פירוש על אבות 4:2

AS TO A WEIGHTY ONE [Heb. kevachamura]. Other versions do not have this word, and the ones that do mistakenly inserted it due to the similarity of our mishna to the mishna in 2:1: “be as careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one [Heb. Kevachamura].” And the texts that do have it should read kelachamura.¹³⁶“As to a weighty one,” not “as with a weighty one”, which has no meaning in our mishna. I saw a manuscript copy of Avot from the Land of Israel that does not have the word kevachamura.

Ben Azai says: Run to do an easy commandment: They already said a reason for this thing - "for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments" (Avot 2:1). And now Ben Azai added another reason and said, Run to do an easy commandment and flee from sin; since a commandment leads to another commandment - as this is a natural propensity. As when a man does a small commandment once, he draws closer to God and accustoms his spirit to His service and it becomes easier in his eyes to do another commandment that [requires] the same effort as the first one or a little more; as he is already accustomed to the performance of a commandment. And when he does a second (for a third) [and a third] - even if it is much more effort than the first ones - he will do it quickly, since the habit already steers him greatly. [This occurs] until it steers him very much and he will completely do all of the commandments.

We have already elucidated the explanation of this statement in Chapter 10 of Sanhedrin. And the sages, peace be upon them, have already brought attention to a wonderful innovation in the Torah in which there is inducement to the performance of the commandments. And it is its stating (Deuteronomy 4:41), "Then Moshe separated three cities in Transjordan, etc.," while knowing that they would not be effective - as they would not have the [status] of cities of refuge until the three others in the Land of Israel would be separated. They said (Makkot 10a), "Our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, knew that these three cities in Transjordan do not shelter until the three cities in the Land of Israel would be separated, as it is stated (Numbers 35:13), 'they shall be six cities of refuge.' And he separated these nonetheless, since he said, 'Since a commandment has come to my hand, I will perform it.'" And if our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him - the fathomer of the truths, the [most] complete of the complete - was eager to add half of a positive commandment upon all of his rank and wholeness in this way, there is no need to say that those whose souls are leprous and their leprosy is strong and gaining should do [so].

"A sin": And we do not learn [here], "an easy [sin]," as we do with a commandment. Since that which we learned [concerning a commandment ], "easy," means that it is easy for person to do. And sins are easy for a person to do and most of them are enjoyable for people. Hence it is not applicable to teach, "from an easy sin" - Derekh Chaim.

"Since one commandment leads to another commandment": That is the way of the world, that one who does one commandment finds it easier to do others; and one who starts to do sins will find it difficult to separate from them. And also, "since the reward for a commandment is [another] commandment;" [meaning it] is from the Heavens that the one who does one commandment is helped and another commandment is placed in front of him to [also] do, in order to give him the reward for both of them. And so too, "the reward of a sin, etc." Another explanation: "since the reward for a commandment is [another] commandment;" Since all that a person is rewarded and derives enjoyment while doing a commandment is itself considered a commandment for him. And [so] he gets reward for the commandment that he did and for the enjoyment and benefit that he experienced in doing it.

Introduction Ben Azzai’s full name was Shimon ben Azzai, and like Ben Zoma of the previous mishnah, he was never called Rabbi. He is famous for his utter devotion to Torah, a devotion so great that he never married (to the disdain of the other rabbis). Like Ben Zoma, he also entered the “pardes” the orchard of metaphysical speculation and died as a result.

FROM SIN. The mishna does not say “from a light sin” the way it says “to a light commandment” because “light” here has the sense that it is easy for a person to do, but all sins are easy for a person to do as they are all enjoyable; it is therefore not possible to say “from a light sin”—Maharal in Derech Chaim.

and a sin leads to another sin: This too is natural. Since he has done one sin and distanced himself from the service of God, may He be blessed, when another sin comes to his hand - even if the impulse does not have a desire for it like for the first - he will do it; as his spirit is accessible to his impulse and it pushes upon it. And even if his desire is not great in the matter, he will do all of the sins; as his nature is used to 'doing every abomination towards God that He hates.'

"one sin": Since God, may He be blessed, leaves him to his evil nature. But not that he is helped from Heaven [to do more sins], as was written by Rabbi Bartenura concerning "the reward of a commandment." As we say [Yoma 38], "One who comes to purify himself, he is helped [by God], one who comes to defile himself, [the way] is made open for him" - Rabbenu Yonah.

"and the reward for one sin is another sin": And the reward and benefit that one derives from doing a sin is considered like a sin itself for him. And [so] he is [punished] for the sin that he committed and for the reward and benefit that he received by doing it.

Ben Azzai said:
Be quick in performing a minor commandment as in the case of a major one, and flee from transgression; A person should be as careful in the performance of what seem in his eyes to be minor commandments as he is in the performance of what seem in his eyes to be major commandments. Likewise a person should distance himself from transgression, even a transgression that does not seem to be so serious.

THE REWARD OF SIN IS SIN. G-d leaves him in the hands of his evil nature. But G-d will not aid him in sinning, the way that Rav writes. He would aid someone in performing a commandment, as the Talmud says: “One who wishes to purify himself receives G-d’s aid; one who wishes to become impure receives His permission” (Yoma 38b). So also Midrash Shmuel in the name of Rabbenu Yonah.

since the reward for a commandment is another commandment: This is a reason other than nature. And so he wants to say that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not give good or evil into the hand of a person; rather only choice, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:19), "and you shall choose life." And since he has chosen a path, if he is going in the good, God is with him. And [so] if he does one commandment, it helps him to do another commandment - as on his own, he doesn't even have the ability to do good. And about this it says, "since the reward for a commandment is another commandment, and the reward for a sin is another sin." And not, God forbid, that this is his reward. As if so, what reward does he [actually] have? And the thing is not like this, as his reward exists for the world to come. But rather he wants to say that the fruit of [doing] a commandment is [doing another] commandment; and he eats its fruits in this world, which is that it helps him to do other commandments. And it comes out that the principle expands and it exists in the world to come. And this is what is stated (Isaiah 3:10), "Hail the just man, for he is good; they shall eat the fruit of their works."

For one commandment leads to another commandment, and transgression leads to another transgression; This is the first reason for why one should be scrupulous in the performance of even minor commandments. The performance of one commandment awakens a person to perform other commandments as well. I think we can compare this statement to exercise and healthy eating habits. A person who begins to physically exercise his body will naturally want to exercise more, to eat healthy and to stop bad habits such as smoking. One good thing he does for his body will lead to another good thing. So too with the negative side. If a person does not exercise, chances are he will also eat poorly. The worse he eats the less he will want to exercise, and he will deteriorate in a cycle. So too with commandments, the spiritual equivalent to exercise. The more a person performs the commandments, the more spiritually awake his soul will be and the more he will want to perform more commandments. However, the more a person transgresses, the more spiritually dead he will progressively continue to be, and he will continue in a downward spiral of sin.

and the reward for a sin is another sin: And if he chose death and evil and did a sin, the Holy One, blessed be He, distances Himself from him and leaves him and gives him over to his evil nature. And this is the fruit that comes out of the sin - that he is left to do another [sin], and he does not have the ability to veer from this path; as a man's path is not his own once he has already chosen his path. And this is what is stated (Isaiah 3:11), "Woe to the evil wicked man; as his hands have dealt, so shall it be done to him." And about this the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 38b), "One who comes to purify himself is helped; one who comes to defile himself is given openings." [That] is to say that if he comes to defile himself, he is not helped; but has many openings in which to enter and do evil - as he is left to do what is good in his [own] eyes. And about this the sages, may their memory be blessed, gave a parable (Yoma 38b): To what is this similar? To a man buying petroleum (naphtha). When he comes, [the seller] says to him, "Measure for yourself" - as if he did not buy it with his money, he would not have permission to [touch] it. But after they sold it, he says to him, "Measure for yourself" - because its smell is bad. So is it with the evildoers; after they have chosen the path of evil, they are left to their desire and their will. As, God forbid [that it be otherwise] - no man is assisted from the Heavens for a bad thing. But the righteous who choose the good path are assisted [for the good]. There is a parable [relevant to this] of a man who bought fragrant oil (afarsimon). [When] he went to measure it for himself, they said to him, "Wait until we measure it with you, and we will all be perfumed [from it].

For the reward for performing a commandment is another commandment and the reward for committing a transgression is a transgression. This is an extremely important statement. Throughout Avoth we have learned that the reward for the performance of commandments and the punishment for sin are meted out in the world to come. This is basically saying that one cannot expect to see divine justice in this world. However, Ben Azzai points out that there is one type of reward which is received in this world. A person who performs a commandment is rewarded by God by having the next commandment become easier for him. I think this means that one who takes the initiative to begin to lead a good and righteous life, will be rewarded by being able to continue to live a good and righteous life. In essence, the performance of the commandments is a reward in and of itself. The same is true with the opposite. One who sins will be punished by performing another sin. Once he is accustomed to sinning, his life will deteriorate into a life full of sin. The punishment is then, in essence, a direct result of what he does, in other words his sinful life is a punishment for his sins. Perhaps this is somewhat like the English saying, “you made your bed, now sleep in it”.

Questions for Further Thought:
• What is the relationship of section two to section three?