Pirkei Avot 1:13

Pirkei Avot 1:13

"[Hillel] used to say, one who seeks a name loses his name, one who does not increase [his knowledge] decreases it (or: will perish), one who does not study deserves death, and one who makes use of the crown [of Torah] will pass away."

This mishna contrasts the value of seeking recognition by others with the value of learning Torah for its own sake.  Interestingly, it is not a criticism of the rewards of the secular world, as one might suspect from a Torah sage.  It is much more profound than that.  Even one who makes use of the crown of Torah will pass away.  It is the placing of value on recognition by others, whether in the secular or religious world, that causes one to lose his name, perish, deserve death and pass away.  Why would seeking recognition deserve death?  All people seek to be recognized by others.  The standard of studying Torah for its own sake, to the exclusion of seeking recognition, seems too high a standard for real men.  Yet the mishna does not spurn recognition or satisfaction; it condemns seeking a name or making use of the crown of Torah for the sake of one's ego.  One can still earn a name if one does not seek it.  One can be alive spiritually by studying Torah for its own sake, if one does not use it for an ulterior purpose.  This does not mean cutting oneself off from contact with others.  On the contrary, it was Hillel who said to the skeptic that the essence of Judaism was not to do to others what is hateful to ourselves; now go and study!  We are required to live justly with others, but Torah is the means by which we learn how to live justly with others, which incidentally then can earn us a reputation and spiritual life.