פירוש על אבות 5:9

WILD BEASTS COME TO THE WORLD ON ACCOUNT OF POINTLESS OATHS AND THE DESECRATION OF G-D’S NAME. Talmud, Shabbat 33a: as the verse says “and if through these you are not disciplined unto Me” (Leviticus 26:23)—read not be'eleh, “through these”, but be'alah, “in the matter of oaths”. And the verse says “and I will send forth the beasts of the field against you” (Leviticus 26:22). And concerning false oaths the verse says “and do not swear falsely in My name and desecrate the name of your G-d” (Leviticus 19:12), and concerning the desecration of G-d’s name the verse says, “and do not deserate My holy name” (Leviticus 22:32).

Destructive animals come to the world because of false oaths: They sinned with the mouth - 'the teeth of beasts will I send upon them.' As the difference between us and the beasts is in [oral] expression. And this is why we rule over them. And therefore, one who does not concern himself [in this way] for the glory of his Creator is fitting that he should be trampled by the beasts. And this is a cause for desecration of God's name, may He be blessed. As 'You adorned him with glory and majesty; You have made him master,' 'and it is reversed' - that the beasts will rule over the people that desecrate the glory of the Glorious one.

We have already explained the order of the extraction of the obligations from produce many times in the Order of Seeds (Zeraim). And there it was clairified that in the third and sixth year, he would extract the first tithe and give it to the Levite [like] in each [and every] year. And afterwards, he would extract the poor tithe and give it to the poor. And this poor tithe was in place of the second tithe, which he would extract in other years of the sabbatitcal cycle. And the gifts to the poor are the gleanings, the produce that is forgotten, the produce that is in the corner of the field, the fallen grapes and the single strands of grapes. As at the holiday (Sukkot), they are all present - since occupation with the earth (agricultural pursuits) is already finished. And the one that gave these obligations, gave them; and the one who did not give them, stole them

Destructive animals, etc. Exile, etc.: They bring verses [as proof-texts] for all of them in the gemara in Shabbat 33a.

False oaths: in vain, that are unneccesary.

Introduction This mishnah continues to list calamities that come to the world as a result of sin.

EXILE COMES TO THE WORLD ON ACOUNT OF IDOLATERS ETC. Murder, as per the verse, “do not bring guilt upon the land… and do not contaminate the land in which you dwell, in whose midst I dwell” (Numbers 35:33-34). Illicit relations, as per the verse “for the people of this land did all of these abominations” (Leviticus 18:27), and the verse “and the land was contaminated, and I visited its iniquity upon it” (Leviticus 18:25), and the verse “and the land will not vomit you out on account of your contaminating it” (Leviticus 18:28). Concerning idolatry, the verse says there “and I will cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols” (Leviticus 26:30), and the verse says “and I will lay waste your holy places and disperse you among the nations” (Leviticus 26:31). The shemitah and yovel years, as per the verse “then shall the land be appeased of its Sabbaths, all the days of its lying desolate with you in the land of your enemies” (Leviticus 26:34), and the verse “all the days of its lying desolate it shall rest” (Leviticus 26:35)”—Talmud, Shabat 33a.

Exile comes to the world, etc.: And we learn all of them in the chapter [entitled] Bemeh Madlikin (Shabbat 33a): As it is written about sexual prohibitions (Leviticus 18:25), "And the land became defiled; and I called it to account for its iniquity, and the land spewed out its inhabitants." And about idolatry, it is written (Leviticus 26:30), "and My soul will spurn (gaala) you" - like a man who drives out his fellow from in front of him. As any ejection of something is called geeul. And about the sabbatical year, it is written (Leviticus 26:34), "Then shall the land make up for its sabbatical years throughout the time that it is desolate... it shall rest." And spilling of blood is even when accidental, and the proof of the thing is from the cities of refuge.

become more widespread, etc.: As when it happens that there is pestilence in those periods of time, it becomes more widespread then, due to the sin of these [people]; as [this] sin always happens in these [time periods] with some people. And behold, it is poetic justice; as [such a man] took away from the life of the poor person and also was concerned that if he would give, it would take away from his [own] bread if his life is lengthened. Hence, his life will be taken from, and his produce will remain for others. And from now, there is no objection at all from the previous mishnah - Midrash Shmuel.

desecration of God's name: One who commits a sin publicly with a high hand. And also (another explanation is) that people see and learn from his [sinful] actions.

Wild beasts come to the world for swearing in vain, and for the profanation of the Name. A vain oath is one taken unnecessarily (see Shevuoth 3:8). Profaning God’s name refers to one who sins in public, thereby giving not only himself a bad name but all of Judaism. It can also refer to the sin committed by a respectable person, from whom others learn. When such a person sins it causes a greater profanation of God’s name than when a regular person sins. The Meiri draws a connection between the punishment and the crime. By taking a vain oath and profaning God’s name, the person attempts to bring God’s holiness down a level. As a punishment God brings him down to the level of an animal and wild animals come and attack him.

PLAGUE INCREASES AT FOUR TIMES. That is, if there happens to be plague at one of these times, it will be a more severe plague on account of these sins, for during these times some people always commit these sins. This punishment comes measure for measure, as he has taken away the sustenance of the poor and imagined that, should he give the poor, he himself will lack bread for the duration of his long life. His life is therefore shortened and his produce remains for others. According to this, there is no difficulty to be raised from the previous mishna—Midrash Shmuel in the name of R. Moshe Almosnino.

At four periods of time, etc.: As it is written (Proverbs 22:22), "Do not rob the poor, as he is poor." And is there something that can be robbed from the poor? Rather these are the gifts to the poor, since any one that withholds them and does not give them to the poor is as if he takes the soul (life) of the poor person. And he also robs the soul of the robber for himself, as it is written (Proverbs 22:23), "For the Lord will take up their cause and despoil those who despoil them their soul" - ["their soul" being plural is] meaning to say the soul of the robber and of the poor person. And therefore pestilence increases and is common at these four periods of time - from the time that they hold on to [the gifts].

and after the holiday (Sukkot): As at the holiday, occupation with the earth (agricultural pursuits) is already finished. And the one that gave these obligations, gave them; and the one who did not give them, stole them - Rambam.

and because of [the violation] of the resting of the earth: when they plow and plant on the Sabbatical year.

Exile comes to the world for idolatry, for sexual sins and for bloodshed, and for [transgressing the commandment of] the [year of the] release of the land. Exile, which is the ultimate punishment, comes from a trio of the worst crimes: idol worship, sexual crimes (incest and adultery) and murder. Generally, if a person is told that he must sin or he will be killed, he is supposed to commit the sin. The three exceptions are idol worship, sexual crimes and adultery. When people willingly commit these sins, God will exile them from their land. According to Jewish legend, it is for these three sins that the first Temple was destroyed. During the seventh year Jews are not allowed to work their land. The punishment for not observing this law is that the land itself will exile you from living on it. This is another case of “measure for measure”; the punishment fits the crime.

THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE SHEVI`IT YEAR. Because the shevi`it year itself is when the sins occur that bring this punishment, the plague increases immediately at the end of the shevi`it year, for which reason the mishna says “the year following the shevi`it year” and not “the eighth year because of the fruits of the shevi`it year”—Midrash Shmuel.
I do not see the mishna’s choice of words making this point, for the mishna in Sotah 7:8 the mishna says “the eighth year” and is forced to explain further “which is the year following the shevi`it year”.²²⁶Clearly, then, saying simply “the eighth year” was never an option due to a lack of clarity; hence the mishna, in saying “the year following the shevi`it year” is not deliberately choosing this wording over “the eighth year” to make a point. The objection might be raised against Tosafot Yom Tov that the mishna in Sotah says “the eighth year, which is the year following the shevi`it year” precisely because there, the event in question also occurred immediately at the beginning of the eighth year—the king read from the Torah on the 16th of Tishrei. As such, we do not see that “the eighth year” is not a viable choice for things that occur during the eighth year; in fact, this mishna would support Midrash Shmuel’s contention that “the year following the shevi`it year” indicates that the plague starts immediately at the completion of the shevi`it year. Presumably, Tosafot Yom Tov would answer that the 16th of Tishrei, while close to the beginning of the year, is not immediately upon its beginning, and so the use of “the year following the shevi`it year” for this purpsoe would not be justified.

In the fourth [year], it is because of the tithe to the poor in the third [year] and they did not give it. As it is written (Deuteronomy 14:28), "At the end of three years, you shall bring out all the tithe, etc." And such is the order of the tithes.

it is because of [negligence] of the tithe to the poor in the third [year]: As in place of the second tithe that they put aside in other years of the Sabbatical cycle; on the third and the seventh, they put aside the tithe to the poor.

At four times pestilence increases: in the fourth year, in the seventh year and at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the Feast [of Tabernacles] in every year. In the fourth year, on account of the tithe of the poor which is due in the third year. In the seventh year, on account of the tithe of the poor which is due in the sixth year; At the conclusion of the seventh year, on account of the produce of the seventh year; And at the conclusion of the Feast [of Tabernacles] in every year, for robbing the gifts to the poor. This section expands on section four of the previous mishnah, where we learned that “Pestilence comes to the world for …neglect of the law regarding the fruits of the sabbatical year.” Fruits of the sabbatical year (which grow on their own without the field having been worked) should be left in the field to be collected by the poor. One who collects them is actually stealing from the poor. Our mishnah teaches that pestilence can come as a result of other crimes committed involving food intended for the poor, and that the punishment comes after immediately after the sin has been committed. In the third and sixth years, the second tithe goes to the poor. When people don’t give those tithes, there will be pestilence in the fourth and seventh years. The punishment that comes at the end of the seventh year was already mentioned above. The pestilence that comes after the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth) is retribution for not leaving parts of the harvest for the poor. According to the Torah the corners of the field, things that have fallen and things that have been forgotten must be left for the poor. Since the main harvest time in Israel is in the fall, the punishment for not leaving these things to the poor comes after Sukkoth.

AND FOLLOWING SUKKOT. Rambam: for by Sukkot everyone has finished dealing with the produce of the earth, so whoever has given these portions has given them, and whoever has not has stolen them.

And after the holiday (Sukkot) in every single year, it is because of the theft of gifts to the poor: As at the time of the holiday of Sukkot, it is the time of the harvest. And when they steal the gifts of the poor - as they do not leave over the dropped stalks, the forgotten stalks and the corners of the field - the Omnipresent punishes them immediately after their harvest. And therefore, it said, "At four periods of time, etc."

the theft of gifts to the poor: The gleanings, the produce that is forgotten, the produce that is in the corner of the field, the fallen grapes and the single strands of grapes.