Commento su Pirkei Avoth 2:16

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.