Halakha Amsal 3:15: Mishneh Torah, Torah Study & Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor

The sages said: "One born out of wedlock if he be a scholar, takes precedence over an ignorant high priest" (Horayot, 13b); even as it is said: "She is more precious than rubies" (Prov. 3.15),²The Hebrew word Peninim which is translated to mean rubies, was defined by the rabbis as being derived from the word Penim which means within, or innermost. G. meaning, more precious than a high priest who enters the innermost place of the Temple.

One confronted with both the performance of a commandment and the study of the Torah, if the commandment can be performed by proxy he should not interrupt his study; if not, he should perform the commandment and go back to his study.⁶Kiddushin, 40a. G.

To what does this refer? When both who are imprisoned are equal in wisdom. But if there was a High Priest who was an ignoramus and a mamzer who was a wise disciple, the wise disciple takes precedence. Anyone who is great in wisdom takes precedence over another. But if one of them [the captives] was one's rabbi or father, even if there is someone who is greater in wisdom, one's rabbi or father [takes precedence]. Even if there is someone there [among the captives] who is greater in wisdom than his rabbi or his father, so long as he [his father or rabbi] is a wise disciple, he [the father or the rabbi] takes precedence over the one who is greater than them in wisdom.¹⁶²See Mishnah Horayot 3:8 and Babylonian Talmud Horayot 13a.