision making - policy development Key Concepts historical relativism authority knowledge transmission Questions to Reflect On - Should all old wisdom be unquestioned? - How to balance respect and progress? A Different Perspective May stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Garden Rabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden-rabbi-4380311/) [Generation Rabbis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-rabbis-4380309/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect Rabbis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-rabbis-4380308/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Rabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbi/) [Rabbis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbis/) [Rabbis Necessarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbis-necessarily-4380310/) [Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarter/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“You've been the rabbi here for thirty years and these guys who've never set foot here want to decide who should be rabbi or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joann-sfar/you-ve-been-the-rabbi-here-for-thirty-years-and-these-guys-who-ve/) [Joann Sfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joann-sfar/) > [Whatever the faults of the rabbis, consistency was not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-schechter/whatever-the-faults-of-the-rabbis-consistency-was-not-one-of-them/) [Solomon Schechter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-schechter/) > [“Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah said, "Where there is no money, there is no learning." 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