כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. משֶׁה זָכָה וְזִכָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, זְכוּת הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג) צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. יָרָבְעָם חָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, חֵטְא הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א טו) עַל חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם (בֶּן נְבָט) אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
If one brings merit to the many, sin does not come by his hand, [so that he not be in Gehinnom and his disciples in Gan Eden]; and if one causes the many to sin, he is not given the opportunity to repent, [so that he not be in Gan Eden and his disciples in Gehinnom.] Moses was meritorious and brought merit to the many [(He taught Torah to all of Israel)] — the merit of the many is attributed to him, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:21): "He did the righteousness of the L rd and [he did] His judgments with Israel" [i.e., "His judgments that are with Israel" — it is as if he (Moses) did them.] Yeravam sinned and he caused the many to sin — the sin of the many is attributed to him, as it is written (I Kings 15:30): "For the sins of Yeravam, that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit." [Its not being written "for the sins of Yaravam and Israel" implies that all is attributed to Yeravam.]