פירוש על אבות 2:21

WHICH IS THE STRAIGHT PATH A PERSON SHOULD CHOOSE FOR HIMSELF… BE AS CAREFUL… When the mishna mentions the “straight path a person should choose for himself”, it is discussing something optional and giving good advice, not explaining what the law obligaties one to do. “Be as careful…”, on the other hand, obligates a person to be equally careful with all the comandments. The mishna therefore begins in the third person, using the language of suggestion, and then moves to the second person, using the language of command—Maharal in Derech Chaim. See my commentary to mishna 9.
Derech here is treated as a feminine noun. For a discussion of this, see Kiddushin 2a-b.

Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: Which is the straight path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it], And praiseworthy to him from [other] people: When the commandments are done, the Holy One, blessed be He, is made praiseworthy through them and that is true praiseworthiness for people. And therefore, one should choose this path for himself.

It is clear that the straight path is the good actions which we have elucidated in the fourth chapter (Eight Chapters 4), and they are the virtues of moderation. As through them a person acquires a fine disposition and he will have a good way with people. And he said it is "praiseworthy for the person adopting [it], And praiseworthy to him from [other] people." And afterwards, he said that he needs to be careful with a commandment that he thinks is light - like rejoicing in the holiday, and study of the Holy Tongue - as with a commandment the great weightiness of which is clear to you - like circumcision and tsitsit (fringes) and slaughtering of the Pesach sacrifice. And there the reason for this is for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments. And the elucidation of this matter is as I will say. And it is that the entire Torah has positive commandments and negative commandments. It is true that Scripture elucidated the punishment of each negative commandment except for a few of them. And one is obligated the death penalties for some of them and excision and death at the hand of the Heavens and lashes for some of them. And we know from all of the punishments of the negative commandments which of the prohibitions are great and which ones of them are below them. And they are eight levels: The first level - and it is the greatest of them - are those things for which one is obligated stoning. And the one below it are the ones that obligate burning. And the third are the ones that obligate killing (decapitation). And the fourth are the ones that obligate strangling. And the fifth are ones that obligate excision. And the sixth are ones that obligate death at the hand of the Heavens. And the seventh are ones that obligate lashes. And the eighth are negative commandments for which we do not give lashes. And from these levels we can know what is the weightiness of a sin or its lightness. But what is the reward from God, may He be blessed, of each of the positive commandments is not elucidated. And all of this is so that we do not know which commandment requires that we keep it much and which commandment is below it. Rather He commanded to do matter x and y and He did not make known the reward of which one of them is greater from God, may He be blessed. And because of this one needs to be careful about all of them. And because of this principle, they said (Sukkah 25a), "One who is engaged in a commandment is exempt from [another] commandment," without comparing [the weight of] the commandment that he is involved in to the other one from which he is refraining. And for this, they also said (Pesachim 64b et. al.), "We do not skip over commandments," meaning to say that when you chance upon the performance of a commandment, do not skip over it and leave it to do another commandment. And afterwards he said that even though the [relative] desirability of each commandment is not elucidated, there is an angle of comparison. And that is that every positive commandment wherein you find that one who transgresses it is obligated a great punishment, know that there is also a great reward in doing [the commandment]. And the example of this is that circumcision, slaughtering the Pesach sacrifice, resting on the seventh [day] and the making of a parapet are all positive commandments. Yet the obligation of one who does work on Shabbat is stoning, but the one who refrains from circumcision or the sacrifice on the holiday is obligated [only] excision and the one who 'places blood in his house' (by refraining from setting up a parapet) violates a negative commandment [without a tangible punishment], and that is that which is stated (Deuteronomy 22:8), "do not place blood in your house." And from here you know that the reward of Shabbat is greater than the reward of circumcision and the reward of circumcision is greater with God, may He be blessed, than the reward of making a parapet. And that is the matter of his saying, "Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [that may be obtained] for [fulfilling] it." And he also said "the gain of a transgression," when you do not do it - this too is not elucidated. However you can learn it from the punishment of the sin. When the sin for which the sinner was punished is great, the reward for his refraining from it is according to that level of greatness, as is elucidated in Kiddushin 39b in their saying, "Anyone who sits and does not commit a sin is given a reward like the one who does a commandment" - and we have already explained it there. And the expression of the Torah of actions being known to Him, may He be blessed, is like that when our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, stated (Exodus 32:32), "from Your book that you have written."

"Which is, etc. And be as careful, etc.": Because "the straight path that a person should choose for himself, etc." is an optional matter and it is good advice that it is teaching us, but he is not obligating a person with this. However, "and be as careful, etc." is obligating a person that he should be careful, etc. Therefore the beginning of the words of his mouth, "Which is the... path that a person should choose, etc." are in third person; and afterwards, "and be as careful" is in second person, in order to obligate him in this - Derekh Chaim.

Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said, "...sheyivor": [is the same as] sheyivror (that he should choose).

Rabbi Said: which is the straight path that a man should choose for himself? One which is an honor to the person adopting it, and [on account of which] honor [accrues] to him from others.
And be careful with a light commandment as with a grave one, for you did know not the reward for the fulfillment of the commandments.
Also, reckon the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [accruing] thereby, and the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [entailed] thereby.
Apply your mind to three things and you will not come into the clutches of sin: Know what there is above you: an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book.
“Rabbi” in the Mishnah without a name refers to Rabbi Judah Hanasi (the Prince), the son of Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel. He lived in a city called Beth Shearim, afterwards in Beth Shean and at the end of his life he moved to Tzippori. Rabbi acquired eternal fame as the editor of the Mishnah.
Note that this mishnah through mishnah seven of this chapter continues a list of statements made by descendents of Hillel, whose first statement was in mishnah twelve of the previous chapter.
All of Rabbi’s statements deal in one way or another with the reward that one receives for one’s good deeds and the punishments for transgressions. Rabbi is dealing with the question, how does a person choose a path in life based on the rewards and losses that may come to him through choosing this path. Note that some of these rewards may be the recognition that he receives from others but that usually Rabbi refers to a reward given by God.
The first thing that Rabbi teaches is that a person should choose a path that is both honorable to himself, and will bring him honor from others. Maimonides understood this as advice to take the “golden mean”, the middle path, in all aspects of life. For instance if a person has a lot of money and hoards it all for himself, it might bring honor (pleasure) to him, but if he doesn’t give any to others, others will not praise him. And if he gives all of his money away, others will praise him, but he will not have any for himself. Therefore, one should choose an in-between path (between 10 and 20 percent of one’s money), both in this matter and in all things in life. Another understanding of this statement is that one should strive to choose a path that he himself believes is correct and one which is deemed correct by others. A person must be true both to himself, but he can also not afford to ignore the society in which he lives.
The second statement is that one should be careful in the observance of commandments that seem to him “light” just as he is careful in the observance of what he considers more serious commandments. There is an interesting parable given on this statement. “R. Hiyya taught by way of parable: “A king brought laborers into one of his orchards, but did not inform them in advance what would be the compensation for the respective plants they would cultivate. For had he given them this information, each of them would have looked for that plant for which the compensation was generous and taken care of it. As a result only some of the work in the orchard would have been taken care of; some would have been neglected. Said Rabbi Acha in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The Holy One did not reveal what would be the reward for the different commandments of the Torah, lest only some of these be carried out, while some would be neglected.”
The third statement teaches that one should pay attention to the reward that one might receive for performing a commandment, even though there is a financial loss through its performance. The same is true of the opposite. Although one might make a financial gain by committing a sin, there is a loss that is worse than the financial gain. Obviously the reward referred to in the first half of Rabbi’s statement and the loss in the second half are referring to those meted out by God.
All of the above statements were based upon the belief that God rewards those who perform the commandments and punishes those who transgress. [Note this statement is a matter of faith; it cannot be empirically observed in this world]. This is the direct meaning of Rabbi’s last statement. God (figuratively) sees all of our actions, hears all of our words, and records them in a book. A person should always act as if he is in the presence of God. If he keeps that in mind he will distance himself from sin.

BE AS CAREFUL WITH A LIGHT COMMANDMENT AS WITH A WEIGHTY ONE. Regarding the care that one should have in performing the commandments, the mishna says that one should be as eager and ready to perform a light commandment as a weighty one, because “one does not know the rewards for the commandments.” The mishna does not mean, however, that when one is forced to choose between a light commandment and a weighty one, he ought to choose the light one, as that is illogical. It is only discussing the care one should take in performing each of the commandments on its own. So Abarbanel and Maharal in Derech Chaim.

And praiseworthy to him from [other] people: That he do the commandments in their [appropriate] time, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:23), "and how good is a thing in its time." As he can do [them] in a time that is not right in the eyes of the creatures and it will not attain praiseworthiness from them. And that is not doing the complete commandment; as the matter that the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 63a), "Anyone who does a commandment according to its statement nullifies even a decreed judgment of seventy years, as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 8:4), 'Inasmuch as a king’s command is authoritative, and none can say to him, “What are you doing?,” and it is written after it, 'One who obeys the commandment will not know evil.'" He should also beautify the commandments - a beautiful lulav (palm frond), a beautiful talit (prayer shawl), a beautiful scroll of the Torah, tefillin and the like, in a manner that people will praise it and complement him about them. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, explained this mishnah [to be] about character traits, to [follow] the middle path which is the choice path and is praiseworthy for the one that adopts it. As it establishes 'a pure heart' in a person and 'renews a proper spirit in his soul.' And "it is praiseworthy to him from [other] people," in that the creations learn to act well and properly from him. [For example] with the trait of generosity, 'A miser will not be called noble,' and also a spendthrift will see evil. And [so] who is the generous one? One who - even though he loves money and saves it very well - consults generously and orders his spending so that he will have enough 'to do the good and the straight' in the place that is fitting to give to. So [too] there is no trait under the [sun] that [is proper] except besides the middle path. And [these traits] are praiseworthy for the person adopting it, and praiseworthy to him from [other] people (but [not] if he does [too] little or [too] much).

"And be, etc.": Concerning the matter of carefulness - to be careful and quick with a light commandment as he is careful and quick with a weighty commandment - is what he is speaking about and warning, "for, etc." And it is not that he wants to say that when two commandments come to your hand, [and] one is light and one is weighty and you do not have the ability to do both of them together, that you should not let go of the light one and do the weighty one - as the mind would not tolerate that. But rather he is only speaking concerning the matter of carefulness and each one [is to be done] at its time - Derekh Chaim.

"Which is the right path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it]": that it should be pleasant for him and pleasant to people from him. And this will be when he walks in the middle path in all of this character traits and not veer to one of the two extremes. For if he is very stingy, it is praiseworthy for him, as he gathers much money together, but people do not praise him for this trait. And if he throws [money] around beyond what is fitting, the people that receive it from him praise him, but it is not praiseworthy for [him] and it is not pleasant for him, as he will come to poverty because of it. But rather, the trait of generosity - which is the middle [trait] between stinginess and throwing [money] around - is praiseworthy for him, as he keeps his money and does not throw it around more than is fitting; and it is praiseworthy for others from [such] a man; as people praise him, that he gives as is fitting for him to give. And so is the case with all of the other traits.

FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW THE REWARD FOR EACH COMMANDMENT. Rav: neither the reward for performing a positive commandment nor the punishment for not doing so are given in the Torah. Rambam: the Torah does not clarify the reward G-d gives for all of the positive commandments. Rambam’s explanation avoids the problem of the verses “so that your days may be numerous” (Deutereonomy 11:21) and “so that your days be long” (Exodus 20:11).⁵⁴Because he writes “all.” There are exceptional cases that do specify the reward.
But Maharal writes in Derech Chaim that when our mishna says “you do not know the reward” it means that the reward varies with the alacrity, the effort expended, and the cost (which is included in effort) of performing the commandment. This is what is unknown, because the reward is proportional to the difficulty. But as for the type of reward for the commandment itself, that can be known, as the verse concerning sending the mother away from the eggs says, “So that it go well for you” (Deuteronomy 22:7). Maharal supports this contention using the mishna in Chullin 12:5, which is speaking about the sending the mother away from the eggs: and if, concerning a light commandment, the Torah says “so that it go well for you and you have length of days,” this is certainly so for a weighty commandment! How can the mishna reason from the case of the light commandment ot that of the weighty commandment, if rewards for commandments cannot be known altogether? Rather, it must be that the unknown here is only the reward for the effort and cost involved. But as for the reward for the commandment itself, the mishna concludes “this is certainly so for a weighty commandment.”
He further writes that the mishna at the beginning of Peah (1:1) which says “these are the commandments whose interest one consumes in this world, while the principal is stored away for the next: honoring one’s mother and father, etc.” is discussing the type of reward, but not its extent.⁵⁵I.e., these are not the commandments whose reward is so great that some of it must be dealt out in this world, as opposed to other commandments that carry less reward, which is entirely distributed in the next world. That is, these are the commandments for which the reward must be received in two stages, in this world and in the next. But it is entirely possible that the reward for some other commandment in the next world is greater than the combined interest and the principal of the ones in this list, for “one moment of pleasure in the next world is greater than an entire life of it in this one” (Avot 4:17). And the end of that mishna, which says “and Torah study is greater than them all,” has nothing to do with our present discussion, which deals only with comparing two commandments, but not with comparing a commandment to Torah study; for the reward for Torah study is obviously much greater.

And be as careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one, for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments: Even though the punishments for sins are explained to us - as some of them are with excision ( karet) and some with death at the hands of Heaven, excision being that he and his seed are cut off whereas death at the hands of Heaven is only that he is cut off, and there are some sins that get the four death penalties meted out by the court, and there are negative commandments that bring forty lashes, and the one who transgresses the rabbinic laws gets rabbinic lashes for rebellion - but the reward of the [positive] commandments is not explained to us, not for the light ones and not for the weighty ones. And the sages, may their memory be blessed, demonstrated [this with] a parable (Pesikta Rabbati 23), "To what is this similar? To a king who gave an orchard for his servants in which to plant trees. And if he made known to them the giving of reward [of the different trees], they would have all toiled on those trees that have a large reward, and it would come out that the orchard would be missing the other [trees]. So [too], were the Holy One, blessed be He, to make known the giving of reward for the [different] commandments, [people] would do the weighty ones that have a large reward and leave over the light ones that have a smaller reward, and a person would be incomplete in the commandments." And for this reason, one should not be lenient about the commandments, and his soul should hold them [all] dear to do, since he does not know which are the light ones and which are the weighty ones. But our rabbi (R. Yehuda HaNassi, the author of this mishnah) excelled in his words and gave a stronger reason than this and said that "you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments" [as to] how much it is - as even the reward of a light commandment is highly elevated. And you should be careful not to lose such a great gain, like the matter that they said (Chullin 142a), "'If you chance upon the nest of a bird in front of you, etc.' (Deuteronomy 22:6) - and if for a commandment as light as a small coin the Torah says, 'in order that it will be good for you' in the world that is completely good 'and that you will have length of days' in the world that is completely long, all the more is it so for the weighty commandments of the Torah."

And this is the language of Rambam: The reward of positive commandments was not explained as to what each one is with God, may He blessed, etc. And leave that it is found, "so that your days will be multiplied, etc.;" "so that it will be good for you;" "so that your days will be lengthened." But in Derekh Chaim, he explained that it is with regards to the exertion and the care and the expense that he said that you don't know; as 'according to the toil is the reward, etc.' And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments": The reward of one who performs a positive commandment and the punishment of one who refrains from doing them is not explained in the Torah. As if it were [referring to] the punishment of negative commandments, they are explicit in the Torah: stoning, burning, killing (decapitation), strangulation, being cut off and death by the hand of the Heavens and lashes. The lightest punishment is for lightest sin, and the weightiest one is for the weightiest.

THEIR REWARD⁵⁶We have translated the Hebrew sachar as “reward” in the text of the mishna. Throughout the text of the commentary, and in other mishnayot, we found different renderings more appropriate. [Heb. matan sachar lit. “the gift of their reward”]. G-d will reward you for your deeds.⁵⁷A play on Isaiah 40:10, which will be quoted further on. You will often find that someone who serves an earthly king for some fixed wages will receive a much greater payment from the king than had been agreed upon if the king is especially pleased with his work (or for some other reason). Such payment is not, strictly speaking, a wage [Heb. sachar], because it is not the market value of such work. It would be more correct to refer to it as gift-wages, because a large part of it is a gift, but it is not entirely a gift, because some of it really is the earned wages. “The heavenly kingdom parallels the earthly one,” and these gift-wages are what is meant by matan sachar. For G-d will increase the gift given to a person with the pleasure He receives from his performance of the commandment.
This, in fact, is the meaning of the verse, “Behold! His⁵⁸The antecedent of “his” in each case is a person. wages are with Him, and his deed is before Him” (Isaiah 40:10). The word “behold” indicates something clear and known, as the wages are certainly with Him. In addition, “his deed is before Him,” for the actual deed is certainly before Him, and for that he will receive reward many times over, as above. So it seems to me.

Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [that may be obtained] for [fulfilling] it: As if your heart will whisper something to say, "How will I do this and lose my money with this and that"; you can also say to it, "Because there will be a great reward for it, two thousand times the loss." And with this, it will not prevent you from glory.

"the reward given": 'There is reward for your action' from God, may He be blessed, etc. And it is like one who works for the king and has the reward for his work allotted. And because it is pleasing to the king - or from another angle - the king will give him much more reward than that which is allotted as the reward for his work. And reward like this is not fitting to just be called reward. But this is its name - it is called, "reward given" - as with it comes a great gift. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment": that which you lose from your merchandise and your money because of the involvement in the commandment in contrast with the reward that will accrue to you from it in this world or the world to come, which will be more than that loss.

AND CONSIDER THE LOSS INCURRED IN PERFORMING A COMMANDMENT AGAINST ITS REWARD. For although the amount of the reward is unknown, we do know that “there is no reward for a commandment in this world,” that the true reward is in the world to come, and there is no comparison between it and whatever material pleasure one has foregone. As per the midrashic interpretation⁵⁹In Berachot 34b, the Talmud sees this verse as referring to the incomparable pleasures of the world to come. of the verse “No eye has seen this” (Isaiah 64:3), and their dictum: one moment of pleasure in the next world is greater than an entire life of it in this one (Avot 4:17).
And Rabbi certainly did not disagree with Antigonos of Socho’s teaching that one shouldn’t be like a servant serving G-d for pay. He meant, rather, that when you are accosted by the “vile one”—he who is called satan and the “evil inclination”—consider loss and reward in order to deflect him—Abarbanel and Maharal in Derech Chaim.
Now according to my commentary on the mishna of Antigonos (Avot 1:3), where I write that Antigonos did not mean that those who serve in order to receive reward are not really servants of G-d, we can say that Rabbi’s approach is for the greater part of the people, and Antigonos’ is for the very few. If only the greater part were just as the few!⁶⁰This is a pun in the Hebrew text; cf. the explanation of R. Yishma`el’s 13 rules in standard editions of the Sifra, s.v. k’lal ufrat keitzad.

And [weigh] the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [that may be sustained] by [committing] it: 'Lest there be in your heart the base thought to say,' "There is great reward in doing this sin and I will gain very much with it and I will have great pleasure; and how can I not do it?" - guard yourself and consider that which you will lose from it in the end of days, as it is many times over that which you will gain now. And the future pain is much longer and bigger than the temporary pleasure. And when you put this into your heart, your hand will cease from doing [it]; as a person does not want a gain that has a greater loss [attached to] it.

"weigh, etc.": As even though how much the reward will be is not known, we know that 'there is no reward for a commandment in this world' and that the true reward is in the world to come; and there is no comparison to it from the physical good that he will lose. (And see what I have written above, Chapter 1, Mishnah 3.) And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"and [weigh] the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression": the benefit that you gain from a transgression in contrast with the loss that will come to you in the future from it.

AND KNOW. Because this “looking”⁶¹In the mishna: histakel bishlosha devarim. Histakel literally means “look” or “stare.” is with the sight of the mind, not the sight of the senses, the mishna adds “and know.” Cf. 3:1.

Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: An Eye that sees, and an Ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book: He means to say that the Holy One, blessed be He, sees and knows all the actions of people and remembers everything as if it is written in front of Him, and He will repay evil for [ a person's] evil deeds. And it is a wonder why he counted them as three things, as the three of them are [really] one thing. As this is [all] just saying that God knows everything and will pay back in the future according to the deed. And [so] what is this calculation, as they are all one matter? Hence, it appears that the explanation is that this matter is a metaphor: that in the same way that when he is standing in front of kings and in front of ministers and sages and men of repute, he would be embarrassed to do things that are not done and from saying things that are not good; so [too] should he think at all times as if he is in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the same way as a man stands in front of his companion. And with this, he will guard his way - also his mouth and his tongue - from sinning, and 'from anguish to his soul.' And that is why he said, "Know what is above you: An Eye that sees, and an Ear that hears," and counted them as two things - an Eye that sees corresponding to the deed and an Ear that hears corresponding to the speech. And God forbid - it is not a real eye nor a [real] ear. But rather, he means to say that there is no deed that is hidden from in front of Him nor one that is unknown to Him. And the third thing is "and all your deeds are written in a book" - meaning to say that there is no forgetting in front of His throne of glory. And behold, all things are ordered in front of Him, as if they were written in a book, to pay their doers according to their actions and according to the deeds of their hands in the end of days. And if a person puts into his heart the payback that will be given to him, he will prevent himself from doing [sins]. And about this, he said, "Keep your eye on these three things and you will not come to sin."

"Know:" As this 'keeping your eye' is not a physical vision, but rather with the vision of the mind. Therefore, he repeated and said, "know."

WHAT IS ABOVE YOU [Heb. l’ma`alah mimcha]. For if when the weaker man is atop the stronger one the stronger one fears him, all the more so when the stronger one is on top.⁶²So when one imagines to oneself how G-d records his deeds, he will imagine G-d as being above him, and will thereby have an even greater fear of Him—not that G-d is actually above him in any way, as G-d is incorporeal. And the “above you” instead of simply “above” indicates that He is immediately above you, per the verse “I always place G-d before me” (Psalms 16:8).

"above": Since if a weak one was above and a strong one below, the fear of the weak one would be on the strong one. All the more so, if the strong one were above. And mimekha (literally from you) means not far but right above from you. As the matter that is stated, "I have placed the Lord in front of me."

AN EYE THAT SEES, AN EAR THAT HEARS, AND A BOOK IN WHICH ALL OF YOUR DEEDS ARE WRITTEN. Some things the eye sees, such as the deeds of the wicked, and some things the ear hears, as in the cursing of the profane, so the mishna says both an eye that sees and an ear that hears. And so that one shouldn’t think that anything which comes before His great throne is forgotten, the mishna says “and a book in which all of your deeds are written.” This “book” and “the book of rememberance” that the poet mentions in the liturgy for the Days of Awe⁶³In the liturgical poem Unetaneh Tokef. are one and the same. This usage also appears in the Torah: “from the book you have written” (Exodus 32:32), “I will erase him from my book” (Exodus 32:33).
To prevent one from sinning, it would have sufficed for the mishna to instruct one to consider the fact that all of one’s deeds are written in a book, which would obviously only be for the purpose of doling out reward and punishment for those deeds. The previous phrase, that there is One who sees and hears, was put in because in its absence the following metaphor would be unclear to the listener. Maharal writes in Derech Chaim that the mishna uses the singular—“an eye that sees, an ear that hears”—to emphasize that G-d is not a man that he should have eyes of flesh and blood, G-d forbid.

"An Eye, etc.": Corresponding to actions, he said "An Eye that sees," and corresponding to speech, he said, "an Ear that hears." And it would have been enough to prevent transgressions if he were to know that his actions are written in a book. But he would not know and understand this without first knowing that there is a Seer and a Listener. And in Derekh Chaim [its author] wrote, "He said Eye and Ear in the singular, because He is not a person that has eyes of flesh and blood, God forbid."

THE SON OF RABBI YEHUDA HANASSI. This is the tanna called simply “Rabbi” at the beginning of this chapter.

Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi said: Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation (derekh erets, literally, the way of the world), etc.: He means to say derekh erets [as in] work. As sometimes, the expression, "derekh erets" is like its simple meaning and sometimes it is said for work - it is all dependent on the [context].

By derekh erets (the way of the world), he meant involvement in a livelihood. And his saying, "and leads to sin" is as I explained it in another place [about] their saying (Kiddushin 29a), "In the end he will steal from the creatures." And about his saying, "And as for you, I credit you with a great reward, as if you [yourselves] had done it [on your own]," it is the word of God to those who work for the community. As sometimes they are prevented from doing a commandment while they are occupied with the needs of the community. And he said that God, may He be blessed, counts the reward upon them as if they had done that commandment even though they did not do it, since they were involved with the needs of the community for the [sake of the] name of Heaven.

"The study of the Torah": In Derekh Chaim, he explained that it is because a worldly occupation is earlier in time than Torah study - it is for that reason that Torah study is made secondary to a worldly occupation by the word "with." And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"Worldly occupation (derekh erets, literally the way of the world)": A craft or business.

Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi said: excellent is the study of the torah when combined with a worldly occupation, for toil in them both keeps sin out of one’s mind;
But [study of the] Torah which is not combined with a worldly occupation, in the end comes to be neglected and becomes the cause of sin.
And all who labor with the community, should labor with them for the sake Heaven, for the merit of their forefathers sustains them (the, and their (the forefather’ righteousness endures for ever; And as for you, [God in such case says] I credit you with a rich reward, as if you [yourselves] had [actually] accomplished [it all].
Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi, is chronologically the last patriarch mentioned in Mishnah Avoth. Although he lived after what is normally termed the “tannaitic period” some of his statements were nevertheless included in the Mishnah. Note how this tanna’s name is slightly different. Instead of calling him “Rabban Gamaliel ben Judah” as is typical, he is called Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi. This probably alludes to the high status of his father.
The first part of Rabban Gamaliel’s statement is connected to the last part of Rabbi Judah Hanasi’s statement from the previous mishnah: how does one avoid sin? Rabban Gamaliel teaches that the study of Torah is not sufficient to avoid sin, rather one should have a worldly profession as well. Together the two will keep a person busy enough that he will not have the energy to sin. This statement might also mean that because of his Torah study he will know what he is supposed to do, and because he works for his living, he will not have to steal or engage in fraudulent practices to earn money.
A person who only studies and does not work, will in the end not even be able to reap the rewards of his study. A person must somehow earn his daily bread. Furthermore, such a lifestyle will ultimately lead to sin.
The third statement probably also connects to the previous two. People who work with the community should do so for the right reasons, “for the sake of Heaven” and not for their own personal glory or profit. This also seems to be a warning against those teachers who might combine their Torah learning with their professional work. If they do so they must be careful that all of their actions are for the right reasons: to guide people in the right direction, and to bring Torah more deeply into more people’s lives, and not so they can have the benefits of being called “rabbi” or the profit of a nice salary.
Rabban Gamaliel points out that one who succeeds in working with the community should not chalk this solely up to his/her personal talents. The Jewish community has merits by the very fact of their being the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose righteousness is bequeathed to all of the people of Israel. Nevertheless, although the success of the community is not truly based on the efforts of the community’s leaders, God says to the leaders that for their efforts they receive reward as if the community’s successes were their personal successes. In other words in a leader’s own mind he must be careful not to give himself the credit. However, God does count the tremendous sacrifices that community leaders give, and treats them as if they themselves had performed the good deeds of the community. Furthermore, even if a leader’s efforts do not result in an improvement of the community, they will receive a reward as if they had.

THE STUDY OF TORAH WITH A TRADE [Heb. talmud torah `im derech eretz]. Maharal explains in Derech Chaim that the mishna uses the language talmud torah `im derech eretz, implying that trade comes first, because the learning of a trade usually chronologically precedes the study of Torah.⁶⁴And not because it is primary in importance, as it’s placement before the word `im would seem to imply. I found that Rash, in his commentary to the mishna in Taharot 4:7, compares this usage to re’eh chaim `im isha, “enjoy life with the wife that you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9), in which “life” is certainly primary in importance—accordingly, “the study of Torah” in our phrase would be primary.

for the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin (aavon) to be forgotten: [This is] meaning to say that it removes the evil impulse, as it is stated (Psalms 51:7), "Indeed I was born with iniquity (aavon); with sin my mother conceived me." As by that which he exerts himself with Torah [study] and work, the evil impulse does not rule over him - since the whole time that he is not rich and fat, it is not pleasant for him to do sins. Hence one should be involved in Torah - which saps the strength of a man - and also in his work for the sake of his livelihood. And he should never be idle, lest he indulge 'and his heart becomes haughty, to forget the Lord,' as the matter that is stated (Deuteronomy 32:15), "And Yeshurun will grow fat and kick."

[Rabbi Bartenura] means to say, do not concern yourselves that the community not be able to carry this heavy burden, etc., and even if it is much money. And so long as this matter that they are forcing them, etc. is for the sake of Heaven and not for any other interest in the world. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"For the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin to be forgotten": As Torah [study] dulls the strength of a man and work pulls apart and breaks the body, and as a result of this the evil impulse is rendered idle for him.

AND ALL THOSE WHO DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE. According to Rav’s second explanation, in which “dealing with the people” means forcing them to perform some commandment, such as giving charity or redeeming captives, and that this should be done for the sake of heaven, the mishna reads as follows. “All those that deal with the people” should not worry that perhaps the people will be unable to shoulder this heavy burden, for “the merit of their ancestors aids them,” and this is on condition that they are only forcing the people to perform this commandment “for the sake of heaven,” and not for any other reason or personal benefit whatsoever.
Alternatively, the phrase “for the merit of their ancestors aids them” can be read as explaining “and you, I consider you,” and the mishna reads as follows. Work with the people for the sake of heaven when you force them to give charity or redeem captives. “And as for you, I will consider you, etc.” now means to say: just as in the case of the people, who only give to charity because the merit of their ancestors aids them, the mishna still says that their righteousness in that they gave will stand them in good stead forever, so, too, in your case. Even though you yourselves did not give the money and merely forced the people to do so, I will consider it as if you had done it, just as the people are considered righteous despite the fact that it is the merit of their ancestors that aids them.
According to this explanation, in which “the merit of their ancestors aids them” is referring to the people, and not their leaders, we can well understand the mishna’s switch to the second person, “and you…”, from the third person “all those…” with which it started, and which would also have been more concise, in that it could have left out the words “and you.” For had the mishna continued in the third person, the antecedent of the phrase “and I consider them” would have been understood to be “the people,” just as they are the antecedent of “their” and “them” in “the merit of their ancestors aids them.”
According to Rav’s other explanation, in which “the merit of their ancestords aids them” refers to the leaders, we can explain the switch to the second person as Maharal does in Derech Chaim: had the mishna stayed in the third person, the phrase “I consider them” would have been understood as referring to the ancestors just mentioned.⁶⁵I.e., the souls of the departed ancestors are rewarded for the commandments their children do.

And all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation comes to nothing in the end: Like the matter that they said in our treatise (Avot 3 17), "If there is no flour, there is no Torah." The matter is like its simple understanding - when he neglects work, it brings him to poverty and it drags along several sins and its evil is great. As on account of it, he will 'love gifts and not live,' and flatter people even if they are evildoers, in order that they give to him. Also when the money from the gifts runs out, he will become a thief or a kidnapper (or gambler) and will bring 'home loot taken from the poor' so that he not die of hunger. And when a person reaches these traits, his spirit knows no restraint and he will not rest and not be still until he transgresses all of the commandments that are stated in the Torah, since 'one sin brings along [another] sin.' And about this, the sages said in Tractate Chullin 44b (see also Berakhot 8a), "Anyone who benefits from his toil, the verse states about him (Psalms 128:2), 'If you eat the toil of your hands you shall be happy and it will be good for you' - happy in this world, and good for you in the world (to come)." Therefore it is necessary for a sage to know a craft, as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 7:11), "Good is wisdom with an inheritance."

"I": This [type of expression] is found in the language of the sages, as in "And I and Akiva ben Yosef are guarantors in the matter." And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"And all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation": And if one might ask, let him work in Torah [study] and its exertion will cause sin to be forgotten, therefore it is required to say, "all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation comes to nothing in the end." As it is impossible for him without food, and [so] he will rob the creatures and forget his study.

I CONSIDER YOU. We find that the Sages use the first person even when speaking in the name of G-d, as in “and Akiva son of Yosef and I are guarantors in this.”⁶⁶The full passage, quoted by Ibn Ezra in his commentary to Exodus 33:21, says, in the name of R. Yishma`el, that whoever knows the dimensions of the Creator is assured a place in the world to come, “and I and Akiva ben Yosef are guarantors in this.” The author assumes that the true guarantor is G-d, but R. Yishmael says “I” because he is the one relating this point, just as in our mishna.
Midrash Shmuel writes that the word “I” actually refers back to G-d, to whom the word “heaven” in the earlier phrase “for the sake of heaven” refers, but this is forced.

And all who work for the community, let them work for the [sake of the] name of Heaven: Not to be honored and not to derive benefit from them and not to lord over them, but rather to lead them in the straight path, and everything should be for the name of Heaven.

"great reward": Since you are involved with the needs of the community, which are many. And since they are many, you have much reward, as if you had [taken care] of many - Derekh Chaim.

"let them work for the [sake of the] name of Heaven": and not in order to take a crown [for themselves], to say, "I did such and such for the community."

MUCH REWARD. Maharal in Derech Chaim: in other versions⁶⁷Maharal there had earlier quoted a different version of the text, so he proceeds to say that “other versions”, i.e. our version, have “much reward”. the text reads “much reward.” The idea is that much reward awaits you because you attend to the needs of the people, who are many, and since they are many, there is much reward for you as if you had done much.

for the merit of their ancestors sustains them, And their righteousness (tsidkatam) will endure forever: As even though you are involved with them, their needs are accomplished by them; it is not you that caused them, but rather [it is] the merit of the ancestors of the community that "sustains them, And their righteousness will endure forever" - for a thousand generations.

"for the merit of their ancestors sustains them": For the merit and righteousness (tsidkatan) of the ancestors of the community - which stands forever - sustains those that work with them, to bring their righteousness to the fore. And it is not from the angle of the efforts of those that work [for the community].

And as for you [who work for the community], [God says:] I credit you with a great reward, as if you [yourselves] had done it [on your own]: Even though the merit of their ancestors sustained them and their needs were accomplished by the merit of their ancestors, and not by you - you the ones working - I credit you as if all their needs were accomplished by you and in your merit. So did the early scholars (rishonim) explain. But there is another explanation that can be given: "And all who work for the community, let them work for the [sake of the] name of Heaven" - and do not say, "Why is this distress to me, to work for the needs of community?" And [he will think that] even if he does charity, the giving of the reward will only be to [the community] - as it is their money. Since you should not think this thing - as you will benefit yourself for your sake doubly, since "that the merit of their ancestors sustains them," and you will be more successful in their deeds than you would be able to be successful in your [own] deeds. And I will credit you with the reward, as if you had done everything from your [money] and as if you gave that which was given through you from your [own] pocket. And behold, you are gaining with your toil from their deeds more than you would if you were toiling for yourself, since their deeds are more numerous than your deeds. And 'all that you do, the Lord will make successful in your hand,' since "the merit of their ancestors sustains them." Hence one who works for the community will benefit himself very much - but only if he directs his heart to Heaven.

"And as for you [who work for the community], [God says:] I credit you with a reward": Even though the thing does not come to a good end from the angle of your deeds but rather because of the merit of the ancestors of the community, "I credit you with a reward" as if you had accomplished this salvation in Israel, as a result of your doing it for the sake of Heaven. A different explanation: All who are involved with the community to force and coerce the community for the matter of a commandment - for charity or the ransom of captives - let them do it for the sake of Heaven. As the merit of the ancestors of the community will sustain them to give that which they have assigned them, and even if it is much money, and [the merit of] the charity (tsedekah) will endure for them forever. And for you that are involved with them to coerce the community to [do] this commandment, I credit you the reward as if you actually done this commandment with your own money. And Rambam explained, "And as for you [who work for the community], [God says:] I credit you with a reward... as if you had done it" - If at the time that they were involved with the community, they were prevented from the fulfillment of a commandment on account of community matters, I credit you reward as if you had done that commandment from which you were prevented.

BE CAREFUL WITH THE GOVERNMENT. Rav: even though you must become known to the government in order to attend to the needs of the people, be careful with them. For Shemaya⁶⁸In 1:10. was not referring to such cases when he said “do not become known to the government,” as in this case it is a great mitzvah to become known to them, to attend to the needs of the people, as the stories of Mordechai and Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi prove—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Rashbatz.

Be careful about the government: Which is to say to distance oneself from the government, as in the end they bring a person down from his assets.

We have already explained (Rambam Pirkei Avot 1:10) that the government (rishut) is the authorities in the early days. And he is recounting their traits and warning about them.

Since Shamaya was not speaking about [things] like this. As this is a great commandment to become acquainted with them in order to supervise communal matters and Mordechai and our holy rabbi (Rabbi) prove [it] - Midrash Shmuel.

"Be careful about the government": You, who are involved with the needs of the community: even though you need to be acquainted with the authorities in order to supervise communal matters, "be careful, etc."

Introduction Another statement by Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi.

as they approach a man only when they need him: (The matter of the king) [It appears that it needs to say, "And it is not a matter of governance,] but [rather] it is to investigate people; and there is no [end] (to his thoughts) [to their thoughts] - and who can get to (his) [their] ultimate [plans].

Be careful [in your dealings] with the ruling authorities for they do not befriend a person except for their own needs; they seem like friends when it is to their own interest, but they do not stand by a man in the hour of his distress. This is the second time in Avoth that we have seen a warning to be careful in dealing with the ruling authorities. The first time was Shemaiah’s statement in 1:10: “love work, hate acting the superior, and do not attempt to draw near to the ruling authority.” According to Midrash Shmuel, Rabban Gamaliel is adding on to this statement. One should “love work”, only when it is accompanied with Torah (see the previous mishnah). One need not avoid all positions of leadership, only those that are not for the sake of Heaven. Finally, Rabban Gamaliel realized that it is impossible to totally avoid the ruling authorities, but one should at least be careful, for they only look out for their own interest. This mishnah might connect to the previous mishnah, in that a person who has communal responsibilities will often find himself dealing with politicians.

They seem like good friends in good times, but they don't stay for him in time of his trouble: [They are friendly] when they have a shortage of money, but when desperate they don't have mercy upon the poor person until they bring him down from his assets, and they forget the earlier [relations] since it is all past [and] gone. And such is the simple understanding of this mishnah. But if the matter is so, it speaks about the defect of kings. But forbid it, forbid it - that such should be the matter and that it should arise. As through them the whole world is sustained and they create law and justice in the world. And there is no man that can be as truthful as they, as they do not need to flatter creatures since they are not afraid; and [so] there is nothing that prevents them from walking the straight path. And hence it appears [that it can] be said that the kings - be it their friendship or be it their enmity - are not in their [own] hands. And [so] when the king needs a person and brings him close and shows him friendship at the time that he benefits from him, it is from God that the matter went out, and not from the king. And God arranged that this person be of benefit to the king. And when a man sins to God and he is guilty and He wants to press him, who can stand for him? And even if the king wants to do him honor, it is only in his hand to surely take the vengeance of God and to 'afflict the one that the Lord would love to chastise.' And this is what it states (Proverbs 21:1), "Like channeled water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand." He wants to say, just like a person can direct a channel to any side that he wants, so [too] is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord to direct it to do good 'to the person whose honor He desires' and 'to pay back His enemies in his face to destroy him.' And he stated, "the heart of the king" and he was not speaking about other people; but so is it that all hearts are 'in the hand of the Lord.' As even though, [a person] thinks thoughts and it appears to the eyes that he has the ability in his hand to act; in truth he does not have the power in his hand to do bad or to do good, but rather [to do] the word of the living God.

MAKE HIS WILL AS YOUR WILL [Heb. kirtzonecha]. This is the version in our editions. Midrash Shmuel writes in the name of R. Yosef ibn Nahamias that in an edition of the Mishna from Jerusalem, the text reads “do his will with your will [Heb. birtzonecha],” with a bet, and the idea is that you shouldn’t perform a commandment in irritation, anger and frustration, but willingly and with a happy heart, in order that G-d should do your will willingly. For sometimes G-d will “do the will” of a man in anger, with the intent of punishing him in the end, as per the verse “to eventually destroy them forever” (Psalms 92:8) and to make him perish. But when He does this with pleasure, “your future will be very great” (Job 8:7).

He was accustomed to say: Make His [God's] will like your will: [Just] as when a person does his own will with want and desire, so should he do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He. And [he] should not separate between the will of the blessed Holy One, blessed be He, and his [own] will, but rather make both of them [into] one thing. He means to say that he should not will anything that is not the will in front of God. And they said in the Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan (Midrash Mishlei 9), "And so did David say (I Chronicles 29:14), 'but all is from You, and it is from Your Hand that we have given to You.'" And he gave a good counsel to people to overcome their nature [and] do the desire and will of God, may He be blessed - also from their money and from the acquisitions: because God gave everything and [what they have] is [only] a deposit in their hands. And when [one] brings this up into his heart, at the very least he will do the will of the owners - which is God - with the deposit. And with this, he will not worry when he gives charity and he will do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, willingly and with a good heart.

We have already made known in the fourth chapter that there is no reason to separate from the community except due to their dereliction, as we explained over there. And he said that even though a person has a distinctive character trait in his soul and he has strengthened it, he should not remove his hand from redoubling his doing good and adding to its reinforcement. And he should not be be certain [about it] and say, "This virtue has already reached my hand and it is impossible that it will fall away." As it is possible that it will fall away. And that is [the meaning] of his saying, "until the day of your death."

"nullify, etc.": It appears to me that "Make His will," he said regrading positive commandments; and therefore, he said, "nullify your will," corresponding to negative commandments.

"Make His [God's] will like your will": Spread your money on 'things of Heaven' "like your will," [meaning] as if you were spreading them for your [own] things. As if you will do this, "He will make His will like your will," meaning to say that He will give you the good with 'a generous eye.'

He used to say: do His will as though it were your will, so that He will do your will as though it were His. Set aside your will in the face of His will, so that he may set aside the will of others for the sake of your will.
Hillel said: do not separate yourself from the community, Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death, Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood. Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure.
The first half of this mishnah contains another statement by Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah Hanasi. The second half of the mishnah returns to the statements of Hillel, whose statements were already taught in the previous chapter. The reason that the mishnah goes back to Hillel, is that he was the teacher of Rabban Johanan ben Zakai, whose statements are taught beginning in mishnah eight. The interruption of Hillel’s statements was done in order to bring all of the patriarchs from Hillel’s line together.
One way of understanding Rabban Gamaliel’s statement is that a person should do God’s will with such fervor that it is as if it is his own will. In that way a person’s will will be done for him by God. The first half of Rabban Gamaliel’s statement deals with positive commandments, those which a person “does” and the second half, “set aside your will” etc., deals with negative commandments, those things that a person should refrain from doing. A person should negate his own desires before the commandments given by God. In this way God will protect him against the evil designs of other people. The last half of this statement can also be understood as referring in a respectful way to God. That is to say, God will annul God’s own will to punish human beings, if that human being performs God’s will. Understood in this way, the overall message is one of the unity of the divine and human will. As one commentator (Rabbi Jonah) said, “There should be no distinction between the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one’s own will. Both should be the same.”
Do not separate yourself from the community. Hillel’s first statement means that a person should join the community for both its celebrations and for its trials and tribulations. This also has been understand as the reason for praying together as a community. For when one prays by himself, he might ask for things that are detrimental to some. But the community only prays for things which are of benefit to everybody. A reed on its own is easily broken but a bundle of reeds standing together cannot be broken even by the strongest winds.
Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death: do not be sure of your righteousness until the day of your death, for a person can lose a lifetime of merit by doing the wrong things at the end of his life. This lesson is learned from John Hyrcanus, the high priest from the Hasmonean dynasty who at the end of his life became a Sadducee.
Do not judge not your fellow man until you have reached his place: just as you cannot be sure of your own merits, all the more so you can not be sure of the merits and liabilities of your fellow. You do not know what you would do were you in his situation. A clever interpretation of this statement offered by the Meiri is that if one sees a person outside of his city and you find him full of extraordinary virtues, do not conclude that this is his true personality. You can only judge his character by seeing if he acts the same way in “his place”.
Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood: a person should make his words clear from the outset, and not speak or write in an unclear manner. Although in the end the matter might be cleared up, in the meanwhile the listener might make mistakes.
Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure: this is similar to the statement that Hillel made in chapter one, mishnah fourteen, “if not now, when?” A person cannot delay studying Torah, saying that he will never have the opportunity to learn. Thus Shammai stated, “make your Torah study a fixed practice” despite your being extremely busy.

ANULL YOUR DESIRE. It seems that “make His will as your will” is said of the performance of positive commandments. The mishna therefore says “annull your will etc.” of negative commandments.

so that He will make your will like His will: God, may He blessed, 'satiates the will of every living thing,' and 'gives bread to all flesh' and to every creature according to its lack - and this is His want and His will. And if you merit to [find favor] in front of Him, He will do your will also with the needs of your small world, and give you your sustenance - which is [actually] His will for all that come to the world.

And something that cannot be heard is that the simple meaning of the words be very distant and negligible. And [only] when the person examines them carefully will he see that they are true words. And he warns against this path of speech, as he says, "Do not have your words require a distant explanation and extra examination and [only] then will the listener understand them."

And there is an objection: that were it so [as Rabbi Bartenura explains], one could say, "Not from your sting, etc." And Rashi ends, "And he will never see a sign of blessing." And one can also say that he will not see, [meaning] and he will die before his time or he will be exiled from his place.

"so that He will nullify the will of others": He will undo the counsel of all those that come towards you to [do you] bad. And I have heard that this is only a respectful euphemism towards the Higher One. And behold, it is as if it was written, "so that He nullify His will to your will; like that which they said in the chapter [entitled] Bemeh Eesha (Shabbat 63a), "Anyone who does a commandment as it is established (properly), even a decree of seventy years is nullified before him."

HILLEL SAYS. “I have seen a holy one speaking” (Daniel 8:13), R. Menachem Azariah in his book Asarah Ma’amarot, section Chakor Din, 2:19, saying that this Hillel was the grandson of Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, who went to bathe with his brother in Kabul, as mentioned in Pesachim 51a. Through these mishnayot, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi fulfilled the verse “They shall not depart from your mouth, the mouths of your children, and the mouths of your children’s children” (Isaiah 59:21). Immediately after this Hillel, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi placed the words of Hillel the Elder, the patriarch of this lineage, who said an ignoramus cannot be G-d-fearing. Those who study the Mishna are not careful with this and read “he also said” at the beginning of the next mishna—thusfar his words.
If this is a tradition, then we will accept it, but if it is his own conclusion, we note that Rashi explicitly says that this Hillel is Hillel the Elder, and that Rambam, in commenting on “when I will have free time” in our mishna, notes that this teaching resembles the earlier teaching of “Shammai, his colleague” about making one’s Torah fixed. His teaching was placed here in connection with what Rabban Gamliel said about those who work on behalf of the people, and so that the Mishna can then move smoothly to the words of R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, who received the tradition from him.
This problem is what caused the the Asarah Ma’amarot to read “Hillel says” in the text of the next mishna, where he comments that this refers to Hillel the Elder.

Nullify your will to His will: of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And, if so, that is [the same thing] as [the teaching] of Avtalyon in the first chapter, Mishnah 11, and so, why would I need more? But Rambam does not explain it [this way], but rather that simple words should not be very distant and confound speech. As [Rambam] says [that] your words should not require a far-fetched explanation.

"Do not separate yourself from the congregation": but rather share in their troubles. As anyone who separates from the congregation will not [live to] see the consolation of the congregation (Taanit 11a).

DO NOT SEPARATE FROM THE PEOPLE. Rav writes that such a one will not be comforted when the people are. I find this difficult, for if so, one could say “I’ll have neither your honey nor your sting!” Rashi, on the other hand, concludes “and he will see no blessing in his work. As per the last chapter of Ta`anit.”
We might also say that the comfort the people receive is greater than what they suffer, because G-d always rewards in larger measure than he punishes. Or, perhaps, the sense of “will not be comforted” is that one will suffer an untimely death or go into exile before the people are comforted.

As the beginning of the verse is, "In your mind do not curse a king, and in the chamber of your sleeping do not curse a wealthy man."

"Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death": As behold, Yonatan the High Priest served in the high priesthood eighty years and in the end he became a Sadducee (Berakhot 29a).

THAT MAY NOT BE HEARD. Rav: your words shouldn’t be unclear to the point that they can’t be understood from the beginning and upon first consideration; do not rely on the listener to think about them in depth until he eventually understands them. If so, this teaching is really that of Avtalion in 1:11—why, then, should it be repeated?
But Rambam does not see this as addressing potential heresy. Rather, he understands that one’s words should not be exceedingly strange sounding and nearly incomprehensible, as he writes: your words should not require an unusual interpretation and excessive thought.
This is contra Midrash Shmuel, who sees Rambam as saying the same thing as Rav.

"'When I will be available, etc.'": It is [in the format of] 'not only this, but also that:' even if it is not to listen from someone else, but rather just to study by yourself; do not say, "When I will be available, etc."

"Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place": If you see your fellow come to a test and fail, do not judge him unfavorably until a test like it comes to you and you overcome [it].

FOR IN THE END IT WILL BE HEARD. Rav: do not reveal your secret even when you are alone, thinking that nobody will hear you, because in the end it will be heard, as “the bird of the heavens will carry your voice” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). That this applies even when one is alone is evident from the beginning of that same verse: “Curse not a king even in your mind, nor in your bedroom curse a wealthy man” (ibid.).

Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community: At the time when the community is involved with Torah [study] and with the commandments, it is the crown of all the worlds and the glory of all of His domain. As 'with many people' that are gathered to fulfill His commandment, it 'is the King's glory'; and [so] it is not fitting to separate from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:5), "And there is a King in Yeshurun with the gathering." And this is with a community that goes in the good path and gathers to do a commandment. But it is not fitting to attach oneself to a community that leans to the bad path and the deeds of which are corrupted. And one who separates from them, behold, he is praiseworthy. And about this Yirmiyahu the prophet, peace be upon him, stated (Jeremiah 9:1), "Oh, to be in the desert, at an encampment for wayfarers! Oh, to leave my people, to go away from them— for they are all adulterers, a band of rogues."

"Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard": That is to say, do not let your words be unclear, such that it is impossible to understand them immediately and at first perusal; and [do not] rely on that if the listener wants to look into them, in the end, he will understand them. As this will bring people to err from your words, lest they err and come to heresy because of you. Another explanation: Do not reveal your secret, even [saying it aloud] only to yourself, as in the end it will be heard, "since the birds of the sky make the voice travel." And the [correct] textual variant according to this explanation is, "for in the end it will be heard." But Rashi had the variant, "Do not say, 'something that can be heard, in the end it will be heard.'" And [according to this,] it is speaking about the words of Torah: Do not say about a Torah teaching that you can hear now, that you will hear it in the end (later), but rather extend your ears and hear it immediately.

AND DO NOT SAY, “WHEN I HAVE A FREE MOMENT, I WILL STUDY.” According to Rashi, who reads in our mishna “do not say of something that you can hear now that you will hear it later,” and understands that part of the mishna as referring to Torah study, this dictum might appear unnecessary. It is not, however. Firstly, the repetition is for emphasis. Secondly, the mishna might see a need to point out that this dictum applies not only to hearing words of Torah from others, but even to studying on one’s own.⁶⁹While another person might no longer be available to teach, one is presumably always able to study independently; even so, “do not say, etc.”

Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death: This is learned out to be both about piety and about faith - that even though you have been fitted with a faithful and proper spirit, you should not be righteous in your (own) eyes. And you should not say, "How many days have I not done any iniquity - I have defeated my impulse and I am able [to overcome] it - it is beaten, already 'broken, and we have escaped' and it cannot divert [me] from the straight path." But it is an enemy and seeks to ambush you when it finds you sometimes involved in your work and not studying and not thinking about words of the living God - it will then dance in front of you and speak to your heart to divert you to 'roam in the earth and to walk' in a path 'that no good man has trodden or sat there.' And maybe it can [thus overcome you] and your soul will be taken in its hand. And so 'guard yourself and guard your soul much,' and do not distance its fear from you, and 'act with your wisdom' if you are a wise man to always place your eyes and your heart upon its ways, until it not be able to come close to you all the days of your life. And about this is it said, "Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death." Also concerning the matter of faith is this thing said, that you not study from the heretics - and not even true things - as their damage is dangerous, lest the sinners seduce you and you desire their words - as they pull in the heart. "And do not believe in yourself until the day of your death," to say, "I will listen to them." And if you might say, "I will accept the good and the bad I will not accept"; you should not rely upon your intellect, as Rabbi Meir [did] in his studying in front of Elisha the Other, the heretic. [This] is found in Tractate Chagigah 15b - they said about him metaphorically, "he found a pomegranate, he ate the inside, he threw out the peel. [However,] not all people are the same. As you find Yochanan the High Priest who served in the High Priesthood (seventy) [eighty] years, and in the end became a Sadducee (Berakhot 29a). As there is a very big punishment for even listening to them [speaking] words of Torah; and as we say (Avodah Zarah 16b) about that sage that was delivered to the heretics; and they said to him, "Maybe you heard heresy and it gave you pleasure, etc."

"'When I will be available'": from my business, I will involve [myself] in Torah [study].

Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place: This is also from the topic that a person should not believe in himself and not overly rely on his intellect. And when he sees his fellow in a high position and not act straight, he should not say, "If I would fill his place, I would not do [one] evil thing from all the evil that he is doing." As you don't know [this] and you are no different than he [as far as] being a person - and perhaps the position would sway you as well. [Only] when you reach his place and his position and forego your [weaknesses, then] do you have the right to wonder about his weaknesses.

Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard: As a person must guard and be careful from the possibility. Hence if you have a secret, do not tell it even to someone who is your soulmate. And don't say, "[It is] impossible that this thing be heard, as there is no stranger among us to transport these words." 'And in the end, everything is heard.' Even between you and yourself, do not make it heard to your ears, as the rabbis, may their memory blessed, metaphorically said (Berakhot 8b), "Do not talk among the walls, for the walls have ears." And about this, Shlomo - peace be upon him - said (Ecclesiastes 10:20), "for a bird of the air may carry the utterance, And a winged creature may report the word."

Do not say, "When I will be available I will study [Torah]," lest you never become available: Since 'you do not know what a [new] day will [bring]' and 'they will also call you tomorrow,' since they will speak new matters and you will have to follow their paths. As there is no lack of new matters [requiring your attention] every day. And it will come out that you will leave the world without Torah [knowledge]. But rather you should 'make your Torah fixed' and your work flexible.

AN UNLEARNED PERSON [Heb. bur] CANNOT BE ONE WHO FEARS SIN. Cf. 2:9, and Rav ad loc.

He was accustomed to say: A boor (bur) cannot fear sin. An ignorant person (literally, a man of the land - am haarets) cannot be pious: The boor is empty - he does not have in him Torah or commandments or the way of the world in terms of good traits. And in the Targum (Onkelos Genesis 47:19), "do not place," is "do not tabur. And he did not need [to say], a boor cannot be pious, since he is not even one who fears sin - as from his emptiness, he does not [even] know to guard himself from sins. But an ignoramus is involved with the creatures through important traits and has a few straight dispositions: He knows how to protect himself and [so] he guards himself from transgressions. And he is [even] able to be righteous and to do and to fulfill what he is [told] that he is commanded. But only one who is great in Torah [knowledge] can reach the level of piety, since it is a trait that requires purity of heart and cleanness of soul. And [the ignoramus] does not have the wisdom in his hand to veer from the middle marker to the far end, to fulfill [going] beyond the [letter] of the law. And because of this he is called an am haarets - since he is with them in derekh erets (good manners), and because most of the world (land - haarets) is like him.

A boor (bur) is one who does not have wisdom nor [proper] traits. And an ignorant person (literally, a man of the land - am haarets) is one who does not have intellectual virtues but he would have some character virtues. And [the meaning of] a person prone to being ashamed is known. And an impatient person is one who is impatient about everything and gets angry. And the matter of striving is to accustom your soul and lead it to acquire the virtues. And since there are no wise men [there] to teach you, you should teach yourself. And the [Aramaic] translation of (Genesis 32:25), "and a man struggled with him" is "and a man strived with him" (Onkelos Genesis 32:25). And they said that the Torah is not found with men of pride and arrogance and not with those that go to far lands. And they supported this by way of a flourish with a verse and said (Eruvin 55a), "'It is not in the heavens, that you should say, etc. Neither is it beyond the sea, etc.' (Deuteronomy 30:12-13)." They said, "It is not with the arrogant (who elevate themselves like the sky) and it is not with those that go across the sea."

"All": He said "all" because it is possible, and it has already been found that [some people who] engaged in much business became wise; as it happened with Rabbi Elazar ben Charsum or Ilfa and those like them - Midrash Shmuel. And it said, mechakim (literally, make wise), which is a transitive verb, because in free moments, he will teach others but he will not make them wise.

"A boor (bur)": is empty of everything, and does not even know the nature of buying and selling; and he is worse than an ignorant person. The [Aramaic] translation of (Genesis 47:19) "and the land will not become destroyed" is vearaa la tevur.

Introduction This statement of Hillel’s is about virtue and Torah learning.

IGNORAMUS [Heb. `am ha’aretz]. Rav on 5:10 explains this term.

A person prone to being ashamed cannot learn: The trait of shame is good in every matter except for study, as the matter is stated (Psalms 119:46), "I will speak of Your testimonies, and not be ashamed in the presence of kings." As when David, peace be upon him, was running away from Shaul and he stood in front of kings of the nations of the world, he was not ashamed of speaking words of Torah and of the commandments - even if they mocked him and ridiculed his words. As shame is not good in study. And also the student should not say, "How can someone as foolish as I ask something of a great Torah sage, who is [so] sharp in wisdom, [whereas] I have neither intelligence nor understanding." If this will be his doctrine all of the day, from where will wisdom come to him? And this is what the sages [masters] of wisdom, may their memory be blessed, said in the book, Choice Pearls, "Ask the question of fools, and guard the guardings of the generous." This means to say, just like the generous do not squander their money and do not hoard it, but give it readily and willingly to the places that are fitting - as we have explained above; so [too] with wisdom, speak about it with fit people at fit times, but not with every person and [not] at a time when he knows that his words will not be heard. It comes out that you say that it is for them to ask every question and not to be ashamed, so that he will learn the things.

"who engage in a lot of business": It specifically said, "who engage in a lot." As without buying and selling to sustain his body [financially], his Torah will also not exist, as we say later on, "If there is no flour, there is no Torah." And we also say above, "Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation."

"An ignorant person cannot be pious": But it is possible for him to fear sin, as behold, he is an expert in the nature of buying and selling.

He used to say: A brute is not sin-fearing, nor is an ignorant person pious; nor can a timid person learn, nor can an impatient person teach; nor will someone who engages too much in business become wise. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man. A brute is not sin-fearing: a “brute” is one who is not learned at all and has no or moral virtue. However, he is not inherently evil. Since he does not have any intellectual capacity, he does not know what are virtues and what are vices, hence he does not fear sin. Nor is an ignorant person pious: An “ignorant person” the “am ha-aretz” is one who has not learned Torah. This type of person can have fear of sin, because he is able to distinguish wrong from right. However, he cannot be pious a “hasid”. Nor can a timid person learn: Now that Hillel has emphasized how important Torah learning is towards the creation of a virtuous person, he discusses how a person can learn. A person who is too timid to admit to what he doesn’t know cannot learn. When in a class, if a teacher asks “did you understand?” the student who did not understand must respond that he did not. This statement also means that it is never to late to begin learning Torah. A person should not be intimidated by the fact that s/he reached a mature age and has not learned Torah. Rather, they should be like Rabbi Akiva, who didn’t begin learning until he was 40! Nor can an impatient person teach: The flip side to the previous statement is that an impatient person cannot teach. A teacher must listen to his/her students’ questions, even if those questions are not good questions. An impatient teacher will scare off students, intimidate them and be detrimental to their learning. Nor will someone who engages too much in business becomes wise: A person who spends all of his life engaged in business, will not have the requisite time to acquire wisdom. Rather a person must strike a balance between his work and his learning. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man: Where there is no one else to take the initiative and assume responsibility, a person should take the leadership upon himself. This person is not considered haughty, but rather responsible. This also can be connected to the issue of learning. Where there is no one to teach you Torah, you are not excused from your duty of Torah learning. You must still try your best to learn what Torah you can on your own.

NOT ALL THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN MUCH BUSINESS GROW WISE [Heb. machkim]. The mishna says “not all,” because we do find those who engaged in much business and grew wise, such as R. Eliezer ben Charsom (Yoma 35b) and Ilfa (Ta`anit 21a), and numerous others mentioned by the commentaries—Midrash Shmuel.
He also quotes the explanation of Chasid Ya`avetz, who notes that the word machkim is properly a transitive verb, meaning “to make another wise,” and sees this teaching as adding onto the last: an irritable person will not make a good teacher, and one who engages in much business cannot make others wise. That is, in his spare time he might teach others but will not make them wise.

An impatient person cannot teach: It is not needed that a teacher be angry nor that he be short of [patience]; but rather [he should] be magnanimous and answer everything (that he has) that they ask. Even if they have difficulty in understanding his answer, he should review it for them until they come to the depth of the matter.

"strive (hishtadel)": This [word refers to] a matter of training and thought about the thing. And the [Aramaic] translation of, "and a man struggled with him" is veishtadel gavra imei - Rambam.

"A person prone to being ashamed cannot learn": Since one who is embarrassed to ask, lest they will make fun of him, will always remain with his questions.

ONE WHO ENGAGES IN MUCH BUSINESS. Specifically “much” business, for without some kind of business that will sustain his body his Torah will not last, per the mishna later: “where there is no flour, there is no Torah” (Avot 3:17), and the mishna earlier: “the study of Torah goes well with a trade” (Avot 2:2).

Not all who engage in a lot of business become wise: Since he is involved in his business all of the day and makes it fixed and his Torah flexible, he will never become wise.

"An impatient (exacting) person": A teacher who is impatient with his students when they ask him [questions] cannot teach properly; but rather he needs to cheerfully explain the Halakha (law) to his students.

In a place where there is no man, strive to be a man: The early scholars (rishonim) explained, "In a place where there is no man" to help you in the commandments and to chastise you, "strive to be a man" and straighten yourself, so as to only 'do that which is good and straight in the eyes of the Lord.' Another explanation: "In a place where there is no man" - if you see a generation wherein the Torah is slacking, stand up and strive with it, as it is stated (Psalms 119:126), "It is a time to do for the Lord, they have abrogated your Torah." What is the reason that "it is a time to do for the Lord?" Because "they have abrogated your Torah" - as its beginning is learned from its end - as it is found at the end of Tractate Berakhot 63a. And we can also explain, "In a place where there is no man" greater than you in wisdom, "strive to be a man." And do not refrain from becoming wiser, even if you cannot find a sage greater than you in your city. Even if there is no one like you in that [whole] generation, see yourself as [if you were] in the generation of the sages of the Talmud and you are with them in one place. Even if you acquire their level, think as if you are standing with the prophets, up until Moshe, our teacher - peace be upon him. And when will you reach their level and their wisdom? And in this [way], you will never slack from learning Torah and you will improve your traits each and every day - as you will add to your wisdom and you will be like a flowing spring.

"Not all who engage in a lot of business become wise": As it is written (Deuteronomy 30:13), "And it is not across the sea" - the Torah is not found among those that travel across the sea (Eruvin 55a).

"In a place where there is no man": to sit at the head and to issue decisions.

BECAUSE YOU DROWNED SOMEONE, YOU WERE DROWNED, AND THOSE WHO DROWNED YOU WILL IN THE END THEMSELVES DROWN. One might ask, if we follow the chain back to its starting point, won’t we find that the first one to have been killed did not kill anyone himself? Indeed, Abel, who was killed by Cain, hadn’t killed anyone. If so, how did Hillel know that it was on account of drowning someone else that this person had been drowned?
The second part of his saying, “and those who drowned you will in the end themselves drown,” is even more difficult, as this is not necessarily so! We regularly encounter cases of murderers who die in their beds at the hands of Heaven. [*I saw this question raised in Devarim Rabbah to parashat Va’Etchanan (2:25), discussing the verse “he who spills man’s blood, his blood will be spilled by man” (Genesis 9:6): R. Levi said: but are there not many men who kill and yet die in their beds? They answered him: the meaning of “his blood will be spilled by man” is that when that man arrives in the future world, at that point his blood will be spilled. As for the first question, concerning the first part of the mishna, I saw this mishna brought in the Talmud in tractate Sukkah 53a, and there Rashi explains that the body was thrown into the water and Hillel recognized him as a murderer.]
In Rashi’s commentary to our tractate, he notes that in some places people do not recite this mishna. But Rambam, Rav, and all the other commentators have it in their texts.
Midrash Shmuel, in answer to the second question, explains that “in the end” in the phrase “in the end they themselves will drown” means that through reincarnation, which is an established belief not only of the Sages but also of Pythagoras [and the rest of the wise of the nations, whom Abarbanel mentions in his commentary to parashat Ki Tetze], he eventually will end up drowning. And he gives a rather forced answer to the first question, saying that the case of Abel is different because the Sages say that he “gazed at holiness,” and Hillel, upon seeing this skull, assumed that it was that of a murderer, and not one who “gazed,” because murder is more common than this gazing.
In my opinion, it is totally untenable to claim that Hillel said something that could only be understood through the doctrine of reincarnation, which is an esoteric doctrine, and which ought to be concealed from all but the select few that G-d calls upon. And Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, the redactor of the Mishna, would not have put this dictum into our mishna. For just as a verse in the Tanakh must always be readable in its plain sense, in addition to whatever other meanings it may harbor, the words of a mishna must always be readable in the plain way that all understand. And if there were only a kabbalistic interpretation to this mishna, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi would have left it an oral teaching, along with the other kabbalistic teachings that remained oral and were not inluded in the Mishna.
Besides, the mishnayot seem to be out of order. For since this is merely something that Hillel said on a particular occasion, it shouldn’t have been included among the other mishnayot, which are all of the “he used to say” type, i.e. ethical teachings that were constantly being emphasized, and should rather have been appended to the end of this series of mishnayot. All the more so since this mishna is in Aramaic and shouldn’t come between two mishnayot that are in Hebrew.
Also, Hillel is speaking in the second person, directing his words towards the skull itself. Why wouldn’t he have turned towards his listeners and addressed them? He should have said “because he drowned someone, he was drowned, and those who drowned him will in the end themselves drown.”
Also, what is the meaning of the modifier af—“even, also”— here?
It seems that the mishna intends the following. Hillel taught in the previous mishna that an unlearned person cannot be one who fears sin and so on, in order to steer people clear of personal deficiencies. He also once saw a skull, etc., and from that experience onwards he used to say “increasing the flesh only increases worms, etc.” in the next mishna, which is another list of personal deficiencies and virtues.
This is because when he saw this skull, he said to it, “because you drowned someone, etc.”, i.e. one would think it only logical that because you drowned someone, you were drowned, and those who drowned you will in the end themselves drown, because “the measure one uses to dole out is the one used to dole out to him” (Sotah 1:7), for this is only proper and logical. But regardless of what should be, reality contradicts this hypothesis; many people who have never killed anyone are killed and many people kill others and are not themselves killed.
In order to bring reality into harmony with theory, so that it doesn’t contradict the logical necessity that everything ultimately comes about through one consistent system and is judged fairly, he used to say from that moment on that “increasing the flesh only increases worms, etc.” in order to accustom people to thinking that everything is truly necessary and just. For one does find, overall, that “increasing the flesh only increases worms, etc.”, regarding defiencies, and “increasing Torah increases life, etc.”, regarding virtues. It is evident, then, that the laws in place in the world are just and perfect, and we can infer from cases that are clearly just to those whose justness is concealed, and understood only by G-d; those, too, are based on what is righteous and just, as per the verse, “For my thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor are my ways like your ways” (Isaiah 55:8).
It follows, then, that Hillel did not say “because you drowned someone, etc.” because he felt it was certainly true, i.e. that of necessity this is what happened and what will happen, but as a first premise, that logic would dictate that this be so. But because there are well-known cases that contradict this, and these might cause a person to say that “there is no judgement and no judge,” Hillel began to regularly propagate his teaching that “increasing the flesh only increases worms… increasing Torah increases life, etc.” among the people. The intent is that we should use our experiences and sound judgment to conclude that just as in these cases the result follows logically from the action, whether for good or ill, so also what befalls people in general follows logically, though it is beyond our understanding.
Since the words “because you have drowned someone, etc.” are not an absolute statement describing what will happen with certainty, as it is possible that this drowned person had not drowned anybody and that the one who drowned him might not be drowned, Hillel did not utter them as a public teaching. While facing the skull, an unhearing piece of bone, he said to himself that what ought to be is that “because you drowned someone, etc.”
And the fact of reality contradicting this statement is also not at all explicit, but is implicit in his following dictum, that from this point on he used to say “increasing the flesh only increases worms, etc.,” which the discerning will understand well as addressing this point. All such things ought to be said in such a manner as to be apparent to the discerning scholar but not to all those listening, lest they who will not understand the answer “decide by what their ears hear” and “judge by what their eyes see” (Isaiah 11:3) that the question is truly difficult and has no answer, and remain confounded by it and thereby falter, G-d forbid.
Hillel said these words in Aramaic, the language of the masses at the time per the mishna in Shekalim 5:3, because he said them as though speaking to the skull of a bandit. He also did this so that the people should take his words at face value, that it is indeed the case that “because you drowned somebody, etc.,” and for the discerning students he explained his words by affixing to them the dictum “increasing the flesh only increases worms, etc.,” which he said in Hebrew. This is what seems correct to me.

He also saw a skull that was floating on top of the water: Because you killed and caused the skull of the killed man to float, they killed you and made your skull float. But it was not like the law and it is as if they spilled innocent blood. And that is the [case], because it is not (like the law) [in your hand] to kill the murderer, but rather [it is for] the court, according to the [laws of the] Torah. And anyone [else] who kills him is obligated the death penalty, since his blood is not delivered into the hand of the killer to kill him. And because of this, in the end, those that drowned you will be drowned [by] others. They will do to them as they did to others. As this thing will be like this since they are all guilty, and [an act engendering] 'guilt is given over to the guilty.'

He means to say that you were killed because you killed someone else. And the one who killed you will be be killed in the future. The intent of this statement is that bad actions will return upon the head of their doers, as he stated (Proverbs 5:22), "The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities." And he stated (Psalms 7:16), "He has dug a pit and deepened it, [etc.]." And the sages said (Sanhedrin 90a), "With the measure that a person measures, [so] is he measured." And it is something that is apparent to the eye at every moment and every time and every place that anyone who does evil and creates types of violence and vice is himself injured by those same evils that he created - since he taught the craft that would cause damage to him and to others. And so [too regarding] anyone who teaches a virtue [in] that he creates a good action from the good, a benefit of that action will reach him - since he taught a thing that will do good to him and to others. And the words about this in the verse are very good - he stated (Job 34:11), "For He pays a man his action."

"Since, etc.": He did not say it as a matter of fact, that it is [this way] and that this is how it will be - as behold, it is possible that this [one] that drowned did not drown [others], and so [too] that the drowner will not be drowned. But rather between him and himself did he say it as an assumption, as it is so according to the intellect. And since its contradiction is famous, he accustomed his mouth to make the masses hear, "The more flesh, etc.;" to say, "so [too] all of the [occurrences] that happen in the world follow in [proper] order - and 'in the measure that a man measures, etc.' And from those which are revealed, you can judge about the concealed ones; that they also occur with justice and straightness, only that we do not have the power to understand them and to master their content." And from this he proved his previous statement, "A boor cannot, etc." To make us understand that even the many that killed an individual, all of them will be killed; And he said, "they will be drowned" in plural to make us understand that even the many that killed an individual, all of them will be killed.

"Since you drowned [others, others] drowned you": You were an evildoer and you robbed the creatures and drowned them in the river. And with that same measure (treatment), you were measured (treated).

Introduction This saying of Hillel’s is in Aramaic, as was his saying in chapter one, mishnah thirteen. Note that what in English requires 18 words, requires in Aramaic only six.

AND THOSE WHO DROWNED YOU WILL IN THE END THEMSELVES DROWN. In speaking to this one skull, Hillel used the plural “those” to indicate that even if there were many who drowned you they all will eventually be drowned, teaching that when many murder one they will all be killed—Midrash Shmuel.

Since behold, from his own choice did he do this and not to accomplish His task, may He be blessed. And, 'there are many messengers to the Omnipresent' [who will effect] that this one will be killed. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"And in the end, those that drowned you will be drowned": As the matter was not given to their hands to kill you, but rather to the court. And the Holy One, blessed be He, give you over to their hands, 'as guilt is passed on to the guilty,' and [so] He will afterwards require [the punishment for] your death from them.

Moreover he saw a skull floating on the face of the water. He said to it: because you drowned others, they drowned you. And in the end, they that drowned you will be drowned. This mishnah expresses Hillel’s deep faith in the ultimate justice of the world. In the end everyone receives not only a punishment for their crimes, but the exact punishment that fits their crimes. The person who drowned others is not only punished by being killed as a murderer, but he receives the same type of death that he meted out to others. Although this may seem to be a statement purely of faith, one not empirically observable, Maimonides points out that it is borne out by experience all of the time and in all places. People who do evil and introduce violence and corruption into society, fall eventually as victims to the very violence that they perpetuated.

DROWN. Rav: it was the court’s job to kill you, not theirs. G-d placed them in your hands because He allows evil things to be brought about through evil people.⁷⁰The Hebrew phrase מגלגלין חובה ע”י חייב is used by the Talmud for evil but necessary things, which are brought about by evil people instead of innocent ones. Here, Rav would seem to be using it to explain why this murderer, and not the court, brings about the death of this person—since killing a person is never desirable, even when it is necessary, G-d spares the court the task and has it done by an evil person. Tosafot Yom Tov, however, understands Rav to be addressing the dilemma of free choice vs. predetermination the same way Rambam does in his introduction to Avot. He will offer a novel reading of the phrase. This is the opinion of Rambam in chapter 8 of The Eight Chapters, his introduction to tractate Avot, where he writes that although G-d has decreed that a person must die, he has not decreed that the anyone in particular must kill him. It is the same as G-d decreeing that of those born some amount will be righteous and some evil. While this is true, it does not yield the necessary consequence that a particular evil person be evil. That individual chose of his own free will to do evil, and will therefore be punished by one of the many emissaries at G-d’s disposal. And because this individual is ready to kill and is evil,⁷¹The Hebrew word is חייב, which the Tosafot Yom Tov understands to mean generally “evil” as opposed to deserving punishment for some specific act, which is what the term usually means in rabbinic literature. There is some support for this reading in Talmudic Aramaic, where the cognate חייבא means “sinner” or “wicked one.” the evil thing was brought about⁷²The Hebrew word is נתגלגל. This is a subtle but important reworking of the verb מגלגל in the original phrase. מגלגל is an active verb, and in the impersonal plural מגלגלין has the literal meaning “they bring about.” The sense is that the G-d, the antecedent of the omitted impersonal “they,” arranges for tragic or harmful things to come about through those who have sinned in some way, instead of coming about through innocent people. By changing it to נתגלגל, a passive verb meaning “it was brought about,” Tosafot Yom Tov is able to add the qualifying words על ידו, “through him,” to create the phrase “it was brought about through him.” The blame is now laid squarely on the person and not on G-d. Having turned חייב into “sinner” and having reworked the verb מגלגל into נתגלגל על ידו, meaning “it was brought about through him,” Tosafot Yom Tov is able to read the phrase as “an evil thing is brought about by an evil person,” meaning that those who are evil bring about evil things of their own volition, and the fact that the object of their actions deserved them is irrelevant. The statement has undergone a significant transformation: it has gone from saying that it is better that tragic things befall those who deserve them through those who have sinned to saying that men act of their own volition. through him, and G-d will send him his just deserts. So also Hilchot Teshuva, 6:5.
Ramban in parashat Lech Lecha attacks this doctrine at length and says that even if G-d decrees that so-and-so should harm so-and-so, and someone else goes and fulfills G-d’s decree first, he has done a good and meritorious thing. I say that even if we agree to his statement that should someone else go and do it first he has done a good and meritorious thing, it does not refute the words of Rambam. For the evil individual that Rambam was discussing did not do this evil act in order to fulfill the words of G-d, but because his wicked heart drove him to it, and G-d goes by what is in the heart. And if we understand Rambam this way, we also deflect the criticism of Ra’avad ad loc. This is what seems correct to me.

Questions for Further Thought:
• Do you think that there is any specific symbolism to the skull and water? If so, what?

INCREASES WORMS. Rav: in the grave, where a worm is as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living. Midrash Shmuel in the name of R. Yosef ibn Shoshan: not that they were of the opinion that the corpse feels anything, but that anyone of refined mind should be pained during his life by the disgrace that will come at his death, and should attempt to minimize this disgrace and imagine while he is still alive that he feels the worm that will bite him upon his death, which is the same feeling as a needle in live flesh. He will then minimize this disgrace and not increase his flesh because this increases worms. I cannot understand what complaint a living person could have about the disgrace he may suffer when he has been brought to burial and submerged in dirt, where nobody sees or knows anything about whether a worm rules over him or a maggot eats him. There is nothing disgraceful about a disgrace that nobody is witness to, all the more so since the disgraced one is dead and knows nothing of this disgrace. For what reason, then, should the thought of this pain a person while he lives?
Their words, however, were truly spoken: it is painful for the dead person [Heb. met] himself. Not because they believed that he has sensation and turned non-existent things into existing ones, but because the pain they spoke of is the pain of the dead person’s soul, which is still in existence and which beholds the disgrace of the body and is greatly pained by it; even the non-Jewish sages have agreed that the soul remains after death. This is the meaning of the verse in Job, 14:22: “Only his flesh shall pain [Heb. yich’av] him, and his soul mourn over him,” per Ibn Ezra’s commentary ad loc.: yich’av here has the sense of destruction, as in “you will destroy [Heb. tach’ivu] every good piece of land with stones” (2 Kings 3:19). The word was borrowed for unfeeling objects, for whom destruction is like pain for a person. The verse explains that the soul will indeed be in mourning on account of the pain it feels at seeing and recognizing the body in which it once was. [*And it is on the basis of this verse that one opinion in Shabbat 152b holds that as long as the flesh has not decomposed, the dead know whatever is said before them.] This is what they meant when they said that the worm is painful to the dead person, i.e. to the soul that knows of this. We can further deduce that this is what they meant because in speaking of the dead person they didn’t mention “flesh” and in speaking of the living one they said “the flesh of the living.” They should have used the same expression, saying either “like a needle in the living” or “in the flesh of the dead,” but they did not do so because they hold that the pain is felt by the dead person himself, i.e. his soul, and not his flesh, which feels nothing.
You shouldn’t find it odd that the soul is called met, “the dead,” for we find the Torah using the word this way in the verse “or one who consults the dead” (Deuteronomy 18:11), which obviously refers to the souls of the dead. Since this consultation occurs where the bodies of the dead are located it is called “consulting the dead,” even though the consultation is actually with the souls of those bodies. In our case the pain is similarly said to affect the dead, even though it is the souls that are pained, because the act that brings about the pain of the soul is done to the body. This is what seems correct to me.
[*I later found that Kol Bo writes in Hilchot Avel that the reason for burying the dead is that the soul is pained when it beholds the body in disgrace and lying about unburied, and says: they had the same idea in mind when they said “the worm is as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living,” which is a parallel only in terms of the existence of pain, not what type of pain it is. I also found that Rashba in responsum 1:369 considers it obvious that the dead do not feel the pain of the knife, and cites the embalming process as proof.]

He was accustomed to say: The more flesh, etc.: A person thinks that he adds life with pleasure and pampering - as he acts according to nature. 'But there is no control over the day of death' - it will 'not be a help or a benefit, but it will be for shame' and even for vermin.

It is not that they established feeling for the dead in this and made from something that is not something that is; as there is no pain to the dead from a needle, and this is proven [from the] embalmers. But [rather] they said it with regards to the soul, which is very pained in its seeing the disgrace of the body. And so [too] is it in Kolbo. And see Tosafot Yom Tov, who discussed this at length.

"The more flesh, the more worms": One who engages in much eating and drinking to the point that he becomes fat and fleshy, increases the worms upon himself in the grave; and worms are as hard for the dead as a needle is for living flesh. And this teacher let us understand that all increase is difficult for a man except for the increase of Torah, wisdom and charity.

Introduction This mishnah contains the last of Hillel’s statements in this list. In it he preaches the living of a simple life, devoted not to fame and material acquisitions but to the study of Torah.

HAS ACQUIRED IT FOR HIMSELF [Heb. le`atzmo]. For his own benefit in this world—Midrash Shmuel in the name of R. Yosef ibn Nahamias. [*I found support for this explanation in the mishna in Shekalim 1:4, “the Kohanim expound this verse for themselves,” where Rav explains “for themselves” as “for their own benefit.”
To me the mishna seems to be saying that he has acquired his essence [Heb. atzmut]. In having a good name he has clearly actualized his essence and become what he truly is, for anyone who does not have a good name is as though he hasn’t existed. It is well known that the definition of a name⁷³The Hebrew shem was used by medieval translators for the Arabic ‘ism, itself a translation of the Greek logos, referring to the definition or essence of a thing. is something that refers to the essence of a thing, which is what Adam was doing when he gave names to all the creatures. Therefore, his good name points to his essence, as when the name is not good, better that he had not come into existence, and it is indeed as if he did not, and he has acquired nothing whatsoever.]

The more possessions, the more worry: Do not think that because of the honor of his wealth and the multitude of his assets, he will while away his days in bounty and his years in pleasantness. But [instead], he will worry about them the whole entire year. 'Ask him and he will tell you, your wealthy ones and they will say to you.'

"has acquired for himself (leatsmo)": For his benefit in this world - Midrash Shmuel. And it appears to me to explain that its matter is that he acquired his essence (atsmuto), and it means to say that when he has a good name, behold, he becomes actualized and he is something; as anything that does not have a good name, behold, it is as if it were not [in existence]. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"the more worry": Lest they rob him on behalf of the king's estate or lest bandits come upon him and kill him. And a certain pious man would pray, "May the Ominpresent save me from the spreading of the soul." And they inquired from him, "What is the spreading of the soul?" He said [back] to them that it [means] that his possessions should be numerous and spread out in many places, and [so] he would have to spread his soul to think in [this direction and that direction].

He used to say: The more flesh, the more worms; The more property, the more anxiety; The more wives, the more witchcraft; The more female slaves, the more lewdness; The more slaves, the more robbery; [But] the more Torah, the more life; The more sitting [in the company of scholars], the more wisdom; The more counsel, the more understanding; The more charity, the more peace. If one acquires a good name, he has acquired something for himself; If one acquires for himself knowledge of torah, he has acquired life in the world to come. The more flesh, the more worms: In our times being overweight is not a sign of wealth (and is often just the opposite). In contrast in ancient times obesity was a sign of wealth; it meant that one had the financial means to eat in excess. Hillel points out that in the end, the fat accumulated through wealth only turns into food for the worms when the body is buried. In other words, unlike Torah, which Hillel will later state takes a person into the next world, material gains become food for worms at the time of death. The more property, the more anxiety: A rich person may have more property, but that property is accompanied by more worries over its preservation. The more wives, the more witchcraft: Witchcraft was associated primarily with women. This is why the prohibition of sorcery in the Torah (Exodus 22:17) uses the feminine word for witch. The more female slaves, the more lewdness: Throughout rabbinic literature, female slaves are considered to have lax sexual morality. In truth this was probably because their masters took liberties with them. In any case, although the possession of many female slaves may be a sign of wealth, the more that one has, the more likely that they will lead him into temptation and lewdness. The more slaves, the more robbery: Male slaves were often not trusted. Some slaves became slaves because they were sold to pay off debts incurred while robbing ohers. [But] the more Torah, the more life: In this section, Hillel begins to list those things whose accumulation is beneficial. This first statement is the counterpart of the first statement above, “the more flesh the more worms”. Torah prolongs a man’s days in this world and in the world to come. The more sitting [in the company of scholars], the more wisdom: In order to gain wisdom a disciple needs to join a group of scholars. The more counsel, the more understanding: Similarly, a person who wishes to truly understand, must ask advice and counsel of those who know more than he. The more charity, the more peace: According to Hillel, the best way to bring peace in the world was to strive for economic justice through charity. If one acquires a good name, he has acquired something for himself: Unlike the material possessions, which Hillel so disparages in the first section of his statement, he does consider a good name to be of great value. If one acquires for himself knowledge of torah, he has acquired life in the world to come: Even greater than a good name, is the knowledge of Torah, which goes with a person even into the next world.

The more man-servants, the more theft. The more maidservants, the more lewdness. The more wives, the more witchcraft: And if the man-servants steal, he is struck for them - as it is in his hand to stop them. And even if he does not know [about it], the matter will be cast upon him - as they are his money and his gold (they belong to him). Also when the maidservants are lewd with others, the matter is upon him as if he himself was lewd - as an abomination was done in his house. Also in the proliferation of wives, he causes them to do witchcraft - to increase love [towards them]: the hated one will redouble [her efforts] until she sways his heart, 'and her rival was surely angered.' And they will hang the matter upon his neck, since it is a major sin - as it is stated (Exodus 22:17), "You shall not let a witch live."

"The more wives, the more witchcraft": He went and mentioned it in order: At first, a man adorns himself and eats and drinks and engages in eating much meat; and afterwards he seeks to acquire much property; and after he has acquired much property and he sees that he has enough in his hand to support many wives, he [marries] many wives; and after he [marries] many wives, each one needs a maidservant to serve her - behold, this is "the more maidservants;" and since he has so many members of his household, he needs fields and vineyards to supply wine and food to the members of his household, and [so] acquires many slaves to work the fields and vineyards. Hence, they are learned in this order.

The more Torah, the more life: This matter corresponds to that which he said, "The more flesh, the more vermin." As through enjoyment, he will shorten his days; but through toil in Torah [study], they will be lengthened. And it also corresponds to "The more possessions, the more worry," as the worry over possessions shortens his years. But the worry over Torah - even though it is great worry, to the one who understands, when he figures out the law to the point that he can 'say the thing in an apt fashion' - this worry cannot cause him evil. Even though the wise men of science have said that concern is sickness of the heart and worry is destruction of the heart, worry over Torah 'will increase for him length of days and years of life and peace.' And about this Shlomo, peace be upon him, said (Proverbs 10:27), "The fear of the Lord adds life; the years of the wicked will be shortened."

The more Torah, the more life": As it is written (Deuteronomy 30:20), "for it is your life and the length of your days."

The more wisdom, the more sitting [and studying]: He means to say, the wisdom of reasoning and argument, as through this, he increases sitting. As students will come to hear the new [ideas] and to sharpen themselves with him and to learn the matter of the novel rationale - as this is a wisdom in of itself. And he means to say that he is given reward corresponding to all of them, since he is the catalyst. And this matter corresponds to that which he said, "The more maidservants, the more lewdness." As there [are things] that others do and it is seen as if he did it [himself], for the bad or for the good.

"the more wisdom": As he gives reasons for his words and his reasoning sits well with the heart of the listeners.

The more charity, the more peace: Due to benefiting from his money, [people] love the one who gives charity and he increases peace in the world. And also when he gives advice to others to give charity, it is considered as if he [gave] it himself. And people love him for this and also for that. It corresponds to that which he said, "The more man-servants, the more theft." As [there], it is because of the actions of others - the theft of his servants - [that] people hate him. But one who increases charity, which causes others to give, increases his love from the creatures.

"The more sitting [and studying]": Many students gather and come to hear his analyses. And some have the textual variant, "the more sitting, the more wisdom" - one who [teaches] many students [has] the students sharpen him and add and increase to his wisdom.

One who has acquired a good name has acquired for himself: As the good name for himself, he will not leave to others. It is the opposite of the one who increases possessions, since with his death, he - the one who comes from them - will leave them over and go without desire.

"The more counsel": One who frequently takes counsel, increases understanding - he understands one thing from another, from the counsels that his advisers have given him.

"The more charity (tsedekah)": as it is stated (Isaiah 32:17), "And the act of righteousness (tsedekah) will be peace."

RECEIVED THE TRADITION FROM HILLEL AND SHAMMAI. While the Mishna was recording the teachings of the line of Hillel, there was no need to mention that those sages had received the tradition from him, but now it is necessary to do so before the teachings of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was not a descendant of Hillel. Also, because he had numerous students and legal disputes proliferated thenceforth, the mishna points out that although there were several disputes their Torah was in the main a received tradition, as I mentioned at the beginning of the first chapter.

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received [the tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have learned a lot of Torah, do not credit it favorably, etc.: You are still at the beginning, and when will you reach the middle and the end? As the Torah's 'measurement is longer than the land and wider than the sea,' and human comprehension is not able to reach the far end [of it]. And how distant is a man from it; and [so] how can he credit it favorably for himself? And he has not accomplished even one 'Torah' from the thousand that he is to accomplish.

He praised Rabbi Eliezer [for] his good memory in comparing him to a plastered pit that does not lose its waters. And he praised Rabbi Yehoshua [for] the virtues of character, in that through them is a person made happy and honored and most of the world will love him. And because of this the one who gave birth to him is happy with him. And he praised Rabbi Yose [for] virtues of good character and intellectual virtues. He praised Rabbi Shimon [for] fear of sin - and that is carefulness and striving with matters of involvement in the good and guarding from evil. And he praised Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [for] good understanding and that every deep matter was easy for him and that his comprehension added to the [discussion].

Received, etc.: In Hillel's line it was not necessary to mention that they received it from him. And now it mentions [it] with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai as he was not from his grandchildren. And also because he had many students, and disagreements grew among them and after them, it mentions [it to say] that even though they disagreed in certain laws, nonetheless, they received [and agreed] upon the main part of the Torah.

"Do not credit it favorably for yourself": to say, "I have learned much Torah." And since he did not leave a verse nor a mishnah, halakha (law) or aggada (homily) that the did not learn (Sukkah 28a, Bava Batra 134a), he said this.

Introduction This mishnah returns to the list of the “receivers” of the oral tradition. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, who received from Hillel and Shammai, was the patriarch who survived the destruction of the Second Temple and escaped to Yavneh, where he helped the Jewish people continue to exist despite the great trauma they had just suffered. The legend is told that he escaped the besieged Jerusalem in a coffin and requested that Vespasion, the future Roman emperor, save Yavneh and its sages. According to a legend, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai was the least of Hillel’s 80 students. The reason that Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai’s words were not brought in their correct chronological place is that the editor of the Mishnah wanted to first teach all of the words of the descendents of Hillel, who also served as patriarchs. The Mishnah now returns to Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai and will proceed in subsequent mishnayoth with statements of his students.

AS YOU WERE CREATED FOR THIS PURPOSE. For the sake of this you came into the world, as per the verse “and there was evening, and there was morning, on the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31), which the Talmud expounds (Shabbat 88a): this teaches that G-d stipulated with Creation that should Israel not accept the Torah, the world will return to chaos. So it turns out that he has a tremendous responsibility and is not doing this as a favor—Rashi.

because for this you were created: The Holy One, blessed be He, only brought you into existence to do His will. And also for this reason is it not for you to credit it favorably for yourself if you have accomplished much Torah - "because for this you were created." There is a metaphor [about this]: If a debtor repays his debt, do we credit it favorably to him for that? And this measure is also [true] for the commandments - that if you have done many commandments, "do not credit if favorably for yourself, because for this you were created."

"you were created": For this reason did you come out [of the womb] to the air of the world, as it is written, "and it was day and it was night, the sixth day" - [distinguishing the sixth day by calling it the sixth day and not just a sixth day, as with the other days] teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, made the work of creation conditional: if Israel does not accept the Torah, the world will go back to being chaos and void. It comes out now that there is a great obligation placed upon him and he is not doing it as a favor [to God] - Rashi.

"a pit covered in plaster (sud)": is the [correct] version that we have - and not a pit of plaster (sid) - meaning to say, like a pit sealed with plaster.

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received [the oral tradition] from Hillel and Shammai.
He used to say: if you have learned much torah, do not claim credit for yourself, because for such a purpose were you created. A person should not take credit for himself for learning Torah, but rather should realize that the study of Torah is the purpose of his creation. This idea is also mentioned in a midrash that teaches that God made a stipulation that if Israel does not study Torah, He will wipe the world out of existence. Another explanation of this statement is that if a person has learned much Torah, he should not merely give credit to himself, rather he is obligated to teach others.

RABBAN YOCHANAN BEN ZAKKAI HAD FIVE STUDENTS. The mishna mentions only the greatest ones, the ones to whom the tradition passed, but he had many other students—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Rashbatz.

Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had five students: Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, Rabbi Yosi the Priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh. He would recount their praises: Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos is a pit covered in plaster that does not lose a drop: The explanation is that he did not forget anything ever from all that which he learned, like the pit after it has been plastered with plaster and does not lose a drop, as the water is not absorbed, even by the sides [of the pit].

five students, etc.: It only counted the great ones to whom the tradition was passed on. However, he had many other students [as well] - Midrash Shmuel.

"that does not lose a drop": Thus does he not forget a [single] thing from his study.

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai had five disciples and they were these: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Yose, the priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Nethaneel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach. He [Rabbi Johanan] used to list their outstanding virtues: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop; Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah happy is the woman that gave birth to him; Rabbi Yose, the priest, is a pious man; Rabbi Simeon ben Nethaneel is one that fears sin, And Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach is like a spring that [ever] gathers force. We should note that the first two rabbis on this list, Rabbis Joshua and Eliezer, are two of the most famous rabbis that lived in the generation of the destruction of the Temple and they are found in many places in the mishnah. The other three rabbis are much less known. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai lists the qualities of each of his five students. Rabbi Eliezer is known for his fantastic memory. In general Rabbi Eliezer is known to be an archconservative sage, one whose main goal was to preserve the Torah that he had received from his teachers. He is not an innovator. Rabbi Joshua is known for his great kindness, and therefore Rabban Yohanan says how happy his mother must have been. Rabbi Yose is pious, meaning he goes beyond the letter of the law. Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel fear sin and distances himself from it by creating “fences” around the Torah. Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was known for his great intelligence and creativity which made him like an ever-increasing fountain. Note that this is the contrast to Rabbi Eliezer, the conservative, who appears in the beginning of the list of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai’s students.

ELIEZER BEN HYRKANOS. He mentions them by name without honorifics because they were his students—Rashi.⁷⁴The print before Rashi and the Tosafot Yom Tov did not have honorifics in the text. Our text does.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya--happy is the one who gave birth to him!: The undifferentiated expression, 'happy' is a category that includes all of the virtues through which a person is happy. And when it mentions the trait [with it], it is [referring only to] a particular [trait]. And we have found it stated about fear as in "Happy is the man who fears the Lord" (Psalms 112:1). And also about the designation of a fixed place for Torah [study], as it is written (Proverbs 8:34), "Happy is the man who listens to me, coming early to my gates each day, waiting outside my doors," and it states (Psalms 84:5), "Happy are those who dwell in Your house; they will still forever praise You." And about devotion, as it is stated (Psalms 65:5), "Happy is the man You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts." And about faith (Psalms 84:6), "Happy is the man who has refuge in You." It is also stated about one who prevents himself from [involvement with] evildoers (Psalms 1:1), "Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the evildoers, or taken the path of sinners, or joined the company of the scorners." It is also stated about those that keep the Shabbat (Isaiah 56:2), "Happy is the man who does this." It is also stated about those that walk in the Torah of the Lord (Psalms 119:1), "Happy are those whose way is blameless, who follow the Torah of the Lord." It is also stated about those that keep the commandments (Psalms 119:2), "Happy are those who observe His decrees, who turn to Him wholeheartedly." It is also stated about one who benefits from his toil (Psalms 128:2), "You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors; you shall be happy and it shall be good for you." It is also stated about those that keep the law and do justice (Psalms 106:3), "Happy are those who act lawfully, who do justice at all times." It is also stated about trust [in God] (Proverbs 16:20), "he who trusts in the Lord is happy." It is also stated about wisdom (Proverbs 3:13), "Happy is the man who finds wisdom," and it is also written (Proverbs 14:21), "he who shows pity for the lowly is happy." And about this is it said, "happy is the one who gave birth to him" undifferentiated; meaning to say he is happy with all of the happy traits - great in his wisdom and refined by his traits and in all of his affairs.

Eliezer: Since they were his students, he would call them by their names [and not by their titles] - Rashi.

"happy is the one who gave birth to him": Rendered happy by good character traits is one who the whole world says about him, "happy is the one who gave birth to him." And some say, because she caused him to be a sage. For she would go out to all of the study halls in her town and say to them, "I request from you that you should seek mercy (pray) for this embryo that is in my innards, that he should be a sage." And from the day that he was born, she did not remove his crib from the study hall, so that only words of Torah would enter his ears.

He [Rabbi Yohanan] used to say: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus on the other scale, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus also with them, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach on the other scale, he would outweigh them all. As noted Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach are opposite characters, the first representing conservatism and the second innovation. The battle between conservatism and innovation was an important ideological struggle during this time in Jewish history, with some claiming that now that the Temple had been destroyed there was a need to concentrate on the preservation of that which was received from previous generations and others claiming that now that the Temple was destroyed innovation was an imperative. This ideological dispute is borne out in the last section of the mishnah. According to Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai the conservative sage, Rabbi Eliezer, is the most essential to the Jewish people. [This is interesting because Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai was known to be a great innovator himself]. Abba Shaul, a later sage, disagrees with this assessment and states that Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, the ever-increasing spring, is the most essential to the survival of the Jewish people and the oral Torah.

A PLASTERED CISTERN. The Rav reads bor sud, “plastered,” and not bor sid, “a plaster cistern.” Midrash Shmuel explains in the name of Rashbatz: this is because a bor sid, “a plaster cistern,” means “a cistern made of plaster,” and what is the great praise in being compared to a cistern made of plaster? A plastered cistern, on the other hand, is one that has been plastered well and holds in all its water, preventing it from seeping into the earth. The word is properly sayud, in the present passive participle, but appears here as sud because of the hollow root.⁷⁵The root of sid is samach, yud, daled, called a “hollow root” because the middle letter is yud. The paradigm of the passive present participle is 1a2u3, where the numbers represent the consonants of the root, so the passive present participle of the verb “to plaster” should appear as sayud. But hollow verbs are irregular and their passive present participle appears as 1u3, in our case sud.
In Rashi’s commentary to Avodah Zarah 55a the text of our mishna is quoted as bor sid, as it appears in our printed editions.

Rabbi Yosi the Priest is pious: As in all of his deeds, he would do beyond the letter of the law. And about this is it said in many places in the Talmud (Bava Metzia 52b), "we have learned the trait of piety here."

As a pit of plaster (sid) means to say a pit [holding] plaster, and what praise is there in this? Rather it is pit that is properly plastered and holds the water, such that earth does not absorb it [through its cracks]. And its complete form is siyud and its lacking of a [letter] yod comes by way of a 'resting middle letter of a root' - Midrash Shmuel.

"pious": [One] who does beyond the letter of the law.

WHICH DOES NOT LOSE A DROP. This means to say that he is only like a plastered cistern in this respect but not in others, as a plastered cistern also has deficiencies. Its water does not taste as good as water from a well, both because cistern water is contained and well-water is flowing and because the water in the cistern absorbs the bitter taste of the plaster. The mishna therefore had to point out that only in this respect, in that he does not lose a drop, is he to be compared to a plastered cistern—Midrash Shmuel.

Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel fears sin: As he would make fences to distance himself from the sins.

"that does not lose a drop": meaning to say that it is in this matter that he is similar to a plastered pit and not in all of its aspects. As there are also inferior [matters connected with such a] pit, since its waters are not sweet like a spring of living waters, etc. And therefore it needed to explain, "that does not lose a drop" - Midrash Shmuel.

"fears sin": [He is] strict upon himself and forbids upon himself things that are permissible out of his fear, lest he come to do a sin. As if it is not like this, what is the novelty - even an ignorant man can be one that fears sin.

PIOUS [Heb. chasid]. Rav: he goes beyond the letter of the law. Cf. what I wrote on Sotah 9:15.

And Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh is an ever-strengthening fountain: As he was very sharp and a logician and innovate ideas from his intellect.

"an ever-strengthening fountain": His heart (mind) is broad and he adds analysis and reasoning from his own knowledge.

FEARS SIN. Rav: he acts according to the most stringent interpretation of the law and forbids himself the things that are permitted out of fear that he come to sin. Otherwise, what is his great virtue? For even an ignoramus can be fearful of sin. As per mishna 5.⁷⁶There: an unlearned person cannot be fearful of sin, and an ignoramus cannot be pious. The implication is that an ignoramus, while he cannot be pious, can be one who fears of sin. Cf. what I wrote at the end of Sotah (9:15).

He [Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai] used to say: If all the sages of Israel were on one side of a balance scale, etc.: He means to say concerning knowledge. As he was like a plastered pit that does not lose a drop, and there was none among the sages of Israel that knew as much as he - who would not forget a thing from all that he learned.

Abba Shaul says in his name: of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai.

EVEN IF ELIEZER BEN HYRKANOS WERE WITH THEM. Rav: I saw written that Abba Shaul does not disagree with the first tanna, and both things came from Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and are both true. For with regards to breadth of learning and memory, Rabbi Eliezer was superior, and with regards to sharpness and argumentation Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was superior. Since Abba Shaul was commenting on the words of the first tanna he had to mention that even Eliezer ben Hyrkanos, whom he had praised, is included on the other side of the scale. But the first tanna, whose words came first, did not need to explain himself, because when he said “all the Sages of Israel” it was understood that even Elazar ben Arach was included—Midrash Shmuel.

Abba Shaul said in his name that if all the sages of Israel, including Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, were on one side of a balance scale, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh were on the other side, he [Rabbi Elazar] would outweigh them all: Concerning sharpness and logic did he praise Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh over all of the sages of Israel. It comes out that you will say that these two teachers (tannaim) do not disagree, but rather [here] it is speaking about logic and sharpness.

"and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh were on the other side"" I have found it written that Abba Shaul is not arguing with the first teacher [in this mishnah] and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said both things; and both of them are true, as concerning expertise and memory Rabbi Eliezer would outweigh [them], and concerning sharpness and analysis, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh would outweigh them.

GO FORTH AND SEE. The verb “go forth” has the same sense here as the common Talmudic expression (e.g. Berachot 16a) “he went forth, searched, and found.” Both of these mean that the mind goes forth and wanders in contemplation and deep thought in order to truly understand. “See” is used similarly, as in “my heart has seen much wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 1:16). Midrash Shmuel quotes Abarbanel saying that the text reads “come and see” in the first half of our mishna and “go and see” in the second. He then writes that R. Yosef ibn Shoshan testifies that this is indeed the text of all the editions that were then extant in Toledo and the surrounding areas and explains that since the path of good was to be found with R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, he said “come,” but for the path of evil he said “go,” because no evil dwelt near him.

He said to them: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai to his students.

A good eye: Sufficing with what a person has and this is from the virtues of character. And a bad eye is its opposite - meaning to say, the belittling of the things [that he has] and eagerness for increase. And his saying here, "who sees the future," the matter of which is that he studies what will be in the future from what is found now, is not from the wisdoms that it should be an intellectual virtue, and that its understanding is that he study that which is hidden from that which is revealed. Rather, what he wants with it here is the analysis about the matters of a man from his affairs through which his existence will continue, that he should investigate the end of his affairs. And he brought a metaphor corresponding to this, and that is his saying, one who borrows but does not repay, that he will not lend him another thing - and that is of the traits of vice. "But the righteous one gives graciously" (Psalms 37:21) - that is the Righteous One of the world, and He is God, may He be blessed, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 32:4), "righteous and straight is He"; and (Nehemiah 9:33), "You are righteous about all that comes upon us." The explanation is that He is generous to the man that lends to his fellow and he doesn't repay, [for] the Holy One, blessed be He, pays him in exchange for his service that he bestowed kindness to another to lend him until his hand could acquire his lacking. And when the hand [of the borrower] found it and did not pay back his lender, God, may He be blessed, paid him [instead]. And the matter of "seeing his words" is to choose and to distinguish - from the matter of "The Lord did not see" (Lamentations 3:36), the intention of which is He did not choose. And he distinguished that everything was included in his words [when] he said "a bad heart." And we have already explained in the second chapter of our introduction to the commentary on this tractate (Eight Chapters 2:2) that all of the character virtues are only found in the appetitive section of the soul. And in it are also found all of the character vices. And we have elucidated in the fourth chapter (Eight Chapters 4) that the actions that are good are the moderate actions which come from the virtues of character. And so [too] is it known among the philosophers and physicians that the appetitive soul is in the heart and [that] its chamber and its instruments are attributed to the heart. And even though all of the capabilities are diffused from the heart and it is its beginning according to the true opinion, the appetitive capability does not spread from it to another organ, in the way that the nutritive capability - I mean to say the vegetative capability that we discussed in the first chapter (Eight Chapters 1:7) - spreads from the heart to the liver. And understand that from everything we have elucidated that what he wanted with a good heart are the good action and they are the moderate actions and they are the virtues of character. And it includes contentment and the love of the good and others of the virtues besides this. And that is what he said, "For your words are included in his."

"And see": As we say [more] generally, "He went out, he was exact and he found." And the intention of all this is the going out of the intellect and its exertion to examine with deliberation and to understand well. And this is the expression [here], "see," as in, "and my heart saw much wisdom."

"A good eye": One who suffices with what he has and does not seek extraneous things - and is not envious when he sees that his fellow has more than him.

Introduction This mishnah contains interactions between Rabban Yohanan and his five students. One interesting thing is that it shows one way in which rabbinic masters taught there students. Rabban Yohanan sends them out on assignments and then evaluates their work when they return.

THAT A PERSON SHOULD CLEAVE TO. Midrash Shmuel: Rabbenu Yonah explained that one certainly should cleave to all good and upright things. The mishna means to ask which trait one should perfect forever, for it is better to attain perfection in one area—at which point it will be much easier to acquire all the other good traits—than imperfection in many. This is a beautiful explanation.
Based on this, I can distinguish between our mishna and the first mishna in this chapter. There, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, who came after all these sages that spoke about the straight way that one should cleave to, asks again “what is the straight way that a person should choose for himself.” But this is because he was not saying which one trait a person should cleave to, through which he would gain perfection. He was saying, rather, that before all his actions and reactions in any given situation a person should consider which option to choose for himself, i.e. which action to perform. Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi therefore used the verb “choose,” and not the verb “cleave to” of our mishna.

Go out and see what is a straight path that a person should cling to. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye: One who is 'glad about his portion.'

"should cling, etc.": Its explanation is that certainly one should cling to all of the good and straight [character traits], but rather he meant to say in one trait should [a person be] always complete. As it is better for a person to grab on to one trait completely always - and it makes it easier for him to achieve all of the important good traits - than for him to have a few character traits and not to be complete in any of them - the teacher, Rabbenu Yonah. And the lips should kiss [this] - Midrash Shmuel. And it works well with this that the words of Rabbi in the beginning of this chapter refer to all of the traits, [and discusses] what is the path that a person should choose, such that he can enact [it] in the doing of each and every [character trait]. That is why he did not say, "cling."

"A good friend": who rebukes him when he sees him doing something that is improper.

Rabbi Eliezer said a 'good eye': According to the simple understanding, this means that his eyes will look with gladness on what his friend possesses and will not be mean. This (meanness) comes from a certain level of denial (of G-d) because if a man considers that everything comes from G-d, he will not be jealous of anything that belongs to his friend. If G-d gave his friend something, it is definitely proper that he should have it. If on the other hand he doesn't think that, and that really he should have what his friend possesses he denies the lot that G-d has given him. this is the meaning of a 'good eye'.

He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the right way to which a man should cleave? Rabbi Eliezer said, a good eye; Rabbi Joshua said, a good companion; Rabbi Yose said, a good neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, foresight. Rabbi Elazar said, a good heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included. The first question that Rabban Yohanan asks his students is what is the best quality that a person can acquire to lead himself to righteousness. Rabbi Eliezer said, a good eye: this refers to a person who does not begrudge his fellow his good fortune. He is satisfied with what he has and he is not constantly “eyeing” what others have. Rabbi Joshua said, a good companion: the ability to befriend a fellow human being teaches a person to be compassion and caring for all of humanity. Rabbi Yose said, a good neighbor: Rabbi Yose says that a person must make himself a good neighbor. Although he can be a neighbor to only a small number of people, if everyone would strive to be a good neighbor, the world would be a much-improved place. A person does not have to set out to fix the whole world on his own. He begins by improving his own backyard, with the hope that others will follow his example and improve their “neighborhoods”. Alternatively there are those who explain that Rabbi Joshua says that a person should acquire for himself a good companion, who will aid him in acts of righteousness. Rabbi Yose says that a person should seek good neighbors, who will positively influence his own actions. Rabbi Shimon said, foresight: a person should always think ahead and contemplate what will be the results of his actions. Rabbi Elazar said, a good heart: a good heart, which according to ancient thought was the seat of one’s thoughts (and not feelings as it is thought of today) is interpreted in several different ways. Maimonides explained it to mean that a person’s conduct should follow the golden mean. Since this is the ideal behavior, Rabban Yohanah said that it was inclusive of all of the others’ words. Rabbi Jonah said that it means one who doesn’t easily lose his temper. Rabban Yohanan prefers the words of Rabbi Elazar “a good heart” because one who has a good heart will be all of the other things mentioned by the other students. He will be a good friend, a good neighbor, generous to his fellow human beings and he will think his actions through to the end.

ONE WHO BORROWS AND DOES NOT PAY BACK. Rav: this is the opposite of one who foresees consequences. For if he does not pay back, he won’t find anyone to lend him money and will go hungry. And he did not say simply “one who does not foresee consequences,” because it is possible that a person who does not foresee a consequence will still suffer no harm therefrom, because when the consequence actually comes about he will shield himself from it.
We are forced to conclude that when Rav, in his commentary above on “one who foresees consequences”, wrote that on account of his ability to foresee consequences he will consider the loss incurred in performing a commandment as against the gain and the gain of transgressing a commandment as opposed to the loss, he did not mean that this is the primary sense of “foreseeing consequences,” but that one who usually foresees consequences will eventually “consider the loss etc.” The primary sense of “foreseeing consequences” is what he wrote just before that: he sees what is going to happen, and that will apply to all areas of life. For if “consider the loss etc.” is the primary sense of “foreseeing consequences,” then Rav wouldn’t have been able to write that someone who does not foresee consequences might still shield himself from said consequences as they arise.⁷⁷If the consequences in question are the reward and loss of performing and not performing commandments, which only come after death, there can be no talk of shielding oneself from those consequences when they do arise.
Midrash Shmuel in the name of R. Yehuda Lerma: although foreseeing consequences is considered a “good path,” being unable to foresee them cannot be said to be evil. For we find many people who, though they are unable to foresee consequences, walk in the straight path, or people who keep the Torah purely for the sake of Heaven, and not out of hope of any reward or fear of any punishment, which is the ideal way to serve G-d. Rabbi Shimon therefore could not say that the inability to foresee consequences is an “evil path.”⁷⁸According to R. Yehuda Lerma’s explanation, we could indeed understand “foreseeing consequences” as referring primarily to “considering the loss etc.”

Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend: That a man cling to a good friend.

And one must say that that which [Rabbi Bartenura] said above, "and from this, he calculated, etc." is not the main understanding of "seeing the consequences;" but rather, that from it also extends that "he calculates, etc." But the main intention of "seeing the consequences" is that which he explains [first], "One who looks out and sees what will be in the future" - and this is in all of his matters and dealings, etc. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"A good neighbor": who is found near him, whether by day or by night; whereas a good friend is not found near him all the time.

He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the evil way which a man should shun? Rabbi Eliezer said, an evil eye; Rabbi Joshua said, an evil companion; Rabbi Yose said, an evil neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, one who borrows and does not repay for he that borrows from man is as one who borrows from God, blessed be He, as it is said, “the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous deal graciously and give” (Psalms 37:21). Rabbi Elazar said, an evil heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included. Most of this section is merely the opposite to the first part of the previous section. I will comment only on Rabbi Shimon. The worst evil according to Rabbi Shimon is a debtor who does not pay back his debts. In some ways this negative quality is the opposite of the positive quality he mentioned in section one, foresight. A person who does not pay back his debts does not realize that in the future no one will trust him. Rabbi Shimon does not say that the “evil way” is “one who lacks foresight” because the lack of foresight in and of itself is not evil. One might lack foresight and still strive to do the right thing. There is a midrash added to Rabbi Shimon’s statement here. Not paying back one’s debts is not only a sin against one’s fellow man, but it is a sin against God as well.

THE PLACE (or SPACE). He is the place of the world, as per the verse umitachat zero`ot `olam⁷⁹A possible idiomatic rendering of the simple, poetic sense of the verse is: “and below, the arms everlasting,” but the Talmud in Chagigah 12b treats the word `olam as “the world,” and renders the phrase “the arms of the world.” (Deuteronomy 33:27). But the world cannot include Him, as per the verse “the heavens and the heavens upon the heavens cannot contain You” (2 Kings 8:27)—Rashi.

Rabbi Yosi says: A good neighbor: To seek good neighbors, since their friendship is constant; and when they are good, their benefit is great. So did the early scholars (rishonim), may their memory be blessed, explain. But it is not the straight path - as according to their words, a good eye and a good heart are things [about] himself and a good friend and a good neighbor are [about] others. Hence we need to explain this mishnah, each word as is fit:

"The Omnipresent (literally, the Place)": He is the Place of the world. And so [too], it states, "and below are the Forearms of the world." But the world does not encompass Him, as it is stated, "the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You" - Rashi.

"Seeing the consequences of one's actions": One who looks out and sees what will be in the future. And through this, he calculates the loss [engendered by doing] a commandment versus its reward and the reward [engendered by doing] a sin versus its loss.

AND THE RIGHTEOUS ONE [Heb. tzaddik]. Rav: the Holy One, Who is the Righteous One of the world. Rambam: per the verses “He is righteous and upright” (Deuteronomy 32:4) and “You have been in the right [Heb. tzaddik] throughout all that has come upon us” (Nehemiah 9:33).

what is a straight path that a person should cling to: From all of the good and straight paths that a person should cling to. He means to say to cling to one trait, to be complete with it. As it is better for a person to grab one trait in full - that it become easy for him to reach all of the important traits via it - than his being someone with [attempted mastery of] many traits and he is not complete in any one of them. And this is that which Rabbi Eliezer said, A good eye: He means to say the trait of generosity, which is a fine and praiseworthy trait. And once he is at the peak of generosity, he will certainly reach the other virtues - as this trait [comes] to him because of a broad heart and a good eye. And a person like this is fit for every good trait, and this is what is written (Proverbs 14:21)," he who shows pity (mechonen) for the lowly is happy." This means to say that the humble are the ones that find favor in his eyes and [so] he gives to them with a good eye. [This is like] the usage (Psalms 102:15), "and they will cherish (mechonen) its dust" - that the dust of the Land of Israel will find favor in their eyes.

As it states, "He is righteous and straight." And so [too], "And You are righteous about all that befalls us" - Rambam.

"A good heart": Since the heart is the generator of all the other forces and it is the source from which emanate all of the actions. And even though there are specific limbs for [different] actions, nonetheless, the place of the force that animates all of the actions is in the heart. Therefore, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh said, "A good heart." And for this reason, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai said, "I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours."

Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend: That he cling to this straight path and it become easy for him to do it; and to be a good friend to the man that his heart desires, and to accustom himself that a (another) spirit be pleased from him. And thus he will come to be [on friendly terms] with all of the creatures.

"what is an evil path that a person should distance himself from": He needed to ask them this, as he did not understand from their first words that the evil path is the opposite of the good path [that they each suggested], since not with all that is good is its opposite evil. As [for example] piety - and that is going beyond the letter of the law - is good, but one who is not pious and holds his actions according to the law of the Torah is not evil. And it may have been possible to say, if sufficing - and that is a good eye - is the good path, the seeking of extraneous things is not the evil path, as he does not hurt any person with this. And so [too] with the other traits. Therefore, he had to ask them, "what is the evil path that a person should distance himself from."

Rabbi Yosi says: A good neighbor: That he himself be a good neighbor to all of his neighbors. And once he becomes good and a loyal friend to five or eight people, the matter is close for him to love all that come to the world. And [so] he is happy and with all of the good traits.

"One who borrows but does not repay": And this is the opposite of "seeing the consequences of one's actions;" as if he does not repay, who will [now] lend to him and he will be stuck in [his] famine. And he did not say just, "not seeing the consequences of one's actions," as it is possible for a person who does not see the consequences of his actions not to come to a mishap, as he will be able to rescue himself when that consequence comes to him.

Rabbi Shimon says: Seeing the consequences of one's actions: That he places his eyes on everything, and see all of the things that will be generated before they are generated. And when he sees something that has reward at its beginning but its end will bring a loss, he will distance himself from it. And with this, he will never sin - as he will 'weigh the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [that may be sustained] by [committing] it.' And hence a person should cling to this path to weigh at the beginning that which will be at the end, and to weigh all of his affairs with this [approach].

"'but the righteous one gives graciously'": [It is] speaking about the Holy One, blessed be He, who is the righteous One of the world, Who gives graciously to the lender what this one borrowed from him and did not repay him. It comes out that the borrower is in debt to the Omnipresent.

Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart: Rambam, may his memory be blessed, explained that this is the virtue of perfecting the traits - as the attributes of a person come from the heart. And when his heart is good, all of his traits will be straight and all of his attributes will be correct. And he will be 'glad in his heart,' befriend the good and only desire a thing which has a positive goal and not a loss. So did Rabbi Meir Halevi (Ramah), may his memory be blessed, write. And though the matter is like this, it [only follows] according to their [approach]. But this explanation does not fit according to our approach. Hence it appears [correct] to explain that [with] "a good heart," he means to say the trait of willpower (literally, will). That is the tolerant one who is not short tempered, distances himself from the trait of anger and answers softly. Even (but) when someone does evil to him, he tolerates him and there is no bitterness in his mouth - as 'his palate is sweets and he is all delights.'

He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, because your words are included in his: As a man that has a trait like this dwell within him is also good to his friends and to his neighbors and to the whole world. He also has the trait of generosity; as he is generous to people with his body and heart, to wish what they desire and to do their will - all the more so will he be generous to them with his money. And every good trait will reside in a person like this - as the will of a healthy heart is a greater thing than the act. As behold, the commandments are the action of the limbs [and] are only labor, and easy to do. But that he should place his eyes and his heart there all the days to think of thoughts to do the labor of God from great devotion and love [of God] for his Name, may He be blessed - that is the [true effort] from this thing.

He said to them: Go out and see what is an evil path that a person should distance himself from. Rabbi Eliezer says: A bad eye: We need to explain his question and their answer, as it is a known thing that the opposite of the straight way is the way that a person should distance from himself. And the correct [reason that the question was asked] is because there are several good traits the opposite of which are not bad; like the trait of piety which is a very great virtue - but if one is not pious, no bad will happen. About this, he said "a bad eye" - meaning to say, that a person not say stinginess is not bad since he doesn't extort or rob from his fellow. But [actually] its evil is great, as it is the basis for every bad trait. And from it, he will do every evil thing. As he should not say [about this], "If I do not reach the final culmination of the virtues, I [will] not be a pious man, but I will [still] be righteous in doing that which I was commanded about." And he does not know that it is 'a lack that cannot be counted.' Yet it will be lacking in his heart at the end of days - as the little that is lacking will be a big lack, as Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated in his wisdom (Ecclesiastes 10:1), "Dead flies turn the perfumer’s ointment fetid and putrid; so a little folly outweighs massive wisdom." He meant to say [that] just like a fly - which is a small thing - completely destroys a very important thing, the perfumer's ointment; so too is a little foolishness to the glory of a sage and an honored man. As the trait of miserliness causes a man to be empty (beliaal) of the good traits. [It is] like we find with Naval the Carmelite: Because he said (I Samuel 25:11), "Should I take my bread and my water, etc.," it stated about him (Samuel I 25:25), "Please, my lord, pay no attention to that empty man, Naval."

Rabbi Yehoshua says: A bad friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A bad neighbor: In he himself being bad to his friend or his neighbors.

Rabbi Shimon says: One who borrows but does not repay: He could not have said the opposite of "the one who sees the consequences of one's actions" in general is the one from which everyone should distance himself. As everyone distances themselves from this [trait] on their own. But one is able to cling to it through an action; and [so] he took something about which a person should see the consequences [in action]: One who does not see it does not distance himself from the bad path, like the borrower who does not pay. Since at the time that he borrowed, he should have thought and seen if he would be able to pay up when the time of payment would come. And if he is not aware on his own if he will have the wherewithal in his hand [to pay], he should not borrow now - in view of the duress that he will have. [Rather], he should endure the current duress, even if he very much needs the loan.

Borrowing from a person is like borrowing from the Omnipresent blessed be He: As we find loaning with the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Proverbs 19:17), "He who has compassion for the poor makes a loan to the Lord; He will repay him his due." It wanted to say that it is as if this compassionate one towards the poor is lending to God, and [so] he has a great reward. And this is what it says here, "is like borrowing from the Omnipresent" - meaning to say that he not think that since I don't have with what to pay and I was already brought to court and they did not find anything for me to pawn and I left innocent, what is my transgression and what is my sin? And the matter to you is as if you borrowed from the Omnipresent, blessed be He; and if you are exempt from the laws of man, you are nonetheless not [exempt] from the laws of Heaven. And you will not be exempt on account of people [as] the case will be between you and God. Since when you have a case for a loan with people, you are not exempt - even if people have exempted you. What is the reason? As it is stated (Psalms 37:21), "The evildoer borrows and does not repay; the righteous has compassion and gives" - meaning to say, that since he borrowed and does not repay, he is an evildoer. And [this is so] even though he doesn't have [with what to pay], as it was up to him to investigate with what he would repay from the beginning. But the righteous one is compassionate and gives what he has to give, giving it [so that he can still] repay. Since he is nonetheless careful from the beginning with that with which he can repay. And even though we do not hold it as a credit for the man who repays his obligation; for the righteous one who has 'grace on his lips' in his way in the world, we hold it as a credit when he returns people's money and they become his friends on account of their money.

YOUR FRIEND’S [Heb. chaver]⁸⁰ Chaver can mean either “friend” or “colleague.” This ambiguity played a role earlier in 1:6. HONOR SHOULD BE AS DEAR TO YOU AS YOUR OWN. This does not disagree with the mishna later in 4:12, which says that “your friend’s honor should be as dear to you as the awe of your master,” because that mishna is discussing colleagues in Torah study—Maharal in Derech Chaim.
Midrash Shmuel notes that there are versions that have “your student’s honor” here. He writes: we cannot possibly read “your friend’s honor should be as dear to you as your own” because in that case, someone who does not naturally care for his own honor need not concern himself over his friend’s honor, and that certainly is not the case. King David says as much in the verse “one who considers himself as disgraceful and disgusting, but who honors those who fear G-d” (Psalms 15:4). But for a student it is completely appropriate to say “your student’s honor should be as your own,” because the master needn’t honor the student more than he honors himself. But this point does not bother me, for when the tanna says that “it should be as dear to you as your own” he is addressing people whose own honor is dear to them, for which reason he does not say more concisely⁸¹In Hebrew this proposed wording is slightly shorter, and the idea is less complicated. that “your friend’s honor should be in your eyes as your own” but chooses the longer “your friend’s honor should be as dear to you as you own.” This point is also evident from mishna 12 of this chapter, in which Rabbi Yossi says “your friend’s money should be as dear to you as your own.” Would anyone interpret this to mean that a spendthrift who throws away his money may similarly spend and throw away his friend’s money? It is clear that Rabbi Yossi is addressing those whose money is dear to them and not spendthrifts, and in our case he is likewise addressing those whose honor is dear to them.

They said: The students of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai.

And do not be easy to anger: Do not prepare yourself to anger and irritability. And they have already gone far in disgracing anger and irritability. And the strongest of their words is their saying (Shabbat 105b), "Anyone who gets angry is as if he worships idols." And they made it adjacent to his saying (Psalms 81:10), "You shall have no foreign god, you shall not bow to an alien god" - meaning to say that the two things are one.

"As your own": And he is not arguing with that which we learn later in Chapter 4, Mishnah 12, "the honor of your friend like the fear of your teacher." Since over there, it is [dealing with] friends (colleagues) in Torah [study] - Derekh Chaim.

They said three things: about proper comportment (derekh erets), ethics and character traits. As they said many things regarding the matter of what is forbidden and what is permissible, and what is exempt and what is liable. And also (another explanation is), these three things they would be accustomed to always have in their mouths.

Introduction The Mishnah now begins to list the sayings of the students of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai, each of whom said three things. The first student is Rabbi Eliezer. The second half of this mishnah is not part of the original list but a later addition to the mishnah. This is why there are actually four sayings in the mishnah.

BEWARE OF THEIR COALS. Rav: do not treat them with frivolity. Rambam: when you come together with the sages, do not be playful or arrogant in their presence. When in their presence, act in such a way as lets them understand that you will allow yourself to be drawn near to them when they decide to draw you near. And do not attempt to draw closer to them than they draw you themselves, that you not ruin their designs for you and turn their love to contempt, at which point you will not receive the benefit you had hoped for. The tanna compares this to someone warming himself at the fire. If he maintains his distance, the fire will warm him, and if he draws too near, he will get burnt.

three things: They said many, many things. But rather it wants to say that each one was accustomed to saying three things everyday - like the matter that they said (Berakhot 17a), "It is a pearl in the mouth of Rav" - about things that are always needed.

and repent one day before your death: And [since] he does not know when he will die - maybe today or maybe tomorrow - all of his days will be in repentance. But his saying, "And warm yourself by the fire of the sages," is not from their words with which he educated them, but rather is what he heard from someone else but he would [nonetheless] recount it. And because of this it was not counted among his [three] things. And the intention of this command that he is telling you is that when you associate with the sages and with men of virtues, do not be playful with them and do not be arrogant towards them, but let your association be to let them know that you will approach them at the time that they will bring you close. And do not add to come closer to them than that which they have brought you close - that you not lose their intention about you, and you reverse their love to hate and the benefit that you hoped to get from them not reach you. And he compared this to one who warms himself by the fire - as if he sits far from it, he will enjoy its heat and get benefit from its light. But if he is negligent with himself and continues to get closer to it, he will get burnt and the benefit will turn into damage. And this is the content of his saying metaphorically, "And warm yourself by the fire of the sages, but be cautious around their coals that you should not be burned." And afterwards he added to frighten about this and he said, "Do not think that if they bite you with their tongues that you will come back and appease them with your words and they will be appeased." As truly they will not listen to the voice of a charmer like the Seraph does not listen to it, as it stated (Psalms 55:6), "Which does not hear the voice of charmers." And you should know this from the matter of Gechazi in that which he was audacious in front of his teacher, Elisha, and who fell into a disgusting disease, as is elucidated from the words of the sages about the matter of the four men who were "leprous" (metsuarim). And so [too] with Rabbi Yehoshua ben Perachiah and with all of them is the damage that came to them elucidated - and with others that 'burnt their stew.'

And this is the language of Rambam: When you associate with sages and with people of lofty virtue, do not be playful with them and do not be arrogant towards them, but [rather] let your association show them that you will approach at the time that they will bring you close. And do not go on to come closer than that which they bring you close; so that you not lose their intention towards you and turn their love into hate, and the virtue from them that you hope for will not reach you. And he compared this to one who warms up with a fire; that if he sits far from it, he will enjoy its heat, but if he goes on approaching [it], he will get burned.

"The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own": And when is this? When you are not easy to anger. As if you are easy to anger, it is impossible that you will not degrade the honor of your friend. Behold that is one saying. "And repent one day before your death" - behold two. And the third is "warm yourself by the fire of the Sages, etc."

Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own: this is similar to the famous saying of Rabbi Akiva, “what is hateful to you, do not do to others.” A person should be as careful about the honor of his fellow as he is about his own honor. Another explanation of this statement is that if one sees that his close friend is being honored, instead of being jealous of his friend, he should enjoy that honor as if it was his own. And be not easily provoked to anger: according to the rabbis, anger brings one to sin and to forget one’s Torah learning. And repent one day before your death: since a person does not know when he will die, this statement means that one should constantly be repenting, lest he die. One commentator explains that this is the reason that people do not know how long they will live. If a person knew he was about to die, he would not engage in anything useful in this world; if he knew his day of death was far off, he would not engage in good works, for he would say, “There is still time”.

FOR THEIR BITE IS LIKE A FOX’S, THEIR STING IS LIKE A SCORPION’S, AND THEIR HISS IS LIKE A SNAKE’S. Meaning that sometimes they do a full act of damage, which is like a bite, specifically like the bite of a fox which is difficult to treat; sometimes they do a partial act of damage, which is merely like a sting, specifically a scorpion’s sting; sometimes they only damage through speech, which is like the hiss of a snake. This is what seems correct to me. [*But I also think these terms are epithets for the various types of excommunication. We find the sages of the Talmud using epithets, such as “he would bring you sparks of fire” in Bava Metzia 47a, and “I would split your leg with an iron club” in Bava Kamma 81b. The terms in our mishna are likewise epithets for various kinds of excommunication.]

Rabbi Eliezer says: The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own: We have learned the laws of the way of the world (derekh erets) here: He should seek the honor of his friend and desire that they honor him, as he desired his own honor. And this is the way of ethics.

"for their bite, etc.": Which is to say that sometimes they hurt with a full act, and this is like a bite, etc. And sometimes when they hurt it is without a full act, and that is only like a sting, etc. And sometimes they only hurt with speech and he said that this is like the hiss of a Seraph. It also appears to me that these expressions are nicknames for [various types of] rabbinic excommunications, as we have found nicknames [for such things] in the gemara.

"repent one day before your death": Since a person does not know when he will die, he should repent today, lest he will die tomorrow.

And [he also said:] warm yourself before the fire of the wise, but beware of being singed by their glowing coals, for their bite is the bite of a fox, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, and their hiss is the hiss of a serpent, and all their words are like coals of fire. If a person comes to learn Torah, he must treat that Torah as if it were a dangerous, yet beneficial fire. Just as a person who sits by a campfire sits as close as he can without getting burned, so too a student of Torah should draw as near as possible without coming too close and thereby being burned. Mixing his metaphors, Rabbi Eliezer likens the words of the sages to the bite of a fox, the sting of a scorpion, the hiss of a snake and flaming coals. This mishnah points out the awesome power of Torah, which can both heal and warm a person, and yet at the same time burn and destroy.

THE HISS OF A SNAKE. Rashi: it hisses with its mouth, siffler in French, the way that geese hiss at one another.

and do not be easy to anger: It is known that the trait of anger is very bad, however it is the nature of people to be pulled in by it. Hence he said that perforce sometimes be careful of anger, so that you not be easy to anger - since your will will desire anger: Weigh in the scales of your intellect if this thing is fit to get angry about. And if you find (that if) [any] argument to remove your anger, [use it and] negate it. But if it is a thing that is fit to be angry about regardless, then your anger will be with you (you can allow yourself to get angry). And this is what Shlomo - peace be upon him - stated (Ecclesiastes 7:9), "Don’t let your spirit be quickly angered, for anger rests in the laps of fools" - he meant to say, do not be quick to anger, but rather with deliberation and only for a great need. And do not do like the fool, who - because anger resides in his lap - hurries to get angry and does not know to subdue his spirit. And [he does this] even with something that he does not need anger for; even though he knows that he will spoil [the matter] as a result of his anger, he will nonetheless not restrain his spirit. [He is] like the snake which, according to some of the sages (Sanhedrin 78a), has venom in its teeth - and [so] when he bites, the venom goes out automatically and the snake does not need to discharge it. So [too] is anger in the lap of the fools - it is found there [and] goes out automatically. And this is what the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Eruvin 65b), "By three things is a person known: his cup, his wallet and his anger."

As the verse before it ends, "like a deaf python closes its ear."

"be cautious around their coals": not to treat them with lightheartedness.

SNAKE [Heb. saraf]. Rav: this snake cannot be charmed the way other snakes are, as the verse says, “which does not listen to the voice of charmers” (Psalms 58:6). The point is that the preceding verse finishes “like a deaf viper that stops up its ear” (ibid. 58:7). Rav continues: so, too, if you quarrel with a sage and attempt to appease him he will not be appeased. Rambam adds: this can be seen from the case of Gehazi, who quarreled with his master Elisha and fell into the degrading illness of leprosy, as the Sages expounded (Sanhedrin 117b) on the matter of the four lepers, and from other cases as well, in all of which they clearly suffered afterward.

and repent one day before your death: One should repent today, lest he die tomorrow. And since he does not know the day of [his] death, it comes out that all of his days will be in repentance. And this is that which is stated (Ecclesiastes 9:8), "At all times, let your clothes be white." These three things are a pearl in the mouth of Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenos, as they are things that are always needed by every man.

And you know this from the matter of Gechazi, who protested in front of his teacher, Elisha, [and] fell into a disgusting sickness, as is explained in the words of the sages about the matter of the four leprous men. And so [too] with others; and with all of them, the damage that they received is explained - Rambam

"that you should not be burned": such that you not be punished through them.

AND THEIR WORDS ARE ALL LIKE BURNING COALS. Even the slightest one of them, for in transgressing them one breaches the boundary the Sages have set. Let us take the prohibition of secluding oneself with a single woman. A single woman is assumed to be ritually impure due to menstruation, because the Sages interpret the phrase “in her impurity” (Leviticus 15:33) to mean that a menstruating woman remains impure until she immerses in water (Shabbat 64b).⁸²And the assumption is that single women do not go to the mikveh to immerse. [And the mishna in Niddah 3:5 considers a day-old baby already legally capable of becoming impure.] But the rabbinic prohibition of seclusion applies even to a single woman who has gone and immersed herself, because the prohibition was “seclusion with a single woman”—whether pure or impure—Rashi.

And warm yourself by (keneged) the fire of the sages: The explanation of keneged [here] is close [to].

"like burning coals": even the lightest of the light [among them], as he [would be] breaching the words of the sages. For example, seclusion with a single [woman]: As an undifferentiated woman is [considered to be] a menstruant, as it is stated, "she will be in her menstruation" - until she goes in the waters. And the sages made a decree [about a single woman] even if she immerses, as behold they decreed about seclusion with a single [woman], making no difference whether she is pure or whether she is impure - Rashi.

"the bite of a fox": Its healing is difficult, as its teeth are thin, crooked and twisted. And [so] the physician must take out the flesh [that was bitten] with a scalpel, and enlarge the [scar of the] bite.

but be cautious around their coals that you should not be burned: It is a metaphor of the one that warms himself by the fire: If he stands far from it as is fit for him, it comes out that he benefits and is not burned. But if he approaches too closely, it comes out that he gets burned. So [is it with] the one who warms himself by the fire of the sages and benefits from their wisdom - he must stand in front of them with awe, fear and seriousness of mind. And he should not act lightheadedly in front of them. And he should not approach them more than they have brought him close, as this trait pushes him away and makes him liable for a big punishment. And it is not necessary to say [that this is the case] at the time when [the sages] stumble in a matter of sin.

"the sting of a scorpion": [which is] worse than a snake's bite.

for their bite is the bite of a snake, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion: And lest it come into your mind that you can seduce him in the [same] way that we whisper to (charm) the snake and he does not bite; the matter is not like that. Rather their bite is the bite of a snake, but their whisper is the whisper of a viper that does not listen to the voice of whisperers (charmers).

"their hiss": [meaning,] their words.

and all of their words are like burning coals: (The editor said, "According to what appears, there is a word missing here, but the matter is understood") And to say, "I also have a living spirit and I will make arguments like him." But [you should be concerned that] the wisdom is not in your hand, lest you are mistaken in your argument. As their words are chosen and there is sharpness in their biting wisdom that is inside of them. And this thing is not from the three things that are counted that Rabbi Eliezer said, as he did not say it every day. And one time that he places into his heart to be careful about the honor of the sages is enough for him for a long time; as it is not something that needs reminding every day, like the first three.

"the hiss of a Seraph": It is like the breath that comes form the mouth of a Seraph, which burns while he hisses. A different explanation: this seraph-snake does not accept hisses (to charm him) like other snakes, as it written (Psalms 58:6), "Which will not listen to the voice of charmers." Thus [too] is the Torah scholar - if you upset him and come to appease him, he will not accept appeasement.

A BAD EYE [Heb. `ayin hara`]. Rav explains that this is the same as `ayin ra`ah, which is an “unhappy eye,” i.e. one that is unhappy with what he has and is constantly looking for other things.
The mishna says that these things “drive a person out of the world,” and it need not be said that one should distance himself from them. So whereas R. Yehoshua earlier (mishna 9) says that the path one should distance oneself from is that of a “bad friend,” the things in our mishna are more serious. So Midrash Shmuel.

Rabbi Yehoshua says: The evil eye: Its explanation is one who is not happy with his lot and places his eye on his fellow who is wealthier than he, [thinking] when will I be as wealthy as the great wealth of this man? And this causes evil to himself and to his fellow. [It is] like the wise men of science say about everything that is his neighbors: vapor comes up from that thought and burns the things that he put his eye towards with an evil eye. He also burns [himself] inside. Since he desires things, the thought of which he does not have the ability in his hand to materialize his, he destroys his body - as he shortens his spirit and removes it from the world. And this is the evil eye about which Rabbi Yehoshua spoke. And the proof of this explanation is that here he said, evil eye (ra) in the masculine - which is the one that put his eye [to something] for evil. And above (Avot 2:9), it said evil eye in the feminine (raah), the explanation of which is about the trait of stinginess. [And it is] not like the words of some of the commentators. And the evil inclination, and hatred of the creations - like their simple meaning -remove a person from the world.

He said that exuberance for money and much desire and badness of the soul - and that is sickness of the black bile which brings a man to be disgusted with that which his eyes see and he will hate it and he will prefer the company of animals and isolation in wildernesses and in forests and he will choose an uninhabited place, and this is with them not because of asceticism but rather because of the lack of desire and their jealousy of others - these will, without a doubt, kill a man. As his body will get sick and he will die before his time.

And [Rabbi Yehoshua] said that it removes a person from the world, and it is not necessary to say that he should distance itself from it. And therefore Rabbi Yehoshua said above that the path that a person should distance himself from is a bad friend, [as] that is a greater novelty - Midrash Shmuel.

"The evil eye": [This is] like "an evil eye," which does not suffice with what he has and seeks other things. And some explain, "the evil eye" - that he inserts the evil eye into the money of his friend or his children and hurts him.

Rabbi Joshua said: an evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred for humankind put a person out of the world. Rabbi Joshua lists three things that “put a man of the world”. The first is an evil eye, which was already mentioned by Rabbi Joshua as the worst human quality in mishnah nine. One who has an “evil eye” is one who is constantly begrudging others what they have. One who loses control over his “evil inclination” is one who follows all of his base instincts and has no control over himself. “Hatred for humankind” means that he hates others for no reason. According to Rabbi Joshua all of these things “put a person of the world”. An interesting way of explaining this mishnah is that it describes the downward moral spiral of a deteriorating human being. He begins by being constantly jealous of what others have. This leads him to stumble upon his evil inclination, for he may actually take what others have. By giving in to his evil inclination he will begin to hate the entire world, and in essence he will not be part of the civilized world.

AND THE EVIL INCLINATION. Excessive desire—Rambam.

"The evil impulse": The enormity of desire - Rambam.

"and hatred of the creations": baseless hatred. And Rambam explains that he despises the company of the creations and loves to sit alone. And I heard, [this is referring to] a hard man, who brings the hatred of the creations upon him and causes all to hate him.

HATRED OF PEOPLE. Rav: Rambam explains that this refers to one who hates peoples’ company and loves to be alone. The language of Rambam here is: this refers to an evil turn of spirit, the illness of black bile which brings a person to despise and be disgusted by what his eyes see and to prefer the company of animals and to dwell alone in deserts and forests and choose for himself a place free of any settlement. Such people do this not on account of asceticism but because of their evil desires and their envy of others. These things certainly kill a person, because his body will then fall ill and he will die an early death.
Concerning Rav’s alternate explanation of our mishna as referring to a difficult person who causes everyone to hate him, Midrash Shmuel writes: some explain that everyone curses him and their curses take their toll on him, and he leaves this world. For the Sages say, “do not make light of a commoner’s curse” (Megillah 15a).

And this is [Rambam's] language: [This is] badness of the spirit and it is a sickness of the black bile, which brings a person to despise the vision of his eyes and he hates it. And he prefers the company of animals, and [so] he isolates himself in wildernesses and in forests and chooses for himself an uninhabited place. And with them, this is not from the angle of asceticism, but rather because of the badness of their desire and envy of others. These [characteristics] will kill a person, without a doubt, as his body will get sick and he will die before his time.

There are some that explain that all curse him and their curse falls upon him, and [so] he leaves the world; as the sages, may their memory be blessed, say, "Do not let the curse of a commoner be light in your eyes, etc." - Midrash Shmuel.

YOUR FELLOW’S PROPERTY SHOULD BE AS DEAR TO YOU AS YOUR OWN. Cf. what we wrote on mishna 10.

Rabbi Yosi says: The money of your friend should be as dear to you as your own: To fulfill the command of its owner.

We have already explained in the eighth chapter (Eight Chapters 8) the matter of preparation and readiness that is needed for a person to prepare himself for the virtues. And we explained in the fifth chapter (Eight Chapters 5:8) the matter of his saying, All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven..

As such did the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expound on the verse, "will not move from your mouth and from the mouth of your seed and from the mouth of the seed of your seed, etc." And Rabbi Yosi comes to let us understand that these words apply when he prepares himself for it, [then] they will be established in him more than in another. But if not, [then] not.

"Prepare yourself to study Torah": Such that you not say, "Since my father was a sage and the father of my father was a sage, the Torah will come back to its lodgings, and I do not need to seek after it."

Rabbi Yose said:
Let the property of your fellow be as precious unto you as your own;
Make yourself fit to study torah for it will not be yours by inheritance;
And let all your actions be for [the sake of] the name of heaven.
Let the property of your fellow be as precious unto you as your own: a person should take care of his fellows’ property as it were his own. For instance, if you see a fire on your friend’s property you must help him protect his property. This principle is learned from the Torah which teaches that one has a responsibility to return lost objects to their rightful owners. From here the general principle is deduced that a person has a responsibility over his friend’s property.
Make yourself fit to study torah for it will not be yours by inheritance: while the Torah might in some ways be the “inheritance” of the Jewish people it is not acquired automatically, the way that an inheritance is. Just because your father, or nowadays your mother, was a scholar of Torah does not mean that you will become one as well. A person must labor over Torah, and push himself to study.
This statement is also a statement against the concept of fate. A person is not born “fated” to be a Torah scholar, or indeed anything else. Rather a person works to shape his future; he must prepare himself for all that he will do in life. First and foremost, he must prepare himself to study Torah.
And let all your actions be for [the sake of] the name of Heaven: this means that even ordinary actions that a person does, such as eating, drinking, sitting down, getting up, walking, lying down, sexual intercourse, conversation and all bodily needs, should be done in such a way that serves God. All things that one does should lead to the improvement of his relationship to God and of his moral character.

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TORAH STUDY, AS IT IS NOT YOUR INHERITANCE. Rav: you should not say that since your father and grandfather are sages the Torah will “return to its lodgings” and you need not seek it out. For the Sages have indeed expounded thus on the verse “they will not depart from your mouth, the mouth of your children, and the mouth of your children’s children from now on, forever” (Isaiah 59:21) in Bava Metziah 85a. R. Yossi informs us that this rule applies only to one who prepares himself for study, in which case he is more successful in his Torah study than others are. But one who does not, will not be.

Prepare yourself to study Torah: Prepare yourself with good traits so that you can study the Torah and reach the level of piety, as it stated (Avot 2:5), "An ignorant person cannot be pious." And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 24:7), "Wise things are too lofty for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the gate." He wanted to say that [for] the fool wisdom is 'far and very high - who can find it.' And in the place where they determine the law and speak with wisdom, he muzzles his mouth - as he does not know [what] to answer. "He who has thoughts to do harm is called by men a master of plots" (Proverbs 24:7) - that you not say, it is because the fool's intellect is not (with intentions) [directed], that he is not wise; since he does not have the reasoning to know wisdom. As behold, he has thoughts to do harm and his reasoning is great and sharp to do evil to the point that he is nicknamed and they call him, "the master of plots." Rather the wisdom of Torah does not rest upon him because of the evil of his heart - as he has the vessel (mind) with which to receive it. Also included in "Prepare yourself to study Torah" is to minimize pleasures, so that he learn much Torah - as we have learned (Avot 6:4), "This is the way [to toil in] Torah: eat bread with salt and drink a small amount of water and sleep on the ground and live a life [whose conditions will cause you] pain and in Torah you toil." As one who increases luxuries will not have wisdom dwell within him - as they said, his neck is fat, (his koa) [his calf] is wide.

"All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven": even at the time that you are involved in eating and drinking and in the way of the world (derekh erets), do not have the intention to give pleasure to your body, but rather that you should be healthy [in order] to do the will of your Creator.

for it is not an inheritance for you: And you will not acquire it if you do not exert yourself upon it. As it is not like an inheritance from the fathers, in which a child gets it without effort. And [even] if your fathers were sages or luminaries for several generations, don't think and say [that] the Torah will return to its [accustomed] guesthouse without any effort. And is 'the fruit of a righteous one a tree of life.' And the matter is not like this, but rather it is [only] 'to those that hold on to it and its supporters that are happy.' And the wisdom was only given to your fathers and you will not inherit them. And if you desire it, acquire it for yourself 'with the toil of your hands.' And if you do that, 'you will be happy and it will be good for you.'

All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven: Even optional things like eating, drinking, sitting, getting up, walking, laying down, sexual relations, speech and all the needs of your body should all be for the service of your Creator or for something that leads to His service. How is it [with] eating and drinking? There is no need to say that he not eat forbidden things; [but] even if he ate and drank permissible things because he was hungry or thirsty - if he did this for the pleasure of his body, it is not praiseworthy unless he intended to fulfill the needs of his body and to eat in order to live to serve his Creator. Gluttonous eating will also do great evil; as the wise men of science have said that most illnesses are caused as the result of too much food and [that] a man should only eat to remove his hunger. And through this, he will guard his soul from distress and cause his body to be [in good] health. But he should not eat every time it is sweet to his palate, as the palate always desires to eat until his stomach is full - according to what a man can fill it. And through this, he will have every illness and ailment, and this is that which is stated (Proverbs 13:25), "The righteous man eats to satisfaction, but the belly of the wicked is lacking." As the stomach is only able to digest what it can hold; and when one eats and fills it until the palate no [longer] desires to eat, he makes the belly lack and destroys it - as the destruction of the belly is its lack. But the righteous person who eats to the satisfaction of his soul and only to remove his hunger, he sustains the body which the soul loves [in order] 'to do the good and the straight in the eyes of the Lord.' And the enlightened ones will understand. How is it [with] sitting, getting up and walking? There is no need to say that 'he not sit in a gathering of scorners and not stand in a place of sinners and not walk in the counsel of evildoers,' [but] even to sit in the council of the straight and to stand in the path of the righteous and to walk in the path of the innocent - if he did it for his own benefit and to fulfill the wants of his body and its desires, it is not praiseworthy; but [rather] only if he did [it] for the sake of Heaven. How is it [with] laying down? There is no need to say that at a time that he can be involved in Torah [study] and in the commandments and [instead] arouses himself to sleep to enjoy himself, that it is not fit to do so. But even at a time when he is weary and needs to sleep in order to rest from his weariness - if he does it for the benefit of his body, it is not praiseworthy; but [rather] only if it is to fulfill the needs of his body in order that he be able to serve his Creator and to give sleep to his eyes and rest to his body, for the needs of health and that his mind not break down in Torah [study] from the weariness. With sexual relations, there is no need to say that he not commit a sin. But even at the appointed time stated in the Torah, if he does [it] for the sake of the benefit to his body or to achieve his desire - behold, this is disgraceful. But even if he intended [it] so that he have sons that will serve him and fill his place, it is not praiseworthy; but rather only if it is that he have sons to serve the Omnipresent, may He be blessed, or that he intended to have sexual relations to fulfill the appointed time stated in the Torah - like who one pays off a debt to his creditor. How is it [with] speaking? There is no need to say [not] to recount evil speech and foulness of the mouth and similar to them. But even in recounting words of wisdom, his intention needs to be for the service of his Creator or for something that will bring him to His service. The principle of the matter is that a person is obligated to put his eyes and his heart to his ways, and to weigh all of his deeds in the scales of his mind. And when he sees that something brings him to the service of his Creator, may He be blessed, he should do it; and if not, he should separate from it. And so wrote Rambam, may his memory be blessed.

BE CAREFUL WITH KERIAT SHEMA AND PRAYER. The tanna instructs care for these things especially, because they involve accepting the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven. Midrash Shmuel writes that Rabbenu Yonah has the text “be even more careful with keriat shema than with prayer.” He explains that while there is a long four-hour window for the morning prayers, there is only a short window from dawn until sunrise to say keriat shema according to the custom of vatikin⁸³The optimal way of fulfilling the law of reciting keriat shema.; the tanna therefore uses the expression “be careful,” because this requires great care.

Rabbi Shimon says: Be careful in the reciting of Shema: Be careful with the reciting of the Shema more than with prayer. [This is] because the time of [the morning] prayer is large and wide, as it is up to four hours [from daybreak]; but the time of reciting Shema [in the morning] is short and precise - with the sunrise, according to the vatikin (punctilious ones). And this is [the reason] for the expression, "be careful" - as it requires great care.

When a man thinks of himself as lacking [virtue] and low, a lacking will not seem [too] big in his eyes for him to do it. And we have already explained that the matter of "fixed" (keva) is that prayer be heavy upon him and he will consider it as if he were commanded a particular chore and then he can rest from it.

"In the reciting of Shema and with prayer": Because they are the acceptance of the yolk of Heaven and service to Him, may He be blessed, therefore he warned about them more. And in Midrash Shmuel, he wrote that Rabbenu Yonah had the textual variant, "in the reciting of the Shema more than with prayer." And he explained that the reason is that the time of [morning] prayers is long - up until four hours; and the time of reciting the Shema is short - according to the stringent, with the rising of the sun [only]. And that is the [reason] for the expression, "be careful;" as this requires great care.

"Be careful in the reciting of Shema": to recite it at its time. And so [too] with prayer, to pray each and every prayer in its time.

Rabbi Shimon said: Be careful with the reading of Shema and the prayer, And when you pray, do not make your prayer something automatic, but a plea for compassion before God, for it is said: “for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and renouncing punishment” (Joel 2:13); And be not wicked in your own esteem. Be careful with the reading of Shema and the prayer: the “Shema” and the “prayer” which is known today as the “amidah” or the “shmoneh esreh” are the two central elements to Jewish prayer. The “Shema” consists of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. It is recited in the morning and in the evening. The “prayer” is recited three times a day on weekdays, four times a day on Shabbat and holidays mentioned in the Torah, and five times on Yom Kippur. It contains praises of God and requests. Rabbi Shimon teaches that a person should be careful to say these things the correct number of times and at the right time of day. And when you pray, do not make your prayer something automatic, but a plea for compassion before God: this statement balances out the previous statement. One must be careful to recite prayers at the correct times but prayer can nevertheless not become automatic. It must be a genuine plea for compassion before God, and not a mere recital of words that someone else composed. This is the great challenge of Jewish prayer: it has strict laws as to what must be said and when, and yet it is supposed to be a spontaneous outpouring from a person’s heart. The idea of spontaneous/fixed prayer and the tension between the two is one of the most unique aspects of Jewish prayer. And be not wicked in your own esteem: do not do something which you yourself know to be wrong, though others do not recognize the truth. Another interpretation is that a person should not regard himself as wicked, for that will lead to despair. A person should look upon himself as half-wicked, half-good; far from perfection but close enough to having his good side outweigh his bad side. In this way he will always be motivated to do one more good deed, to “put himself over the top”. According to Maimonides this teaches that if a man thinks of himself as mean, he will not hesitate to act mean to others. Having a positive image of oneself helps one be a better person.

When you pray, do not make your prayer fixed, rather prayers for mercy and supplication before the Omnipresent, blessed be He: That he say the prayer like a poor man, supplicating and asking for something that he needs - as 'a pauper will speak supplications.' And [he should] not be like a man who requests something but does not need it - as he will not supplicate with a full heart, nor with a broken spirit. And every man needs to request about himself, 'as there is no man in the world who will not sin.' And the prayer should also not be like a burden, and he should not do it like one who repays his debt - as it is stated (the editor said that according to the text of our mishnah, he [cites] the verse from Joel 2:13) (Jonah 4:2), "You are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing the bad" - as every man needs mercy. And if times [are fortuitous] for him because God, may He be blessed, is slow to anger and forgiving towards him; it is not because of his righteous deeds that God is merciful towards him. And [so,] he needs to supplicate Him lest God renounce his renouncing of the bad - 'lest [that] be caused by sin.' 'And not each and every hour does a miracle occur.'

"fixed": like a person who has something fixed that he is obligated in and says, "When will I unload this obligation from upon me?" And also (another explanation is) "fixed" - like a person for whom it is fixed that he read a chapter and a section which he says only as a recitation and does not say in the language of supplications, as a person who is requesting mercy [would use].

And do not be wicked in your own eyes: That he not be an evildoer in his own eyes, [such] that he not be able to repent. As it comes out that this one gives up on repentance - and if a sin comes to his hand, it is (as if) it is permitted to him, since it comes to his mind that it is light compared to the heavy ones that he has transgressed. And he should also not be righteous in his own eyes, as they said in Tractate Niddah 30b, "The embryo is made to swear in the womb of his mother: Even if the entire world says that you are righteous, be like an evildoer in your own eyes" - and not an actual evildoer, but rather he should be half guilty and half meritorious in his own eyes. [If he] did one [more] commandment, happy is he - as he has determined that he be on the side of merit; ]if he] did one more sin, woe to him - as he has determined himself to be on the side of guilt. And this is that which they said in Vayikra Rabbah (Kiddushin 40a), "A man should always see himself as if he is half meritorious and half guilty, as it is stated (Proverbs 14:16), 'A wise man is afraid and evades evil.'" He wanted to say that even though he has evaded evil, the wise man is afraid because he is evil in his own eyes. And it comes out that he runs after the commandments, so that they determine him to be on the side of merit. And he runs from the sins, so that they not determine him to be on the side of guilt.

"'For He is gracious and merciful'": He wants supplications, and through the supplications, He immediately has mercy.

"And do not be wicked in your own eyes": Do not do something that will cause you to consider yourself wicked today and tomorrow. And Rambam explained, "do not be wicked in your own eyes" - that is to say, don't consider yourself wicked, as from such you would completely go out to the culture of delinquency. And I heard, "do not be wicked" in [the previous] matter that you separate yourself from the community and stand on your own.

STUDY TORAH DILIGENTLY, THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO ANSWER AN APIKOROS. Rabbenu Yonah explains this as “exert yourself and study Torah diligently in order that you should know what to answer an apikoros.” So also in Midrash Shmuel. We can then deduce that the correct version of the text does not have veda, “and you should know,” before “what to answer”, which also seems apparent from Rambam’s commentary.
But other editions have veda ma shetashiv. Midrash Shmuel writes in the name of R. Moshe Almosnino that veda ma shetashiv should be read as follows: whatever it is that you are going to answer⁸⁴ Ma shetashiv—“what it is that you are going to answer,” in this interpretation, as opposed to “what you’ll answer” with the sense of “what to answer.” In this reading, veda ma shetashiv is a totally unrelated teaching: “know well what you will answer an apikoros.” an apikoros, you should know it well; your answer shouldn’t be something you’ve simply heard or learned from another, because in this way you will not be victorious over him.
And in saying “what you will answer,” the mishna indicates that you shouldn’t go to them to attack their positions. If they come to you and attack you, you should know what to answer them; but do not sic the dog on yourself—Midrash Shmuel.

Rabbi Elazar says: Be diligent in learning Torah, and know what to respond to one who denigrates the Torah (apikoros): That one dedicate oneself to study Torah, so that he will know what to respond to the apikoros. As if he will not respond to him according to his arguments and his lies, the world will learn from them and 'drink evil waters' - in their seeing that he is defeated, and it will come out that the name of Heaven will be profaned. And an apikoros here is one who denies the oral Torah, as well as those that issue rulings not in accordance with the law (halakha). And apikoros is [from the word] hefker (chaos; literally, ownerless).

The matter of diligence (shkeidah) is from the language of the verse, "as I am diligent upon my word" (Jeremiah 1:12) - meaning to say, quick and energetic. Or its meaning would be, habit and constancy, as in "to be diligent at my doors each day" (Proverbs 8:34).

"Diligent, etc.": [Its] explanation is, "Be diligent" and toil in the study of Torah, so that you will know what to respond, etc. And according to this, we do not have the textual variant, "Know." But in other books, they have the variant, "Know." And [its] explanation is, you must know it with complete knowledge and your response to him should not be convincing [only] to you or rote, since in such a way you will not defeat him. And he said, "to respond," [in order to] inform that you should not go to him, to challenge him; but rather, if they came to you and challenge you, "know what to respond." (However, you should not initiate, to sic the dog upon yourself.) - Midrash Shmuel.

"To one who denigrates the Torah (apikoros)": [It] is an expression of being ownerless (hefker), as he disgraces the Torah and treats it as if it is ownerless. And also (another explanation is) he makes himself ownerless and is not concerned for his soul, lest evil will come to him as a result of his disgracing the Torah or those that study it.

Rabbi Elazar said:
Be diligent in the study the torah;
And know how to answer an epicuros,
And know before whom you toil, and that your employer is faithful, for He will pay you the reward of your labor.
Be diligent in the study the torah: diligence can either mean quick and energetic or it can mean regularity and faithful attendance.
And know how to answer an epicuros: a person should learn Torah in order to answer the questions of an epicuros. An epicuros is explained several different ways in the Talmud. He may be one who denies that there is a God, or one who denies that the Torah is of divine origin, or that , or one who despises Torah scholars. The origin of the term is the name of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, who taught that the ultimate goal of life is to pursue the pleasures of this world. He emphasized that the gods have nothing to do with human affairs. Rabbi Elazar teaches that one should know the Torah well enough to be able to engage in a debate with the epicuros. Interestingly, some commentators say that this is the reason that Jews are allowed to study Greek philosophy, for in order to know how to refute them with their own words, one must be learned in their works.
And know before whom you toil, and that your employer is faithful, for He will pay you the reward of your labor: this is connected to the previous statement, the rejection of the epicuros. A Jew must have faith in the ultimate reward and punishment for his actions. This is indeed one of Maimonides principles of Jewish faith. Unlike Greek philosophy which did not conceive of a God who was involved in the moral affairs of human beings, a God who was at most a “primal cause”, Jews believe in a God that intimately cares about how they act. The “toil” that a Jew does is before God, and not before an empty void.

DILIGENT. See Rav’s commentary on Sotah 9:15.

Know before Whom you labor: Before the One who examines the kidneys and the heart. And when you study Torah, exert yourself and put your concentration into it, and [that way] you will know to respond to the apikoros from it. And when you exert yourself in the Torah, delight in it. As we find that the Torah stated (Proverbs 8:22), “The Lord created me at the beginning of His course, as the first of His works of old" - and it is written after it (Proverbs 8:30), "I was a caretaker with it, a delight for me every day." You should behold that the Holy One, blessed be He, would delight in it - and you should do so [as well]. This is as it is stated (Proverbs 8:31), "Rejoicing in His inhabited world, and delighting with mankind." He meant to say that [just] like the Torah was a delight for the Holy One, blessed be He, before the formation of the world, so [too] should it be the rejoicing of the habitation and a delight for people after the world was created.

know what to respond to one who denigrates the Torah (epikoros): He said that you need to study things which you can respond to the epikoros from the [gentiles] and disagree with them and answer them if they challenge you. And they said, (Sanhedrin 38b), "They only taught about the gentile epikoros, but with the Jewish epikoros, if you answer him, all the more so will he rebel" - meaning to say, he will denigrate [even] more. And because of this, there is no need to speak with him at all, as he has no redemption and he has completely no cure at all - as it is stated (Proverbs 2:19, "All who go to her cannot return, and they will not find the paths of life." And he said, "Even though you study the opinions of the nations to know what to answer them, guard yourself that anything from these opinions come into your heart; and know that the One before whom you serve knows what is hidden in your heart." And this is his saying, "Know before Whom you labor" - wanting to say that he direct his heart to faith in God, may He be blessed.

And this is the language of Rambam: Even though you study the opinions of those who denigrate the Torah to know how you should respond to them, be careful that nothing from these opinions enter into your heart. And know that the One before Whom you work knows that which is hidden in your heart." And that is [why] he said, "Know before Whom you labor;" [by which] he meant to say that he direct his heart to faith in God, may He be blessed. To here [are his words]. And, if so, "before Whom" refers to God, may He be blessed.

"Know before Whom you labor": in this response that you give to the one who denigrates the Torah, such that your heart not be seduced to inclining towards his opinion.

AN APIKOROS. Rav: this term comes from the Hebrew hefker, “abandon, lawlessness.” He denigrates the Torah. Included in this category is one who denigrates those who study Torah, as the Rav himself writes at the end of his second explanation and on the mishna in Sanhedrin 10:1.

the Master of your work is trustworthy to pay you the wage for your activity: That you not make your labor in Torah fraudulent, since God, may He be blessed, is the Master of your work and there is nothing hidden from in front of His eyes. And also, since how is it that you would not strain yourself on it, as behold you will have a great wage for your activity? And even thought they said (Avot 1:3), "Do not be as servants who are serving the master in order to receive a reward"; it is in order to overcome the impulse that sways one form doing the commandments and from walking in the straight path. [Hence] it is good to think that he will have a reward for them, so that he not give an opening to the impulse to attack. And also because they did not warn to know this in order to serve the Omnipresent, may He be blessed - because of the reason of reward. But rather in the same way as a person is obligated to investigate and know the unity of the Omnipresent and His understanding and His wonders that He has done in order to add to His love; so too is he obligated to [know that He] pays the wage of his activity, to bring up to his heart the greatness of the kindnesses of the Omnipresent - [that] even though He is the Master of all the creations and the Maker of all and we are all His servants to serve Him and service Him like a slave that is His property without giving a wage, He [nonetheless] gives that the reward and wage be with us. And on top of everything, we will increase our love from this and we will serve Him with fear and love.

"reliable, etc.": He is not disagreeing with the statement, "Do not be like servants, etc." and [it is] as I wrote there. And I found a checked text of the Land of Israel that had the textual variant, "and who is the Master of your work;" and then nothing more.

AND KNOW BEFORE WHOM YOU LABOR. Rav: in giving this answer to the apikoros, that he not sway your mind to follow his opinion. Following this explanation, the antecedent of “whom” is “apikoros”. But it appears that he was taking his explanation from Rambam, and Rambam understands the antecedent of “whom” to be G-d: and he says that although you must study the opinions of the nations to know what to answer them, beware that none of those opinions become your own. And bear in mind that the one before whom you labor knows the depths of your heart. This is the meaning of “know before whom you labor,” i.e. that one should direct one’s heart to belief in G-d.

AND YOUR TASKMASTER WILL FAITHFULLY PAY THE WAGES OF YOUR LABOR. Midrash Shmuel writes in the name of Rabbenu Yonah that in saying the taskmaster will “faithfully pay your wages” the mishna does not disagree with the dictum “be not like servants” in 1:3, and I have already written about this at the beginning of this chapter, s.v. and consider. Still, the idea doesn’t have any relation to what came before it. And I saw an edition from the Land of Israel which has simply “and who your taskmaster is,” and nothing more.⁸⁵The mishna would then read “and know before whom you labor, and who your taskmaster is.”

Rabbi Tarfon said, the day is short and the work is great: The day is short - these are [a person's] days, which are short compared to the Torah, as it is greater. 'Its measure is longer than the earth and it is wider than the sea,' and none can reach down to its end. And this is what they said (Shemot Rabbah 47:7) - those forty days that our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, stood at Mount Sinai, he did not sleep. There is a parable [relevant to this, about] a king that said to his servant, "Measure gold coins from now until tomorrow, and everything that you measure will be yours." How can he sleep, and will he not lose very much at that time? So [too] did Moshe say, "If I sleep, how many pearls of words of Torah will I lose?" All the more so us, that we should not give 'sleep to our eyes nor slumber to our eyelids.'

This is a metaphor for the brevity of years and multitude of wisdoms and the laziness of men to seek it, in spite of the great reward for them and the multitude of notices in the Torah and its warnings to seek wisdom and study.

"The day is short": The life in this world is short.

Introduction Up until this point the statements in Avoth have been organized mostly according to chronological order, with a few minor excursions that also serve the overall order. From this point and onwards the statements are not in chronological order. The general order of the remainder of the tractate is more difficult to discern. The reason that Rabbi Tarfon’s statement is brought here is its similarity to the statement of Rabbi Elazar in the previous mishnah. Both compare the Torah to “labor” and both talk about the reward for performing this labor. Rabbi Tarfon was also a student of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, but younger than the others. He was one of the leading sages in Yavneh, after the destruction of the Temple.

The workers are lazy and the reward is great: These are people that are lazy in their study of Torah; as even the alacritous sages show laziness. Since it is in the nature of a person to show laziness and no one escapes from it - some do more and some do less.

"and the work is much": The Torah's 'measure is longer than the earth.'

Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent. Rabbi Tarfon compares the study of Torah to pressing matters of work. There is never enough time, because our lives are so short. There is so much Torah to be learned and relearned that a person could never truly learn it all in his lifetime. The laborers are indolent and put off the study of Torah and instead engage themselves in other matters. The reward for the study of Torah is great, and the master is pressing his workers to work harder, as it says in Joshua 1:8, “and you shall meditate upon it night and day”. Rabbenu Jonah makes an interesting parable. He teaches that when Moses went up to Sinai he did not sleep at all. Compare this to a king who said to his servant: “Count gold pieces from now until tomorrow, and whatever you count off will be yours.” How can such a person sleep? Why the time he spent in sleep he would be losing a fortune! So said Moses, “If I go to sleep, how many precious words of Torah I would lose!”

and the Master of the house is pressing: The One who controls His world that commanded about it. And you are not like a worker who works on consignment. If he does a little, he is given a small wage and if does much, he is given a large wage - according to the calculation that was agreed for him with the entire job. And [in this arrangement,] the masters are not exacting. But rather the Holy One, blessed be He, commands you the work of the Torah, and the work is not made dependent on you according to all that you are able to do. But [rather,] if you transgress His command, you will be punished with a big punishment - as you do not have a right to desist [from it] even one minute.

"and the Master of the house is pressing": as it is stated, (Joshua 1:8), "and you shall contemplate it day and night."

IF YOU HAVE LEARNED MUCH TORAH YOU WILL BE GIVEN MUCH REWARD. The preceding mishna says that “the reward is great,” and one might conclude therefrom that he will receive great reward for one hour of study followed by idleness. To counter this, our mishna says “if you learn much Torah you will receive much reward,” but not otherwise; in fact, one is punished for idling from Torah study. So Midrash Shmuel.
Having said this, we are in a position to understand the mishna in Menachot 13:11: the Torah calls both the wholly-burnt bird offering and the flour offering “a fire offering, a fragrant smell,” to teach that one who does little is just as one who does much, as long as he directs his heart to Heaven. This is because the one who brings the flour offering is usually a poor person, as Rashi comments on the verse “should one bring a flour offering” (Leviticus 2:1): who usually brings a flour offering? A poor person. It is in this case that the tanna considers them equal, for both do as much as their resources and abilities allow, and G-d therefore looks at the little that the poor person gives the same way He looks at the large amount the rich person gives. But certainly one who is able to do much and does little is not the same as the one who does much, and on the other hand a poor person who contributes more than the flour offering receives much greater reward. Our mishna, which says “if you have learned much Torah you will be given much reward,” similarly refers to one who is able to do so.
Maharal in Derech Chaim explains our mishna similarly. Also, cf. my comments on the mishna at 4:10.

He used to say: It is not your responsibility to finish the work That it not come to your mind, "I am not broadhearted and I cannot finish it, and [so] what advantage is there in toil and what will my exertion benefit." As "it is not your responsibility to finish it." Rather since your are toiling in the Torah, you have fulfilled the commandment of your Creator.

In the future to come: He meant to say in the world to come. And we have already elucidated the [concept of the] world to come in the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, with that which is fit to mention about it.

"Much": Since he said earlier, "and the reward is great," a person could be led from this to say, "Behold, I will receive much reward when I learn for an hour, and then I will sit idle from Torah [study], as I will already have much reward to receive." Therefore he said, "If you have learned much Torah, etc." [meaning] that if [you do not learn much, then] not. As behold - [it is] just the opposite - you [would receive] the punishment for neglecting Torah [study] - Midrash Shmuel. And they only said that the one who does much and the one who does little [are equal] when we also evaluate the [relative wealth] of the donors. This is when the wealthy man gives much and the poor pan gives little, but not when he has the ability to do much and he does little. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"It is not your responsibility to finish the work": The Holy One, blessed be He, did not hire you to finish it all, so that you would lose your wage if you do not finish it. And lest you say, "I will not study [Torah], and I will not take the wage," [it states,] "but neither are you free to desist " - against your will is the yoke placed upon you to labor.

Introduction This mishnah is a continuation of Rabbi Tarfon’s statement in the previous mishnah.

YOU WILL BE GIVEN MUCH REWARD. It is not possible to use the language of payment⁸⁶I.e., “you will be paid much” instead of “you will be given much.” here because payment refers only to what something is properly worth, and there cannot be “much” of it.

but neither are you free to desist from it: That you not say, "Since I am not obligated to finish the work, I will not pain myself, but rather I will study one hour each day." The matter is not like this, as you are an acquired slave to [the work] to 'meditate over it day and night' 'and then you will make your paths successful and then you will be enlightened.'

"the wage, etc.": And it should not enter your mind that when you receive the gift that is hinted to by "gift" and by "much," that it will be deducted from your wage - Midrash Shmuel.

"in the future to come": In the world to come.

He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come. It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it: although Rabbi Tarfon has already stated that the work is great and the day is short, this is not a cause for despair. It is not our duty to “finish” the study of Torah, but only to push ourselves to continue in this endeavor. A person must engage in study to the best of his abilities. There is a parable made about a king who hires workers to fill in a gigantic hole. The foolish worker takes a look at the hole and says, “How can I ever finish this?” The intelligent worker says to himself, “I was only hired for a day, at least I have found work.” Thus God says to his people, “You are all only hired for your day. Do your day’s work and do not worry about the rest”. The end of the mishnah repeats a message that we have heard many times, that the study of Torah will bring reward and that God is faithful to pay this reward. However, the end of the statement reminds us that rewards are not received in this world. A person who fulfills the commandments and studies Torah as he is commanded to do and yet does not receive a reward should not despair and lose faith in God, for the reward is not received in this lifetime. We should probably remind ourselves of Antigonus’s statement in chapter one, mishnah three. Although the rabbis emphasize the reward for learning Torah, we are warned not to serve God in order to receive this reward. Note that there are different explanations for “the world to come” and it is obviously not a concept that human beings can truly grasp, for no human can ever achieve true knowledge of the “world to come”. All of the statements made by Rabbis about the world to come are only meant to be understood as allegories and parables and not taken literally.

AND YOUR TASKMASTER WILL FAITHFULLY PAY THE WAGES OF YOUR LABOR. Do not imagine that when you receive the things referred to in our mishna as “gift” and “much,” they will be deducted from your wages—Midrash Shmuel.

If you have learned much Torah, your reward will be much: To say that there is an advantage to the one who [decides] for himself [to learn[ much, as he becomes wiser than the one who learns little - even though both of them do not desist.

"And know, etc.": Which means to say, my intention is not that you should serve in order to receive a reward - rather, my intention is this: that you should know it intellectually, and as above. And some have the textual variant, "shematan (that the giving of the reward") with a [letter,] shin. And according to that, one can say that it is coming to say that even the reward which is the gift, 'it is not in this world.' And therefore, do not wonder when you see that the righteous are going from one misfortune to another. So is it written in Midrash Shmuel.

AND KNOW THE REWARD THE RIGHTEOUS ARE GIVEN IN THE FUTURE. I.e., when I said “and your taskmaster will faithfully pay etc.” I did not mean that you should serve G-d with the intent of receiving reward—I meant only that you should know of it, as I wrote above (mishna 14).
Some texts read “and know that the righteous are given their reward in the future.” If so, the meaning is that even what is “given,” i.e. what is a gift, does not come in this world. Do not wonder, therefore, if you see the righteous beset by one evil thing after another. So Midrash Shmuel.

and the Master of your work is trustworthy That you should not fear like a worker, and that the master of the house not say to you, "Go, go and come back," since he doesn't have money in his hand. As you are working for One who will pay you the wage for your activity and pays with trustworthiness.

And know, the giving of reward to the righteous is in the future to come And if you think about this, your hand will be strengthened to [study] the Torah, 'the measure of which is longer than the earth and it is wider than the sea,' and none can reach down to its end (- and [to do] His commandments). From this you will put upon your heart the greatness of the kindnesses of the Holy One, blessed be He, and you will increase [your] love for Him.