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Week 135 - Wednesday - 26 June 2002

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 2

Ben Azzai said: Run to fulfill a light mitzvah as if it were a weighty one, and flee from transgression; for one mitzvah draws another mitzvah, and one transgression draws another transgression, for the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah and the reward of a transgression is a transgression.

Kehati

Shimon ben Azzai, like his colleague Shimon ben Zoma, retained all his life the status of a "disciple," and did not attain rabbinic ordination, although he was a great Torah scholar and qualified to hand down halakhic decisions. He was a student of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananyah, and a student-colleague of Rabbi Akiva. Because of his diligence in studying the Torah, he never married. The Gemara( Yev. 63b) states: "He who does not fulfill the commandment to 'be fruitful and multiply,' Ben Azzai says: It is as if he spilled blood and diminished the Image (of God). They said to Ben Azzai: Some preach well and practice well; others practice well though they do not preach well; but you, though you preach well, you do not practice what you preach! Ben Azzai answered: Indeed, but what can I do if my soul yearns for Torah? It is possible for society to be sustained by others." According to the Gemara (Ket. 63a), he did betroth the daughter of Rabbi Akiva; but she, emulating her mother Rachel's agreement with Rabbi Akiva, stipulated that he devote himself to the Torah, but in the end they did not marry. Others say that after marrying, he separated from her (Sotah 4b). Ben Azzai, like his colleague Ben Zoma, studied mysticism and was one of the "four who entered Paradise" (in pursuit of philosophical and mystical speculation), and he is reported to have "glimpsed and perished." He lived in Tiberias, where he disseminated Torah among the masses. In the Gemara we read (Er. 29a): "Rava said. Indeed, I am like Ben Azzai in the market place of Tiberias" (of clear and incisive mind, ready to unravel any problem like Ben Azzai who taught in the open, and none could rival him as an 'uprooter of mountains' (i.e., sharp intellect - tr.)- Rashi). In this Mishnah, Ben Azzai counsels promptness in the performance of a mitzvah, and the avoidance of sin.

Ben Azzai said: Run to fulfill a light mitzvah - though it may seem insignificant in your eyes, you should perform it as eagerly and joyfully, as if it were a weighty one - some versions omit this clause (see Tosefot Yom Tov); and flee from transgression - even when this sin seems trifling in your eyes, you should avoid it, (Mahzor· Vit·i). Some commentators note that the term kalah (rendered above as "light" but here denoting "easy" - tr.) is applied in this Mishnah to a mitzvah but not to a transgression. It actually refers to the performer, for whom a particular positive act might come easily. This distinction between "easy" and "weighty" (or "demanding"- tr.) does not, however, apply to sins, which generally come to man naturally. Hence it is irrelevant to call for the avoidance of a "light" (easy) sin (Tosefot Yom Tov quoting Derekh Hayyim).

For one mitzvah draws another mitzvah - the performance of one good deed stimulates the performance of another, and one transgression draws another transgression - evil tends to multiply naturally, for such is the way of the evil inclinations - today it says: Do this, and tomorrow: Do that; until he ends up worshipping idols (Shab. 105b). Our Sages commented on the verse (Ps. 1:1): "'Happy is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scoffers': Since he has not walked, where would he stand? And since he has not stood, where would he sit? And since he has not sat, where would he scoff? Accordingly, the verse comes to teach: Had he walked he would have eventually stood and had he stood, he would have eventually sat; and had he sat, he would have eventually scoffed' (A v. Zar-. 18b). The Midrash says (Tanhurna Vayikra): "A man should not grieve over a transgression which he committed unwittingly, but over the possibility that this may lead him to sin even purposely; likewise, a man should not rejoice at the opportunity to perform a mitzvah, but rather in the expectation that many more mitzvot will thereby come his way, for one mitzvah draws another mitzvah and one sin draws another sin."

Moreover, for the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah - having performed a good deed, man is assisted by Divine grace to perform another act of virtue, that he might be rewarded for both (Bartenura); and the reward of a transgression is a transgression - the punishment for an offence is that he thereby slides into further wrongdoing. Tosefot Yom Tov (quoting Rabbenu Yonah) explains, that while God may abandon such a man to his evil nature, He does not actually encourage further wrongdoing, as our Sages pointed out (Yoma 38b): "If man desires to defile himself, he is free to do so; but if he wishes to cleanse himself, he receives (Divine) assistance to this end... This recalls the case of a man who is selling lamp oil and perfume. When a customer comes to buy oil, the vendor says to him: Measure it yourself(because of its offensive smell); but to the one who asks for perfume, the vendor says: Let me join you in measuring it out, so that both of us may absorb the sweet odor." Alternatively, for the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah - i.e., the benefit and pleasure derived from a good deed is in itself accounted a mitzvah, and he is rewarded for both - for the act and for the joy it affords, and the reward of a transgression is a transgression - the pleasure and profit of a vice are accounted as another sin, and he is punished for both - for the transgression and for the earnings and pleasure it brought him (Bartenura).

PIRKEI AVOT: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 3

He used to say: Do not despise any man, and do not dismiss anything; for there is not a man who has not his hour; and there is not a thing that has not it’s place.

Kehati

This Mishnah brings us another lesson of Ben Azzai, in which he teaches us that every person merits respect and all things have value. The key to Ben Azzai's concept is found in the Jerusalem Talmud: "'but you shall love your neighbor as yourself’ (Lev. 19:18) - Rabbi Akiva says: This is a great Torah principle. Ben Azzai says: 'This is the book of the generations of Adam' (Gen. 5:l) is an even greater principle" (Ned. 9:4). Ben Azzai was referring to the end of that verse: "in the likeness of God made He him." Accordingly, the concept of man's creation in the likeness and image of God transcended the ethical injunction to "love your neighbor as yourself," since a man may humble himself and renounce his own honor; but he may not humiliate his fellow-man, nor trifle with his honor. The Midrash (Bereshit Rabba 1:24) explains: "Lest you say: Since I suffered degradation, let my fellow-man share my fate with me; since I have been reviled, let my fellow be reviled with me; if you act thus, then know that you are humiliating one of whom it is written, "in the likeness of God made He him."

He - Ben Azzai, used to say: Do not despise any man - as Solomon said: (Prov. 11:12): "He who despises his neighbor, lacks understanding" and our Sages observed (Derekh Ererz Rabba, Chapt. 5): "Regard all men as if they were bandits, yet honor them as if they were like Rabban Gamliel”; and do not dismiss anything - as superfluous and useless, as they said (Kohelet Rabba 5:8): "Even things which appear to be worthless to the world, such as flies, fleas, and mosquitoes, are part of Creation," and they, too, fulfill a function in nature, as it is written (Gen. 1:31): "And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good." And it is written (Eccl. 3: 11): "He has made everything beautiful in its time" - thus whatever God made in His world, He made fittingly (Midrash Tehilim Chapt, 34

For there is not a man who has not his hour - of success which enhances his power and status, as we may learn from Yiftah the Gil'adite. Expelled from his city and homestead, he became the chief of a band of worthless and reckless men who had gathered around him; yet, in their distress, the people of Gil'ad turned to him for help, and he became their savior and judge. Hence, our Sages commented (R.H. 25b): "Yiftah in his generation was like Samuel in his generation." It is related (Bereshit Rabba, Toledot) that Diocletian was employed as a swineherd near Tiberias and, as he passed the academy of Rabbi Yehudah Nesi'ah (the Mishnah compiler's grandson - tr.), the youngsters would come out and hit him. Eventually, he became Emperor and legislated oppressive decrees against the Sages. Miraculously, they withstood his harassment. When they came before him, Diocletian said to the Sages: Because your God performs miracles for you, you despise an emperor! They answered: We may despise Diocletian the swineherd, but we accept the authority of Diocletian the emperor. He said to them: Nevertheless, do not ever slight even a lowly Roman or a common soldier. Hence, it is written: Do not despise any man.

And there is not a thing that has not its place - God did not create anything in vain, and if unavailing in one place, it surely serves a purpose elsewhere (Tiferet Yisrael). In the words of the Midrash ( Yalkcut Shirnoni. Shmuel 131): David said before God: Master of the Universe! Everything that You made, You made appropriately - "In wisdom have you made them all;" but You created madness, and of what good is it to You? A man goes about the marketplace tearing his clothes, and children tease him, does this find favor before You? God answered him: Indeed, do you spurn madness? By your life, you will one day need it... And thus it happened: When David fled to Akhish, King of Gat, the King's ministers said to Akhish: Let us kill him who killed our brothers. Then David was frightened, and prayed to God for mercy: Master of the Universe! Grant me but a small measure of that thing (madness) - and it was granted to him. This is how Scripture records it: "Then said Akhish unto his servants: 'Lo when you see a man that is mad, wherefore do you bring him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?” (I Sam. 21: 15-16). And the king drove David out of his presence. At that moment David rejoiced, and gave thanks to the Lord for the "madness" which He bestowed upon him. This is the meaning of (Ps. 34: 1-2): "A Psalm of David; when he changed his demeanor before Avimelekh, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the Lord at all times"...

Hence, our Sages warn: Do not dismiss anything. Alternatively, this means that one ought not to discard any article or tool as useless because of its momentary lack of function, for there is nothing that does not have its place - you will eventually need that very thing and then fail to retrieve it (Mahzor·Vitri). In the words of Solomon (Prov. 13:13): “Whoso despises a thing shall suffer thereby.

Bartenura explains: Do not despise any man –i.e., do not belittle anyone, saving: How could that one ever harm me? And do not dismiss anything - ignoring a matter that should be of concern as a remote possibility one need not worry about. (Thus also Rambam, Hameiri, and others).

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