meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt_done/Mishnah/Commentary/Rabbeinu Yonah/Seder Nezikin/Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot/English/merged.txt"}
text: Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
  רבינו יונה על פרקי אבות
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Sefaria Community Translation
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  Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  Moshe received the Torah from Sinai, etc.: (I will begin the commentary on "Avot" of our great, pious and holy rabbi, Rabbi Yonah the son of Rabbi Avraham, may he be remembered for blessing.) Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Kamma 30a) "One who wishes to be pious should fulfill the words of Avot (the Ethics of the Fathers), and [some] said about it, the words of Damages (Nezikin)". And since a person ascends the steps of piousness by doing one of these matters, they placed [Avot] in the Order of Damages. And even though they also said to fulfill the words of Blessings (Berakhot) which is in the order of Seeds (Zeraim); because it speaks of the blessings on seeds and fruits, they placed it in that order (Editor's note: See what Midrash Shmuel wrote about this in the name of Rabbi Yosef Nachmias, may his memory be blessed). Furthermore, since it is the teachings of the Sanhedrin, they placed it in the order of the laws (of Damages); and so [too], all the sages mentioned [here] until Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai are all from the Sanhedrin. 
  Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua: Both the written Torah and the oral Torah. As the Torah was given with its explanation. As if it were not so, it would be impossible to understand [its contents]. As behold, it is written (Leviticus 19:13), "do not rob" - and all of the [laws of] damages are within this negative commandment, and they themselves are the Torah that was received by Moshe at Sinai, even though they were not written. And it is also written (Deuteronomy 17:8), "between a blood and a blood and between a judgement and a judgement and between an infection and an infection" - and many of the sightings of blood and many of the various judgments and so many of the infections are known to us by the transmission [of this information]... And they are not explained [in writing] because it is not allowed to be written. And it is written (Exodus 24:12), "and I will give you the stone tablets and the Torah and the commandment" - "Torah" is the written Torah; "and the commandment" is the oral Torah. it comes out that you say that every commandment that He gave to Moshe at Sinai, was given with its explanation. And that which is written is what is called the written Torah and the explanation is what is called the oral Torah. And Moshe learned it from the mouth of the Mighty One.  
  and transmitted it to Yehoshua: As it is stated (Exodus 33:11), " but his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the tent."
  and Yehoshua to the Elders: As it is stated (Joshua 24:31), and all the days of the elders who had length of days after Joshua."
  and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly: And that is Ezra and his group. And [some of] the prophets of the Second Temple were in that group, as they said in Yevamot 16a, "Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas said, 'When Chaggai said these three things, he was sitting on this mortar.'" Hence the prophets of the Second Temple were there after the destruction, since Haggai the prophet was there. And the men of the Great Assembly transmitted it to the men of their generation. And the sages [transmitted it] to their children after them in each and every generation. And the transmission was from one sage to another, until all of the sages of Israel gathered and a suggestion was given from all of their mouths to write down the oral Torah. And [so] they wrote and sealed the Talmud, and afterwards nothing was added to it and nothing was taken away from it. And that generation also transmitted it to the Geonim and the transmission was from one Gaon to another, one rabbi to another - until this day. 
  They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment: They said [this] to teachers of legal decisions and decisors of legal decisions and decisors of litigation; that they should not rely on the first thought, but rather upon great deliberation and incisive investigation, so that they not err in their evaluation. As a man who is quick to make a decision is called a sinner - and even though he thought he was saying the truth, it is not [considered] accidental but rather is [considered] to be close to volitional, since he did not put it into his heart to say, the quick hearts do not understand to know. As error is found in all men, as the rabbis say (Avot 4:13), " Be careful in study, for an error in study is considered an intentional transgression." And about this matter, Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 26:12), "If you see a man who thinks himself wise, there is more hope for a dullard than for him." And it is as the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 4:7), "One who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions is an imbecile, wicked, and arrogant in spirit." Therefore, it is incumbent upon a man who makes legal decisions to go back and forth on the matter and let his thought ripen and to hold on to it; as the matter that they said (Sanhedrin 35a) [that] we should ripen a judgement, as through ripening and deliberation, he adds reasoning to his reasoning and sharpness to his sharpness, until he judges a completely true judgement. As he will see to say with the second thought that which he did not see with the first. And about this matter, Asaf stated (Psalms 73:21), "As my heart ripened and my kidneys were silent," which is to say [that] after my heart has ripened and been sharp with wisdom and with my kidneys, I have been silent and have refined my understanding to know. As without this, I have not known, and this is my portion. (And as) it is after it, "I was a dolt, without knowledge; I was brutish toward You." And the reason [they] said, "Be deliberate in judgment," is in order to warn about litigation more than other legal decisions, as they are fundamental in the knowledge of Him, may He be blessed and elevated; and as Yirmiyahu the prophet stated (Jeremiah 9:23), "ponder and know Me, for I am the Lord who makes kindness, justice, and equity in the world; for in these I delight, declares the  Lord." And how can a man a ponder and know God, as it is not possible? However with this have we known Him, by dong judgment and justice, since God does these. And that is what is stated (Jeremiah 22:16), "He judged for the poor and needy— then all was well. That is truly knowing Me, declares the  Lord." And it is written in another place (Micah 6:8), "And what does the Lord require of you? Only to do justice and to love kindness," since judgments are a pillar of the Torah. And from them the world is made firm, as is said in the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 30 3), "It is written in front of The Ten Commandments, 'and they will judge the people at all times' (Exodus 18:22). And after the Ten Commandment, it is written, 'And these are the laws' (Exodus 21 1). There is a parable [about this] concerning a matron that was walking along the way and her armed guards were walking in front of her and behind her."
  raise up many disciples: As per the opinion of Beit Hillel. [This is] like the matter that we have learned (The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan 2:9), "Beit Shammai say, 'We only teach a student who is fit, modest, proper and who fears Heaven, as it is stated (Job 20:26), "All (darkness) waits for his treasured ones." And Beit Hillel say, 'We teach everyone: One hundred so that ten good ones will come out from them; and ten so that two will come out of them; and two, "since you do not know which will be proper, this one or that one or if they will both be equally good." And so was there a story of Hillel, who brought together all of his students and said to them, 'Are all of you here?' They said [back] to him, 'Yes.' One of his students said to him, 'All of them are here except the smallest one.' He said to them, 'Let the small one come, for the future generation will be conducted by him .' And they brought Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. Behold that one should not push off the small ones for the bigger ones, since the kids will become goats." And about this matter the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Yevamot 62b), "'Sow your seed in the morning, and don’t hold back your hand in the evening' (Ecclesiastes 11:6), - if you have raised disciples in your youth, raise disciples in your old age." Behold that the multiplication of disciples is a very good thing and a merit to the teacher.
  and make a fence for the Torah: As the matter that is stated (Leviticus 18:30), "And you shall guard My guarding"; which is to say, make a guarding for my guarding. And a fence is a great thing and it is praiseworthy to make a fence for the commandments so that the one who fears the word of God not stumble in them. Hence one who observes the words of the sages, may their memory be blessed - which are the fences for the commandments of the Torah - has shown more love for [this] fear than one who does the commandment itself. As the doing of the commandments does not prove fear like the one who observes the fences, since he is careful from the start not to come to error. However, the one who does the commandment but does not observe the fence shows us that if it is good in his eyes to do the commandment, [yet] it is not bad in his eyes if he errs in it; and that he is not concerned about the fear that he will make a breach in it, and 'one who makes a breach will be bitten by a snake.' Behold that the words of the sages, may their memory be blessed, are pillars and 'trees' in the fear of Heaven; which is a foundation of the world and a fundamental principle of virtue. And all of the commandments are appetizers for it, as they said in the Midrash (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1), "'For your love is more delightful than wine' (Song of Songs 1:2) - the words of the scribes are more beloved than the wine of Torah."
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  Shimon the Righteous was from the remnants of the Great Assembly. And he was a high priest, as they said in Tractate Tamid 21 (Yoma 69a) that he had gone out dressed with the priestly garments in front of Alexander [the Great] and [Alexander] went down and bowed before him. His servants said to him, "Our master, A king like you should bow down to this Jew?" He said [back] to them, "I see the image of this one in war and I am victorious."
  He would say, "On three things the world stands": This means to say that because of these things the world was created. As below (Avot 1:18), it states, "On three the things the world subsists," and they are not those that it mentions here. Hence, we need to explain that when they said "stands," it means that the world was created for them, since they are the will of the Holy One, blessed be He. This means to say that the world was created for His creatures that in the future would fulfill His will in front of Him through these things. And these three are a great pillar, such that on account of them, we are able to get to all of the [other] things that the sages, may their memory be blessed, said that the world stands because of them.
  "On the Torah": As it stated about it (as it is stated) (Proverbs 11:27), "He who seeks what is good pursues what is pleasing." And good is only Torah, and because of it the world was created, as it is stated (Jeremiah 33:25), "Were it not for My covenant, night and day[, etc.]. And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him, said, (Proverbs 8:22), "The Lord created me at the beginning of His course, as the first of His works of old" - I was created before the whole world and because of me, all of the creations were created - in order to observe me. 
  "on the service": As the Holy One, blessed be He, chose Israel from all of the nations and the Land of Israel from all of the lands, and He chose Jerusalem from all of the Land of Israel and He chose Zion from Jerusalem, as it is stated (Psalms 132:13), "As the Lord chose Zion, He desired it for His habitation." And He chose the House of Choice from everything for the sake of the service, about which it is written, "desire" - as it states (Leviticus 1:3), "desirous in front of God." Behold that because of the service the whole world was created. Then, due to our sins, the Temple was destroyed and the service was annulled. And prayer is now for us in its place, as the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Taanit 2a), "'And to serve him with all your hearts' (Deuteronomy 11:13) - what service is there in the heart, one should say this is prayer." And this is what it states (Psalms 51:17), "Lord, open my lips," as King David said this verse about the sin of Batsheva which was volitional, and one cannot bring a sacrifice for volitional sins. And about this he stated (Psalms 51:18), "Since You do not want me to bring sacrifices; You do not desire burnt offerings." Had I been able to bring a sacrifice to atone for myself, I would have brought [it]. Now that I cannot, 'Lord, open my lips and let my mouth say your praise,' and accept my prayer in place of a sacrifice and let it atone me for my sin. Also for us that do not have a sacrifice to atone for us - not accidental sins and not volitional sins - 'Lord, open my lips' and accept our prayers in place of the sacrifices.  
  "and on acts of lovingkindness" As the matter that they said (Sukkah 49b), "Acts of lovingkindness are greater than charity (<i>tsedekah</i>); since lovingkindness is both with the poor and with the wealthy but charity is only with the poor. Great is lovingkindness since it is both with one's body and with one's money, but charity is only with one's money."  And this is what they said, (Bava Batra 9a), "One who gives a small coin to a poor man is blessed in six ways and one who comforts him with words is blessed in eleven." And pertinent to acts of lovingkindness is to inspect the poor and to make a distinction between the good and the bad and to give preference to the modest and those that fear God over others who are not like them (even if we must give charity to all). And it is like Yirmiyahu, peace be upon him, stated (Jeremiah 18:23), "let them be made to stumble before You; act against them in Your hour of wrath!" - even in the time that they do charity, make them stumble that they should give it in the incorrect place. And acts of lovingkindness are even to the wealthy, to lend them money at a time when it is not found in their hand and to give them advice, as King Shlomo said, (Proverbs 27:9), "Oil and incense gladden the heart, but the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel." [This] is to say, just like oil and incense gladden the heart, so [too] does one 's friend become delighted by personal advice; and when he gives him good advice, he is gladdened by it. And this trait of kindness brings God's satisfaction in front of Him, and for it was the world created - in order to do it. And about it Shlomo said in his wisdom (Proverbs 14:34), "Righteousness exalts a nation; Sin is a reproach to any people" - and adjacent to it, "The king favors a capable servant" - the will of the Holy One, blessed be He is only for Israel, who investigate [how] to do the things that are desirable in front of Him.
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  Antigonos, man of Sokho, etc., "Do not be as servants who are serving the master in order to receive a reward": As this is not complete service, as he is not doing it for his master, but [rather] in order to receive a reward.
  "Rather be as servants who are serving the master in order not to receive a reward": (Editor's note: In my opinion, here there should be the words, "And it is difficult according to this textual variant.") Since a person should not do the commandment with the understanding that he will not receive a reward for them. But rather the [correct] textual variant is "not in order to receive a reward" - that he should not do the commandments for the sake of the reward, even though he should think that there will be recompense for his service. However, it appears to me that the variant of the books is the main one [that we should follow]: As we find such service among people, such that a purchased slave is obligated to do service without receiving reward. So too, a man must serve God in order not to receive a reward, but rather because of the kindness that He has already performed for him. And also due to the greatness of the Master, that He is fitting for this, and this is the service of God - may He be blessed and elevated - from love, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:5), "And you shall love the Lord." And what is complete service among people? One who wants to serve his friend because of his love for him from earlier days, and even if he knows that he will not give him a reward. And [with] this type of love should a person love the service of God. And therefore, [the Mishnah] placed it adjacent to the matter of fear and stated,
  "and may the fear of Heaven be upon you": To serve God from fear and from love, like a servant that serves his master because of his greatness and [also] keeps in mind that he can punish him. And it comes out that he serves him from fear - not because of his fear from the punishment, but [rather] because of the greatness of the master, whereby he has the ability to punish.
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  Yose ben Yoezer, man of Tsreida, and Yose ben Yochanan, man of Jerusalem, received from him: From Shimon the Righteous and Antigonos, man of Sokho 
  Yose ben Yoezer says, "May your house be a meeting house for Sages": It means to say, a house that the sages will gather there when they need to speak, one with the other. And this can only be in the house of a great and important man. As were it in the house of a lesser man, when they would say to the sage to go there, perhaps he would not want, since [for] him, 'a base one is disgraceful in his eyes; and he does not honor those that fear the Lord.'   
  "become dirty in the dust of their feet": That he treat them with honor, as it was their way to stand in front of the sage. And some of them would sit on benches in the house of study and some of them would sit in front of them on the floor at the dust of their feet, as they said (Chullin 54a), "All the days that that student apprenticed in sitting, I apprenticed in standing." And this is what he stated: Be honored among all of the creatures, but honor the sages.
  "and drink their words thirstily": And this is like it is stated (Proverbs 27:7), "A sated person disdains honey, but to a hungry man anything bitter seems sweet." The soul of one who is sated from words of Torah and does not desire them will disdain them - even if they tell him pearls of Torah. But one who is hungry for them, and desires to hear them, will find them sweet in his mouth and will be happy about it - even if he is told something without an explanation - since he knows that it is true, as his teacher said it.
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  Yose ben Yochanan, man of Jerusalem, says, "May your home be open wide": Some say that [this means that] there be largess found in his house for needy people. Or the explanation is that his house be like the house of our father Avraham, peace be upon him - such that his house be on the road in a tight spot so that passers by should come in to there; and that it should be open on four sides, so that from all sides that they come, they will find an open door and they will turn into it, as Job stated (Job 31:32), "I opened my doors to the road." 
  "may the poor be members of your household": This is expounded in two ways. Instead of buying slaves and supporting them, he should use poor people and support them and he will not need to expend money. So that it comes out that he will profit and do a commandment (good deed). Another explanation: And also that the poor will be accustomed to his house and stay there without embarrassment, as  a result of his showing them a happy face and giving them permission to everything that is his, like a man would give to his children and to the people of his home.
  "and do not increase conversation with the woman": As conversation with women brings one to thoughts of sin and neglect of Torah [study].
  They so stated with his wife; all the more so with the wife of his friend. (Our master and teacher [Rashi] wrote, "As it is written in the Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan), "They said [this] about his menstruant wife, all the more so regarding the wife of his fellow." It means to say, that he not increase words with his menstruant wife, lest his impulse overcomes him and he comes to a mishap; and all the more so with the wife of his fellow, about whom his impulse pressures him even more. As if they said it with the one that will be permissible for him tomorrow - and it appears to him like 'bread in his basket' - all the more so with another woman, whom the impulse desires, as the matter that it stated (Proverbs 9:17), "stolen waters are sweet." But it appears to be explained according to its simple meaning, "They so stated with his wife," not to ever accustom her to [many] words, so that she not be found with him every day. As a man should not be with his wife for his pleasure, but [rather] to fulfill the commandment; so as to distinguish between man and beast, as they said in Tractate Berakhot 22a concerning a man with a nocturnal emission, "So that they not be with their wives like chickens." And that is the trait of separation which brings one to the highest levels, as we say (Avodah Zarah 20b), "Separation brings to purity."
  From this, the sages said, "Any time that a man increases conversation with the woman, he causes evil to himself": [This] is to say, he causes the impulse that is called evil to overpower him, as we say (Kiddushin 30b), "Great is the evil impulse, that its Creator calls it evil, as it is stated (Genesis 8:21), 'since the devisings of man’s mind are evil from his youth.'" And this man caused evil to himself, as he gave it a place and an invitation to cling to himself, by way of conversation [with women]. And he went beyond the traits of other men, as the impulse sometimes overpowers them [also]; but without them doing something to cause [it], and it is not their own doing that brought the evil to begin with them.
  "and neglects the words of Torah:" As the thought of Torah is not firm in his eyes so long as his heart is focused on the woman and upon her conversation, as they are two thoughts that the heart does not tolerate together.
  "and, in his end, he inherits Geihinam": As in the end, he comes to sin: Since he follows the whims of his heart and increases words, certainly (Editor's note: It appears that instead of "<i>al panim</i>" (certainly?), [it should be] with the woman - see Midrash Shmuel) he will sin and descend to the pit. And this is what Shlomo - peace be upon him - stated (Ecclesiastes 7:26), "I find woman more bitter than death; she is all traps, her heart is snares and her hands are fetters." This means to say that death removes him from the world - from the small life of the world - but woman destroys his soul for ever and ever. Behold, 'she is more bitter than death.' "She is all traps and snares": When a man observes a woman, he is caught in her net, which is her trap, and he cannot escape from her. As the man sees that which his heart desires and he does not see what will happen to him from her in the end of days. As the lyricist (R. Yehudah HaLevi) said, "The seduced dove travels in the wilderness; it sees the grain but it does not see the trap." "Her heart is snares" - when she desires a man in her heart, even if he does not desire her and it is [just] the bad fortune of this man that caused her to desire him. "Her hands are fetters" - because if she grabs him with her hands, he is already taken into the 'prison' and he no longer has a way to fix it. "He who is pleasing to God escapes her, and he who is displeasing is caught by her" (Ecclesiastes 7:26) as the Holy One, blessed be He, protects the righteous and does not present them something through which they might stumble; but the sinner, who does not distance himself from evil paths and whose heart is not complete, chances upon a matter like this. 
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  Yehoshua ben Perachiah and Nitai of Arbel received from them: From Yose ben Yoezer and Yosef ben Yochanan.
  Yehoshua ben Perachia says, "Make for yourself a mentor, acquire for yourself a friend": As even if you know [as much] as him, make him a mentor upon you, since a person remembers better what he learned from his mentor than what a person learned on his own. And also because sometimes he will understand a thing better and it will come out that he will teach him - even as they are both equal in wisdom. 
  "acquire for yourself a friend": A person needs three things from a good friend. One is for words of Torah, as it stated (Taanit 7a), "I have learned much from my teachers and more from my friends than from my teachers." And the second is for commandments. As even if his friend is not more pious than he and there are times that he does what is not in order. [Yet it is only] when he derives pleasure from something that he does the sin, but it is not his desire and his will that his friend do it - as he derives no enjoyment from this. And it is like they said (Kiddushin 63b), "And a man will not sin if it is not for himself." It comes out that both of them will repent, each one according to the word of his friend. And the third is regarding advice that he can take, that he be 'one who arouses (a counselor) for help' in all of his affairs and to take good counsel from him and to be his confidant. Since he is his ally, he will not reveal [his secrets] to others so as not to confound his plan - and not even to those that appear to him to be friends; for is the appearance of love evident on their faces? And about this Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 15:22), "Plans are foiled for want of counsel, but they succeed through many advisers." And that which he said, "acquire for yourself a friend" with an expression of [acquisition] (euphemism) is [to say] that if he does not find him for free, he should acquire him with his money and expend his assets in order to get to a good friend; or that he should acquire him with words of appeasement and with a soft way of talking. And [so] he should not be exacting about his words and he should tolerate the words of his mouth; even when he says something against him, he should not return a response. As without this, he will not keep [the friendship], since the opinions [of people] are different. And sometimes he will seek something, [but] his friend who is like himself will say, "See, I do not [consider] this to be fit." And if he doesn't [listen to his friend] (he will certainly pass him up), the [friendship] will unravel. And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 17:9), "He who seeks love covers errors, but he who harps on a matter alienates a leader." He meant to say, one who covers when his friend errs, seeks love - as through this, their love is preserved, as he tolerates his errors. But if he harps about the matter with his friend, he speaks against him and repeats it and says, "See what this one said; what he said about me, he 'alienates the leader' - he(certainly) alienates his leader from him, meaning to say, his friend.  
  "and judge every person as meritorious": This is speaking about a person about whom we do not know if he is righteous or if he is evil; or if we know that he is a moderate person, sometimes doing evil and sometimes doing good. And if he does something that can make us judge him unfavorably and [also] judge him favorably in our understanding - or even if, (towards) according to what appears, it leans more towards the side of guilt - if he can judge him favorably from one aspect of the matter, he should say, "His intentions were good." But these words are not [applicable] to the completely righteous or the completely evil. As with the righteous person, even with an action that is completely evil and leans toward guilt in every aspect, we should judge him favorably and say, "'It was a mistake that came out from the hand of the ruler,' and behold he regretted and observed [it] and [already] requested forgiveness." And it is like the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 19a), "If you see a Torah scholar who sinned at night, do not ruminate about him during the day, lest he has repented. 'Lest' comes into your mind? But rather, I will say he certainly repented." The explanation of  "'Lest' comes into your mind?" is that since he is a Torah scholar and up until now, no corrupt thing has come to his hand; he certainly repented right away. You behold [from here that] one should never judge the perfectly righteous person unfavorably. And about him there is no reason to say,  "judge every person as meritorious." And he also did not speak about the completely evil person. Even if his actions are completely good and it is not evident to be concerned about him regarding an angle of iniquity, a person should judge him unfavorably and say, "He did it on the surface 'and his inside is not like his outside.'" And it is like it is stated (Proverbs 26:25), "Though he be fair-spoken do not trust him, for seven abominations are in his heart." And so [too] wrote Rambam, may his memory be blessed. And about this Shlomo stated in his wisdom (Proverbs 21:12), "The righteous one observes the house of the wicked man; he subverts the wicked to the bad." He meant to say, people think that because the righteous do not know how to do evil, [hence] they do not recognize they ways of the evil - as they do not understand those that do it. And the matter is not like this, as 'the righteous one observes the house of the wicked,' and knows and recognizes and monitors the evil of his ways more than other people who know [about it], but don't pay attention to it. "He subverts the wicked to the bad" - when the righteous person sees the action of the evildoers which appear to be in a good path, he subverts it and pushes it towards his judgment to say that he has done wrong - since he did not intend [to do] a commandment, but rather to place himself among those assumed to be good. 
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  Nitai of Arbel says: "Distance [yourself] from a bad neighbor": He said it to renters of houses and purchasers of slaves. As when a person first asks about the house and the tightness of the place, he should ask about the neighbors - if they are evil, he should distance himself from them, and he should come close to the good ones.
  "do not befriend an evildoer": As it [brings] a great punishment, which has nothing like it. Since if he transgress a great sin, he did one sin; but this one has a portion in all of the sins that the evildoer does. And it comes out that he does many great and huge sins. And [even] if his hands are tied and he does not benefit from them, woe to the evildoer and woe to his neighbor - as 'he sins and his neighbor is flogged.' As so is it explained in The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan 30:3, "Anyone who clings to evildoers - even though he does not do like their deeds - takes recompense like them; and one who clings to the righteous - even though he does not do like their deeds - takes recompense like them." And about this it is stated (II Chronicles 20:37), "“As you have made a partnership, etc., the Lord will break up your work.” 
  "and do not despair": He made these two things adjacent and said, "do not befriend an evildoer," because you need not despair from punishment. And do not say in your heart, "He is still standing in tranquility and times [are good] for him - I will befriend him and when his good fortune changes, I will distance myself from him." And you cannot [do this], as you will not know what [each new] day will bring, and his time will come in an instant, and you will be taken with him; when he begins to fall, he and all of his friends will fall. And also do not say, "I will show him love outwardly, but I will not love him in my heart." As it is also evil for you to flatter him, since it is a sin to flatter evildoers in this world. And about this matter Shlomo stated (Proverbs 24:21-22), "Fear the Lord, my son, and the king, and do not mix with changers. For their time comes suddenly; the doom of both, who can foreknow?" The explanation is that he made adjacent the fear of the Lord (my son, and the king) to the fear of a flesh and blood king as a metaphor relating the fear of the body [from] that which is perceived by the eye with the fear of the soul [from] that which is invisible. And he said when you see that the king hates all those who love his enemies and that he metes out bad to him, asks who is it that filled his heart to love the enemy of the king, and does to him [the same thing] that he does to his enemy; [know that] so [too] the Holy One, blessed be He, does to all those who mix with the changers - that is to say, those that change the Torah and the commandments. As [the word] 'change' here is transitive, as in (Job 29:22), "After my word, [things] were not changed." And when the changers are struck, their friends will also be collected with them - 'Should one give aid to the wicked and befriend those who hate the Lord? For this, it shall be upon you.' "As his time comes suddenly" and you will not be able to escape for your life. "And the doom of both, who can foreknow," meaning to say, the doom of the king's hater and the doom of the hater of the Holy One, blessed be He. Who knows when it will come to them, and [so] no man can be careful to befriend them and to save his [own] life.
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  Yehuda ben Tabai and Shimon ben Shetach received from them: From Yehoshua ben Perachiah and Nitai of Arbel.
  Yehuda ben Tabai says, "Do not make yourself like the judges' advisers (<i>orkhei</i>)": He means to say a head, as it is stated in Bereshit Rabbah 23:10, "'And Efron was sitting among the children of Chet' (Genesis 23:10) - on that very day, they appointed him <i>arkhi</i>," meaning to say the head of the judges. And also in the section of "Yaakov sent messengers" (Parshat Vayishlach, Bereshit Rabbah 75:3), "<i>arkhi</i>" is the head of the thieves. And also in Arukh, you will find that <i>arkhi</i> is explained like this there. And the explanation of this is, do not make yourself like the judge's advisers, that [people] should ask you and you tell them the laws; and after they hear it from you, they go to other judges for judgment and they say to them, "The head of the judges has already told us that this is the law." Do not make yourself like them. And from Rambam there is another explanation: "Do not make yourself like the judges' advisers" - He did (not) speak here about someone who teaches false claims to his friend and how to present them, since such a person is completely evil. And it is not necessary to say that a person not do this on account that they will suspect him and speak badly about him, as this is a great sin [and nothing more need be said about it]. Rather, [it is one] that organizes the claims [of someone] and arranges the laws and reveals the verdict [of a case] to an individual - as it is not fitting to do this since they will suspect him and speak badly about him. This [is] like that story of Rabbi Yochanan in Tractate Ketuvot 52b, wherein at the beginning he reasoned, "do not ignore your flesh" (Isaiah 58:7), and at the end he reasoned, it is different with an important man.
  "and when the litigants are before you, they should be like evildoers in your eyes": That your heart should not lean towards one of them, and that you not think that he is (righteous) in his case. As if so, you will never judge a case truthfully, since your heart is unfettered towards this one, and you will not be able to see his  guilt. Rather they should be in your eyes as if they were both evil and making false claims. And let not your heart lean to one of them, so that the matter come under the correct light.
  "and when they are excused from before you, they should be meritorious in your eyes - when they have accepted the judgment": This is a measure of piety, since you know that one of them made a false claim. [Still,] he should not be in your eyes (ever) assumed to be a liar and a difficult litigant. And it is not fitting to suspect him, since he accepted the verdict upon himself and left the court guilty. And one should think that he repented and he doesn't have in mind to do this [again] all the days of his life.
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  Shimon ben Shatach says, "Examine the witnesses thoroughly": To examine and cross-examine them many times. And through this you will reveal the secret, since 'with many words sin will not be averted' and he will learn from their words if they are testifying falsely.
  "but be careful with your words, lest from them they learn to lie": As when you examine them about a matter, you can speak your words [in such a way] that they will understand in what way they will be found guilty in their trial and learn from your words what lies they need to make to win [the case].
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  Shemayah and Avtalyon received from them. Shemayah says, "Love work": So that a man not be idle from work, since idleness brings a person to ennui (Ketuvot 59b); and that is a trait of illness, as it is stated about it (Proverbs 21:25), "The craving of a lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to do." It means to say, when he accustoms his limbs to be idle from work, his hands refuse, since habit rules over them. And it also states about it (Proverbs 20:4), "From the winter the lazy man does not plow; at harvest time he seeks, and there is nothing." As he thinks when he is idle from work that it is rest for him, but it is the opposite; as [it is] with exertion [that] he will have rest. As with the winter he will rest and stay in his house and not plow and seek to reap and gather the grain [when] there is none and die of hunger. But the one who plows in the winter - 'he who tills his land will be sated with bread,' as a man cannot reach rest without exertion first. 'But he who pursues vanities' and pursues the ones that sit in the corners idle from work 'will be sated with poverty.'
  "hate lordship": He made this adjacent to the activity of work, as they are one topic - that he hate lordship and the advantage of the idle ones, as their end is to come to the trait of poverty. But [rather] he should be involved in his work the whole day, as it said (Pesachim 113a), "Flay a carcass in the marketplace and eat [from] your wage, and do not say, 'I am a priest, I am an important man.'" And about this Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 12:9), "Better to be a lowly one and a servant to himself than to be honored and have no food." And the explanation of "lowly one" is not like its literal understanding, but rather it is the opposite of honored lordship.
  "and do not become familiar with the government": As service for the government is very difficult. And regardless, once he accepts the yoke of the king, his end is to break the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven and to refrain from this commandment. Since he will be afraid of the government and his work will be extensive, he will make the service of God a farce in the face of this work. And also at the end, they will strip him of his assets without gain, as they only bring someone close for their own purpose. And regardless, once he accepts the yoke of a king of flesh and blood at one time, he can not [longer] do that which the Master requires.
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  Avtalyon says, "Sages, be careful with your words, lest you become obligated in an obligation of exile Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote in a correct way in his commentary on Avot: "Be careful with your words," to explain your words so that you not leave room for [heresy], "lest you become obligated in an obligation of exile and are exiled to the place of evil waters" - the place of heretics that reveal the faces of Torah that are not appropriate, and extract from your words, things that are not so. 
  "and the students who follow after you will drink" As they will hear your words and not understand and rely upon the words of the heretics who explain your words according to their opinions, and they will reason that this was your opinion, "and thus the name of Heaven is profaned."
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  Hillel and Shammai received from them: From Shemayah and Avtalyon. 
  Hillel says, "Be of the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and bringing them closer to Torah." He means to say that he loves truth and peace in his heart and pursues it with the actions of his hands. As there are people that love it in their hearts that don't trouble themselves to bring peace to the world and don't walk in the paths of peace. But those that do actions and bring peace between a man and his friend and love to do this work - as it is stated (Psalms 34:15), "seek peace and pursue it" - those are from the students of Aharon, who would act like this.
  "loving the creatures and bringing them closer to Torah": When Aharon would sense that a person had sinned in private, he would go to him and befriend him and make him into his friend. And the sinner would put in his heart that if Aharon would know the hidden matters in my heart, would he ever want my friendship? Rather, it is that I am assumed by him to be a proper man and one who does the commandments. However if he knew my bad thought, he would distance himself from me - from befriending an evildoer like me today. And [so] he would regret his evil and contemplate repentance. And this is very effective and beneficial for him in undoing his evil thought, as is is stated (Malachi 2:6), "He walked with Me in peace and righteousness, and brought many back from iniquity."
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  He would say, "Spread a name, lose his name:" He means to say, a man that is proud and his name goes out in the world due to his pride and his greatness and he makes for himself a name 'like the names of the world's greats' in opposition to the great Name that is permanent in pride; this way, will he lose his name in a great loss and he will not be remembered and he will not be counted. 
  And one who does not increase [knowledge] ceases (<i>yasef</i>)" One who is wise but does not want to add wisdom to his wisdom and says in his heart, "I have already learned all of the Torah entirely and I have seen its ways and its paths. What is there for me in this pain to trouble myself in my fleeting days and what [more] is there  for me to understand that I have not understood?" May it be His will that this man should die and be gathered (<i>yeasef</i>) to his people. And why should he live [any] more, since he has already gotten up from studying?
  "And one who does not study is liable to die": One who has not studied at all is compared to a beast. As why was he created in the world? To understand and give ruling of the Torah, whose 'ways are ways of pleasantness. And it is not fitting that the one that never learned Torah and continues to maintain his evil [this way] live even one day and even one hour.  
  "And one who makes use of the crown [of learning] passes away": Behold the one who gets honor from the crown of Torah and benefits from its honor and makes it like a means to accomplish his needs, perishes, as it is learned later (Avot 4:5), "Do not make it [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself, and not into a spade with which to dig into them. And thus Hillel used to say: And one who makes use of the crown [of learning] passes away." 
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  He [Hillel] used to say: If I am not for me, who will be for me? If I don't rebuke myself to be assiduous about the commandments, who is there to rebuke me and make me assiduous? Since the prompting of others is [only] good on a temporary basis. But when the person motivates himself each and every day, he increases to think of thoughts in order to do the work of God. And there is no forgetting before him, when his heart desires [it], and it is a straight path in front of a person. 
  And when I am for myself alone, what am I? I still cannot reach one thousandth of what I am obligated to do. And they made a parable [about this]: To what is the thing similar? To a king that gave his field to his servants and agreed with them [that his portion would be] thirty <i>kor</i>. They toiled and they brought him five <i>kor</i>. The king said to them, "But didn't I agree with you that it be thirty <i>kor</i>?" They said to him, "Our master, the king, the field that you gave us was of low quality. We toiled greatly on it and we were not able to get out from it more than five <i>kor</i>." So did they say in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "It is the evil impulse that you have given us from our youth, as it is stated (Genesis 8:21), 'the impulse of man’s heart is evil from his youth.' And even when a man toils greatly to do what is straight in the eyes of God, a man only accomplishes a small part of what he is obligated to do." And this is what is stated (Psalms 103:14), "For He knows our impulse; He is mindful that we are dust." Since were it not that He made the evil impulse [powerful] in man - even without his working hard and pursuing the commandments - he would do many of them. [It would be] like in a high quality field - even if they did not toil in the work of his land - something would come out of it. But now that he knows that even if he toils greatly, he will only attain a small amount because of the evil impulse that corrupts his body; [then] all the more so if he does not toil, his soul will remain empty of the commandments, like a poor quality field if one does not toil in it. And if he does not fertilize it and plow it, nothing will come out of it. And about this is it stated (Proverbs 24:30-31), "I passed by the field of a lazy man, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. It was all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with chickweed, and its stone fence lay in ruins." And for this reason he made the motivation of others adjacent to the motivation of himself and said, " If I am not for me, who will be for me," but if I don't toil and motivate myself to pursue the commandments, I will stay devoid of them - since, even "when I am for myself" and toil in them, I only reach a small portion of the many portions and what do I reach (<i>mah ani</i> can mean both "what am I" and what do I) if I don't toil at all?
  And if not now, then when? Such that he not say, I will occupy myself with my work today and tomorrow I will turn to and occupy myself with self-improvement. Since maybe he will not turn to [it]. And even if he does turn to [it], that day went, left and he removed it from the work of God. And he will not be able to make it up all the days of his life, since he is obligated to improve himself and to be occupied by the commandment all of the days that he is living upon the [earth], and he does not have the right to avoid this work - not even for a moment. And there is also included in this expression, "If not now," in the days of my youth, "then when?" If I leave it until my old age and hoariness, I will not be able to do it. And about this matter, David, peace be upon him, stated (Psalms 144:12), "For our sons are like saplings, well-tended in their youth." He meant to say that when the sapling is small, a person can grow it to be a straight tree and not be crooked. However after it grows crooked, it is very difficult to fix. And so [too] when a person is still young, it is easy for him to be on a good path and to turn from evil, but when he grows old with his evil, it is difficult in his eyes to leave it, as it is written (Proverbs 22:6), "Teach a lad according to his way; also when he will grow old, he not swerve from it." And it is [also] written (Deuteronomy 20:19), "since a man is a tree of the field." And also because repentance in old age is not full repentance. Since at that time, the impulse is not strong and desire is benign and the soul does not enjoy - and he does not desire - sinful pleasures. And this is the reason for his repentance. And about this matter is it stated (Ecclesiastes 12:1), "And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before those days of bad come and those years arrive of which you will say, 'I have no desire in them.'"
  
  Mishnah 15
  
  Shammai says, "Make your Torah fixed": As they said in The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan 28:10, "Anyone who makes his Torah [study] primary and his work secondary is made primary in the world to come. And anyone that makes his Torah [study] secondary and his work primary will be made secondary in the world to come. This means to say, even though he did not do a sin, but he did not make Torah primary - even if he was (fit) to be in the Garden of Eden, he will be secondary there. 
  "say little and do much": When you promise your friend to do something for him, tell him a little and do much for him, and that is in the way of ethics and piety. And we have learned [it] from our father Avraham, peace be upon him, as it is written (Genesis 18:5), "And let me fetch a morsel of bread"; and afterwards (Genesis 18:8), "And he took curds and milk and the calf, etc." Another explanation: "say little and do much" - and that is a lofty virtue. And our rabbis, may their memory be blessed, learned it from the blessed Holy One, blessed be He, who only promised with two letters, as it is stated (Genesis 15:14), "I will judge (<i>dan</i>, a word which is written with only two letters); and delivered them with twenty seven words, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:14), "Or has any god ventured to go and take for himself one nation from the midst of another, etc." And about this Rabbi Saadia Gaon, my his memory be blessed, said, "If in promising our fathers with two letters, he did for them many miracles and wonders; [with] the salvation in the future to come about which have been written many pages and many manuscripts and many books of promises and many consolations in Jeremiah in the Prophets, how much the more so will it be that His actions will be more wondrous than that which He promised - 'our soul knows this well.' And a person should know and consider the matter and to put into his heart that there will be a great reward for him because of the promises" (HaEmunot veHaDeot 8:1). 
  "and receive every person with a pleasant countenance": That he show them a happy face, so that 'the spirit of creations find pleasure from him.' Another explanation: "and receive" - that he should distance himself from the trait of anger which is a very bad trait and conduct himself with the trait of good will, in such a way that people will be satisfied with him. [This is] proper and well-accepted. About this our sages, may their memory be blessed, said in the way of ethical teachings, "Do you want to be liked? Like that which you don't like." As a person cannot accomplish that the people of the world will like him if he does not forego his traits. And if he does not forego his wants for the sake of their wants, he must negate his will for the sake of the will of others. And with this, he will have many friends and guard himself from the injuries of people. As they will hate and seek to hurt one who shows them an angry face. 
  
  Mishnah 16
  
  Rabban Gamliel says, "Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt": He means to say that he should take his colleague as his mentor - even though he is not more wise than he, and even if he has not even reached [the first one's] wisdom - in order that he remove himself from doubt. And in Talmud Yerushalmi Moed Katan 1:10, it states, "Go and bring me an elder from the marketplace and I will rely upon him and permit [it] to you." As there are times when a sage will be in doubt about a ruling and he will not know what to say: If he permits, maybe it is forbidden and a mishap will occur through him; and if he forbids what is permitted, it will come out that he will cause a loss of money to Israel, whereas the Torah is concerned about it. Therefore, he should make his colleague a mentor and ask him about his questions. And he will make the ruling upon his mouth, even if the matter is simple to him and even if it is a permissive ruling, even when he is not as great as he in wisdom. And thus did the Geonim say, "In anything where it is a doubt to one and clear to the other, the law is like the one to whom it is clear, even [if it is] a student before his mentor."
  "and do not frequently tithe by estimation": That he not tithe his fruits by estimation. If he wants to tithe what he has measured out generously [to be] more than the tenth, it comes out that [that which is beyond the tenth] is [still] <i>tevel</i> (a forbidden mixture that requires separation to render it permissible) that is not tithed until he puts his eyes to it to tithe it, and it comes out that there is a corruption of this tithe. And this matter is a metaphor for the matter of reasoning, in which a person should not do it by estimation, but rather in the way of principles and to come to full knowledge. And this is not the case with all reasonings. As there is one that is nuanced and the sage - even though his reasoning leans to the side that he understands - recognizes that another sage can [see] it in a different way. It is just that [his way] looks more [correct] in his eyes. And there is [another] reasoning that a sage innovates and recognizes and knows that it is logically correct and necessary,  has no other angles and that no other sage would disagree. And the one who understands will understand [this]. And for this [reason] was this matter made adjacent to [the teaching], "Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt" - as [the two teachings] are [based on] almost the same rationale.
  
  Mishnah 17
  
  Shimon, his son, says, "All my days I grew up among the Sages": And I have observed and considered all of the important traits.
  "and I did not find anything better for the body than silence": Rambam, may his memory be blessed, already explained about the matter of silence that if it was about speech that brings damage to a person in every way or that brings gain from one side but damage from the other, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would not have needed to warn us about it - as every person who guards himself from anguish would be careful about it. But rather, even with speech that brings no damage to a person at all and is all gain, like one who speaks about his business affairs and the needs of his body and the needs of his livelihood - one must minimize speech and not be long-winded in it, but rather [just speak] according to his need. And it is not necessary to say about a vain matter that does not [change a thing] that one should not mention it at all. And so [too] did they say in Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 1:2, "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, 'If I had been at Mount Sinai, I would have needed two mouths.' Afterwards he said, 'Now that we only have one, I am not able to save our souls from evil speech, all the more so if we had two.'" He means to say [he wanted two mouths] so that he should not speak from his [one] mouth words of Torah and words that are completely vain things of the world; in the same [way] that our holy sages would make themselves like vessels of [the sacrificial] service, which are not to be used for profane matters. And this is that which we say in the Talmud of the Westerners (Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 9:5), "All  chatter (<i>patatia</i>) is bad except for Torah chatter which is good." And some have the version, "All <i>karavia</i> is bad except for Torah <i>karavia</i> which is good." And the meaning of <i>karavia</i> is plowing. [This is] to say that all of the words and thoughts with which a person makes efforts in this world, 'it is all vain and bad spirit, besides thoughts about Torah and 'the acts of God, as [they are] awesome.'
  "And the exposition [of Torah] is not what is essential, but the action": [This is] saying that one should not expostulate on a commandment to others while he does not do it [himself]. Rather, he should do them first and [then] teach them to others - as the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Tosefta Yevamot 9:5), "Pleasant are words that come out of the mouth of one who practices them."
   "And whoever increases words brings sin." This matter is speaking about words of Torah, as a person should not increase [words] of law, but rather wait and think out what he will say, [such that] his words be measured and they not be hasty. As 'when there are many words, transgression will not be avoided,' as he will think the matter is like this and he will bring sin with his [mistaken] ruling. And hence they said, "And the exposition [of Torah] is not what is essential, but the action," to make known that [that statement] is speaking abut words of Torah. And this [statement] as well should not be explained to be about vanities of the world - as if [had been] so, they should have made it adjacent (to) "and I did not find anything better for the body than silence," as that is about mundane words. And then immediately it [should] say, "And whoever increases words brings sin." But rather they said it about words of Torah, as we have explained. 
  
  Mishnah 18
  
  Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says, "On three things the world subsists: on judgment": That he should judge a truthful judgment. 
  "on truth": As a person should walk in the paths of repentance - as He is true and His Torah is true - and walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, of truth. And he should also go in that path, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 28:9), "and you shall go in His ways." And the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Yevamot 63a) that even in the recounting of mundane words should a person not lie, like that story of Rav's son, etc.: [Rav] said to him, "Your mother has improved." He said [back] to him, "It is I that reversed [your words to bring about the change]." He said, "This is as people say, 'The one that comes from you will teach you reason.' But you should not do this because of that which is stated (Jeremiah 9:4), 'they taught their mouths to speak words of falsehood.'" For a person who accustoms his tongue to speak falsehood about a matter that has neither a loss nor gain will - when he comes to speak matters of principle - also not be able to speak the truth; as it is his mouth that will speak and habit rules over it.
  and on peace": Peace includes all good things in the world, and there is no end to its benefits. And [may there be] peace upon Israel. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  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.
  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 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 (<i> karet</i>) 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."
  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.
  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. 
  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."
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi said: Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation (<i>derekh erets</i>, literally, the way of the world), etc.: He means to say <i>derekh erets</i> [as in] work. As sometimes, the expression, "<i>derekh erets</i>" is like its simple meaning and sometimes it is said for work - it is all dependent on the [context].
  for the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin (<i>aavon</i>) 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 (<i>aavon</i>); 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."
  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."
  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.
  for the merit of their ancestors sustains them, And their righteousness (<i>tsidkatam</i>) 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.
  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 (<i>rishonim</i>) 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.
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  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.
  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].
  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.
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  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. 
  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.
  Nullify your will to His will: of the Holy One, blessed be He.
  so that He will nullify the will of others to your will:
  
  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 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."
  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.  
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  He was accustomed to say: A boor (<i>bur</i>) cannot fear sin. An ignorant person (literally, a man of the land - <i>am haarets</i>) 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 <i>tabur</i>. 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 <i>am haarets</i> - since he is with them in <i>derekh erets</i> (good manners), and because most of the world (land - <i>haarets</i>) is like him.
  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.
  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.
  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. 
  In a place where there is no man, strive to be a man: The early scholars (<i>rishonim</i>) 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.
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  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.'
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  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. 
  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.' 
   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 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 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 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.
  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.
  One who has acquired words of Torah has acquired for himself the life of the World to Come:
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  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.
  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." 
  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].
  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.
  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."
  Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel fears sin: As he would make fences to distance himself from the sins.
  And Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh is an ever-strengthening fountain: As he was very sharp and a logician and innovate ideas from his intellect.
  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 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.
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  He said to them: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai to his students.
  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.' 
  Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend: That a man cling to a good friend.
  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 (<i>rishonim</i>), 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:
  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 (<i>mechonen</i>) 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 (<i>mechonen</i>) its dust" - that the dust of the Land of Israel will find favor in their eyes. 
  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.
  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.
  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].
  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 (<i>beliaal</i>) 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. 
  Rabbi Elazar says: A bad heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, for your words are included in his.
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  They said: The students of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai.
  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.
  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 (<i>derekh erets</i>) 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. 
  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."
  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 warm yourself by (<i>keneged</i>) the fire of the sages: The explanation of <i>keneged</i> [here] is close [to].
  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.
  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). 
  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.
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  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 (<i>ra</i>) 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 (<i>raah</i>), 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.
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  Rabbi Yosi says: The money of your friend should be as dear to you as your own: To fulfill the command of its owner.
  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 <i>koa</i>) [his calf] is wide.
  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.
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  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 <i>vatikin</i> (punctilious ones). And this is [the reason] for the expression, "be careful" - as it requires great care. 
  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.' 
  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.
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  Rabbi Elazar says: Be diligent in learning Torah, and know what to respond to one who denigrates the Torah (<i>apikoros</i>): That one dedicate oneself to study Torah, so that he will know what to respond to the <i>apikoros</i>. 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 <i>apikoros</i> here is one who denies the oral Torah, as well as those that issue rulings not in accordance with the law (halakha). And <i>apikoros</i> is [from the word] <i>hefker</i> (chaos; literally, ownerless). 
  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 <i>apikoros</i> 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. 
  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. 
  
  Mishnah 15
  
  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.'
  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 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.
  
  Mishnah 16
  
  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.
  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.'
  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 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.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  Akavia ben Mahalalel says: Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin: Know from where you came: And when you are keeping your eye on where you came from, the thought will cause you to be of a lowly spirit and you will be saved from the trait of arrogance - as it is stated about it (Proverbs 16:5), "Every haughty person is an abomination to the Lord."
  And to where are you going? To a place of dust, worms, and maggots: And if you think in your heart to where you are going, you will not desire any of the pleasures - as you are toiling for worms. You will also find vain all wealth and honor - 'as it is all vanity and bad spirit.' And about this matter King Shlomo created the Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and began (Ecclesiastes 1:2), "Vanity of vanities" - to show the vanity of all goods and of all honor. And after he showed the vanity of everything, he stated (Ecclesiastes 12:13), "The sum of the matter, when all is heard; revere God and observe His commandments; as this is all of man." 
  And before Whom are you destined to give an account and a reckoning: As the creations were only created to fear God. As how will a person sin if he thinks in front of Whom he is "destined to give an account and a reckoning" - and more than for the punishment and the challenge - as he will suffer great embarrassment. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a king in front of which a man enters: If [the king] finds him cheating in his deeds or lying in his words, he will suffer great embarrassment. All the more so before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. Also because the embarrassment of the soul is greater after it separates from the body than the embarrassment when it is still there. As it is the nature of the body to forget, and when a person does an ugly thing and is embarrassed from other people about it for a year or two, he will forget the thing and the embarrassment will leave on its own.  Even if it is not forgotten from his heart, the thing will be faded and some of the embarrassment will be removed. As the nature of the body's forgetting mixes with the nature of the soul. And even though it does not overcome it to completely forget the thing, nonetheless it overcomes it [enough] for the thing to fade; such that some forgetting removes most of the embarrassment. But when the soul is alone, there is no forgetting before it - as it is completely whole and pure and there is no physical nature within it. And when it is embarrassed before "the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He," it is for ever and ever that it will stand with the embarrassment like now when it is [actually] standing in front of Him. And like that time, it will stand embarrassed forever. And this is what the rabbis, may there memory be blessed, said (Bava Batra 75a), "Woe for this embarrassment, woe for this disgrace." Hence in all cases, the one that raises these things to his heart will not come to sin.
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  Rabbi Chanina, the Deputy High Priest, says: Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear of it: As it is harsh upon us.
  man would swallow his fellow alive: This matter is wanting to say that a person should pray for the peace of the whole world and be in pain about the pain of others. And this is the way of the righteous ones, as David, peace be upon him, stated (Psalms 35:13), "As for me, when they were ill, my dress was sackcloth, I afflicted myself in fasting." As a person should not make his supplications and his requests for his needs alone, but rather to pray for all people, that they be at peace. As with the welfare of the government, there is peace in the world.
  Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon says: Two who are sitting together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, this is a session of scorners, as it is said (Psalms 1:1): “[Happy is the man who has]... not sat in the session of the scorners”: Two things are called scorning (<i>leitsanut</i>). One is evil speech: one who speaks badly about his fellow, to disgrace him and to debase him among people - that he be considered scornful in their eyes. And this is from the great sins 'that a man commits and is guilty.' And this trait is only [found] among those that act wickedly. And about it Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated in his wisdom (Proverbs 21:24), "The malevolent,  conceited man - scorner is his name - acts in a frenzy of malevolence." He meant to say that these two evil traits - malevolence and conceit - both them or are included in the scorner. And a malevolent man is one who speaks about his fellow and debases him in the eyes of the world; [whereas] conceit is in thought, such that [another] person is not thought of as anything in front of him. And one 'crowned' with these two things - his name is scorner. And lest you say, he [may] not watch his tongue, but his hands are tied, he does not sin with them; about this he said, "he acts in a frenzy of malevolence" - when this man that "scorner is his name" comes to action, it will be with anger and cruelty. This is because scorning indicates about him the sin of being one who commits evil deeds. And Shlomo, peace be upon him, would console those that hear the insult of the scorners but do not respond and stated (Proverbs 3:34), "At scorners He scorns, but to the lowly He shows grace." He meant to say [that] God scorns those that scorn you and they will lose more with their scorn than you - the listener. "But to the lowly" that are silent and endure them and don't respond, the Holy One, blessed be He, "shows grace." But the verse that he [cited in the mishnah], "not sat in the session of the scorners," is not speaking about the scorners that we discussed - as that is [already] either in the category of sinners or in the category of evildoers that are stated in the beginning of the verse. Rather, it called "the session of the scorners" the opposite of what is written after it: "Rather, in the Torah of the Lord is his desire, and he meditates upon His Torah day and night.' [That is] those that purposely establish sessions to speak about empty words, and forsake words of Torah. As they remove the yoke of Torah from upon [them], since during the time that they don't have work [and] they also don't have to speak about their affairs, they establish a session for their idle words - hence it is called a session of scorners. And this thing is spoken concerning the refraining from Torah [study], since this chapter is speaking about the topic of refraining from Torah [study].
  But two who are sitting together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, the Divine Presence rests with them, as it is said (Malachi 3:16): “Then those who feared the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for those who feared the Lord and for those who thought upon His Name”: And the simple understanding of the verse is about the righteous in the future to come: when people will see their lofty status and say, "For what did this thing come to them," they will answer, "Because earlier 'they spoke one with another' in words of Torah and it was written 'in the book of remembrance' and He is now giving them the reward for their activity."
  I have no [Scriptural support for this] except [in a case of] two. From where [is there proof that] that even [when there is only] one [person studying Torah], the Holy One, blessed be He, determines a reward for him?: He means to say one who sits and thinks about Torah. Since reward is given for thought as it is for one involved in speech.
  As it is said (Lamentations 3:28): “He sits alone and is silent, since he takes [a reward] for it”: As one who is silent and thinks about Torah is as if he takes on the yoke of Torah in oral meditation. But Rabbi Meir HaLevi follows the textual variant, "From where [is there proof that] that even [when there is only] one [person studying Torah], the verse equates it for him as if he fulfilled the whole entire Torah, as it is said (Lamentations 3:28): 'He sits alone and is silent, since he takes [a reward] for it.'" And how is it implied that the expression "and he is silent" is [about] speech? [From] "since he takes" [which refers] to the yoke of speech - as he preaches in front of [the people].
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  Rabbi Shimon says: Three who ate at one table and did not say upon it words of Torah - it is as if they ate from the offerings of the dead: He means to say that since they did not say words of Torah, behold all of the tables are as if they were full of offering to idolatry which is considered to be like feces. Since the gathering of three people is called a group, as [indicated by the fact that] they would have an invitation (<i>mezamnin</i>) for the Grace after the meals. And one should not join them if there are no words of Torah among them, as that is removing the yoke of Torah. They are eating and drinking and enjoying, [but] the mention of Torah does not arise upon their hearts - woe to them and woe to their enjoyment.  
  However, three who ate at one table and said upon it words of Torah - it is as if they ate from the table of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, as it is said (Ezekiel 41:22): "And he said to me, this is the table that is before the Lord": And the expression, "And he said," is [referring to an] individual, as you see [with] "And the Lord said to Moshe," which is individual, as He was speaking to Moshe alone. And when the verse wants to make the thing communal - for Moshe to say it to Israel - it is written, "saying"; which is a communal language. The explanation of "he said" by itself without "saying" is that He explained it to Moshe only and not that others should hear it. Also this [in] which it is stated, "And he said to me, this is the table," is an expression of "and he said" that specifies that this table is from below. Such that you should not think that it specifies that the table is from Above (the sacrificial table of the Temple offerings). And even though this is not a proof for the matter, it is a hint to the matter - as is the custom of our rabbis to [use as support] in several places.  
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  Rabbi Chananya ben Chakhinai says, etc. such a one is liable for [forfeiture of] his life: Since they are desirable times, he should only think during them about things that are desirable before the Omnipresent, may He be blessed. And those [things] are words of Torah. As how grand and desirable are these times for thinking about Torah, since he has no work to do and does not hear the voices of [other] people. 
  and one who turns his heart to idleness, such a one is liable for [forfeiture of] his life: As he wastes a time in which he can have clear and correct thought, and diverts it from thoughts of Torah.
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah says: Anyone who accepts the yoke of Torah upon himself, they lift from him the yoke of government: The Holy One, blessed be He, guards  form every bad thing the one who makes his Torah [study] primary and his work flexible, so that he not have to refrain from Torah study. And [so] He does not put it into the heart of the king - that takes people to do his work - to take this one. And he is saved from the work of the kings to fulfill his will to be involved [in Torah].
  and the yoke of the way of the world (derekh erets): He is not required to do much work for the needs of his livelihood, and he is able to suffice with little for his vital needs - since the work of the righteous is blessed and his soul is glad with his portion.
  And anyone who casts from himself the yoke of Torah, they place upon him the yoke of government: Since he thinks that if he leaves the work of Torah he will do a lot of his work, God, may He be blessed, annuls his thought and puts into the heart of the king to take him to do work for him - since (Proverbs 21:1), "Like channeled water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand; He directs it to whatever He wishes."
  and the yoke of the way of the world (derekh erets):  As he wanders and strains for his livelihood and he cannot find it. Even when he finds it, he is not glad with his portion; and all of his days, he exerts himself in vain to get rich and to add wealth to his wealth. And [it is] like the matter that is stated (Ecclesiastes 5:9), "A lover of money never has his fill of money." And it comes out that all of his days are spent in toil and exertion, and he will never have rest for ever and ever.
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  Rabbi Chalafta [ben Dosa] of Kfar Chananiah says: Ten who are sitting together and engaging in Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them, as it is said (Psalms 82:1): “God stands in the congregation of God”: And there is no congregation that is less than ten.
  And from where [is there proof that this is true] even [when there are only] five? As it is said (Amos 9:6): “And He has founded His band upon the earth:” A hand which hs five fingers is called a band (<i>aguda</i>).
  And from where even three? As it is said (Psalms 82:1): “In the midst of judges He judges:” And there is no court that is less than three.
  And from where even two? As it is said (Malachi 3:16): “Then those who feared the Lord spoke one with another.” And from where even one? As it is said (Exodus 20:20 (20:21 in NJPS)): “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.:” And if even one gets much reward, is it not obvious that from to ten to two, they would [also] get reward. Rather, he wants to say that to each [number], the reward is according to [the quantity].
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  Rabbi Elazar, man of Bartuta, says: Give Him from what is His: This is speaking whether about the matter of a person's body, whether about the matter of a person's money - and it is to say that a person should not withhold himself nor his money from the objects (objectives) of Heaven. And this is what he said:
  for you and yours are His: As you are not giving from yourself and not from your money, but rather from the Omnipresent, may He blessed, as everything is His. As a person's money is a deposit in his hand from the Holy One, blessed be He - except that there is an advantage with it over other deposits in that he can take from it according to his needs. And he should give  the rest in accordance with the will of the Depositor - the King, King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He - who commanded him. And there is much to rejoice in that he can benefit from the deposit (in speech) [the editor says, it appears to me that it should be corrected to, enough for his needs] and that he will do the will of its Owner with the rest. There is a parable [relevant to this] of a king that gave his servant a thousand zuz and said to him, "Take one hundred for your yourself and give the [remaining] nine hundred to nine people." Would he not rejoice?  
  and thus with David it says, "For all comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You" (I Chronicles 29:14): In another place there it is written (I Chronicles 29:16), "it is from Your hand, and it is all Yours." And that is stated about the body, 'that He prepared it to build His holy House.' And that which is written, "and from Your hand we have given to You," is stated about the matter of money; as he states at the beginning of the verse, "that we should have the means to make such a freewill offering; for all comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You."
  Rabbi Yaakov says: He who is walking on the way and repeating his studies, and interrupts his studies, etc.: As when a person is still studying, he should not [be involved in] mundane conversation, since he needs to stand in fear and awe in front of the Torah. [It is] like the matter that they said (Shabbat 30b), "Any student who is learning and his lips do not drip with myrrh, let him be burnt." Since he is using the crown of Torah which is the crown of the Holy One, blessed be He, he needs to not speak idly. And if he becomes light-headed to interrupt his studies, behold "he is liable for [forfeiture of] his life." And this is in line with justice.
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  Rabbi Dostai beRebbe Yannai in the name of Rabbi Meir says: Anyone who forgets one thing from his studies - Scripture considers him as if he is liable for [forfeiture of] his life, as it is said (Deuteronomy 4:9): "Only guard yourself,  etc.: As he did not put it into his heart to say that forgetting is common with people. He should have reviewed the law many times and be thinking about it the whole day and the whole night, until it could not leave his heart. And [as] he did not, he is liable for [forfeiture of] his life; since he will come to give rulings according to his memory and say, "So said Rabbi." And [so] he will forbid the permissible and permit the forbidden and a mishap will come from his hand; and he will be called a sinner,  'for an error in study is considered an intentional transgression.'
  One could [suppose this statement applies to] even one whose studies have overpowered him; therefore, the verse says, "and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life" - he is not liable for [forfeiture of] his life until he sits down and [intentionally] removes them from his heart: If he forgot it due to old age or due to another [matter out of his control], the Merciful One exempts him.
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa says: Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom endures: The matter is said regarding effort: One who makes efforts to know wisdom in order to guard his soul from sin - and he becomes wise; his wisdom endures in his hand. And it comes out that when the studies and becomes enlightened, he removes himself from sins and does a commandment.
  And anyone whose wisdom precedes his fear of sin, his wisdom does not endure: He did not make efforts from the beginning to know wisdom in order to observe it, but rather to understand and be enlightened; and [so] it will not endure in his hand. And this is in line with justice. Another explanation: When a person's fear of sin precedes his wisdom, it comes out that when he studied, it guarded him and strengthened him to go on the path that he is accustomed to from many days; since when he fears sin and his heart adds great love for it and desires to add to it, it strengthens him to do that to which he is accustomed. But when the wisdom of a person precedes his fear of sin, it comes out that his wisdom [tries to] prevent him from sins that he is accustomed to. And in the end, he will rebel against it - as it will appear like a burden to him.
  He would [also] say: Anyone whose actions are more plentiful than his wisdom, his wisdom endures: When a person's actions are more plentiful than his wisdom, it comes out that his desire for wisdom is greater than his wisdom. And it comes out that his he will add wisdom to his wisdom each and every day.
  And anyone whose wisdom is more plentiful than his actions, his wisdom does not endure: As it comes out that his desire for wisdom is less than his wisdom, and it will come out that his wisdom will continually lessen. So did the early scholars, may their memory be blessed, explain. However one should ask, how is it possible for his actions to be greater than his wisdom. If he doesn't know the Torah and the commandments; when he needs to do these actions, upon what [basis] will he do them? Rather this mishnah was speaking according to a fit, good and accepted advice for the one who doesn't know - so that he not destroy his soul. [That advice is] that he accept upon himself to do all of the things that the sages tell him to do, and not to veer from them to the right or to the left when he knows them. And he should act according to the Torah that they instruct him and according to the law that they tell him. And immediately when he accepts upon himself this acceptance with a full heart and a desiring soul, he brings [himself] reward, as if he [did] all of the commandments. And according to this approach, they said, "Anyone whose actions are more plentiful than his wisdom," [as] even for the one who does not know and does not do, they are called actions - since he has reward for them as if he did them, on account of [his] acceptance. And so is it explained in The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan 22:1, as we learned there, "Anyone whose actions are more plentiful than his wisdom, his wisdom endures, as it is stated (Exodus 24:7), 'we shall do and we shall understand.'" As Israel had doing precede understanding, [whereas] they should have said, "we will understand and we will do" - as before one can do an action, they need to understand what to do. However they accepted upon themselves first to do all that He would command them and [that] they would understand; and they received reward from it immediately as if they had done them. "And anyone whose wisdom is more plentiful than his actions, etc." - that he should not say, "I will study this law and [then] I will practice it, I will study the whole Talmud and [then] I will practice it." If he says like this, his wisdom will not endure - as one needs to perfect the traits first and then his wisdom will endure.
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  He would say: Anyone from whom the spirit of creations find pleasure, from him the spirit of God finds pleasure: He wanted to say, one whose give and take (business dealings) is pleasant for people and they all know that he is [considered] trustworthy by the creatures. And it is like we say in Tractate Yoma 86a, "Any scholar who reads and studies and gives and takes with trustworthiness among the creatures - what do the creatures say about him? Happy is his father, happy is his mother (the editor says, in the gemara in front of us, it is found, 'happy is his rabbi') that taught him Torah, etc." And because of this, "from him the spirit of God finds pleasure," since the Torah is lauded through him. 
  And anyone from whom the spirit of creations do not find pleasure, from him the spirit of God does not find pleasure: He will not 'be innocent from God and from Israel.'
  Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinus says: [Late] morning sleep: As [it] negates prayer at its time.
  midday wine: As it negates Torah study and [so] leads to sin.
  chatter of children: As this playing draws in the hearts of people because of their love for youngsters, and it comes out that Torah [study] is neglected.
  and sitting in the assembly houses of the Am Ha'arets (unlearned people, who are lax in observing tithes and purity laws): And many evils [are found in] their assembly houses.
  remove a person from the world: Since for what was man created besides to be involved with Torah, and it is 'the length of days and the years of life?' And if he [engages in] such things, 'why does he have life?' And it is fit to drive him from the world, as he is vanity and his days are vanity. And since he has lived some years and has been involved in his affairs and it has not helped - because he has neglected Torah, for what [reason] should his days be increased? There is  parable [relevant to this] about a king that gave his servant one hundred  silver coins and he threw them into the sea, and [then] returned and requested others from him. And is it not fit that he not give him more? So is it [with] one who does not involve himself with Torah.
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: One who profanes the Kodeshim (sacred material): This is one who who intends to delay their consumption and [so] renders them impure. It is the same whether it is sacred material for the altar or whether it is sacred material for the upkeep of the House (<i>bedek Habayit</i>) - if he profanes them, he has no share in the world to come. 
  one who desecrates the holidays: He made these two things adjacent because they are [both] called holy things. With holy material, it is written (Leviticus 6:18), "holy of holies"; and with holidays, it is written (Leviticus 23:2), these are "the holidays of the Lord, which you shall proclaim, holy proclamations." And about this the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Pesachim 118a), "Anyone who profanes the holidays - it is as if he worships idolatry, as it is stated (Exodus 34:17), 'You shall not make molten gods for yourselves.' And it placed it adjacent to, 'You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread.'" And he said here, "one who desecrates" and he did not say, "one who profanes the holidays," because he is not speaking about the festival day itself - as about this it is not required to speak, since a festival day is like Shabbat. Rather, he is speaking about the intermediate days of the holiday (<i>chol hamoed</i>); about the one doing forbidden work with his hand. And [such a one may] say, "These days do not have so much holiness, like the first [festival] days." And [so] he does every work and disgusting thing on them, 'yet he will not feel shame.'
  one who nullifies the covenant of Abraham our father: This is one who pulls his foreskin to cover his corona and he appears like an uncircumcised one - it is like one who does it to anger, to disgrace the commandments.
  one who whitens (embarrasses) the face of another in public: This is a derivative of the things for which he should die and not transgress. And the sources (<i>avot</i>) [of the derivatives] are three: idolatry, [forbidden] sexual relations and the spilling of blood (murder). The derivative of idolatry is the wood [that comes from] a tree-god (<i>ashera</i>); and like we say (Pesachim 25a), "We may heal ourselves with anything, except for the wood of a tree-god." And even though it is not [necessarily] idolatry itself; but rather [even when] it is its auxiliary, he should die and not transgress rather than benefiting from it. And the derivative of sexual relations is one who stares at or converses with a married woman - that he should die and not transgress. [It is] like that case in Sanhedrin 75a about the one whose heart [became sick] with lust about whom they said, "That she stand before him naked - He should [rather] die; she will not stand before him naked! That she should speak with him from behind a fence - he should [rather] die; she will not speak with him from behind a fence.” And the derivative of spilling blood is "one who whitens the face of another in public" - since his blood flees from the embarrassment. [It is] as we say (Bava Metzia 58b), "We see that the red leaves and white comes [in its place]." And because of this, he has no share in the world to come.
  one who reveals meanings in the Torah that run contrary to the law: This is one who makes his face brazen towards the Torah, to do sins in public. And the same is true of one who makes his face brazen towards its learners.
  even though he has Torah knowledge and good deeds, he has no share in the world to come: And these words [relate] to when he has not repented, but rather died with afflictions - as death and afflictions do not atone [in this case]. But if he has repented, there is nothing for you that stands in front of (that is resistant to) repentance. And so is it learned in the gemara in Peah (Yerushalmi Peah 1:1)
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  Rabbi Yishmael says: Be yielding to an elder (literally, a head): He wants to say, that he be yielding to one who is a head and a lord, as it is stated (Proverbs 25:6), "Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence; do not stand in the place of great ones" - that you should not think of yourself as a great man, but lower yourself in front of him to do his desires and to fulfill his needs. And do not become [too familiar] with him.
  pleasant to a <i>tishchoret</i>: Meaning to say to be pleasant with his words to an appointed official (<i>shichvar</i>). Not that he lower himself in front of him, as he is not a lord; and not that he should [try to] overcome him - as [the official] also has power in his hand: since he judges the land and the king appointed him over his people, it is impossible that he will not think about doing bad to his enemies; and he can truly do it to them. But one can benefit from his friendship, as he is [like] the master of the land. And <i>tishchoret</i> is the [same] as <i>shichvar</i>. In the vernacular, it is <i>señorío</i>. And [it is] as we say (Sifrei Devarim 6), "Cling to the <i>shichvar</i> and they will bow down to you." (and greet every person with joy) And Rabbi Meir HaLevi (Ramah), may his memory be blessed, explains <i>tishchoret</i> from the translation (Onkelos Numbers 16:15) [of] "I have not taken the donkey of any one of them” as <i>shecharit</i> (conscripted). He wants to say that you should be pleasant with a great person and a head, and also [be] pleasant with his servant and do his will.
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  Rabbi Akiva says: Joking and lightheartedness acclimate toward promiscuity: He wants to say that joking and words of idle conversation with lightheartedness acclimates to promiscuity. But seriousness and fear are a safeguarding fence around sexual prohibitions - as this whole mishnah is talking about safeguarding fences.
  Tithes are a safeguarding fence around wealth: And like we say in Tractate Taanit 9a about that child that was reading "A tithe shall you tithe (<i>Aaser teaaser</i>)" (Deuteronomy 14:22): Rabbi Yochanan said to him, "Take a tithe so that you will become wealthy." The [boy] said to him, "And is it permitted to test the Holy One, Blessed be He? But it is written (Deuteronomy 6:16), 'You shall not test the Lord your God'?" [Rabbi Yochanan] said to him, "Rabbi Hoshaya (said as follows), 'Except for this, as it is stated, "Bring the whole tithe into the storeroom, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now by this"'" (Malachi 3:10). And about this is it said, "Tithes are a safeguarding fence around wealth" - that the person that wants to be wealthy should give tithes with a good eye. And he should not say, "[I have] a thousand kor - how can I give a hundred to the tithe, and they are worth much." As God, may He be blessed and elevated, is trustworthy to pay him all that he gave and to multiply the reward. And this is true also based on experience. And the matter of charity is like the matter of tithes - and [so] when he increases charity, he adds wealth to his wealth. And a person's heart should not prevent him from giving large gifts to the needy, lest his wealth shrink and he not have enough. And he will know that this will be the reason that he will have a right to make [wealth]. And the very wealthy one should not think that by his giving much charity - if he doesn't give [proportionately] according to his wealth and multitude of assets - that he will be innocent. As an evil thing may come into his heart to say, "How many coins have I scattered in charity; how many, many were dying of hunger and I saved them." And he does not know about all [this], that the poor person who gives a 'great sum' according to the tithe is better [off]. As [in the case of] a poor man who only has a seah and gives its tithe as is fit and a wealthy man who has two thousand seah and gives one less than two hundred; the poor man gets out innocent, but the rich man is [still] obligated by them. So is [it with] charity: everyone must give according to what he has - whether [it is] little or whether [it is] much.
  Tradition is a safeguarding fence around Torah: Traditions are the full spellings and incomplete spellings [of the words in the Torah] and the cantillation notes that the sages passed on to their students. And they are a safeguarding fence around the written Torah, such that you do not find differences among the books [of the Torah], except in a few places. This is not the case with the books of the Talmud, as in many place the versions differ. Also each and every day, new rationales are developed - and they write the version according to their opinion. And 'the right has been given' to tolerate it. 'As there is no perfect book in the world that they have not made to err.' And they attribute the mistake to the book and not to their opinion.
  Vows are a safeguarding fence around abstinence: Abstinence is a superior virtue and there are several good virtues that are [needed] to acquire it, as we say (Avodah Zarah 20b), "Cleanliness leads to abstinence." And this is one who separates from the pleasures of the world - even from the things that are permissible in eating and sexual relations; even from all of the other desires in avoiding honor and lordship and wealth and what is similar to them. And he distances himself from the roots of [the pleasures] and brings himself near to the fundamentals (literally, trunks) of the soul and its foundation. And [hence] he is close to the service of the Creator, may He be blessed. How is it with food? One who eats a little in order to live that he be healthy to study much Torah and to do great service in the service of God. And he drinks to fill his thirst and not to get drunk and [so] not 'expose himself within his tent.' And that which he only has sexual relations to fulfill the commandment, behold this is from the way of abstinence - as his intention is not to enjoy from the world. And there is also a second benefit: that he guard his soul from sin - as when his impulse overpowers him and he desires to do a sin, he will say in his heart, "I am vigilant about what is permissible, [so] how can I do this great evil, and 'I will have sinned to my Father in heaven all of the days.'" And this thing will [protect] him from all of the stumbling blocks. But one who goes after natural physicality and is pulled by his desires and his pleasures - even if he does not do a forbidden thing - will be found to have distanced himself from the fundamentals of his soul and its foundation. He will have also caused his soul to follow the body and the physical and 'sever it with an ax from its roots and  its foundation.' And [it is] as it is written (Hoshea 4:11), "Promiscuity, wine and new wine take the heart." Hence they gave a counsel to the one who is not able (to lead) to control his spirit and is pulled by the pleasures, to make a vow for some days to say, "I will not eat and not drink until time x except like this"; or to forbid what is permissible. And [then] his habit will control him, from that which he observes his vow. It comes out that he leads himself to conquer his impulse. And with this, the benefit that is in his hand is abstinence. And [it is] as [someone] said to Rabbi Pinchas (the editor said [that] this statement is in Yerushalmi Shabbat 1:3 and the version there is "to Rav"), "If you are not able to eat mundane foods in purity all of the year, eat [it so] for seven days." As one who eats mundane foods in purity is called an abstinent, as we say (Chagigah 18b), "The clothes of an ignoramus are impure in <i>midras</i> for the abstinent (<i>prushim</i>)." However it is not fit to fence oneself with fences unless his impulse is overpowering him, [and then] he may make a vow as a way of healing. However one who controls his spirit and is able to reach the trait of abstinence without a vow should not vow. [It is] as we said (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:1), "Is it not enough for you with what the Torah forbade, such that you forbid yourself the permitted?" But certainly if you see a man whose impulse is overpowering him, he needs to add a big fence according to that which he needs to conquer his impulse. And once he has conquered his impulse, he goes back to the moderate disposition. There is a parable about a physician [relevant to this]: When the physician sees that the illness is mild and easy to heal, he gives him a mild treatment. But when he sees that he illness is heavy and strong, he chooses a strong treatment until he heals; and afterwards, he goes back and gives him moderate things that hold the body's health. And because of this, they said, "Vows are a safeguarding fence around abstinence" - and they did not say, "Oaths are a safeguarding fence around abstinence." As an oath halts immediately, as he swears that he will not eat this thing until day x. And that is not a safeguarding fence - as he is halted immediately, in that he cannot transgress it. But a vow is that he say, "If I eat more than this amount until day x, all of the fruits of the world will be forbidden until a different time that he specifies. That is called a safeguarding fence, as it is a thing that he may overstep. And it is better for the one whose heart is dedicated to the Heavens if he is not in control of himself to do the safeguarding fence without a vow.
  A safeguarding fence around wisdom is silence: This is a safeguarding fence for both wisdom itself and for its traits. How is it? That he doesn't interrupt the words of his fellow, and he says about that we has not heard, "I have not heard." And even though it is not included in silence, silence brings to it. With wisdom, how is it? He does not speak in front of someone greater than him in wisdom. As one who studies in front of his teacher and sees a fit rationale should not immediately think that it is true; and he should not want to say it until his teacher has finished speaking. For were he to do so, he would miss what his teacher will say and he will not know the rationales of the earlier sages; as his heart will be 'moving and wandering from knowing their opinion.' And also because his [own] rationale cannot be so focused until he hears what the early scholars said and [then] weigh in the scales of his intellect which one is more proper - this one or that one. Therefore silence for a student in front of his teacher "is a safeguarding fence for wisdom." And when he finds a rationale and his teacher is still speaking, should he not be quiet? He should not open his mouth until the words of his teacher are clear and his rationale is etched into his heart - until he finishes his words and knows what his teacher taught him. And afterwards, his reasoning will be sharp and focused. And about this Shlomo, peace be upon him, said (Proverbs 18:2), "The fool does not desire understanding, but only to reveal his heart." 
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  He would say: Beloved is man, since he is created in the image [of God]. A deeper love - it is revealed to him that he is created in the image, as it says (Genesis 9:6): "for in God's image He made man": Since he doubled the expression, we should say that this is its explanation: "Beloved is man since he is created in the image" - as even if the thing was not made known, but man was [still] created in the image of God, he would be beloved in front of Him; since they were created in His image and in His likeness. But when He revealed the thing to us, He showed us a deeper love.
  Beloved are Israel, since they are called children of the Omnipresent. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that they are called children to God, as it says (Deuteronomy 14:1): "You are children of the Lord, your God": Also since he doubled it like the first.
  Beloved are Israel, since a precious instrument has been given to them: With which the world was created - this is the Torah, since the whole world was created with it; and all of the creatures were only created so as to observe it. And everything under the skies - all of them - are a function of a function for the needs of the practitioners of the Torah. There is a metaphor [relevant to this] about one who makes a tool for his profession and, with it, he does all of his work. So too is the Torah the tool of the Holy One, blessed be He, and with it the whole entire world was created. 
  A deeper love - it is revealed to them that the precious instrument with which the world was created has been given to them: With which the world was created.
  as it says (Proverbs 4:2): "For a good lesson I have given to you; do not forsake my teaching": And you should know that these words are of great benefit for devotion [to God] - since he revealed to us that man is more beloved in front of Him than all of the creatures because he is created in the image; and [that] Israel know that they are more beloved than all of the other peoples since they are  called the children of the Omnipresent and He chose us from all of the nations and gave us His Torah, as a function of which the whole entire world was created. [So] by all events, we know that God, may He be blessed and exalted, is close to us. [Still,] a person should not think that if he does what is 'straight in the eyes of the Lord' and not sin that he is close to God, as you know that the grasp of man is limited and not complete [such] that he can reach devotion [to God]. And [yet] it should not appear to him that He is completely far from him - "a deeper love is revealed to" him 'if he is from the seed of the Jews.' And he should not be in his own eyes only an evildoer and not only righteous. 'And this is the teaching of man' - not to distance himself and not to come close, 'and all is in accordance to the majority of the deed.' As with the great devotion [involved here], how can we have it - and 'there is no man on the earth that does good and does not sin.' [It is] as Yirmiyahu said (Jeremiah 30:21), "His chieftain shall be one of his own, his ruler shall come from his midst; I will bring him near that he may approach Me, declares the Lord; for who is it who would pledge (<i>yeaarev</i>) his heart to approach Me?" And <i>aarev</i> [here] is an expression of <i>aarevut</i> (guarantee).
  
  Mishnah 15
  
  Everything is foreseen: As it is written (Psalms 139:1-2), "Lord, You have examined me and know. When I sit down or stand up You know it; You discern my thoughts from afar, etc."
  and freewill is given: As He gave into the hand of people to do all that his heart desires - whether good or whether bad; as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:15), "See, I set before you, etc." And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, said that this thing is from the wonders: That even though freewill is given to man to do his will, the Holy One, blessed be He, knows what he will want to do before the thought and before the action. And not by force will a man do the good or the bad, but rather from the will of his [own] heart. And God, may He be blessed, knows at the beginning that which will be his will - and even those things that are weighed out and it is possible that they will be and possible that they will not be. He knows everything at the beginning of the deed, and it is a wonder.
  and with goodness the world is judged: And the Holy One, blessed be He, does not judge man only according to his deeds - rather [also] with His Goodness and His trait of kindness. And this is what David said (Psalms 25:7), "Be not mindful of my youthful sins and my transgressions." Sins - whether they are accidental or volitional - are what a man does in his youth, when his impulse impels him and his intellect is weak. However those that he does after he has grown in years and his intellect is complete are called transgressions or rebellion. And because of this, he confessed and said, "Both the sins of my youth and the transgressions from after I grew up, 'do not remember'; and so [too] let my memory go up in front of You, remember me for the good. 'But in keeping with Your kindness, You remember me - as befits Your goodness, Lord.'" As the world is judged with kindness, and even evildoers are judged with His goodness, as it is stated (Psalms 145:9), "Good is the Lord to all [and His mercies are to all of His creatures]." And the evildoers are included in His creatures - of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is [found] in the midrash.
  And all is in accordance to the majority of the deed: And even though the world is judged with the 'good of the Lord,' not every person is [equal] with [God's] trait of good. As for one who does much kindliness, the trait of kindness is much more than his deeds, and for the one who does little, it is little [more]. And [if] all are judged with His goodness, [yet] the good beyond the deeds of the evildoers is not as much as for the righteous; and also the righteous who do much and [those] who do a little are not the same, as "all is in accordance to the majority of the deed." And it is like it is said in the midrash (Vayikra Rabba 17:1), "'The Lord is good to those who hope in Him, to the soul that seeks Him' (Lamentations 3:25) - the one who hopes and is busy [with it] is not similar to the one who hopes and is not busy." And our teacher Moshe (Rambam), may his memory be blessed, followed the textual variant, "but not according to the deed." And he explained that all is according to the majority (quantity) of the deed. As in the matter of charity, one who gives a thousand zuz over a thousand times, that is according to the quantity of the deed; but "not according to the deed" - that is is the one gives it [all] at once. As this one arouses his thought a thousand times to do good among his people, and that one only aroused [it] the first time. 
  
  Mishnah 16
  
  He would say: Everything is given as collateral: For everything that a person takes from this world, he is a guarantor and his children are guarantors. And one who inherits his father and his mother should not think, "This money is my inheritance, I will do all that I want with it." As nothing that he has is his, since everything is God's. And that which he took from Him, he took it on collateral; and in the future he will have to pay for it. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a man that came into a city and did not find [anybody] there. He went into a house and there he found a set table and all types of food and drink were upon it. He ate and drank and said, "Have I not acquired all of this, and it is all mine - I will do all that I want with it." And he did not see the owners who were observing him from another place. And in the future, he will have to pay [for] all that he will eat and drink, as he is in a place that he cannot escape. 
  and a net is cast over all of life: This is death and a person cannot be saved from it - 'like fish caught in a bad net.'
  The shop is open: As people go in there and take all that they need now and don't 'see what will come from it.' And they don't think if they will have with what to pay when it comes time for the payment, since they find the store open and they can take all of their needs at the time. Such are people in this world. 
  and the shopkeeper grants credit: This is the owner of the store who gives to others on credit - he is the judge and is paid by them later. So is the Ruler over His world: He gives all the wants of those that come to the world - whether good or whether bad - and in the end, He will be payed by them later.
  and the accounting ledger is open: This thing is said for two matters. The one is a metaphor that there is no forgetting in front of His throne of glory. As the shopkeeper grants credit, he grants credit and lends to many people - [to] some for thousands and tens of thousand, and [to] some for one dinar. (And for an error) (for loss) Were it not for his alacrity that the ledger is open in front of him and he immediately writes everything, sometimes he would forget the small things because of the big ones - if he would lend orally. And about this is it said, "and the accounting ledger is open, and the hand writes." This is to say [with] both the big sins and the small ones - all of them - it is as if they are written in front of Him; and he does not forget the earlier transgressions. And the second [matter] is to inform us that there is no waiting for the opening of the ledger after he does the sin. Rather with the end of the act, it is already written; so that an instant not pass that this transgression is not attributed to him. As even though transgressions are forgiven to penitents, they are first attributed immediately when they are finished doing them. And afterwards if he repents, he is forgiven for them. [It is] as we say in the midrash, "One who does not do it, is not like the one who does it and is forgiven" - as the one who does not do is greater than the one that does and is forgiven. And [regarding] that which it said (Berakhot 34b), "The completely righteous cannot stand in the place that the penitents stand," it wanted to say that penitents have to separate from that which is permissible [but] similar to the matter in which they sinned. As if he transgressed sexual prohibitions, he should act with abstinence towards the thing that he sinned in - even with his wife and even with what is permissible - more than the completely righteous need to do.
  and everyone who wants to borrow can come and borrow: As permission to [do so] is given to every man, and the one that wants to take the path that he desires, let him come and take: The fools thinks that the world was created to enjoy it, but all of the thoughts and the pleasure of the righteous is to be free to fulfill the commandments. And every man chooses for himself, but happy is the one who chooses the good.
  and the collectors go constantly on their daily rounds: from the Heavens. As they search through the actions of people, as it is stated (Job 7:18), "You inspect him in the mornings" - to know and make known what they are doing.
  and exact payment from man - with his knowledge: How is it? When he knows and remembers the sin that he does; [so] that when the punishment come to him, he recognizes and discerns that it is for that sin. And happy is he - as through this, he justifies the judgement and repents; and the  sin is atoned for him.
  or without his knowledge: How is it? For example, when afflictions come to him and he does not remember the sins that he did. And there are some that think that the afflictions come to them unjustly, as they say, "'We are righteous and we have not sinned,' and why is there this great evil [that has come] to us." And they will die without repentance. And their worms will not die, as they vilified the judgement and justified themselves. Woe to them and woe to their carcasses - as they sinned against their bodies. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a king that said to his servant, "Go and take collateral from x." [So] he went and took collateral from him, but that man does not remember the debt. And he yells and is in wonder about [why] they are taking collateral from him, and it is given over to his heart (he is distressed about it). Such is the one who payment is taken from, from the Heavens, without his knowledge. But when he remembers the debt and knows that the taking of collateral is justified, the matter is not given over to his heart so much.
  and they have that upon which to rely: for their deeds: Upon [God's] trait of justice, and the judgement is true judgement. 
  and everything is prepared for the feast: That the purpose of all of these things is in the end only to prepare the feast; meaning to say for life in the world to come.
  
  Mishnah 17
  
  Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no worldly occupation (<i>derekh erets</i>; literally, the way of the world): Meaning to say [that] one who does not know Torah is not complete in the traits of <i>derekh erets</i>; as most of the good traits that exist in the ways of the world are in the Torah - like "surely lend him" (Deuteronomy 15:8), "Surely award him" (Deuteronomy 15:14), "Just scales, just weights" (Leviticus 19:36), and many, many like these. If so, without Torah, his dispositions in <i>derekh erets</i> will not be complete.
  if there is no worldly occupation, there is no Torah: He wants to say that he first has to perfect himself in [his traits]. And through this, the Torah will rest upon him, as it never rests upon a body that is not in possession of good traits. [And] he should not learn Torah and afterwards take the commandments for himself, as this is impossible. And this is like the matter that is stated (Exodus 24:7), "we will do and we will understand," and like we have written [about it]. 
  If there is no wisdom, there is no fear: As there can be no complete fear without wisdom, as it holds it and gives light to lead him on the [proper] path.
  if there is no fear, there is no wisdom: As he needs to have fear precede wisdom. As without this, the wisdom will not last in the end - [as] he will be sick of it and leave it. Since if he does not first have perfection of the traits and he does not fear God, 'what good is the cost in the hand of a fool to purchase wisdom, when he has no heart' to fulfill the word of God. As fear needs to [come] before wisdom.
  if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding: There are three 'brains' and they are divided to [contain] three things - wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Wisdom is that which he learns from others, understanding is that which he derives one thing from another by comparison and knowledge is that which he grasps on his own. And that which they said, "if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding," is because if he does not have the ability to grasp and know a thing itself on his own, how will he derive something by comparison to something [else]? As knowledge precedes understanding; and without knowledge, it is impossible that he have understanding.
   If there is no understanding, there is no knowledge: If he does not have the power to understand things by comparison [to another] thing, it is because he does not have complete knowledge to grasp and understand that thing [from which he seeks to understand,] itself.
  If there is no flour, there is no Torah: Because he will need to search for his livelihood and he will not be able to be involved in Torah [study].
  if there is no Torah, there is no flour: Meaning to say, since he has no Torah, no purpose [comes from] the flour. As a man only gains from his wealth that the needs of his body be found and that he be free to be involved in Torah.
  He would say: Anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, to what is he compared? To a tree whose branches are many but whose roots are few; and the wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down, etc. But one whose deeds exceed his wisdom, what is he like? Like a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are many; since even if all the winds of the world come and blow upon it, they do not move it from its place: And we have already explained these things in this chapter regarding "Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom endures, etc." (Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot 3:9).
  
  Mishnah 18
  
  Rabbi Eliezer ben Chisma says: [the laws of] Kinin (bird offerings): The offering of doves by women who give birth.
  and the beginnings of Niddah (menstruation): They are three [anatomical] places - the 'house,' the 'attic' and the 'entrance hall'; and also the many sightings of blood that exist with menstruant bloods - these are the body of the laws. And it is like they said (Bava Metzia 84b), "They brought sixty sightings of blood in front of him, and he determined all of them to be pure (non-menstrual) blood."
  Astronomical calculations and Gematria [numerical calculations]: As they contain many calculations, and the wisdom of mathematics sharpens a man.
  are the condiments to wisdom:
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  Ben Zoma said, "Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men: The sages of the nations of the world have said one who knows all of the wisdoms [yet] does not love wisdom is not a wise man but a fool. As he does not love knowledge, which is intelligence. However, one who loves and desires it - even though he does not know anything - behold, this one is called a wise man. In any event, he will reach true wisdom and find knowledge of God. And about this Ben Zoma said, "Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men" - as so much does he love wisdom that he asks [it] from every person. And even from the one who only knows (another) [one] thing does he learn; and then his path becomes successful and he will become enlightened. And because of this he is called a wise one, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99). As so did David, peace be upon him, say - that he learned from every person; and he did not say, "This one is not as knowledgeable as I." Rather he learned from them all and became enlightened. There is a metaphor [relevant to this] about a man that lost a small vessel - would he not seek it from every man? 
  Who is the mighty one? He who conquers his impulse: Just as the power of the body is its virtue and its distinction, so too is the power of the soul is its virtue. And regarding the power of the body in man, it is also in animals - as they all have the power to lift weights and some more than others - [such that] Ben Zoma did not speak about it, as it is not called might. Rather [he spoke] about the might of the heart - which has two powers, to be mighty in war and that his heart never be afraid; and also the power to subdue the impulse. And this is dissimilar for man and beast, as animals do not have might of the heart. And about this, Ben Zoma said that the braver and stronger power of the heart is that which overcomes the impulse. As might in war is not such a great thing and 'like you, like them, in the description of men' - if they have power, this one also has strength, if 'they prepared their hands for battle, their fingers for war.' But to overcome the impulse - the enemy of a person in his face - and to destroy him, that is an elevated and strong might.
  as it says, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person and the ruler of his spirit than the conqueror of a city." (Proverbs 16:32): Slowness to anger [describes] the one who holds his anger and his will is not to take revenge immediately, but to wait for the time and place of his vengeance. As the angry one that takes revenge immediately, confounds his actions and acts without intelligence. And about this, Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person." The one who holds his anger - even though he does not forgive during his anger - since he leaves the matter of revenge until later, [shows] more might of the heart than the mighty one in war; as also without intelligence can he be mighty in fighting. But "the ruler of his spirit" - which is more than one who is slow of anger, since he forgives during his anger, as he fears the word of God - is mightier "than the conqueror of a city." [This is] even though [the latter] has two things - might of the heart and wisdom, as it is stated (Proverbs 21:22), "A wise man climbed to a city of warriors, and brought down its mighty stronghold." As it is with might of the heart, wisdom and correct counsel that they conquer cities. And about this it is stated (II Kings 18:20), "counsel and might for war." And the ruler of his spirit is greater and more significant than all of this and he comes out overcoming his impulse from all bad things.
  Who is the rich one? He who is happy with his lot: [This is] the one who says, "I have enough with my lot: since I am able to support myself and my household and to engage in Torah [study], what is there [for] me with [any] other money - it is only for me to have what I need and to uphold the word of God." As one who is not happy with his lot and is not satisfied with what God, may He be blessed, gave him is a poor person; as it is explained in the verse (Proverbs 15:15), "All the days of a poor man are bad, but one with a good heart has a constant feast." He wanted to say [in this verse] that all the days of a 'poor man' that desires money are bad - 'a lover of money never has his fill of money': but all the days of the one with a good heart, who is happy with his lot, are good (as the one) [like] one who makes a constant feast. Hence it is an extremely good trait to be happy with his lot. And he is called rich, since God, may He be blessed, gave him with what to support himself and engage in Torah and in the commandments. As 'what is the advantage to man in all of his toil,' except to fulfill the Torah and the commandments. 
  as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come: This verse is not a proof about the matter that one who is happy with his lot is called rich. Rather, [it shows] that a person is happy [also] with this good trait: when he does not desire to gather money and he hates gifts. [Instead,] he eats from the work of his hands and suffices with it, like the one who is happy with his lot - as his want is only to support himself. And Ben Zoma arranged these three traits like the order of Yirmiyahu the prophet, peace be upon him: wisdom, might and wealth, as it is stated (Jeremiah 9:22), "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his wealth." He had wisdom precede might because it is a true virtue and it is in the intellect of the soul and sits in the body, not like might which is only in the body. Still, [might] is more elevated than wealth, since might is in his body - something that exists all the days that he is still alive - whereas wealth is outside of his body. And it is something transient, as he can make his wealth, and others take it [after only] half of his days. And even though the prophet stated that a man should not glory in these three traits, Ben Zoma made a distinction and said that there is a side of these traits that is without [physical] exertion and toil and that he can glory in: With wisdom, it is to be one learning (in every) [from every] man. As such, he will understand fear of God; and there is no exertion in it, as it is wisdom and not work. With might, it is to overcome his impulse and to forgive during his anger. In this too he can glory, since he is doing it from his fear [of God]. And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him,  stated (Proverbs 19:11), "It is the intellect of a man that is slow to anger; it is his glory when he overlooks an offense." And since the desire of the one who is happy with his lot is only to learn and to keep the commandments, and when he has enough for his livelihood and support he is happy and recognizes that the rest is vanity, he is the 'rich' man who can glory in his wealth. As [in] all of these things, there is knowledge of the Creator, may He be blessed. [It is] as it is stated (Jeremiah 9:23), "But only in this should the one who glories glory, in his using his intellect and knowing Me; that I the Lord act with kindness, justice, and equity in the world; for in these I delight, declares the Lord." And Ben Zoma added a fourth trait and said: 
  Who is honored? He who honors the created beings: One who honors his fellow, honors himself - not his fellow. [As] what benefit is there to a man if they [give] him honor? If he is honored, the honor that they gave to him does not add to his status and his honor. And if he is lowly, for [others] to honor him will not make him honored again. And all honor for the lowly is a loss for those that honor him, as his status is not increased. [It is] like Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 26:8), "Like binding a stone in a sling, so is paying honor to a fool." As one who binds a stone in a sling is doing nonsense; and there is no honor given to the rock - as it was not elevated by this. And so [too] is it nonsense to give honor to a fool. It comes out that you will say that [with] all the honor that a person does to the created beings, he is honoring himself. [This is] because he causes them perforce to honor him and [it will be considered] a debt, which is true honor. And about this is it said, "Who is honored? He who honors the created beings." 
  as it says, "For those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me will be held in little esteem" (I Samuel 2:30): And the proof of this verse is from an a fortiori argument (<i>kal vechomer</i>): If [with] the Holy One, blessed be He, that all of His creatures were only created for His glory, as it is stated (Isaiah 43:7), "that I have created for My honor" - and it would not be justified to owe them good for this, since they were not created for anything else and this is their work, and they have no right to do anything else - nonetheless, it stated, "For those who honor Me, I will honor"; all the more so and all the more so [with regard] to his fellows who a person is not (concerned) [obligated] to honor, [that] if he honors him, he will honor him [back], and raise him on his palms. And also with this trait there is no toil, and it is fitting and accepted.
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  Ben Azai says: Run to do an easy commandment: They already said a reason for this thing - "for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments" (Avot 2:1). And now Ben Azai added another reason and said, Run to do an easy commandment and flee from sin; since a commandment leads to another commandment - as this is a natural propensity. As when a man does a small commandment once, he draws closer to God and accustoms his spirit to His service and it becomes easier in his eyes to do another commandment that [requires] the same effort as the first one or a little more; as he is already accustomed to the performance of a commandment. And when he does a second (for a third) [and a third] - even if it is much more effort than the first ones - he will do it quickly, since the habit already steers him greatly. [This occurs] until it steers him very much and he will completely do all of the commandments.
  and a sin leads to another sin: This too is natural. Since he has done one sin and distanced himself from the service of God, may He be blessed, when another sin comes to his hand - even if the impulse does not have a desire for it like for the first - he will do it; as his spirit is accessible to his impulse and it pushes upon it. And even if his desire is not great in the matter, he will do all of the sins; as his nature is used to 'doing every abomination towards God that He hates.'
  since the reward for a commandment is another commandment: This is a reason other than nature. And so he wants to say that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not give good or evil into the hand of a person; rather only choice, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:19), "and you shall choose life." And since he has chosen a path, if he is going in the good, God is with him. And [so] if he does one commandment, it helps him to do another commandment - as on his own, he doesn't even have the ability to do good. And about this it says, "since the reward for a commandment is another commandment, and the reward for a sin is another sin." And not, God forbid, that this is his reward. As if so, what reward does he [actually] have? And the thing is not like this, as his reward exists for the world to come. But rather he wants to say that the fruit of [doing] a commandment is [doing another] commandment; and he eats its fruits in this world, which is that it helps him to do other commandments. And it comes out that the principle expands and it exists in the world to come. And this is what is stated (Isaiah 3:10), "Hail the just man, for he is good; they shall eat the fruit of their works." 
  and the reward for a sin is another sin: And if he chose death and evil and did a sin, the Holy One, blessed be He, distances Himself from him and leaves him and gives him over to his evil nature. And this is the fruit that comes out of the sin - that he is left to do another [sin], and he does not have the ability to veer from this path; as a man's path is not his own once he has already chosen his path. And this is what is stated (Isaiah 3:11), "Woe to the evil wicked man; as his hands have dealt, so shall it be done to him." And about this the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 38b), "One who comes to purify himself is helped; one who comes to defile himself is given openings." [That] is to say that if he comes to defile himself, he is not helped; but has many openings in which to enter and do evil - as he is left to do what is good in his [own] eyes. And about this the sages, may their memory be blessed, gave a parable (Yoma 38b): To what is this similar? To a man buying petroleum (naphtha). When he comes, [the seller] says to him, "Measure for yourself" - as if he did not buy it with his money, he would not have permission to [touch] it. But after they sold it, he says to him, "Measure for yourself" - because its smell is bad. So is it with the evildoers; after they have chosen the path of evil, they are left to their desire and their will. As, God forbid [that it be otherwise] - no man is assisted from the Heavens for a bad thing. But the righteous who choose the good path are assisted [for the good]. There is a parable [relevant to this] of a man who bought fragrant oil (afarsimon). [When] he went to measure it for himself, they said to him, "Wait until we measure it with you, and we will all be perfumed [from it].
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  He would say: Do not disparage anyone, and do not shun any thing: That you should not disparage any person, and even a lowly one. And do not exaggerate your words, to say that it is far [removed] that damage will come to me from this talk.
  For you have no man who does not have his hour: Who is [then] able to damage or benefit - if little, if much.
  and you have no thing that does not have its place: And [so] you have to be careful about it.
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  Rabbi Levitas, a man of Yavneh, says: Be very, very humble in spirit, for the hope of man is worms: How can a man be proud at all - as in the end, the worms will be better than he? And about this he said, "Be very, very humble in spirit" - to emphasize the thing and say how great the punishment is for haughtiness and that is the proud one. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, explained that he came to inform us that even though the middle point in all of the traits is the praiseworthy - like the trait of generosity, since both the spendthrift and the miser are bad and the middle is the [right] choice; and so with the trait of cruelty, that a person should not be cruel and [also] not completely merciful, as he should not have mercy on the wicked, and not be cruel to other people, rather the middle is the good path, to be merciful but to be cruel when needed; and so [too] totally with all (the intellect) [the traits], a man should grab the middle path and the moderate trait - yet this trait of haughtiness must be removed from oneself to the far extreme. As there is no trait more problematic than it; and most of the sins of the Torah depend upon it. And moreover, it causes forgetfulness of the Creator, may He be blessed, from the heart of a man - as it is stated (Deuteronomy 8:14), "And your heart grow haughty and you forget the Lord, your God."  And this is what we learned [here], "Be very, very humble in spirit." And the sages of the Talmud have already argued about this thing in Tractate Sotah 5a - "One said, 'In excommunication is the one that has it and in excommunication is the one that does not have it at all.'" [This] is to say that a person should not be humble in spirit to the final extreme and not to be so lowly that people disparage him. Rather, he should be moderate in taking haughtiness - not to (beautify himself) [make himself proud], but not to lower his spirit to the utmost lowliness, that he not come to disgrace. And about this they said, "In excommunication is the one that has" much haughtiness "and in excommunication is the one that does not have it at all" - as he is not a person, but 'he is similar to the beasts.' "And the other one said, 'In excommunication is the one that has it at all'" - as it is so bad a trait that he must distance himself from it completely. And there should not be in him from it at all, like the opinion of Rabbi Levitas, and for the reason that we have written. And so is the law.
  Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka says: Anyone who desecrates the Name of Heaven secretly, they punish him publicly: [Of course,] the desecration of the Name that is mentioned in the Talmud is public (by definition). And according to the importance of a man can there be a desecration for a small thing, as was said (by Rav Nachman in Tractate Chullin) (Yoma 86a), "How is desecration of the Name? (Rav said,) 'For example, [if] I took meat from the butcher and did not give him money immediately.'" Hence the sages and men of repute (need) to watch their deeds more than other people. And every man is according to his standing. 'And anyone who wants to take the name (and consider himself important in this regard), let him come and take [it].' And they said in Tractate Sanhedrin 74a that even for tying a shoelace (in the way of the gentiles), he should let himself be killed and not transgress. This is not by way of obligation, yet one should let himself be killed for this - as he is doing a commandment that sanctifies God, may He be blessed, and [so] 'he acquires his [share in the] world [to come] in an instant. But in three things everyone is obligated to let himself be killed for them; and if he transgresses and does not allow himself to be killed, it is a major sin [in itself] like idolatry, murder and sexual immorality. And the punishment for public desecration of the Name is greater than those three, as it is stated (Ezekiel 20:39), "As for you, House of Israel, thus said the Lord God, 'Go, every one of you, and worship his idols and continue, if you will not obey Me; but do not desecrate My holy name any more with your idols and your gifts.'" Behold, it is elucidated for you that He was more (in remembrance of) [exacting about] that which they were worshiping idols because they were desecrating His holy Name publicly than [because] of the idolatry itself. And [hence] that which we learned, "Anyone who desecrates the Name of Heaven secretly," is speaking about things that are a desecration of the Name in of themselves, like idolatry - as he is affirming [the idol's] divinity. And so too, the one who swears falsely with the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He - which is deceiving the minds of the creatures - is a desecration - as it is stated (Leviticus 19:12), "You shall not swear falsely by My Name, desecrating the Name of your God; I am the Lord."
  There is no differentiation between unintentional and intentional when it comes to desecration of the Name: Not that he is punished for the unintentional like the intentional; but rather that also for the unintentional is he punished publicly, and each one 'will carry [the punishment] according to his transgression.' [This is] because the unintentional is considered a transgression [in such a case] when it is not beyond his control, since he should have been careful that it not come to him - and he was not careful. Therefore the verse obligates him in a sacrifice in order to atone for him.
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  Rabbi (Shimon, his son,) [the editor said that the text in front of us is Yishmael] says: One who studies Torah in order to teach: The explanation is not, God forbid, that this is speaking about studying in order to teach and not to do - since such a one is given into his hand neither to learn nor to teach.  Rather it is in order to do [according to] that which is forbidden and that which is permissible, and not to toil and look into it much; (rather) [as maybe] he will find something forbidden in the permissible things. Instead, he takes things according to their simple meaning. Because of that, he will only "be given the opportunity" according to his thought, [which is] to study and to teach.
  One who studies in order to practice will be given the opportunity to study, to teach and to practice: He wants to say that his intention is to analyze his learning so as to know the truth of the matters and his will is to toil several days and [even] years to fathom a small thing and to conduct himself according to the truth; behold, this is one who studied in order to practice - as the whole thrust of his intent is only that his action be truthful. Therefore, he "will be given the opportunity to study, to teach and to practice" - as it is all included in action.
  Rabbi Tzadok says: Do not make it [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself, and not into a spade: That he not make his words of Torah like a spade to aggrandize himself and be honored on their account in this world, as that is benefit from honor. The exception is if he has the intention that if be for the Torah's honor. (Like they show) [As when they show] him honor, the Torah is honored by it. And if the whole-hearted intention of the sage is for the honor of the Torah - and not for his honor - it is permitted.
  and not into a spade with which to dig into them: That he not have benefit of money, as one should not benefit from them at all.
  And thus Hillel used to say: And one who makes use of the crown (<i>taga</i>) [of learning] passes away: <i>Taga</i> is an expression that means crown, as [crown is rendered] in its [classical Aramaic] translation.
  From here you learn that any one who benefits from the words of the Torah: One who benefits from words of Torah in this world, behold he removes his life from the world to come. And it is not only benefit from honor and benefit of money that they spoke about, but it is forbidden even to save oneself [with Torah]. As behold, they tied up Rabbi Tarfon to throw him into the river, as they thought that he was a thief. And he (only) said, "Woe to Tarfon, as this one is killing him." And since they [then] recognized that he was Rabbi Tarfon, they let him go and he ran away. All of the days of that righteous one, he was anguished about this thing and said, "Woe is to [me] that I have made use of the crown of Torah" - since anyone who makes use of the crown of Torah does not have a portion in the world to come. And we say the reason is because Rabbi Tarfon was very rich and he could have appeased him with money (Nedarim 62a). And we also say in Bava Batra in the first chapter (Bava Batra 8a) [that] Rabbi (Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi) opened his storehouses in a year of drought. He said, "Let the masters of scripture, the masters of Mishnah and the masters of Talmud enter! Let the ignoramuses not enter!" Rabbi Yochanan ben Amram pushed and entered; he said, "Rabbi, sustain me." He said [back] to him, "Have you  read [scripture]?" "No." "Have you studied mishnah?" "No." "And if so, with (in the merit of) what should I sustain you?" He said, "Sustain me like a dog or a raven." He got up and sustained him. But after he left, he said, "Woe to me, since I gave from my money to an ignoramus." Rabbi Shimon beRabbi said to him, "Maybe that was Yonatan ben Amram, your student, who does not want to benefit (with the honor) [from the honor] of Torah." They  checked and found that it was like his words. [Hence], Rabbi said, "Let all enter!" But [didn't] Rabbi also say [he wanted] to sustain [based] on the honor of Torah? Rather it was a year of drought, when it is a commandment to sustain whoever is lacking his needs; and the one who needs may take. However Rabbi did not want to give benefit from his money to ignoramuses. And Rabbi followed his reasoning, as Rabbi said, "Punishment only comes to the world because of ignoramuses." And nonetheless Yonatan ben Amram [went] beyond the letter of the law. As since he saw that they were only sustaining Torah masters, he said, "If so, they are sustaining based on the honor of Torah" - and he did not want to benefit from the honor of Torah. And it appears that maybe if they had not been willing to sustain him on the condition that he was an ignoramus, he would have sustained himself through the honor of Torah - as this transgression is no greater than all of the commandments in the Torah, about which it is stated (Leviticus 18:5), "and live by them" and not that he die by them, except for the three known ones (Yoma 85b). And that which they said (Ketuvot 105b), "From here, [we see] that the verse counts one who brings a gift to Torah scholars as if he brings up the first fruits" - they only said it about something to which commoners are [also] accustomed, as it is the way of people to bring a gift to an important person even if he is an ignoramus. And that which the sages said (Berakhot 10b), "[A scholar] who wants to benefit, he may benefit  like Elisha" - this is [referring to] one who puts his merchandise into the 'pocket' of Torah scholars (for them to resell for a profit), their reward for which is great and it is permissible. And the verse also exempts them from types of taxes and fees and even from money for the poll tax, and other [benefits] that are known from tradition that the Holy One, blessed be He, allowed Torah scholars. And so did Rabbi Meir (Halevi), may his memory be blessed, arrange the matter.
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  Rabbi Yosi says: Anyone who honors the Torah, etc.: And what is the honor of Torah? That he not place [holy] books on the floor and that he not sit on a chair or bench together with them on the same level; and that he honors it and its learners. As it is a known thing by force of the verses - and logic attest to it - that we can assume that someone who speaks well about the good and about the sages is righteous. And [regarding] any one who judges them unfavorably, takes [up] their actions to say that they are not thought out and does not see them to be a merit for them; and when evildoers are spoken about, he justifies their deeds - it is known that he has a trace of evil. And do not have a doubt that you can discern the hearts of men by this. And there is a whole verse about this that Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 27:21), "For silver, the crucible; for gold, the furnace; and a man, according to his praising" - meaning to say, according to what he praises. And even though it is written (I Samuel 16:7), "but the Lord sees to the heart," that is speaking concerning heresy. As a man does not have the ability to discern if his fellow is a heretic, since these are matters hidden in the hearts of the heretics. But the speech of the believers (the editor said, according to the [context], some words are missing here, and there are those that have the textual variant, "but they are like believers in their speech.")  
  his body will be honored by the created beings: He is helped from the Heavens that the created beings will honor him, since he honors the Torah and does the things that we mentioned. And about their opposites, they said:
  Anyone who desecrates the Torah - his body will be desecrated by the created beings: About these they said, one who reveals [improper] faces of the Torah and says, "Why was it necessary to write, 'And Timna was a concubine'?" (Genesis 36:12), and similar to it - behold this is one who desecrates the Torah.
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  Rabbi Yishmael, his son, says: One who withholds himself from judging: Even though it is written (Deuteronomy 16:18), "You shall appoint magistrates and officials in all of your gates," and (Deuteronomy 16:20) "Justice, justice shall you pursue," as it is a commandment to judge [legal cases] - that is in a place where there are no other judges. But any time he can withhold himself, it is good for him to send its yoke onto others, since [that way] he will prevent himself from several problems.
  removes from himself enmity: As one who leaves the court guilty will hate the judges.
  theft: Lest he obligate one who is not guilty to pay; and the matter is considered for him as if he had stolen from him.
  and the false oath: Lest they obligate one an oath that is not according to the law; and it comes out that he makes him stumble in a vain oath.
  One who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions: He put this thing adjacent to the one who withholds himself from judging because [the latter] needs to decide upon it with deliberation and much analysis and [so] the matter is a burden to him; but [in contrast] the one who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions that thinks about himself that he knows to give the correct legal decisions and he will not err:
  is an imbecile: He is called an imbecile because he is wise in his [own] eyes, and there is no greater imbecility than this - as 'there is more hope for a fool than for him.' Since when the fool does sins, he himself knows and recognizes that he is not walking on the good path, and he does not think that he is not erring. And [so] there is hope for his betterment, as maybe he will repent to God. But with the wise one in his [own] eyes who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions, what hope is there? Since he thinks that he is wise, how will he [change] - as it would appear to him like leaving wisdom and intelligence.
  wicked: Even though he [already] said that he is an imbecile, that expression does not include his not being a fearer of sin. Because of this, he needed to say that he is [also] wicked. As if he had fear of Heaven, he would not have been so quick with his words - since he knows (that comprehension) [that error] is found among people and it is easy for any person to sin - and even for the greatest and most analytical sage. 
  and arrogant in spirit: Even though he [already] said that he is imbecile and does not fear sin, now he adds and says that it is from haughtiness and arrogance of spirit and from wanting to lord [it over others] that he is nonchalant about giving legal decisions - [it is] in order that the world see that he decides legal cases quickly and to show them that he is wise, so they will appoint him to be a judge and master over them. And that is his evil thought. Behold, these three traits are in the one who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions and who renders [these] decisions without trepidation and fear - may the Omnipresent, in His mercy, save us from them.
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  He would say: Do not judge alone: This is also from the matter of withholding oneself from judging. As even though an expert (judges) even alone, it is [of] the trait of piety that he not do so but [wait] until he takes colleagues that judge with him and they will help him. And it comes out a little that he withholds himself from judging, as not all [of the judging] is placed upon him.
  for there is no lone judge aside from One [God]: He wants to say that there is no lone judge except for the Holy One, blessed be He. And there is [someone] who explains, "for there is no lone judge aside from one" [that] this is the expert, but not other people who are not experts. And therefore a person should not consider himself an expert and he should think that he needs a group.
  And do not say, "Accept my opinion": Also when you take a group to judge the legal case and they disagree with you, do not say, "I am the expert and they are not experts. [Hence] they should accept my opinion and nullify their opinions in my [favor]. As if it were not for my humility, I would have judged the case alone; [so] now too, [decide according to] my argument." As you should not think this. 
  for they are permitted and not you: If your colleagues (rise early) [agree] with your opinion, it is upon them to accept your words. But, if not, you are not permitted to force them about this.
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  Rabbi Yonatan says: Anyone who implements the Torah in poverty: Since he compresses his hours and neglects his work needed for his livelihood in order to implement the Torah and the commandment, and [so] he studies and does the commandments in difficulty: 
  his end will be to implement it in wealth: As he will become wealthy. And in addition, he will also have broad hours to be occupied with Torah [study] and to implement the commandments, since his income will be great. And he will not require the toil of his hands, but rather he will eat and study 'in joy and with a good heart.' As through wisdom, he will have all the good. [It is] as we found with King Shlomo, peace be upon him, who asked for wisdom and did not ask for silver and gold, as it is stated (Proverbs 30:8), "Keep lies and false words far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, [but] provide me with my daily bread." There is a parable [relevant to this] about a king that said to his servant, "Ask [for] what I should give you." [The servant] said, "If I ask for silver and gold, he will give [it] to me; for properties and lands, he will give [it] to me. I will ask for the king's daughter for my wife, and everything [else] will be included." So did Shlomo, peace be upon him, say, "I will ask for wisdom and everything [else] is included, 'For to be in the shelter of wisdom is to be in the shelter of money'" (Ecclesiastes 7:12).
  And anyone that disregards the Torah in wealth: Since many times and many hours, he had the free time to study and did not do [it, he]:
  will in the end disregard it in poverty: As he will need to exert himself for his livelihood and he will not find it; to the point that, as poetic justice, he will not find free time to be occupied with Torah, even if he wanted. And it comes out that he will leave the world without Torah.
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  Rabbi Meir says: Minimize business and engage in Torah: That you make your work flexible and your Torah fixed. 
  Be humble of spirit before everyone: This thing is also from the topic of Torah, and so it was said in the midst of his words that were words [about] Torah - and he did not [put] it earlier nor later. And he wanted to say [that] even if you are successful in Torah [study] - which is the true advantage - do not become haughty; and it is not necessary to say that it is not fit to become haughty for all of the other foreign, physical advantages.
  Be humble of spirit before everyone: And even before the lowly and the degraded and the inferior - so as to distance oneself from the trait of haughtiness - and it is not necessary to say, before one that is your equal.
  If you neglect the Torah, many reasons for neglecting it will be presented to you: These are the evildoers, the bears and the lions, that bring neglect from work - as they are the disciplining staff. And through them the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes those neglectful of Torah study. As He does not want to pay back with His [own] hand, but rather through others - with the trait of punishment. 
  And if you labor in Torah, [He (God)] has abundant reward to grant you: The Holy One, blessed be He, Himself in the His [full] glory gives the reward for those that are occupied with His Torah - 'not through an angel and not through a messenger.' And with this He is assuring all of those that come to the world that He sends the punishments through His messengers to lighten the matter, 'as not like our Rock is their rock.' But 'great peace is there to those who love His Torah,' and 'goodly reward to those that fear Him' - He pays them by His hand and not through others, in order to increase their reward. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a king for whom a craftsman made a fine vessel. The king commanded and said to his servants that they should take money from his treasury and pay him nicely. And will they not give him less than if the king himself would pay him? As their hearts are not broad like the heart of the king, due to his great wealth and honor; and their nature towards generosity is not like his nature. Even if they give the king's money, their present will be smaller than the king's present. So [too] is, the blessed Holy One, blessed be He, in the trait of goodness - He wants to give with His hand 'to enlarge the reward and elevate it.' 
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: One who does a single commandment acquires a single defender: That is one that advises good for a person in front of the king.
  One who does a single sin acquires a single prosecutor: That is one that advises bad for a person in front of the king.
  Repentance and good deeds are like a shield against punishment: As the repentance that a person does for his bad deeds and the good deeds that he did from the beginning - behold, they protect him like a shield against punishment.
  Rabbi Yochanan the shoemaker says: Every gathering that is for the sake of Heaven, its end is to endure: [If it is] for Torah or good deeds, it is called a gathering that is for the sake of Heaven.
  And every gathering that is not for the sake of Heaven, its end is not to endure: [This is] when they gather, one to lord over the other, and each one seeks honor over his fellow. 
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua says: Let the honor of your student be dear to you as your own, like the honor of your fellow: He wants to say each one according to his honor - that is known to be fitting for his fellow and for a student [respectively]. But he is not saying that he honor his student like his fellow, as this is not correct. But rather just like you are not allowed to subtract from the honor of your fellow that is fitting [for him], so [too] do you not have the right to lessen from the honor that is fit for your student.
  and the honor of your fellow like the reverence of your teacher, and the reverence of your teacher like the reverence of Heaven: Honor is included in reverence, but reverence is not included in honor, as Malakhi stated (Malachi 1:6), "A son should honor his father, and a slave his master; and if I am a father, where is My honor, yet if I am a master, where is My reverence, etc.?" - he said "fear" with a slave and "honor" with a son, as the matter is like this. And here, it mentioned fear for the teacher and for Heaven - as one needs to fear [teachers], because fear of the teacher is the foundation of fear of Heaven. [This is] since he teaches him Torah and 'to fear the Lord, his God.' And one who loves the Torah, loves the sages and will fear the word of God. And to the one who teaches him, there is within him the fear of Heaven and walking in the good path - that is why it says, "the reverence of your teacher." But with the student and the fellow it [only] mentioned honor, as one is not obligated in their reverence. It comes out that you have learned that the honor of your student needs to be as dear in your eyes as the reverence of Heaven, that is incumbent upon you. And you may not negate the one, [just] like the other - as they are all dependent, one upon the other. And, if so, the four of them are all of one level - the honor, according to the honor [of each]; and the reverence, according to the reverence [of each].
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  Rabbi Yehuda says: Be careful in study, for an error in study is considered an intentional transgression: As he should review the things until he can not forget anything, [and ] to the point that he reaches the depths of the matters - since the nature of a man is short in understanding wisdom and [since] forgetfulness is common among people. He should also not rely upon his first reasoning, as we wrote at the beginning of the book. As with all this he is committing an intentional transgression - since in anything that is a matter of the Torah and of the commandment wherein error is common and he [still] does not pay attention [to it] and errs, he is not accidental, but rather he is called a transgressor (<i>poshea</i>). As he should have thought that every man errs and have been careful not to sin, but he was not careful. And [there] are four [relevant categories]: the transgressor, the one close to [being] an intentional transgressor, the accidental sinner and the one close to [being] under duress (out of his control).   
  Rabbi Shimon says: There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of monarchy: The crown of priesthood was given to the House of Aharon, as it is stated (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him a pact of priesthood for all time." And the crown of monarchy was given to the House of David, as it is stated (Psalms 89:37), "His seed shall be forever; his throne, as the sun before Me." But the crown of Torah rests [available] for all those that come to the world - one who wants to merit it, let him come and merit. And this crown is greater than the [other] two crowns, as the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 368), "There are three [decorative] rims: the rim of the table, the rim of the inner altar and the rim of the cover on top of the ark in which rests the Torah, engraved upon the tablets. And the cover and its rim rests inside the dividing curtain, [whereas] the other two rest outside the dividing curtain. Behold for you that the Torah is more glorious than the table that corresponds to the table of the kings; and likewise [than] the altar that is the crown of priesthood, since they burn incense upon it every day." And there is another proof. That is that there are houses for monarchy and priesthood: a house for monarchy, as it is stated (Jeremiah 21:12), "House of David, thus said the Lord, 'Decide justice in the morning'";  a house for priesthood, as it is stated (Psalms 135:19-20), "House of Aharon... House of Levi." But for fear of God, which is the crown of Torah, there is no special house, as it is stated (Psalms 135:20), "those who fear the Lord, bless the Lord" - "in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you" (Exodus 20:21).   
  but the crown of a good name outweighs (rises above) them all: He wants to say that for all of the crowns, they need the crown of a good name. And behold, that is dependent upon the crown of Torah. For with what is there a good name to a man if not because he is occupied in Torah [study] and fulfills the commandments? And about this is it stated (Ecclesiastes 7:1), "A good name is better than good oil." He meant to say [here] that if he puts down afarsimon oil in his house, it has a good smell (for him) and for the people of his house and for his close neighbors. But if they distance themselves from it a little, they do not smell it. But [with] one who is crowned by a good name - even if he stands in this corner, his reputation goes from one end of the world to the other. "And the day of death than the day of his birth." [Here] he wanted to say (as from) [as] the good name has more significance than the good oil, so [too] is the day of death more significant than the day of his birth for someone who departs with a good name. And if people are happy about the birth and sad on the day of death, it is because they do not have understanding. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a city with a ship leaving the sea for dry land and a ship entering the sea from dry land: For the one entering [the sea] they make music and parties, but for the one leaving [it], they don't do anything at all. And are the people of this city not fools? As at the time that it is entering the danger of the sea, they should have been afraid for it and not rejoice; and when it left and was saved from the great danger, it would have been fitting to make music and to rejoice. So [too] when a person is born is it fitting to be afraid for him, [as to] whether he will go on the good path or whether he will not. But when he leaves with a good name from the world, [it is fitting that] his 'neighbors and friends will rejoice' for him. But they do the opposite.
  Rabbi Meir said: Make His will like your will, etc.: We have [already] explained it in the second chapter, with the help of Heaven.
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  Rabbi Nehorai says: Exile yourself to a place of Torah: That you should live in a place that has much Torah and many sages in it.
  and do not say that it will follow after you, that your colleagues will make it yours: Do not rely upon your colleagues that went to study, that they will come and teach you. As you, yourself, need to exile yourself with them and to pursue the Torah if you want to know it.
  Do not rely on your understanding: Even when you do study and exile yourself to a place of Torah and become wise, "do not rely on your understanding" - that you not depend upon your rationale; but rather you should do all of the deed according to the counsel of the sages.
  
  Mishnah 15
  
  Rabbi Yanai says: We do not have the tranquility of the wicked: As the righteous do not have the quiet and security and wealth and all the needs of the world like the wicked.
  or even the suffering of the righteous: The afflictions of love of the righteous, in such a way that they will not be prevented from Torah study. And there are some that explain, "We do not have the tranquility of the wicked," that even though it is just that the wicked has it good and the righteous [suffers] - nonetheless we do not grasp the reason of the thing. And it is from the truths the argument for which our knowledge does not grasp. And this is what Yirmiyah, peace be upon him, said (Jeremiah 12:10), "You are correct, Lord, if I argue upon You; yet I shall present cases with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper; are the workers of treachery at ease?" And about this is it said, "We do not (have) the tranquility of the wicked" - since we know that there is truthfully an argument for the matter, but we do not grasp to know it.
  Rabbi Mattia ben Charash says: Be the first to greet every person: And this is from the ethical path.
  and be a tail to lions: He wants to say that one should service Torah scholars and cling to their company.
  and do not be a head to foxes: [This is] saying to you that it is better for a man to be a student to someone greater than him in wisdom, since it will come out that he will be adding to his wisdom every day; than to be the master of someone lesser than he in wisdom, as it will come out that the will continually lessen in his wisdom. [It is] as they said, "One who was the head of a lower court is made secondary to the high court." Another explanation: "and do not be a head to foxes" - that he should not be a head and a minister and an officer to the wicked. And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 13:20), "He who walks with the wise becomes wise; he who consorts (<i>roeh</i>) with dullards will be broken." He wanted to say that the one who walks with the wise - to be lowly [towards them] - becomes wise; as he makes himself "a tail to lions." But one who consorts with dullards - that he becomes a lord over them, since a <i>roeh</i> (which also means shepherd) is a head - will be broken.
  
  Mishnah 16
  
  Rabbi Yaakov says: This world is like a hallway before the world to come. Fix yourself in the hallway so you may enter the (beautiful) <i>traklin</i>: A <i>traklin</i> is a palace. And he wants to say that this world is only in order that one should merit the world to come.
  
  Mishnah 17
  
  He would say: One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than all the time in the world to come: As in a short time in this world, a person can earn the world to come - as we find (in the Order of Kedoshim) [The editor said, I have not found it in the Order of Kedoshim, but this story does appear in Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 65:22] that story about Yosi ben Yoezer who was going out to be killed and he was met by the wicked Yokim, the man of Tsrorot, riding on a horse: [The latter] said to [the former], "Look at the horse that your Master made you ride and look at the horse that our master made us ride." He said [back] to him, "If it is thus for those that transgress His will, is it not all the more so for those that do His will?" And he [responded in turn], "Is there any one that is more of one who does His will than you?" He said [back], "If it is like this for those who do His will, even more so will it be for those who transgress His will." [This] went into his heart like fire into chaff - the explanation is that he understood from his words when he said, "If [things are] so good for the wicked who transgress His will in the this world, all the more so will it be so for the righteous in the world to come," that it will be doubly and exponentially better than the good of the wicked in this world. And [that] there, there is no peace for the wicked, as it will be twice as bad for them than for the righteous in this world. And when he heard this, he went and accepted upon himself the four death penalties of the court, etc., as it is found over there. Rabbi Yosi ben Yoezer said, "In a short time, he preceded me (passed me by) to the Garden of Eden." And about this, it is said, "Better is one hour, etc." And only about this did he praise this world. Also King Shlomo who scared [who considered vain] the world in his book Kohelet, yet in a few places he praises the living over the dead - also that praise is only about repentance and good deeds. As they raise a person up in this world, but not in the world to come - since a person is only (finally) judged at the time of his death.
  And one hour of pleasure in the world to come is better than all the time in this world: As the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 63a), "All of the prophets only prophesied with regard to the messianic era; however, with regard to the world to come it was stated. 'No eye sees, God, except You, that which He will do for he that waits for Him' (Isaiah 64:3)" - as the good of the world to come has neither measure not comparison. And this is what David, peace be upon him, said (Psalms 31:20), "How abundant is the good that You have in store for those who fear You, that You do in front of men for those who take refuge in You." May the Omnipresent let us merit it.
  
  Mishnah 18
  
  Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Do not assuage the anger of your friend at the time of his anger: As through this, he will come to say inappropriate things about him, as he will add anger to his anger.
  do not console him at the time when his deceased lies before him: As at the time of sadness, consolation [brings] anger to him, and he will come to say things that are not good.
  do not question him at the time of his vow: That he should not ask him about all the openings of permission (that can be used later to annul the vow) to say, "Did you vow with this intention?" As when he is still angry and making the vow, he will come to express all of the questions that they ask him and place them into [the wording] of the vow in [such] a way that no opening will be able to be found for him. And it comes out that he causes him bad.
  and do not seek to see him and to embarrass him also now at the time of his humiliation - at the time of the damage or if he did a sin and he is embarrassed about himself, you should not see him and embarrass him [more].
  
  Mishnah 19
  
  The text in the books:
  Shmuel the Younger says: "When your enemy falls, do not be happy, and when he stumbles, let your heart not rejoice" (Proverbs 24:17): And what does Shmuel come to let us hear with this - is it not a full verse that Shlomo stated? Rather, it wants to say that Shmuel was accustomed to saying this verse since it is something needed and people stumble in it. Since even when the enemy is wicked, one should not be happy in the bad [that happens to] him, except only for the sake of God. We want to say that this righteous one should not be happy in the fall of the wicked unless the intention of his joy is because his fall is [a manifestation] of God's glory, and not because of his hating him. And all the more so, one whose actions are corrupted like him - if the heart of [such a one] would rejoice in his stumbling, his evil is great. And why is he happy - behold, he is [just] like him! And about all this is it stated, "When your enemy falls, do not be happy, and when he stumbles, let your heart not rejoice." And Shmuel's intention in constantly saying it was about this. And there are those that follow the textual variant, "Lest God see and it be bad in His eyes and He turn from him [the enemy] His anger" (Proverbs 24:18) - "burning anger" is not stated [which is only the heat of anger], but rather "anger from upon him"; [this] teaches that he is forgiven for all of his sins: And now Shmuel is coming to let us hear a great novelty, as he wants to say that when God sees that this one is happy about the fall of his enemy, He forgives the enemy and rehabilitates him, and He punishes the one who is happy.
  
  Mishnah 20
  
  Elisha ben Abuya says: One who teaches to a child is compared to what? To ink written on new parchment: As writing on new parchment cannot be erased, so [too] the Torah of his youth will not be forgotten from his heart.
  And one who teaches to an elder is compared to what? To ink written on scraped parchment: As that writing will quickly be lost. So too is the Torah of his old age quickly forgotten. And there is a metaphor about this said in <i>Choice Pearls</i>: "One who teaches to a child is compared to what?" To one who engraves on a stone. "And one who teaches to an elder is compared" to one who engraves on the sand. But the elder should not say, "Behold I am a dry tree" - that since the Torah does not stay preserved in his hand, why should he read, and he would toil in vain - since nonetheless, his reward is with him for having learned and exerting himself and doing a commandment. And what difference is it to him if he does not remember it - whether it is this way or that way, he is given the reward. There is a parable [relevant to this] about an employer who gave containers with holes to two workers with which to draw water, and he agreed with them that they do this work for him for a day. The silly one said, "What is the point of my work?" The clever one said, "What is it to me? He will give me the wage [regardless]." So is [it with] the elder - what is to him if he forgets, the reward will be given to him. It is the same for the one who remembers a lot and the one who remembers a little  - as long as his heart is directed to the Heavens. 
  Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda, man of Kfar HaBavli, says: One who learns from elders is compared to what? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine: As by aging with the wisdom, each and every day he adds new faces to each and every thing and improves them; and he reaches the bottom of knowledge, to the point where it is easy for him to understand. As 'wisdom is with the seniors, and understanding with the long-lived.'
  And one  who learns from young ones is compared to what? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks wine from its press: As their wisdom has still not ripened within them.
  Rebbi says: Do not look at the jug but rather at what is in it. For there are new jugs full of old, and old that do not have even new within them: As because of the quality of the old wine, it will not go bad in the new vessel. So [too], if the young ones have become wiser than the elders. every man should learn from the younger ones first. And this is the difference between the words of Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda and the words of our holy Rabbi, peace be upon him: As Rabbi Yose would say that if the elders and the young ones are both wise, one should learn with the elders - since (generally, the wisdom of) [that the wisdom of] the elders is ripe. And our Rabbi, peace be upon (would say [that]) with wisdom, we only go with the greater. And [so,] if it is found that the young ones are [more] understanding and their words are correct and their wisdom is greater, one should learn in front of them. And Elihou said both of these things, as it is stated (Job 32:7-8), "I said, let age speak; let advanced years declare wisdom.' But truly it is the spirit in men, the breath of the Almighty that gives them understanding." As at first, he would say like the words of Rabbi Yose ben Yehuda - that "advanced years declare wisdom." [But] after he saw that he was younger than his colleagues, the elders, he said that "it is the spirit in men." And sometimes it is the young one who is wiser than the elder and his wisdom is more ripe than [the latter]. And his words are refined and the matters are clear. Hence, it is better to go after a young one who is wise than an elder who is honored but is not like [the first] in wisdom.
  
  Mishnah 21
  
  Rabbi Elazar HaKapor says: Envy: The explanation regarding the matter of envy is that there are two things that have two or three matters, and two which are not harmful. The first way is envy of the good, and it is the [worst] way. And the first manner [of this] is that when his fellow sees good, it is bad in his eyes. And when [the latter] is occupied with Torah [study] and the commandments and goes in the good path, he [begrudges] him - as he hates those that love God and those that do His will. This trait drives him from the world and it is the greatest evil in envy. And his name is called the haters of God. And the second manner is that it is not bad in his eyes from the angle that he hates the path of involvement in Torah. Rather it is [that] since he does not walk in that path, he also does not want his fellow to go in it. As it is his will that no one find more good than he - not for his benefit, but for the harm of others. This one is also called the haters of God - since he does not do the acts of God, it is also hard in his eyes to see his fellows doing [them], and even if he does not hate like the first. But there is a good path in envy, even if there is a better one. That is what the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Batra 21a), "The envy of scribes increases wisdom" - since by his seeing that his fellows are holy and wise, he also wants to be like them. And because of envy, he increases his wisdom and he toils and intensifies doing good and walking in the straight path. However, it is more valuable if he desires these without envy, as [in that case] they (are the speech of) [are the ones that fear] the Lord - and that is the work of man. And this is what King Shlomo, peace be upon, stated (Ecclesiastes 4:4), "I have seen that all labor and skillful enterprise are from men’s envy of each other; this too is vanity and broken spirit." He meant to say that even if he does an act skillfully; if he does it from envy of men, while he does good, there is [also] much bad. As one who does what is fitting from the generosity of his heart goes truthfully and with a full heart. [Such a one] is more worthwhile than the one who does it out of the envy of  men when it comes to his heart. And if from this or from that, the act is done; 'but it is good for you to grasp the first without letting your hand go of [the other].' The second way is the envy of money. The first manner [of this] is the seeker of evil - and it is hard in his eyes that others have wealth, since he does not. And there is none in [this way of envy] as evil as this [one] - as he hates the good of the creatures and does not want the betterment of the world. And the second manner is one envious of his wealthy fellows; and it is hard in his eyes when they are wealthier than he. It is not from his hatred for them and for their wealth and that he desires that it be reduced. Rather, it is from his love of  wealth and his desire to be very wealthy; since wealth is honor in his eyes, and he wants to more honored than they. And the third manner is the best of the bad [ones] - he loves money and is envious of it and desires that he should have great wealth. But he is not concerned if others have little or much. And this one's envy is not burning like the one that wants to be wealthier than all people. And King Shlomo, peace be upon him, grouped all of these things and stated (Proverbs 23:17), "Do not envy sinners in your heart, but only fear of the Lord all of the day." He first explained [that] the worst envy is not to be envious of the wicked that do sins, to do like them. And afterwards he stated more generally, "but only fear of the Lord" - all envies are negative except for the envy of fear [of God]. He should be envious of the 'acts of God, as He is awesome.'
  lust (desire): It is the beginning of all activities and actions and is even before thought. As when he wants something from his desire for it, he thinks about doing it. And there is much bad in all desires. There is no need to say the desire of the impulse to sins, but even the desire for much permissible laying with women is very bad. And about this Sholmo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 31:3), "Do not give your strength to women." And, so too, much desire for permissible food and drink - this too is bad. And it is like the wise men of science said, that even light and good foods are harmful to the one who eats much of them. And this is what they said in Tractate Pesachim 114a, "Do not accustom yourself to eat geese, as your heart will stalk you." And there are three bad ways of desire, [just] like with envy: The first is one who desires that there should not be  wealth and honor to any [other] person, and that he should have them. And that is a transgression that he [commits]. And the second one desires for wealth and wisdom, but if others [also] have it, the thing is good in his eyes - except that he should have more than them, to be greater than them. There is also much bad in this. And in the third there is a little good. [It is the one] who when he sees that his fellows have wisdom and wealth, he desires that he should also be like them. And it is very good in his eyes that they be like him and 'God should add to them from Him a thousandfold and bless him and them.' And this trait is not completely good, in that his desire is from the angle that others are wise and understanding and wealthy. As the fitting desire is to desire for wisdom from the angle that it is the foundation and root of service to the Creator, may He be blessed; and to do with the wealth that which is straight in the eyes of the Lord - and not because of [any] other thing. And this is what King David, peace be upon him, stated (Psalms 38:10), "Lord, all my desire is in front of You." He wanted to say that all of his desire is from the angle of Heaven and from envy of men. And so [too] do we find with our holy Rabbi, peace be upon him (Ketuvot 104a) that at the time of his departure (death), he raised his fingers and said, "It is revealed and known in front of You, Master of the worlds, that I have not enjoyed even [the worth of] a small finger." And even though our rabbis said about him (Bava Metzia 85a) that he was very wealthy, such that his key carrier [had] like the wealth of Shavur Malka (the king of Persia), nonetheless [Rabbi] only enjoyed for the sake of Heaven - as he did not desire the vanities of the world.
  and honor: The bad honor is [practiced by] the one who gets honor from people in order to impose his fear upon them and 'he strikes terror into the land of the living.' And what is his reward? That he will descend into the depths of the pit in Gehinnom, [such] that there is no ascent form his fall for [all] generations. And because of this the prophet Yechezkel compares the fall of the kings of the nations in Gehinnom to the one who 'strikes terror into the land of the living,' to say that they have no ascent, as it is stated (Ezekiel 32:32), "I strike My terror into the land of the living; and lay among the uncircumcised those who were the casualties of the sword." And the second [way] of honor is the one who wants that people should honor him, as he thinks that he is fit for this honor - but he is not. Even if he is a Torah scholar and a master of commandments and his will is that they honor him for this, he is 'sinning with his soul' - unless his intention is for the sake of Heaven, and if it is only for the honor of the Torah that he is [seeking it] and he does not take it for himself and does not enjoy it, but it is only in order to have the Torah honored about (through) this, as we have written. However all other things regarding honor are very bad. And how much did the Torah warn and forbid it to them! As even with a king of Israel about whom it stated (Deuteronomy 17:15), "Surely place a king upon you" - that you should put his fear upon you (Ketuvot 17a) - and [so] he is fit for honor more than all of the creatures under the skies, nonetheless it still warns him that he should not raise his heart over his brothers. All the more so should commoners not desire honor at all.  
  drive a man from the world: As these three traits are in the category of major sins. Another explanation: "drive a man from the world" - envy, as it is stated (Proverbs 14:30), and rot to the bones is envy"; lust, as it is stated (Proverbs 21:25), "The lust of a lazy man kills him"; and honor, as we have found with Yosef who died twelve years before his brothers, because he comported himself with lordship (Berakhot 55a). 
  
  Mishnah 22
  
  He would say: Those that are born will die: Since their end is to die - 'and today alive and tomorrow in the grave' - they should contemplate their deeds and repent.
  and those that are dead will be revived: As God, may He be blessed, will revive them in the future to come, as it is stated in Daniel (Daniel 12:2), "And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; these for eternal life, and those for reproaches, for everlasting abhorrence." Hence a man should do that [thing] such that he will be from the living and not [from those who will experience] everlasting abhorrence.
  and the living will be judged: Those that will be revived in the future will stand in judgement in front of God, may He be blessed, and He will give them according to their activities and according to the actions of their hands.
  [It is necessary] to know, to make known, and to become conscious: All need to know this. To know from others that will teach him; and to make known - that he should teach others in this world; and to be conscious in the world to come from himself without a teacher, as it is stated (Jeremiah 31:34), "No longer will they teach a man his neighbor and a man say to his brother, 'Know the Lord'; for all of them shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them."
  that He is God (<i>El</i>): From the usage "the strong ones (<i>eileh</i>) of the land" (2 Kings 24:15), meaning strong and resolute.
  He is the Maker, He is the Creator of the creatures from birth, from the womb and from inception. And making is the beginning of the act and creating is the end of the work. And it is not like the manufacturing of a vessel - as once it is finished, it does not require its manufacturer. But man requires their Creator at each instant and time, as King David, peace be upon him, said (Psalms 100:3), "Know that the Lord is God; He made us and we are His, His people, the flock He tends." He wanted to say [here] that we need him every hour and minute.
  He is the Understander: He understands all of their acts.
  He is the Judge: Since He knows the truth of all matters, He is fit to judge, as He will judge the case truthfully.
  He is the Witness: As everything is revealed in front of Him.
  He is the Litigant: Since He is the one who makes the claim against the sinners, as David stated (Psalms 51:6), "Against You alone have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your eyes; so You are just in Your sentence, and right in Your judgment." As if a man hurt his fellow, he should not think that he has sinned to him and not to God, since He is the one that makes the claim of the damage, like a litigant - as he has also sinned to God. 
  and He is destined to judge in the future to come.
   who has before Him no wrong: [That He] sway the judgement.
  no forgetfulness, no respect of persons: [That He] forgive one who is great in wisdom and piety. 
  no taking of bribes: [That He] should deduct the reward from a commandment against the loss [for a sin]. Rather, he pays a goodly reward for the commandment and repays [separately] for the sin. And it is explained in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 6:23), that none of this is in front of Him.
   And know that everything is according to the reckoning whether for good or whether for bad.
  And do not let your [evil] impulse assure you: To say to you that there is a place of refuge in the netherworld, as it appears to you that there is a place  of refuge in this world - and like the heretics say, "In the world to come , there is neither judgement nor judge." Do not think and say this, as it is not true - because against your will you were created, and against your will you were born, and against your will you live, and against your will you die, and against your will you are destined to give account and reckoning before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mishnah 1
  
  With ten utterances the world was created. And what is learned: "And He said" is written nine times from "In the beginning" (Genesis 1:1) to "And completed" (Genesis 2:1).  And "In the beginning" is also an utterance, as it is stated (Psalms 33:6), "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made" - as it is impossible that the heavens and the earth were created without an utterance.
  And what is learned - couldn't it have been created by one utterance?: It wants to say, what is this teaching us, when it says, "With ten utterances the world was created?" Or the explanation is "what is learned" in creating it with ten utterances.
  Rather, [it is] in order to punish the wicked who destroy with their actions the world which is a big thing - as it was created with ten utterances: And  the trait of strict justice will punish them accordingly in the future.
  and to give reward to the righteous who sustain the world that was created with ten utterances: As the world was only created to do in it that which is 'straight in the eyes of the Lord.' And [hence] those that do so, preserve it. 
  
  Mishnah 2
  
  There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to demonstrate the great extent of [God's] patience, for each one of those generations provoked [God] continually until [God] brought the waters of the flood upon them: And it comes to teach us that [just] like you see that in the generations between the first man (Adam) and Noah, all of them provoked Him with the action of their hands to cause bad to themselves - and while He had great patience with all of those generations - in the end, He brought the waters of the flood upon them, as He is not greatly patient forever; so should you think about our exile. And that you not say, "How many days and years is it that He restrains His anger from upon [the evil] kingdom while we are in exile - He will have great patience towards them forever, as He is of great patience." And you should surely know that in the end, He will pay them back according to their activities and the action of their hands; and He will redeem us and save us. As [even though] His patience is very great; still in the end of days, He visits 'the first iniquities [upon them,] and may You quickly bring forward Your mercies, as we have become very poor.'
  There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham: And our rabbis said (Bereshit Rabbah 30:8), "When Noah died, our father, Avraham was fifty-eight years [old]." Still, when you count the children you will find ten generations among them. As even if Noah had length of days, it is [still] considered ten generations.
  to demonstrate the extent of [God's] patience, for each one of those generations provoked [God] continually, until Abraham came: And here they did not say, "until He punished them" - as our father, Avraham, made up for all of their shortcomings and did good corresponding to all of their bad, and [so] he saved them from punishment. However, Noah was not able to save them, because he was not righteous enough to make up for their shortcomings.
   and received the reward of them all: And even though there is a portion in the Garden of Eden and a portion in Gehinnom for every person - if he merits [it], he takes his portion in the Garden of Eden; and if he is guilty in his judgement, he takes it in Gehinnom - nonetheless, since everyone is commanded to do good and this one does not do [it] and his fellow fulfills his commands and his own commands; the trait of justice would indicate that he should take his portion and the portion of his fellow in the Garden of Eden. And for this [reason] did our father, Avraham take the reward of all of them. And this is what is stated (Psalms 119:126), "It is a time to act for the Lord, for they have violated Your Torah" - if you see a generation that is negligent from [study] of the Torah, be involved in it (Berakhot 63a). And the simple meaning of the verse is "It is a time to act for the sake of the Lord." And similar to it is (Genesis 20:13), "say for me, 'He is my brother'" - [which is] like "for my sake." "They have violated your Torah" - since they are all violating Your Torah, I should do for the sake of the Lord more than in other generations, so that Torah is not, God forbid, forgotten in Israel. There is a parable [relevant to this] about a king whom all of his servants betrayed except for one. Does [that servant] not need to go with him truthfully and with a whole heart at that time more than other times? And so all of his days the king will love him with a great love and increase his gift [to be] equal to the gifts of all of them [together]. 
  
  Mishnah 3
  
  With ten tests Abraham, our father, was tested - and he withstood them all: The first was 'Ur (which besides being a place name can also mean fire) Kasdim' - that Nimrod dropped him down into the fiery furnace and he was saved. And this is not explicit in the Torah and it is from the words of tradition. But we have a hint about this thing from the Torah; that before Parshat Lech Lecha Meartsekha ouMemoladetekha, Ur Kasdim is mentioned twice above [it], to make known that it was because of that test that he withstood that God, may He be blessed, promised him and brought him to the land [of Israel. This is] like we find with Noah. As at the beginning it is written (Genesis 6:8), "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord," and afterwards in Parshat Eleh Toledot Noach that he was saved from the waters of the flood - [which indicates that it was] because he found favor in his eyes. And the second is that He commanded him to go out from his land and from his birthplace, and he did so. And the third is that is stated (Genesis 12:10), "And there was a famine in the land." And even though the Holy One, blessed be He, promised him and said to him (Genesis 12:3), "And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you”; when He brought the famine, he did not question His traits. The fourth is the taking of Sarah to Pharaoh. The fifth is the war of the four kings when he deployed [only] three hundred and eighteen men and trusted in the Holy One, blessed be He; and a miracle was done for him that he was saved and he saved his brothers and all of the property of Sedom and Ammorah. And he endured the events [accepting that it was] for his good and for his merit. The sixth is that he was ninety-nine when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin [and] placed himself in danger due to his old age, and he was saved. The seventh is the taking of Sarah to Avimelekh. The eighth is when he sent Hagar and Yishmael away by the commandment of God. And [even] if 'the thing was bad in his eyes on account of his son,' he fulfilled the commandment. The ninth was the binding of Yitzchak his son, about which it is written (Genesis 22:12), "For now I know that you fear God.” And did He not know until now - and is not everything revealed and seen in front of Him? Rather when the thing is known to the creatures, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls it, "For now I know that you fear God." And it comes to inform us that [this showed] greater fear of Heaven than all of the other commandments in the Torah. Since with all the tests except for this, He did not say to him "that you fear God" - as this test was the greatest of all of them, since he took his son to bring him up as a sacrifice. The tenth was the burial of Sarah. As it was stated to him (Genesis 13:17), "Get up, walk about the land, through its length and its breadth, for I give it to you”; but when his wife died, he could not find a place to bury her until he bought it - and he did not question.
  in order to show how great was the love of Abraham, our father: He tested him in order to reveal to the creatures that he feared God and was complete in all of his traits.
  
  Mishnah 4
  
  Ten miracles were performed for our ancestors in Egypt: As our forefathers were not hurt by all of the ten plagues that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought on the Egyptians in Egypt. And it is explicit in all of them except the plague of lice, about which it is written (Exodus 8:14), "and the lice were upon men" - and the Torah did not distinguish between Egypt and Israel. But it is a tradition in the hand of the sages that also with this [one] were they not struck .
  and ten [miracles were performed] at the [Reed] Sea: The first is the splitting of the Reed Sea, as it is stated (Exodus 14:21), "and He opened the waters." The second is that the water formed a bow and like a type of dome and it came out that the water was on top of them. And about this is it stated (Habakuk 3:14), "You have pierced with his rods, the head of his rulers." The third is that the springs of the great foundations opened and [absorbed all the moisture so that] no mud or sludge remained on its ground, as [is not the case] when other springs dry up. Rather it was like marble stone on its bottom and [so] Israel crossed the sea as one who walks in his house. The fourth is that the places that the Egyptians tread upon in the sea were like a type of clay, and this is what the verse states (Habakuk 3:15), "Your horses tread the sea, the clay of the mighty waters." It states "Your horses," as also the horses of the Egyptians were given into the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He.  And the fifth is that the waters hardened more than necessary and they became hard as boulders and slabs and hurt the Egyptians that were chasing Israel. And about this King David, peace be upon him, stated (Psalms 74:13), "You smashed the heads of the sea monsters upon the waters" - these sea monsters were the Egyptians. The sixth was that [the waters] were torn into twelve parts - one path for each tribe that would pass over there. And this is what is stated (Psalms 136:13), "to tear the Reed Sea into many parts." The seventh is that the partitions between one tribe and another were clear like white glass so that the tribes could see one another. The eighth is that the water did not congeal into one piece, but rather it was made into [many] small pieces - like one block on top of another and one brick on top the other, as it is written (Psalms 74:13), "You crumbled the sea with Your power." The ninth is that the sweet (fresh) water did not harden like the rest of the waters of the sea but [rather] would flow; and they would drink from all of the streams going towards the sea. The tenth is that after their drinking, [the fresh water] would immediately harden - as the flowing water would not descend to the floor. Rather, Israel would drink from it, and the rest would go out and fall to the ground like a piece of snow. And so too each and every time that they needed to drink. 
  Ten plagues did the Holy One, blessed be He, bring on the Egyptians in Egypt: [These are the ten known by the acronym,] <i>Detsach, Adash, Beachav</i>. 
  and ten at the sea: The first, "and it lit the night" (Exodus 14:20) - and like the translation of Onkelos, "and it was (darkness) [cloud and fog] for the Egyptians and light for Israel all night." And the second and the third are "And the Lord looked down upon the Egyptian camp in a pillar of fire and cloud" (Exodus 14:24) - the cloud would come down and make it like sludge and the pillar of fire would boil it, [such that the] hoofs of their horses would be severed. The fourth is "He removed the wheels of their chariots" (Exodus 14:25) - that He removed the wheels from the wagons and the Egyptians fell and were crushed. The fifth is "and they drove with heaviness" (Exodus 14:25) - after they fell and were crushed, they could not stand. And [so,] they stayed in the place that they fell. And the sixth is that they wanted to flee and they could not, as it is stated (Exodus 14:25), "And Egypt said, 'Let us flee from Israel.'" And [this is] not like we found with Sisera, as it stated (Judges 4:15), "and Sisera descended from his chariot and fled on foot." But these did not descend and they did not have the possibility of fleeing. And the seventh is "And the Lord shook the Egyptians into the sea" (Exodus 14:27) - likes its [classic Aramaic] translation, "and He confounded," which is an expression of breaking. As He shook them like a man shakes a pot, [such] that what is above [goes] below and what is below [goes] above. And the eighth is that the earth at the bottom of the sea swallowed them, as it is stated (Exodus 15:12), "You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them." The ninth is that they descended heavily into the depths of the sea like lead, as it stated (Exodus 15:10), "They sank like lead in the mighty waters." The tenth is that the sea spit them out, as it stated (Exodus 14:30), "And Israel saw Egypt dead on the shore of the sea."  
  [With] ten trials did our ancestors test the Omnipresent, blessed be He, in the Wilderness, as it is said (Numbers 14:22): "Yet have they tested Me these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice:" The first is that they said (Exodus 14:11), "Are there not enough graves in Egypt?" And the second is (Exodus 15:24), "And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" And a miracle happened that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moshe to throw wood into the bitter waters, as it is stated (Exodus 15:25), "And he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood." And they said in Tractate Pesachim that this tree [that the wood come from] was a <i>hardofanei</i>, which is bitter. He threw bitter into bitter and it turned sweet. (The editor said, I did not find this in Pesachim, but rather in Rashi on Pesachim 39 in the name of the Mekhilta on Parshat Beshalach. And Tosafot on Pesachim 36 cites the Mekhilta that it was an olive tree; and in truth these are two [different] opinions in the Mekhila - see there.) The third was in the Wilderness of Sin when they asked for bread, as it stated (Exodus 16:3), "when we sat over the fleshpot." The fourth is (Exodus 17:7) "Is the Lord amongst us or not?" There is a parable [relevant to this] about a man who carried his son on his shoulder; and [the son] was competent, but he said, "Have you seen Father?" What did his father do? He flung him from his shoulder. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, carry them 'on the wings of eagles' - [and yet they] ask, "Is the Lord amongst us?" What did He do? He brought Amalek upon them. The fifth is that they left manna over. The sixth is that in Refidim 'they did not have water for the congregation' (the editor says, I could not understand this, as he already counted this in the fourth test; and further study is also required about his whole count regarding this, and see Arakhin 16). The seventh was at Chorev with the story of the [golden] calf, as it is stated (Exodus 32:1), "the people gathered against Aharon, etc." The eighth was (Numbers 11:1), "And the people were like grumblers of evil in the ears of the Lord." And 'He set a fire of the Lord against them and it consumed the edge of the camp,' 'as the Lord, your God, is a consuming Fire, He is a jealous God.' The ninth was at the Graves of Desire (Kivrot HaTaavah) when they said (Numbers 11:4), "Who will feed us meat?" And did they not have meat; and did they not have the quail at each and all times, as it is stated (Exodus 16:8),  "in that the Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satiation." And [just] like the manna did not cease, the quail [also] did not cease. Rather they wanted meat in the evening to satiation, [just] like they had the bread. And about this our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, stated,   (Numbers 11:22), "Could enough flocks and herds be slaughtered to suffice them, etc." Our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "They have much meat; their request is [only] from the evil of their hearts. And 'since they are a stiff-necked people,' even if You give them much more, they will continue to say [there is] not enough. 'Could enough flocks and herds be slaughtered' - and their mouths will [still] not be satiated." The Holy One, blessed be He, said [back] to Him, "'Is the hand of the Lord short?' I will give them meat until they are satisfied and they will no [longer] be able to open their mouths to say, 'we are not satiated'." And He added and brought them much more of the quails 'and they spread them all around' 'and the least gathered ten chomer' and they could not eat it [all]. Such is the simple meaning of the verse. And you will [hence] come to say that Moshe did not sin with his words. But our rabbis in the Talmud (Yoma 75a) did not interpret it thus. And the tenth was in Midbar Paran when they sent the scouts. And there it states (Numbers 14:22), "and they have tried Me these ten times."
  
  Mishnah 5
  
  Ten miracles were performed for our forefathers in the Temple: No woman had a miscarriage from the scent of the meat that is on the outer altar and gives off a scent similar to any roast. And [since] is forbidden to derive benefit from holy meat, the Holy One, blessed be He, protected the women all of those days - that they should not have a miscarriage from that scent [given they could not eat from it to prevent the miscarriage].
  and no holy flesh ever went putrid: Holy things with a lower level of sanctity (<i>kodashim kalim</i>) that are eaten for two days and one night that were held for such a long time never went putrid.
  and a High Priest did not have an accidental emission on Yom Kippur so that would he not require the assistant. And even though they would know that he would not have an accidental emission, they [still] appointed an assistant; as we do not rely on miracles, because of "Do not test" (Deuteronomy 6:16) - as is found in the Yerushalmi Yoma 1:4.
  and a fly was not seen in the room of slaughtering due [to its] sanctity.
  and there was not found a disqualification in the omer (a special barley offering, offered the day after Pesach, which permits grain harvested in the new harvest to be eaten):  No disqualification, of being outside the wall or held overnight, was ever found with the omer; which was at the time of barley, in order that all of Israel be permitted to eat new grain.
  or in the two breads: They come to permit bringing up the new offering form the new grain. And no disqualification, of being outside the courtyard or held overnight, was ever found with them. 
  or in the showbreads: As it was arranged on Shabbat day, and it was warm at the time of its removal from the table as on the day that they placed it there - as it is stated (I Samuel 21:7), "(and it) [to place] warm bread on the day of its being taken." And no disqualification, of being outside the wall or being held over was ever found in it. As they needed to eat it during the week after the Shabbat that they took it away; but if it remained through another week it would become disqualified. And no mishap [like this] ever happened to them.
  and rain did not extinguish the fire of the wood pile: As the fire burnt upon the outer altar which stood [unprotected] in the Tabernacle courtyard.
  and the wind did not overpower the pillar of smoke: As it would billow straight up.
  they would stand up crowded and bow down with [enough] space: They would stand in the courtyard all in rows, this one crowded next to the other; but they would bow down with space, such that not one of them would push his fellow. And that is a wonder.
  and a snake or scorpion never hurt a person in Jerusalem
  and a person did not say to his fellow, "The place is too cramped that I should lodge in Jerusalem": When they went up to Jerusalem, he would not say, "The place is too crowded for me; make room for me to settle.” And this is what David, peace be upon him, stated, (Psalms 122:3), "Jerusalem that is built up, a city constructed together for it" - he wanted to say that when they built it, they measured it so that all of Israel could be contained in it. And the explanation of "for it" is for its sake; as [it was] for the sake of the congregation of Israel that would gather together that it was constructed. 
  
  Mishnah 6
  
  Ten things were created on the eve of the [first] Shabbat at twilight. And these are they: The mouth of the earth for the swallowing of Korach and his assembly. 
  and the mouth of the well: The boulder that Moshe struck.
  and the mouth of the donkey of Bilaam - "And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey" (Numbers 22:28).
  and the rainbow: "My rainbow have I given in the cloud" (Genesis 9:13).
  and the manna of the wilderness.
  and the staff of Moshe, with which he did the signs.
  and the shamir: It was a type of long worm. And King Shlomo built the Temple with it, as he would place it on the stone and it would split (Gittin 68a). "And no hammer or ax or any iron tool was heard in the House while it was being built" (I Kings 6:7).
  and the letters: The Torah that was written in front of God, may He be blessed, from the six days of Creation with black fire on top of white fire.
  and the writing: The form of the letters carved on the tablets.
  and the tablets themselves. 
  And some say, also the destructive spirits, and the burial place of Moshe: "And no man knew his burial place" (Deuteronomy 34:6). 
  and the ram of Abraham, our father "caught in the thicket by its horns; and Avraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son" (Genesis 22:13).
  And some say, also the tongs, made with tongs: These are pincers with which a blacksmith holds metal when it is hot until he makes it into a vessel. And we learned in a beraita in Tractate Pesachim 54a, "Rabbi Yehuda says, 'Tongs can be fashioned only with other tongs, but who fashioned the first tongs? Rather, (in its coming) [it was created] by the hands of Heaven.' They said to him, 'It is possible for one to make it in a mold and align it.'" And why was it necessary to count these ten things? To make known that all the Holy One, blessed be He, created, He created on condition that it change its nature when it is told [to do so] at a time when it is needed. As there is nothing (from the depths) [novel] in the world that did not come up in the thought [of God] in the story of Creation. When the luminaries (fell) [were suspended] on the fourth day, He decreed upon them that they would stand for Yehoshua and Hizkiyahu; the sea, that it should split for the Children of Israel; and so [on] with all of them. However, these ten went up into [His] thought "on the eve of the [first] Shabbat at twilight," [though] they are included in the things that [have change] embedded in them. 
  
  Mishnah 7
  
  Seven things are [found] in a <i>golem</i> (an unformed person): Anything the form of which has not been completed is called a <i>golem</i>, as it is stated (Psalms 139:16), "Your eyes saw my unformed limbs (<i>golmi</i>); they were all recorded in Your book" - before the formation of the limbs. So [too], one who knows that which is taught to him, but does not know how to build an argument on his own is called a <i>golem</i> - as his wisdom is not recognizable. And his mind will never reach to fathom these seven things, some of which are from the topic of wisdom and some of which are from the good traits. And so did Rambam, may his memory be blessed, explain.
  and seven in a wise man who knows how to build an argument.
  A wise man does not speak in front of someone who is greater than him in wisdom: As he listens, is quiet and learns; and [in this way,] he [builds] wisdom - which is not the case with the <i>golem</i>. As he does not desire understanding - but rather to reveal [what is on his mind], as we wrote above.
  and he does not interrupt the words of his fellow, but he allows him to speak until he finishes all of his words; and afterwards he gives him an answer. And that is a good trait. But the <i>golem</i> does not do [this], but answers something before he hears [it].
  and is not impulsive in answering: When they ask him, he is not quick to give an answer until he hears all of their claims and all that the questioners want to say and to elaborate on the question. Rather, he will study the words intently. And his mouth will not be impulsive and his heart will not be quick to put something out until it be clear as the sun in front of him. And this is from the way of wisdom, as this answer will be correct [this way].
  and he asks to the point and answers as is proper: Rabbi Meir (Halevi), may his memory be blessed, explained, "he asks to the point": If he asks to get a reason for anything, he should only ask for a reason that is possible to give for that thing, according to the nature of that thing. And so [too], if they ask him, he "answer as is proper."
  and he speaks to the first [point] first and the last [point] last: And its explanation is not that he should answer about the first thing first, and about the last question last. Rather that if the first question is clarified by the last thing, he should elucidate that first, and then elucidate the first; so as to understand and clarify his answer and [so] that the thing will be assimilable for his listener. And that is why it is called first, [even if] it is last - because it precedes it [logically] and the first thing is clarified by it. And if the matter is the opposite, it is called last. And about this is it said, "to the first [point] first and the last [point] last." And this is from great wisdom and understanding of things. And the <i>golem</i> does not know from all of these [things].
  and about that which he has not heard [anything], says, "I have not heard [anything]": [About] that which he has not heard from the mouth of his teacher, he should say, "I have not heard [it] from my teachers." And if he has a hypothesis about the thing, he should say, "But it appears to me like this." And this thing is from the good traits that the <i>golem</i> will not grasp. 
  and he concedes to the truth: Even if he is sufficiently wise to know how to respond with many claims and intelligent words and he can refute the claims of his fellow - since [the latter] is not as wise as he - he should not do so; if it appears to him that the truth is with [the other]. Rather  he should concede to his words and not be concerned with victory. And it is honorable for him, since this is a beautiful and accepted trait. And the <i>golem</i> will not think about this, and it is a disgrace for  him when he is defeated.
   And their opposites [are the case] with a <i>golem</i>: As he will err in all of these, as he does not have the understanding of the wise man - as  he is  not whole in this dispositions and in his wisdom.
  
  Mishnah 8
  
  Seven kinds of punishment come to the world for seven categories of sin: [When] some of [the people] give tithes, and others do not give tithes, a famine from drought comes: A famine that comes because of the withholding of rains in their time.
  and some go hungry, and others have plenty: [This is] poetic justice - "some of them give tithes, and others do not give tithes."  
  [When] they all decide not to give tithes: Since they all do not tithe:
  a famine from tumult and drought comes: This is a famine that comes because of war and disasters that come to people and [so] they are not able to work their land. 'And the Lord will send tumult' and they will all go hungry - poetic justice - as they all do not tithe.
  [And when they decide, in addition,] not to set apart the dough [offering]: Since they all do not set apart the dough [offering]:
  a famine of annihilation comes: A year that no rain falls at all - 'and the skies above your head shall be copper.' Because of the proliferation of sins, there is a great punishment.
  Pestilence comes to the world for the death penalties set forth in the Torah that are not given over to the court [to carry out]: For example, excision and death penalties at the hand of the Heavens.
  and for [violation of the laws governing] the produce of the Sabbatical year: That he does not dispose of them from his house and does business with them and [that is] forbidden. And for this, pestilence comes from the angle that (the leaders of) Israel agreed to turn their eyes away from the community. In this which they are doing evil, pestilence comes to all of 'the haters of Israel' - and from them, it extends to the whole world. However, if the heads do not have the power to protest against the lesser people, "pestilence comes to the world" is understood to be talking about an individual person - who is called a small world. And he is evil and will die in his sin. And all of Israel is [then] exempt.
  [The] sword comes to the world: Since it is written (Leviticus 26:25), "I will bring a sword against you to wreak vengeance for the covenant." And covenant only [means] Torah, since it is written after it (Leviticus 26:43), "because and because they rejected My judgments.
  and because of those who interpret the Torah counter to the accepted law [declaring] the forbidden, permissible, and the permissible, forbidden.
  
  Mishnah 9
  
  Destructive animals come to the world because of false oaths: They sinned with the mouth - 'the teeth of beasts will I send upon them.' As the difference between us and the beasts is in [oral] expression. And this is why we rule over them. And therefore, one who does not concern himself [in this way] for the glory of his Creator is fitting that he should be trampled by the beasts. And this is a cause for desecration of God's name, may He be blessed. As 'You adorned him with glory and majesty; You have made him master,' 'and it is reversed' - that the beasts will rule over the people that desecrate the glory of the Glorious one. 
  Exile comes to the world, etc.: And we learn all of them in the chapter [entitled] Bemeh Madlikin (Shabbat 33a): As it is written about sexual prohibitions (Leviticus 18:25), "And the land became defiled; and I called it to account for its iniquity, and the land spewed out its inhabitants." And about idolatry, it is written (Leviticus 26:30), "and My soul will spurn (<i>gaala</i>) you" - like a man who drives out his fellow from in front of him. As any ejection of something is called <i>geeul</i>. And about the sabbatical year, it is written (Leviticus 26:34), "Then shall the land make up for its sabbatical years throughout the time that it is desolate... it shall rest." And spilling of blood is even when accidental, and the proof of the thing is from the cities of refuge.
  At four periods of time, etc.: As it is written (Proverbs 22:22), "Do not rob the poor, as he is poor." And is there something that can be robbed from the poor? Rather these are the gifts to the poor, since any one that withholds them and does not give them to the poor is as if  he takes the soul (life) of the poor person. And he also robs the soul of the robber for himself, as it is written (Proverbs 22:23), "For the Lord will take up their cause and despoil those who despoil them their soul" - ["their soul" being plural is] meaning to say the soul of the robber and of the poor person. And therefore pestilence increases and is common at these four periods of time - from the time that they hold on to [the gifts]. 
  In the fourth [year], it is because of the tithe to the poor in the third [year] and they did not give it. As it is written (Deuteronomy 14:28), "At the end of three years, you shall bring out all the tithe, etc." And such is the order of the tithes.
  And after the holiday (Sukkot) in every single year, it is because of the theft of gifts to the poor: As at the time of the holiday of Sukkot, it is the time of the harvest. And when they steal the gifts of the poor - as they do not leave over the dropped stalks, the forgotten stalks and the corners of the field - the Omnipresent punishes them immediately after their harvest. And therefore, it said, "At four periods of time, etc."
  
  Mishnah 10
  
  There are four temperaments, etc.: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" He is not generous, but he is good in that he 'hates presents.' And it is difficult. As how can they say that this is an [average] temperament? And is not someone who prevents himself from giving charity completely wicked? And [granted] that it is true that according to the one that says that it is the temperament of Sodom, it comes out well - as it is stated (Ezekiel 16:49), "Behold this was the sin of your sister, Sodom, etc.; she did not support the poor and the needy." Rather, it is dealing with one who gives charity from fear of God, however his nature is to be stingy. And hence since he 'supports the poor and the needy,' what does his nature matter to us - the actual temperament (in practice) is [average]. "And some say that it is the trait of Sodom" and that its source is very bad, since his nature is to be stingy. But [regarding] if he 'does not support the poor and the needy at all,' everyone agrees about this that he is completely wicked and that it is the temperament of Sodom.
  "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" - [that's an] am ha'arets (literally, a man of the land): Because this one wants the improvement of the world, he is called a man of the land. As he wants to give and to take, since love increases among them through this. And even if this is a good trait for the improvement of the world, this is not from wisdom. As one who 'hates presents shall live.' And the good temperament is to give but not to take.
  
  Mishnah 11
  
  [A person who is] easy to anger and easy to appease - his gain is canceled by his loss: As the loss is greater than the gain. As what is the use of his being appeased quickly, as [long as] his anger lay in his lap, and he will [often] come to sin. And 'who will be able to fix what he has made crooked' during the time of his anger, even if he is quickly appeased.
  [A person who is] hard to anger but [also] hard to appease - his loss is canceled by his gain: The gain is greater than the loss, since he only gets angry sporadically, for a great necessity. And even if he is not quickly appeased from that anger - behold, he is patient most of the time. 
  [A person who is] hard to anger, but easy to appease - [that's a] pious person: And it is not necessary that he never get angry, as sometimes a person needs to get angry out of zeal for God like Pinchas. Hence it said, "hard to anger," since he still needs to get angry - however it should be with difficulty at the times when he is not allowed to be without anger. And about this the wise men of ethics have said, "Do not be sweet, lest they swallow you up." And it is also a good thing to be appeased immediately - even when his anger is still upon him. And not after his anger has left him, but precisely at the time of his anger is he easy to appease - as this is from the trait of piety and good-heartedness.
  
  Mishnah 12
  
  Quick to understand and quick to forget: His loss is greater. Since he forgets immediately, what is the use of that which he comprehends and knows quickly - behold, he forgets everything. But slow to understand and slow to forget: His gain is greater. As even if it comes to him with great toil, he does not forget after he knows [it]. And both of them should not desist from Torah study, as they have a good reward from their labor. And we learn from this mishnah to give preference to one who remembers over one who forgets - if they do not have enough to support both of them, they should support the one who remembers. This mishnah does not mention pious or wicked as it is not relevant here, since the mind of a person is from God. It is as the wise men of ethics said, "The mind is a gift, but [character] is acquired."
  
  Mishnah 13
  
  There are four temperaments, etc.: One who wishes to give, but [that] others not give: He wants the good and the praise for himself and his want is not for the benefit of the creatures.
  [One who wishes that] others give, and he [himself] not give as he is stingy.
  [One who wishes to] give and [that] others give: And this is what King Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 11:25), "A generous soul" which is one that gives charity with a good eye "will prosper," but "one who benefits others" is greater, as he is one who benefits others and teaches them that they should give charity - as he wants to "give and that others give" - and this is [the meaning of the end of the verse,] "shall also be sated." And so [too] did Yishayahu state (Isaiah 32:8), "But the generous advises generosity and he stands upon generosity"; meaning to say, he advises himself to give, but he also stands on generosity - on the generosity of others who he tells to do like himself.
  
  Mishnah 14
  
  There are four temperaments, etc.: [One who] goes but does not do: The intention is not that he does not do anything from that which he heard in the House of Study - as one who prevented himself from doing the commandments is completely wicked, even if he does not do sins. Rather, the intention is that he does not search for them in order to do them, but he [rather] does them by happenstance when they come to his hand.
  [One who] does but does not go to the House of Study to know the detail of the commandments and to be stringent about them - but he [rather] does them according to his [limited] knowledge - receives reward for this doing.
  
  Mishnah 15
  
  There are four temperaments, etc.: the sponge: [This is] a metaphor for a student who does not distinguish between a correct argument [and one that is not], similar to a sponge that collects and absorbs water - whether it is dirty or whether it is clear.
  the funnel: As it accepts all of the things, but loses them immediately.
  the strainer: [This is like] a student that retains in his mind the argument that is incorrect and loses the correct one. And about this King Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 12:8). "A man is praised according to his intelligence, but a twisted heart is disgraced" - that it is not fitting to disgrace [one who knows less, but it is fitting to disgrace] one whose heart is twisted. As this one's heart is twisted, in that he retains the thing that is incorrect - such that he is compared to a strainer, as it says.
  The sieve - because it lets out the [inferior] flour which is the incorrect argument; and does not retain it.
  and retains the fine flour meaning the correct argument - it retains it and does not lose it.
  
  Mishnah 16
  
  Any love etc. What's a love that is not dependent on something, etc. [This is] the love that has no interruption, even though a person estimates that some damage and disgrace will come to him [from it, like] the example of David and Jonathan. As even though [Jonathan] was fit to rise in the place of his father and David was going to remove him from the monarchy, nonetheless [Jonathan] loved him with a firm attachment. And that is what King David, peace be upon him said in his eulogy of Jonathan (II Samuel 1:26), "your love was wonderful to me than (which can also be read as, from) the love of women." [This is] meaning to say, from where did I know that your love for me was wonderful? From the love of women. When he was the second to Shaul, the women had said (I Samuel 18:7), "Shaul has slain his thousands; David, his tens of thousands" - and Shaul became jealous, as is known. However it wasn't enough that Jonathan did not become jealous, but just the opposite - he saved him from the hand of his father. And this was from the angle that he loved him and it was not love of the body. And that is what is written (I Samuel 18:7), "and the soul of Jonathan was attached to the soul of David." However the love of Amnon and Tamar is [already] clear and there is no [need] to elaborate.
  
  Mishnah 17
  
  Every argument, etc. [This is] to say about that which it said, "Every argument that is for [the sake of] heaven's name, it is destined to endure" - the intention is that they will endure in their argument forever. And [so,] today they will argue about one thing and tomorrow about another; and argument will endure and continue between them all the days of their lives. And not only this, but [also] 'length of days and years of life will be added to them.' 
  But if it is not for [the sake of] heaven's name - it is not destined to endure: Rather they will cease in their first argument. 'They will end and die there' - as in the argument of Korach. 
  
  Mishnah 18
  
  Anyone who brings merit to the many, sin does not result from him: So that his students not be in the Garden of Eden while he is in Gehinnom, as it is written (Psalms 16:10), "For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, or let Your pious one see the pit." And how is it possible that one who is pious should see the pit? Rather, since [(the following is) from a manuscript: He is pious, He does not let him commit a sin - so that he should not see the pit on its account.]
  "He fulfilled the righteousness of God and His statutes with Israel": [This is] to say that he completed and fulfilled the entire Torah - he and all of Israel with him. 
  
  Mishnah 19
  
  Anyone who has these three things, etc.: It would have been possible for the tanna (author of this mishnah) to be brief and not to elaborate [by way of] the category and the particulars. And he could have said, "Anyone who has a good eye, a humble spirit and a small appetite is from the students of Abraham, our father. An evil eye, a haughty spirit and a broad appetite - is from the students of Bilaam the evildoer." And why did he teach the general category and then go back to explain the particulars? Rather, he is coming to teach us that in these three things that he mentioned first are included all of the virtues, even if they have many parts; and so [too] the three things that are their opposites include all vice. And that is because if he had been brief in the way that he said [it], it would have been understood that one who would have the three things mentioned is from the students of Abraham, our father; however there would be many thousands and tens of thousands of virtues besides this to the students of Abraham, our father. And so therefore he first said that one who has these three things which he will mention - that is the student of Abraham our father. And afterwards, he explained that the students of Abraham, our father, are a good eye, etc.  - which is to say, all of their virtue for which they were called the students of Abraham, our father, was a good eye, etc. And therefore, he does not say, "The students of Abraham, our father, had a good eye, etc." - [meaning] that they had these three things, even if they had many things like them. But by his saying "the students of Abraham, our father, are a good eye, etc.," he hinted that these three things were the causes of their being from the students of Abraham, our father, etc. And also the opposite of this [is the case] with the students of Bilaam the evildoer. As he did not say, "the students of Bilaam had an evil eye, etc." - to teach that the essence of the teaching that they learned from Bilaam the evildoer were these three things, without any other evils. [It is only these three things] upon which they were students of Bilaam, since all of the evils were included in them - even if they have many parts.
  
  Mishnah 20
  
  Yehudah ben Teimah says, etc. Be brazen like the leopard to rebuke those that commit sins; and to be much involved in Torah. 'You will not grow weary and grow faint.' And so did Yishayahu state (Isaiah 40:31), "But they who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength." When they grow weary, those that hope in the Lord shall have their strength increased and will renew it to be a new strength  for them, [with which] to do the work of the Lord still longer.
  light like the eagle: "Grow new wings like the eagles." 
  swift like the deer: He wants to say, "They shall run and not grow weary." Other people get worn out when they run, but they do not get worn for the matter of a commandment. And so [too], towards the matter of a commandment, "they shall march and not grow faint." As [with] other people, when one walks more than what he [generally] walks during the day, he is faint and grows weary.
  and mighty like the lion to become stronger towards the commandments. [This is] to say that all of his thought and the actions of his limbs be for the act of God.
  to do the Will of your Father Who is in Heaven: [This is] to say, so long as it is [in order] to do the Will of your Father Who is in Heaven.
  brazen-faced: King Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 14:9), "Guilt intercedes for fools" - as the evil fool will speak about the ugly thing and the guilty thing in a person when he sees them. [That is] like those imbeciles that said, "How foul is that carcass!" But, "among the upright, good will" - they only speak about the praise and the good will. It is like the wise man said [regarding the same carcass], "How white are its teeth!" 
  
  Mishnah 21
  
  He used to say, etc. Ninety [is the age] for [a] bending [stature] (<i>lashuach</i>): This is [related] to the expression, 'pit (<i>shiach</i>) and cave,' meaning to say that he is fit for burial. And some explain it is from the expression, '<i>siach</i>' (speaking), as he should only be occupied by words of Torah - since his days are close to dying.
  
  Mishnah 22
  
  Search in it, etc.: Review the words of Torah, as all the wisdom of the world is included in it.
  
  Mishnah 23
  
  Ben Bag Bag says, etc.: Since above it warns severely about Torah study and even until old age and hoary-headedness, and even if it causes great pain and it weakens his strength, he should not move from it; Ben Hey Hey comes to console a person and to speak to his heart, that he should not be concerned about his great pain, as According to the pain is the reward.