Avos 5:6-7

Avos 5:6

Ten things were created at twilight on the eve of the first Shabbos: the mouth of the earth that swallowed Korach and his followers; the well that accompanied the Jews in the wilderness; the ability of Balaam’s donkey to speak; the rainbow that appeared following the flood; the manna; Moshe’s staff; the shamir (a worm the Midrash describes as used in cutting the Temple stones and engraving the stones of the ephod); the shapes of the letters inscribed on the two tablets; the writing on the tablets (which could be read from any side); and the tablets themselves. Some also include sheidim (demons), the burial place of Moshe and the ram offered by Avraham after the akeidah. Others also include the first tongs (since all tongs are made with the use of existing tongs).

Avos 5:7

A boorish person possesses seven character traits and a wise person possesses seven character traits. A wise person doesn’t speak before one who is even wiser, he doesn’t interrupt, he isn’t hasty in his response, he asks relevant questions and answers in accordance with the law, he addresses first things first and last things last, he acknowledges when he hasn’t learned something and he admits the truth. A boorish person behaves in the opposite fashion.