Musar do Pirke Awot 3:23

However, in the case of a man who is pure in his deeds and does not boast or vaunt himself since he knows that there is sin in this matter, then the evil desire comes and conducts a war to the death, to overthrow and capture him in his net, and teaches that that which is forbidden is really permitted and presents opinions and citations to the effect that he will be following the commandment and will receive reward for his self honor and boasting. And thus the evil desire says, "You have already attained the heights of wisdom and piety, and it is proper for you to conciliate yourself with a natural desire and try to be liked by people even though you may have to fawn upon them and reveal to them your wisdom and righteousness in order to win their love." The evil desire will even bring proof from the words of our Sages: "Everyone whom people like, God also likes" (Aboth 3:10). But all this is false proof, for this type of reasoning is already a branch of arrogance. But the truth of the matter is, as it is written: "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov. 16:7). And the meaning of this verse is, 'If a man does not boast before others and does not try to be liked by them because of his good deeds, and yet people like him, this is great evidence that the Holy One, Blessed be He, loves him, and has sown (the seeds of) love for him in the hearts of people and has made him a good name on their tongues. In truth there are some individuals who are loved by people and the Holy One Blessed be He hates them, for they do not fulfill His Commandments. For the Holy One Blessed be He loves only those who study the Torah and fulfill its precepts.

And he [should] draw [on this] to always be agreeable towards the creatures; as if his traits are hard with people from a [particular] angle, they will not be appeased by him. And this is the explanation of the mishnah (Avot 3:10), "Anyone from whom the spirit of creations find pleasure, from him the spirit of the Omnipresent finds pleasure."

Silence becomes sages; how much more so, fools. (Avoth 3:17): "A fence for wisdom is silence." "Silence is the universal cure." And guard your tongue like the pupil of your eye. (Mishlei 18:7): "The mouth of a fool is destruction to him, and his lips are a stumbling-block to his soul." And (Ibid. 21:23): "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from suffering."

Silence becomes sages; how much more so, fools. (Avoth 3:17): "A fence for wisdom is silence." "Silence is the universal cure." And guard your tongue like the pupil of your eye. (Mishlei 18:7): "The mouth of a fool is destruction to him, and his lips are a stumbling-block to his soul." And (Ibid. 21:23): "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from suffering."

And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 3:1), "Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin [...] From where did you come? From a putrid drop. And to where are you going? To a place of dust, worms, and maggots. And before whom are you destined to give an account and a reckoning? Before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." The explanation of the content is [that] when you think of from where you came, your spirit will be humbled and you will hate pride. And when you remember where you are going, you will scorn the world, recognize that its superfluous luxuries are nothing and only be involved with it for the service of the Creator, may He be blessed. And when you put into your heart in front of whom you will be giving a reckoning, fear of the Heavens will be upon you. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Genesis Rabbah 9:5), "'And God saw all that He had made, and found it very good' (Genesis 1:31) - this ('very good') is death." For even death is good, so as to subdue spirits, that there be fear of God upon the hearts and that they not make this world into the main one. But there are people that do not give time to their souls to understand their ends, because of their preoccupation with acquisitions of the world - like the matter that is stated (Job 4:21), "Their cord is moved, and they die, and not with wisdom." Its explanation is, is not their cord (yeteram, which can also be understood as their excess or advantage) - their money - moved from them in their move; for behold they have no benefit from it [when they die], yet it lost much good for them. For it caused them to die without wisdom, as they did not show wisdom to understand their end, to rectify their souls and prepare provisions for their journey, - like the matter that is stated, (Deuteronomy 32:29), "Were they wise, they would think upon this, gain insight into their future."

And in Avoth 3:6 we find: "If one takes upon himself the yoke of Torah, there are removed from him … and the yoke of [earning] a livelihood." Their speaking of "taking upon himself the yoke of Torah" rather than of "learning Torah" implies that this is so only if he takes upon himself the yoke of Torah, not to grow lax in it by any means — like an ox under the yoke, as they have said (Avodah Zarah 5b): "It was taught in the school of Eliyahu: 'Let one always make himself as an ox for the yoke and as an ass for the burden for [the sake of] words of Torah.'" And then, even if the burden of the yoke of earning a livelihood were upon him already it is removed from him. How much more so will the L-rd "arrange" things so that it not be put upon him [in the first place]. And the Torah also protects a man to rescue him from the din of Gehinnom even though he sinned — a fortiori, from the instance of Elisha Acher. For they said (Chagigah 15b): "When Acher died, they said: 'Let him not be judged [(to descend to Gehinnom)], for he occupied himself with Torah, and let him not come to the world to come because he sinned [(in heresy)].'" And we find in Aggadath Mishlei: "There is no charity that saves from the din of Gehinnom, but only Torah alone." [And we learned:] "The fathers of the world answered: 'Since you have been caught in the net of judgment, there is nothing you can do but sit and occupy yourselves with Torah, for it [alone] atones for sin.'" They have also said (Chagigah 27a): "The fire of Gehinnom does not prevail over Torah scholars — a fortiori from [the instance of] a salamander, which, since it is generated by fire, one who anoints himself with it, is not affected by fire. How much more so, Torah scholars, whose entire body is fire, viz. (Jeremiah 23:29): "'Is not My word thus like fire?' says the L-rd?"

First of all, the universe was created for the sake of man who was formed in the image and likeness, i.e. בצלם ודמות of G–d, so to speak. This means that אדם התחתון is patterned after אדם העליון, a heavenly version of man. This means that not only his heavenly counterpart but also he himself is holy, or that "the book and the cover" are both holy. The book and the cover in this instance are the soul and the body. When in such a state, man's clothing are כתנות אור, garments woven of the original light with which G–d created the universe. The word דמות describes the holiness of the body, whereas the word צלם describes the state of man's soul. We have discussed this at length in the treatise תולדות אדם. As long as such ideal conditions prevailed man's immortality was not limited to his species, but each individual person enjoyed everlasting life. The system of procreation would have paralleled that of the angels who develop from one another much like a candle which can light another without the light of the original candle thereby decreasing or “aging.” As a result of this type of procreation G–d's צלם would have expanded continuously, each new human being would have had the צלם אלוקים transmitted to it with the drop of semen it originated from, though such a human being had not been formed by G–d Himself as had Adam. The drop of semen would not then have been described as "an evil smelling drop," as it is described nowadays in Avot 3,1.

But this very quality of impudence is very praiseworthy in connection with the Torah and Service to God — to be impudent towards the wicked and stiffen the neck against them in order not to listen to their counsel, and not to accept their lies and abominations and not to flatter them. And a man should have a touch of impudence in observing the commandments if people laugh at him for doing so. He must "harden his face", be bold towards his teachers, to ask what he does not know and not be ashamed in doing this, and he must "harden his face" or be bold in rebuking people and in revealing to them their sins.

We further find in Avoth (3:8): "R. Meir says: 'If one forgets a single thing from his learning, Scripture accounts it to him as if he is liable for his soul, as it is written (Devarim 4:9): "Only take heed to yourself, and heed your soul exceedingly, lest you forget, etc."

And [(by neglecting Torah study)] he especially injures himself, as Chazal have said: "Whoever forgets one item of his learning brings bout exile to his sons, as it is written (Hoshea 4:6): 'And you have forgotten the Torah of your G-d — I, too, will forget your sons.'"

Through humility you will also come to fear God. It will cause you to always think about (Pirkei Avot 3:1) "where you came from and where you are going," and that while alive you are only like a maggot and a worm as after death, and before Whom you will eventually stand for judgment, the Glorious King, as it is written (I Kings 8:27) (Chronicles II 6:18) "Even the heaven and the heavens of heaven cannot contain You" -- "How much less the hearts of people!"(Mishlei 15:11), It is also written (Jeremiah 23:24), "Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord."

Never humiliate anyone in public for one who does so has no portion in the World to Come.

This was said by King Shlomo, peace be unto him: "I said of laughter, it is madness; and of merriment, what use is it?" (Ecc. 2:2). And the Sages of blessed of memory, said: "laughter and light-headedness habituate a person to illicit relations" (Avot 3:13). For even though sexual immorality is regarded as severe by every man of faith, and his heart fears approaching it, due to the vivid picture that has been imprinted in his mind of the enormity of the sin and the severe punishment it incurs, nevertheless, laughter and light-headedness draw him on little by little, advancing him nearer till the fear of sin leaves him bit by bit, degree after degree, until he reaches the sin itself and commits it.

Behold, Shlomo repeatedly exhorted many times on this in seeing the evil of laziness and the greatness of the harm resulting from it. He said "a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. Then shall your poverty come as a traveler" (Mishlei 24:33). For behold, even though the lazy person is not doing evil actively, nevertheless he brings evil on himself through his very inactivity.

The quality of mercy identifies the descendants of Abraham our father — the seed of Israel as it is written in Deuteronomy 13:18: "And He shall show you mercy and have mercy upon you and multiply you" i.e. (God will give you the quality of mercy). Therefore, everyone should accustom himself to speak all his words with the language of petition and mercy. Also, when he prays, his prayer should be in the tone of plea and petition. And great indeed is the reward that a man will receive from his words of mercy when he speaks to the heart of the poor.

הנני ממטיר לכם לחם מן השמים … למען אנסנו הילך בתורותי. This verse contains an indirect instruction to say a word of Torah during meals.

It is also written in Psalms 29,11: "May the Lord grant strength to His people, may He bestow peace on His people." The very fact that דין, a system of jurisprudence, governs relations between people ensures that they do not eat each other up alive. The system prevents anarchy. We have this statement as an introduction to the fourth section of the שולחן ערוך of the טור (based on Avot 3,2). The four categories, which are really eight, are the ones that the eight weekly portions starting with פרשת שמות, and commonly known as שובבים ת"ת, particularly reflect.

לקטו ממנו איש לפי אכלו. The Torah tells us here how much a person needs to eat to sustain himself. This is the reason the measurements are spelled out in such detail, as well as the fact that people's subjective estimate of their "needs" were proven wrong, since, regardless of how much they believed they had gathered, once they measured it, they found that every person had obtained the same quantity. When the Torah afterwards describes some people as "storing" extra מן for the following day against Moses' instructions, and it turned into worms, this was a warning of what our sages (Avot 2,7) called מרבה בשר מרבה רמה, that he who eats excessively, over and beyond his needs, only increases the number of worms that will eventually invade his corpse. When the Torah added: ויבאש, this is a hint that decomposition can set in even during one's lifetime when one gorges oneself on too much unneeded food. I have enlarged on this subject in my treatise שער האותיות under the heading of שלחן and the letter ק for קדושה.

The impurity of a person suffering from seminal discharge is of a different nature; his own body is its source. This too is the result of what happened with the original serpent, since the latter polluted man as a species. This is the prime reason why we experience impurity when any seminal discharge occurs or when a woman menstruates, even when such discharge is a normal bodily function, not the sign of disease. Had man never sinned, this very semen would have been considered as something sacred and would most certainly not have caused impurity. As it is, the Mishnah describes such semen as "an evil smelling drop" (Avot 3,1). This is why such a person must also leave the מחנה לויה the second of the camps. There is a way to avoid this impurity: if one sanctifies oneself at the time of engaging in sexual intercourse with one's spouse. As a result of such conduct one's semen becomes totally absorbed, so that not a drop of it is lost, which would have caused טומאת קרי, impurity through seminal discharge.

Verse 3, i.e. the words אף חובב עמים, require analysis. Rashi writes that the two words mean that G–d displayed this additional love for Israel by treating each tribe as a whole nation. He bases this on G–d's blessing of Jacob in Genesis 35,11 where He refers to the as yet unborn Benjamin as a "nation." Rashi's comment on this verse is generally understood to mean that the title "nation" bestowed on a mere tribe indicates special fondness for that tribe. I do not believe that this is what Rashi had in mind. I believe that Rashi referred to the words אף חובב as meaning "a different dimension of fondness." The word אף indicates something additional. We have evidence of this in the statement in Avot 3,14: חביבין ישראל שנקראו בנים למקום, followed by the words: חיבה יתירה נודעת להם שנקראו בנים למקום. "Israel are beloved of G–d for they are called 'children of G–d.' They enjoy an additional degree of fondness (by G–d) for they have been called 'children of G–d.'" The very repetition of the wording in these two statements in the Mishnah makes it plain that the author wanted to tell us that the "fondness," חיבה, described here is not of the ordinary variety. Rashi meant to convey the same idea, i.e. that the fondness displayed by G–d for Israel is not of the ordinary variety. The verse refrains from spelling out the nature of this different dimension of "fondness" G–d displays for the Jewish people. The example Rashi quoted is only an illustration of the fact that Israel the nation is referred to in the plural i.e. as עמים, instead of merely as עם. This is why Rashi quoted the example of the tribe of Benjamin itself as being called a nation. The additional dimension of G–d's fondness for Israel then is that the whole nation is called עמים (pl.), and not that a single tribe of it is called עם. Personally, I feel that these words allude to something else. Since the Torah has many facets I may be allowed to state my own view. I understand the word אף here as hinting to us that the words חובב עמים should be read as if they had been repeated, the message being that the Torah also alludes to the light which has been hidden and will only be revealed to the righteous in the future. Since it is going to be revealed to them exclusively, this represents an additional dimension of G–d's fondness for us because we cleave to G–d.

Our Sages, of blessed memory, said further, "The quality of generosity depends upon habit, for a man cannot be called generous unless he gives of his own free will at all times, and at all hours, according to his ability. A man who gives a thousand gold pieces to a worthy person at one time is not as generous as one who gives a thousand gold pieces on a thousand different occasions, each to a worthy cause. For the man who gave the thousand gold pieces at one time had a sudden impulse to be generous, but after that the desire left him. Also in the matter of reward, one cannot compare a man who redeems one captive for a hundred dinars, or gives alms to one poor man in the amount of one hundred dinars (which is completely sufficient for the poor man's needs) with a man who has redeemed ten captives, or has helped to cover the needs of ten poor men, each one receiving ten dinars. Concerning this our Sages said, "Everything must be according to the multitude of the task" (Aboth 3:15); they did not say according to the greatness of the task."

Then too, if a person is silent, others can reveal secrets to him, for inasmuch as he is not accustomed to speak much he will not reveal the secret. Moreover, it is not his habit to indulge in gossip, and concerning this it is said, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21), for a man can do more harm with his tongue than he can with a sword. For a man can stand here and yet betray his companion, who is a long distance from him, and cause his death (by his word), while the sword can only slay someone who is near it. Therefore man was created with two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth to say to him that he ought to speak less. Silence is fitting for the wise, and thus all the more so for fools. "A fence around wisdom is silence" (Aboth 3:13). "There is no better medicine than silence" (Megillah 18a).

The expression used by the Torah for Joseph, i.e. בן זקונים, also contains an allusion to Adam and Eve, who were the "oldest" people in the world -the first human beings. The Torah wanted to hint that Joseph was a branch of that first pair of human beings in terms of their purity. Just as Adam and Eve had not been the products of the טפה סרוחה, the "evil smelling drop of semen" described by Akavyah in Avot 3,1, so similarly Joseph's origin was pure. The next pair of human beings to whom the Torah applies the term “זקנים,” were Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18,11, for they took the place of Adam and Eve. We have discussed all this at length in our commentary on חיי שרה. The process of refinement, the road to regaining the innocence and purity lost by Adam, continued through Jacob called Israel because he had successfully contended with heavenly forces. In our classic literature this Israel is referred to as ישראל סבא, grandfather Jacob, whereas Joseph is simply referred to as the son, בן.

The contemplation, however, is on various matters. One of them is brought in the statement of Akavia ben Mehalelel: "know from where you came - from a putrid drop; and where you are going - to a place of dirt, worms, and maggots; and before whom you are destined to give a judgment and accounting - before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He" (Avot 3:1).

However, we must first introduce that there are two types of fear which are effectively three types. The first type is very easy to attain, there being nothing easier. The second is difficult, while the second part of the second type, is more difficult than everything.

The third category of gossip is he who, in the presence of others, shames another because of something which his ancestors did. Concerning this our Sages, of blessed memory, said, "Everyone who causes the face of his companion to whiten (through shame) in public has no share in the world to come" (Aboth, 3:11).

It is written in Mishlei (9:10): "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the L-rd." This indicates that the beginning of wisdom for the man who seeks to be wise is to acquire fear of the L-rd. Yet, another verse in Mishlei states (4:7): "The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom." This would seem to indicate that the beginning of all for him who desires to acquire wisdom is to reflect upon wisdom [that is, the wisdom of the Torah]! But, in truth, there is no contradiction. Solomon, may peace be upon him, desired to teach us that both are necessary, that one without the other is not worth anything [(as per the Tanna in Avoth (3:17): "If there is no fear, there is no wisdom; if there is no wisdom, there is no fear")]. That is, if one would seek to place all his toil and reflection upon acquiring fear of the L-rd and think to acquire wisdom afterwards, King Solomon, may peace be upon him, advises us that it is not right to do so. For to acquire fear as befits a Jew, he must seek it as silver, as Scripture states (Mishlei 2:9): "If you seek it as silver, …then you will understand fear of the L-rd." And the seeking of silver is not for one day or one week or one month; but silver is always on his mind. So, the man who wants to acquire fear of the L-rd. He must always reflect upon His greatness and upon the goodness which He confers upon him each day and increase fear of the L-rd in his soul. And if he waits to reflect upon the wisdom of Torah until he becomes a fearer of the L-rd in truth, this will take a long time, so that all of that time that his heart is void of wisdom, his fear is worth nothing. For if there is no wisdom there is no fear, and (Avoth 2:5): "A boor does not fear sin."

The third thing that can stir the heart to repentance is when he hears the chastisement of the wise and of those who reprove him, and this arouses his heart to repent, and he receives upon himself all the words of these rebukes. From the time that he accepts them, this man earns great merit, and in a short space of time he has gone forth from darkness to light, and he has gained reward and merit for all of the commandments and all of the chastisements, inasmuch as he has resolved to receive them upon himself. And happy is he who receives this upon himself, for he has won merit in a brief moment. And thus did our Sages, of blessed memory, say "And the children of Israel went and did." Now had they already done this (i.e., prepared the Passover)? Surely, they did not do so until the fourteenth day of the month! But when they took it upon themselves to do it, Scripture ascribes it to them as though they had already done it" (Mechilta on Exodus 12:28). And thus did our Sages say, "All whose deeds are greater than his wisdom, his wisdom will endure" (Aboth 3:12). As it is said, "We will do and we will hear!" (Ex. 24:7).

The third thing that can stir the heart to repentance is when he hears the chastisement of the wise and of those who reprove him, and this arouses his heart to repent, and he receives upon himself all the words of these rebukes. From the time that he accepts them, this man earns great merit, and in a short space of time he has gone forth from darkness to light, and he has gained reward and merit for all of the commandments and all of the chastisements, inasmuch as he has resolved to receive them upon himself. And happy is he who receives this upon himself, for he has won merit in a brief moment. And thus did our Sages, of blessed memory, say "And the children of Israel went and did." Now had they already done this (i.e., prepared the Passover)? Surely, they did not do so until the fourteenth day of the month! But when they took it upon themselves to do it, Scripture ascribes it to them as though they had already done it" (Mechilta on Exodus 12:28). And thus did our Sages say, "All whose deeds are greater than his wisdom, his wisdom will endure" (Aboth 3:12). As it is said, "We will do and we will hear!" (Ex. 24:7).

Here you have the duties of the true Torah scholar spelled out. He is considered a Torah scholar as long as he diligently uses every opportunity to deepen his Torah knowledge both by day and by night. While doing all this he is relieved of the obligation of paying taxes, and other duties imposed on ordinary citizens. Everyone else will take care of such a Torah scholar's needs. If, however, the Torah scholar chooses a restful existence, וירא מנוחה כי טוב, then his status is reversed and and he becomes למס עובד, subject to paying taxes, etc. In such a situation he will feel the duties of ordinary citizens as especially burdensome. The statement of our sages in Avot 3,6 will apply to him: "He who casts off the yoke of Torah studies will have the yoke of government and secular life imposed upon him."

Here you have the duties of the true Torah scholar spelled out. He is considered a Torah scholar as long as he diligently uses every opportunity to deepen his Torah knowledge both by day and by night. While doing all this he is relieved of the obligation of paying taxes, and other duties imposed on ordinary citizens. Everyone else will take care of such a Torah scholar's needs. If, however, the Torah scholar chooses a restful existence, וירא מנוחה כי טוב, then his status is reversed and and he becomes למס עובד, subject to paying taxes, etc. In such a situation he will feel the duties of ordinary citizens as especially burdensome. The statement of our sages in Avot 3,6 will apply to him: "He who casts off the yoke of Torah studies will have the yoke of government and secular life imposed upon him."

The meaning of Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachmeyni in Sanhedrin must be that Korach claimed that Moses' prophecy was not of a higher level than anyone else's and that he was perfectly within his rights to pursue a normal married life. Korach first wanted to reduce Moses to the level of a person who receives his prophetic inspiration not from G–d Himself but, indirectly. He described Moses as a טירון in his stature as a prophet. This would make Moses like all other prophets, i.e. אשת איש, a wife, someone who is a recipient rather than an initiator. When the Talmud described the accusation levelled against Moses as being that he was חשוד באשת איש, the meaning is not the customary "suspected of consorting with a woman married to someone else," but to his status as a prophet being comparable to the status of any married, lady i.e. passive rather than active. As someone born of woman, he was the product of a man's drop of semen. This is a veiled reference to Exodus 2,1: וילך איש מבית לוי ויקח את בת לוי, "A man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi." All of this illustrates the beginning of Moses' career as a prophet, when he received indirect inspiration, such as when G–d had to impersonate the voice of Moses' father Amram. The reason that the Midrash tells us this is to indicate that despite the as yet indirect inspiration, there was early on already a tendency towards the male, active, rather than the female, passive. G–d was already hinting that He wanted to disabuse Moses of the fact that he was merely another creature sired by a father and a mother. When G–d told Moses: "I am the G–d of your father," He meant that there were three partners involved in the making of a human being. G–d wanted Moses to appreciate that He had a major share in creating him because He also had a share in creating his father. As to G–d having adopted the voice of Moses' father, this was to remind Moses that he was born of human seed. This accounts for Shemot Rabbah 3,3 reporting G–d as saying as part of the deception: באתי אליך בפתוי, "I have come to you in a deceptive manner." G–d referred to the original seduction practised by the serpent on Eve in Paradise which is the reason that nowadays the origin of man is the proverbial טפה סרוחה, "evil-smelling drop of semen" familiar to us from the saying of Rabbi Akavyah in Avot 3,1. If Adam and Eve had not allowed themselves to be seduced into sinning, all seed would have been holy seed. The whole subject of the covenant, the ברית מילה, which is performed on the reproductive organ, is designed to reconsecrate it to G–d. This ברית is no less holy to G–d than the laying of תפילין which originates in the Celestial Regions. The world, as we have repeatedly explained, is founded on a pillar, on the צדיק, who is the יסוד, foundation, of the universe. The mystique of the covenant of circumcision is that one is thereby able to sire children of a similar spiritual niveau. Ever since the sin, when Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked and became ashamed on that account, and the whole rite of circumcision became connected to ערוה, nakedness and shame, observance of circumcision has become much more crucial. Man's attachment to material values stems from the original sin. This sin is the reason why Moses did not immediately merit prophetic insights without any intermediary and was called a טירון. G–d mentioned Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because all three were examples of תקון, repair-work, performed to the damaged spiritual state of the universe.

Rabbi Arama further refers to his commentary on the phenomenon of Moses going without food or drink [chapter 32] in which he states that the more refined the food, the more it can serve as soul-food. This is the meaning of the concept of ריח ניחוח, the almost totally intangible part of food. "Man does not live on bread alone, but on all that emanates from the mouth of the Lord" (Deut. 8,3) i.e. one can live on spiritual nourishment. This is the reason that a meal during which no words of Torah are spoken is considered an abomination (Avot 3,3).

Once the Torah has completed giving us details of Jacob's prayer, we next hear details about the gifts Jacob despatched to Esau. These gifts too were intended to placate Esau here on earth and Samael in heaven respectively. As far as the gift to Esau is concerned, the text is to be understood exactly as it meets the eye. As far as a gift to Samael is concerned, we must remember that when the Temple was standing the children of Israel would placate Satan each Day of Atonement by presenting him with the שעיר לעזאזל. What Jacob did was similar. These words too are simple and straightforward as far as the gift to Esau was concerned. As to their meaning vis-a-vis Samael and the forces Samael represents, we view Samael as roving the world looking to entrap man into sin in three ways. Rabbi Akavyah ben Mahallalel has warned us in Avot 3,1 to consider three things in order to avoid being trapped into sinning. When he said: "consider where you come from," this corresponds to the query Jacob assumed that Samael would ask: “למי אתה,” the second question posed by Samael, i.e. “ואנה תלך,” corresponds to Akavyah's "where are you going to?" The third question posed by Samael, “ולמי אלה,” corresponds to Akavyah's third question: "Before whom will you have to give an accounting?" The various מחנות, camps, that are encountered by Samael are collections of "sins," i.e. each sin has created a negative force, whereas each good deed has created a positive force, or "good angel." Jacob faces judgment for the מחנות מלאכי חבלה, groups of destructive angels, which his sins created, if any. Akavyah expressed this by saying: "consider before whom you will have to give an accounting." Any person who does not remember these three questions posed by Akavyah is undoubtedly a sinner. Samael searches out such people.

Rabbi Yochanan looks at the chain reaction which follows performance of the first מצוה and deems it as sufficient to attract blessings from G–d. He presumably took his cue from Job 33,23: אם יש עליו מלאך מליץ אחד מני אלף להגיד לאקדם ישרו, "If he has a representative (angel), one advocate against a thousand, to declare the man's uprightness." In line with the tradition that every מצוה performed results in the creation of a "good" angel, Rabbi Yochanan feels that such an advocate is already something substantive. When the Torah speaks about the curse in 11,28, it makes certain that the words לא תשמעון are followed immediately by the words וסרתם מן הדרך, "you depart from the path," a reference to action. While G–d grants blessing for a good intention even when it could not be translated into action, He does not curse for the mere failure to listen to the commandments, to Torah lectures. Only once such non-study and non-preparedness to listen results in violation of the commandments will the punishment take into account the attitude displayed which led to the violation. Midrash Shmuel on Avot 3,1 "then you will not commit a sin," points out that Akavyah does not speak about the sin coming to you but about you coming to the sin. With the right attitude you can stop yourself even when the sin has come quite close to you. The Torah uses the word ראה in the singular, instead of ראו, plural which would have matched the rest of the verse, in order to underline the importance of the performance of even a single commandment.

In Avot 3,1 Rabbi Akavyah enumerates three thoughts which are apt to help a person avoid the commission of a transgression. Since we can all count to three, and the thoughts are mentioned separately, why did the Rabbi have to tell us that there were three considerations? Midrash Shmuel suggests that the Rabbi wanted to stress that these three considerations are effective only if one thinks of all of them at the same time. Hence he stressed the number "three." The author of this Midrash proceeds to show that whereas the first of the considerations listed by Rabbi Akavyah referred to the body, the second referred to the soul. This explains why the Rabbi did not use the word Ayin i.e. "nothing" when describing the way we are headed as he had described the place we originate from. Instead, he refers only to a direction, i.e. Le-on. The soul enters the body "naked," and its task is to leave it after having become a personality, i.e. after having acquired suitable "clothing." These subjects are discussed in the chapter about the soul in Pardes Rimonim. When it has to give an accounting, the soul has to demonstrate its accomplishments while in a body before the attribute of Justice because the yardsticks applied to the soul are in accordance with its superior origin. The body has to give an accounting before the King of kings, the King who judges all the terrestrial kings as pointed out in Avoda Zarah.

והיה כי יביאך ה' אלוקיך אל הארץ אשר אתה בא שמה לרשתה . "When the Lord your G–d will bring you to the land to which you will come in order to inherit it." The Torah speaks of terrestrial ארץ ישראל which is similar to its celestial counterpart. The word הארץ refers to the "earth" after one's death in which one "sleeps," i.e. refines the body through metamorphosis in order to be able to take one's place in one's original inheritance, the one intended for Adam before the sin. Just as on our earth there are two mountains, Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, which symbolize blessing and curse respectively, so there are two parallel mountains in the Celestial Regions. One is generally known in our scriptures as ההר הטוב, or הר ה', "the Mountain of ‘good,’ or the Mountain of G–d," the one which can be climbed only by people who have complied with the criteria set down in Psalms 24,4. The other Mountain is known as הר שעיר, the Mountain of Se'ir, symbolizing darkness exuded by the evil urge. Our rabbis describe it as a "Mountain" because they view the overcoming of the evil urge as similar to the scaling of a mountain. The wicked, on the other hand, consider the evil urge as something they can easily control and therefore the evil urge appears to them merely as high as an hair, hence the name הר שעיר, "the mountain no higher than an hair." Were it not for the "good angels" created by our various מצות, our access to the Mountain of G–d would be severed completely. G–d in His great mercy decided to pay more attention to the "voice" of what these good angels relate about us than to the foul deeds we commit with our hands, i.e. הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו, "though the hands are the hands of an Esau, the voice is that of Jacob." [A homiletical explanation by Midrash Shmuel of Genesis 27,22 applied to Akavyah's statement in Avot 3,1. Ed.] The words ואין אתה בא לידי עברה mean that if you have קול יעקב going for you you are in no danger at the hands of Esau, the hands of Satan. The meaning of the name הר גריזים is similar to the meaning of Psalms 31,23: ואני אמרתי בחפזי נגרזתי לפניך, "I said in my haste I am thrust out of Your sight." The Psalmist goes on to say that David learned that he had not been cast out by G–d after all. The function of Mount Gerizim then is to reassure us that Paradise lost is recoverable. Our deeds create the "good angels" whose pleas reach the throne of G–d. there are also barriers in the heavens between the different categories of צדיקים. Every righteous person occupies a station appropriate to his conduct while he lived on earth. Our Rabbis (Tanchuma Beshalach 10) explained that G–d made separate lanes when the tribes of Israel crossed the Sea of Reeds. They base this on Psalms 136,13: "Who divided the Sea of Reeds into גזרים, sections." The same happened when the Jewish people crossed the river Jordan into the Holy Land. This was one of the reasons twelve stones were erected in the river-bed; they marked where each tribe crossed.

In G–d's Master Plan the timetable for such developments has been recorded. If the Jewish people proceed irrespective of G–d's timetable, then they are liable for any damage which their sparks cause. If they act in accordance with G–d's timetable, they are not liable for damage inflicted on Esau. When the storekeeper placed his Chanukah lights at the side of the road on Chanukah, he had complied with G–d's timetable for the emission of such "sparks," hence Rabbi Yehudah holds that he is not liable for any damage inflicted on the flax. Jewish history has known periods when some people tried to hasten the arrival of the Messiah. The first time this occurred was when members of the tribe of Ephrayim (misreading G–d's timetable 30 years before the Exodus) rebelled, left Egypt and attacked the Philistines in d,. According to our tradition this resulted in the death of 200,000 of their number. (cf. Chronicles I 7,21. Zavad and his brother Shutelach are assumed to have been the leaders of that ill fated expedition. More about this in Sanhedrin 92). The metaphor of the camel laden with flax passing the "merchant's store" with a light lit before it, is an allusion to Esau passing G–d's Temple endangering it with hazardous material. G–d is the "merchant" in the Midrash. [He is perceived as extending credit to man and recording the amount of credit extended. Man repays by performing the מצות in the Torah. Ed] The store is a metaphor for the ארבע אמות של הלכה, the four cubits of Halachah that G–d claims on earth in our days. According to Berachot 8, this is all that G–d "owns" in our world since the day the Temple was destroyed. The site of these four cubits is where the Temple used to stand, seeing G–d loves the gates of Zion as we know from Psalms 87,2 and Berachot 8a. The Temple has been referred to as בירה, the same word used for the conflagration caused by the fire described in Talmud Baba Kama 62, when the burning flax sets fire to the building of the merchant i.e. G–d's Temple (in an example where the animal was so overloaded that part of the flax crossed the threshold of the store). In that example, the owner of the camel is liable.