Hillel the Elder

The real genius here lies in Hillel's refusal to let us choose between self-regard and selflessness—he insists we need both, and that the tension between them is where a meaningful life actually happens. Most people read it as a call to balance, but what he's really saying is that self-care and service to others aren't opposing forces; rather, abandoning yourself makes your generosity hollow, while selfishness makes your self-preservation pointless. Think of the parent who sacrifices so much for their children that they lose their own identity—Hillel would recognize this as a failure on both counts, not a moral victory. The final clause adds the crucial stroke: this reconciliation isn't something to contemplate or plan for eventually, but something requiring immediate, imperfect action.