EXOD546 Another characteristic of Jewish morality becomes manifest when we focus upon the dimension of death or inwardness. This includes what is sometimes referred to as personal morality. That is to say, Judaism is not really concerned with actions and their consequences, with overt behavior, but seeks to penetrate the consciousness of the agent and demands good thoughts and attitudes, benevolent intentions and sincere motivation. As the rabbis expressed it: "The Merciful One requires the heart." (Sanhedrin 106b) If confronted by an "either–or" choice between thought and deed, intention and action, Judaism would indeed select the deed over the thought and the consequences over the intent as the prime moral element. This is reflected in the following teachings: "He [Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa] used to say, "He whose deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure; but he whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, his wisdom shall not endure" (Avot 3:12, 3:22) Not learning but doing is the chief thing (Avot 1:17). The emphasis on deeds is also seen in the phrase which is used most frequently in rabbinic literature to designate moral virtue or the life of piety: ma'asim tovim --"good deeds." Moral value is to be found in the real world of action and consequences rather than in the amorphous realm of motives and intentions (See Kiddushin 40b; Albo, Ikkarim, vol.II, p. 263). Nevertheless, it is equally clear that the perfect moral experience is a total process in which the motivation, the sustained kavanah (directed consciousness), is incorporated into the fully executed action.… Hence, the Pentateuch distinguishes the murderer from the accidental homicide, condemning the first to death and providing the second with asylum [this and following verses]. The rabbis ruled, however, that good deeds performed out of ulterior motives are acceptable, because the agent, it is hoped, will ultimately learn to develop the proper motives (Pesachim 50b).