Tosefta sobre Proverbios 3:15

The measure [allotted] to anyone that teaches a single chapter to his fellow, the verse ascribes to him as though he formed him, and shaped him, and brought him into this world, as it is said (Jer. 15:19), "If you bring out the precious (yakar) from what is worthless, you shall be as My spokesman (lit., 'My mouth')" (JPS Tr.). For just as the selfsame mouth [of God] imbued Adam the first man with a soul, so too [as to] anyone who brings a single creation under the wings of the shekhinah, we ascribe to him as though he formed him, and shaped him, and brought him into this world. And "precious" (yakarah) is Torah (lit., "teaching"), as it is said (Prov. 3:15), "She is more precious than rubies; [All of your goods cannot equal her]," and it says (Prov. 20:15), "Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant, But wise speech is a precious object" (JPS Tr.).

[A High Priest] anointed with anointing oil takes precedence over [a High Priest] who wears many garments; [a High Priest] who wears many garments takes precedence over [a High Priest] anointed for war; [a High Priest] anointed for war takes precedence over a Deputy [High Priest]; a Deputy [High Priest] takes precedence over the head of the [priestly] watch; the head of the [priestly] watch takes precedence over the head of a patrilineal family; the head of a patrilineal family takes precedence over the overseer [of the Temple]; the overseer [of the Temple] takes precedence over the treasurer [of the Temple]; the treaturer [of the Temple] takes precedence over a common priest; a common priest takes precedence over a Levite; a Levite takes precedence over a [non-Levitical] Israelite; an Israelite [takes precedence over] a mamzer; a mamzer [takes precedence over] a Natin (i.e., a descendent of the Gibeonites, see Josh 9:27); a Natin [takes precedence over] a proselyte; a proselyte [takes precedence over] a freed slave. When does this apply? In a situation where all are [otherwise] equal. But if there was a mamzer who was a scholar, and a High Priest who was an am ha'aretz (i.e., an ignoramus), the mamzer who was a scholar would take precedence over the High Priest who was an am ha'aretz, as it is said (Prov. 3:15): "She (i.e., wisdom) is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her." Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, according to the letter of the law, a freed slave takes precedence over a proselyte because this one grew up in holiness, and that one did not [grow up in] holiness, except that this one was subject to a general curse (applicable to one who does not fulfill the entire Torah, see Sotah 37a:11), and that one was not subject to a general curse.