| Mishna 1 "Rebbi
Would Say: 'Which is the right path that a man - adam - should choose for
himself?'" (2:1) Rebbi (Rabbi Judah 'the Prince') speaks about an
"adam," a person who like himself has reached a level of personal fulfillment,
and yet is forced to suffer the pains of exile. At present, this is relevant to
all of us. Since mankind as a whole has fulfilled all the divine service required
of us, we collectively on the level of "adam." We must know what is
the right path - the most direct and effective means to bring about the coming
of Moshiach and the raising of the world to a higher plane of divine service. (Lubavitcher
Rebbe) "…Which is the right path that a man should choose
for himself? That which is honorable to himself and brings him honor from man…."
Although action or deed is the final of the three garments of the
soul, thought, speech and deed, and is the product of thought and speech, nevertheless,
profound thought and a stirring speech are still not called honorable. True honor
is only through correct action -- tiferet le'osey'ha -- literally "[brings]
honor for one who does it". Hence the path of action is called the correct
path which a man should choose. Ma'amorim 5705, p.206 (3) "…Know
what is above you -- an Eye that sees…." A seeing eye: it would
be beneficial for a man to cast his gaze from one end of the world to the other
in order to witness Divine Providence.
A hearing ear: It would be correct
for a man to hear the announcements of the messengers of the supernal Beis
Din and the bas kol (literally, "echo", referring to a voice
from Heaven) which comes out from Mount Chorev.
However, our sins prevent
us from this and we must smash the evil husks and then we will be able to see
and hear.
Are recorded in a book: In the supernal sefirot (sefer
-- book -- and sefira -- an emanation of divine light -- have the identical
root) of your soul. And in this way a person dims and obscures the light of the
soul. Keser Shem Tov 22c:53d (3) "Be as careful with
a "minor" mitzvah as with a "major" one."
The Hebrew word for "careful"
zahir, also means "glowing", or "shining". Thus, the mishnah informs us,
the soul should shine and glow in the fulfillment of a "minor" mitzvah just as
it shines in the fulfillment of a "major" one. Ultimately, "the Torah desires
the heart". (Sanhedrin 106b) The
Baal Shem Tov (2)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Know what
is above from you."
We sometimes neglect our worship of G-d
due to a lack of self-esteem. We forget that our prayer and Torah study bring
blessings to the highest worlds, and that even the angles are sustained by our
holy actions. How much more would we strive to serve G-d in awe and joy, weighing
our every action and word, if we believed that our Divine service had such an
effect. This is the message of the mishnah: Know that everything above, all the
upper worlds and angels, is from you — it depends on you and your Divine service.
Rabbi Yaacov Yosef of Polonnoye
(2) "Know what is above you.." The Maggid
of Mezritch would say: "Know that everything above" - all that transpires
in the spiritual realms - of "from you" - dependent on your conduct.
Each of us has the potential to influence the most elevated spiritual realms. The
Lubavitcher Rebbe(3) "Reflect
upon Three Things and you will not come to sin…"
Reflect:
Reflect in such a way that it appears to you as if you really see it with your
eyes. Such reflection affects a person deeply and touches him to his very core.
Therefore, the mishnah promises him, "You will not come to sin." (Maamarim
5678, p. 81) (3)
Reflect upon three things: in order to reveal
the store of the awe of heaven buried and concealed in the understanding of the
heart (transcending time and space) one must first bring it into thought in the
mind. Afterwards a person must contemplate this deeply in his thoughts for an
extended period of time until it is actualized from its state of potential. Then
he will turn away from evil and do good in thought, speech and action, because
of G-d Who "looks down and sees and hears and listens and understands all
of man's deeds, and He searches his heart and kidneys."
(Toras
Shmuel 5,636, chapter 193) (3)
Mishnah 2 "All
Torah-study not combined with work will in the end cease" The
word "work" implies that one must "work" at loving one's fellow
Jew to ensure the endurance of one's Torah study. Simple love of another Jew is
not enough; rather, it must be done in a way of actually working at and being
occupied with loving another Jew. (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, in
the name of the Baal Shem Tov) "..It is good [to combine]
the study of Torah with an occupation, for the effort required by them both keeps
sin out of mind; whereas all Torah-study not combined with work will in the end
cease, and lead to sin…" Torah study and prayer must be carried
out with intellectual comprehension. When a study-period is over, or when a person
finishes his prayers, the state of gadlus hamochin, "intellectual
maturity," disappears, and is replaced by katnus hamochin, "intellectual
immaturity," which gives rise to anger, strife and lashon hara. In
order to avoid this, a person must engage himself in work. But Torah study unaccompanied
by work will eventually lead to sin. (Kesser Shem Tov 55b) (3) “All
Torah study not combined with work will eventually cease and lead to sin”
Although the obvious meaning of the term “work” is actual labor, there is the
possibility of an extended interpretation. My father-in-law [and predecessor]
related that R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev would quote the Baal Shem Tov as explaining
that in this context, “work” refers to ahavas Yisrael — our efforts to establish
bonds of love with other Jews. For Torah study to be perpetuated, it must be coupled
with ahavas Yisrael.
R. Levi Yitzchak explained that this teaching brought
about a fundamental change in his life, motivating him to dedicate himself to
the welfare of his fellow Jews.
Why does the mishnah refer to ahavas Yisrael
as “work”? To teach us that we must strain to extend our ahavas Yisrael to include
even those whom we have no inclination to love. And we must use every means possible
to reach out to others. Lubavitcher Rebbe (1)
"Rabban Gamliel, the son of Rabbi Yehudah
HaNasi says: Torah study is good together with an occupation, for exertion in
them both makes sin forgotten." Prior to Adam's sin,
he enjoyed the ideal luxury of isolating himself from the outside world. He could
completely commit himself to Torah without concerning himself about the necessity
of earning a living. However, after sinning, Adam and we, his descendants, were
granted a new mission - helping remedy his sin: to abide by the values of Torah
while concurrently toiling for a living. An analogy may be drawn between the
contrasting approaches of these two teachings and the two trees planted in the
middle of the Garden of Eden. The Tree of Life symbolized an ideal state in which
we are fully immersed in the true source of life which is Torah. By partaking
of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam regrettably opted for a lifestyle
in which good and evil were intermingled. In such an environment, man's mission
is no longer to completely isolate himself from his surrounding, but rather to
live a Torah life amidst the moral confusion of the world, and by doing so begin
to remedy Adam's (and his descendants') sin of blurring the parameters of good
and evil. In this light, we may derive additional insight from the following phrase:
"she'yegiat shneyhem mashgachat avon" - the effort in harmoniously bringing
Derech Eretz into Torah helps rectify Adam's sin. Sefas Emmes
(6)
Mishna 3 "Beware of the authorities, for they
befriend a person only for their own purpose." The Hebrew word
for "authorities" (reshut) also means "permitted actions."
For the evil inclination hides in man's desires to eat and drink and imbues them
with false sanctity. They seem to be man's friends. Leading him to holiness, but
only for their own purpose: to cause him to cleave to physical pleasure. Therefore,
says the mishnah, beware of permitted actions. Rav Yitzchak
Meir of Gur (2)
Mishna 4
Hillel Said:
"...Do not condemn your fellowman until you have stood in his place."
One should never criticize his fellowman until he establishes a
commonalty with him. Even when a person's conduct seems worthy of reproof, one
should not talk to him with a condescending attitude. By focusing instead on the
essential connection which all men share, we can nurture the positive qualities
in others and enable them to surface.
(Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Rabban
Gamliel used to say: "Make His will your will, so that He may fulfill your
will as though it were His will. Set aside your will for His will, so that He
may set aside the will of others before your will." This
teaching conveys a fundamental lesson: Each of us has the ability to remake G-d's
will, as it were, to arouse a new desire on His part. To apply this principle:
A person might think that since it is G-d's will that we are in exile, we should
resign ourselves to the situation. Nothing is further from the truth. G-d is anxiously
waiting for us to arouse a new will on His part. He is waiting for us to motivate
Him to bring the Redemption.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
"…Treat His will as if it were your own will…."
A simple reading of the mishna seems to suggest that we fulfill G-d's
will with the same enthusiasm that we display in fulfilling our own desires.
However, this approach seems difficult. Should we not fulfill His wishes
with greater enthusiasm that our own wishes? Rather, the mishna is urging
us that as we perform our own pursuits, the Al-mighty should be viewed
as an "equal" partner. We should consider His wishes as much
as our own even when we conduct our personal affairs. While this charge
may seem unrealistic at first, the mishna assures us that we will be rewarded
for our efforts. Eventually your wishes will converge with His. A time
will come when every action of yours, no matter how mundane, will be undertaken
to fulfill G-d's will.
(Rav Yehuda Leib of Gur, the Sefas Emes) (2)
"…the
more charity, the more peace." Peace is achieved when we are free
from interference and opposition. A lack of peace poses a barrier to Torah and
to every one of life's pursuits and we therefore need peace to meet with success
in life. Securing peace requires that people do not harass each other, even
within the bounds of law. Peace is abrogated when people press the law to its
limit to get their own way, for such behavior creates contention. Conversely,
peace is fostered when a person is so charitable that he is willing to forgo his
legitimate rights. True charity is peace itself, and is characterized by
one's willingness to forgo money that is rightfully his, out of a sense of duty.
The kind of charity where a person gives only out of the goodness of his heart
does not bring peace. The heart that moves on to donate to charity will not necessarily
move one to concede an argument, for he may only be willing to give up his rights
when he feels like it, but will not succumb in the face of conflict. It
is the person who can act charitable when compelled, and not just out of good
will, who can foster peace. Even when compelled to give charity, his sense of
responsibility overrides his sense of autonomy and his right not to give. Clearly,
this is the person who can bring peace into the world. Maharal of Prague
(8) "…and do not say, "When I am free I will study,"
for perhaps you will not become free." (Avot 2:4) The phrase, when
I am free I will study, may actually be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you proclaim
that you do not intend to learn Torah until you have time, then you will be punished
for such an attitude by being deprived of the leisure to learn Torah. According
to the Kotzker Rebbe, the phrase "perhaps you will not become free"
may not be an indication of what will occur but rather a description of the individual's
frenetic lifestyle. Some people never have time -- neither now nor at a later
date. Since by virtue of your lifestyle you may never have time to learn Torah
-- an intolerable situation -- you would be well advised to commence learning
Torah now, and not put it off. In fact, your primary challenge in This World may
be to overcome all your temporary distractions and study Torah. Sfas
Emes (6) Fulfill His will: This refers to the type of service
known in Kabbalah as iskafiya - subjugating yourself and your will in order
to "turn away from evil and do good."
Set aside your will:
This could also be rendered as "absolutely nullify your will," and refers
to the type of service known in Kabbalah as is'hafcha, where a person has
reached such an elevated level of Divine Service that he does not need to force
himself to do G-d's will. He has transformed his will completely, so that his
will and G-d's will are not two separate things. Rather, he cherishes G-d's mitzvos
ad delights in them to such an extent that his only will is
G-d's will. Tzemach
Tzedek, Or HaTorah, Nasso, p.230 (3) "Set aside your will.."
By setting aside your own will in order to fulfill G-d's will, you transform
your nature from bitter to sweet. This applies to "turning away from evil," by
completely rejecting those things which oppose G-d's will, as well as to "do good,"
learning to want what one does not want naturally, and learning not to want what
one naturally wants. By nullifying your will to His will, you will drive out the
evil from within yourself. Likutei Torah, Nasso, 24c (3)
Mishna 5
He [Hillel] used to say: "...The bashful person cannot learn,
neither can the short-tempered teach..."
A student should not be too bashful in front of his colleagues to say,
"I do not understand." Rather, he should ask and ask again,
even several times.
(Shulchan Aruch HaRav)
"…nor can everyone who is preoccupied with
much business become a scholar." A sage is comparable to a spiritual
doctor, whereas a desire for wealth is comparable to an illness. If you see a
"doctor" attempting to amass wealth, do not place much hope in his ability
to heal others.
Midrash Shmuel (7)
"…A
boor cannot be fearful of sin…" The Kotzker Rebbe
pointed out that the mishna may be interpreted "in reverse." Anyone
who is truly afraid of sinning will not remain unlearned. Realizing that most
transgressions result from ignorance, he will insist upon becoming more learned
and immerse himself in Torah. Maggidei HaEmes (6) "..nor can
an ignoramus be a chassid.." A chassid (literally, one who is endowed
with chesed, kindness) one who is suffused with love. Just as light in a physical
sense cannot shine without being radiated from some physical source, such as a
candle wick or firewood, etc. so too with spiritual love. It cannot be drawn down
from above without the proper vessels in which it can be contained. The Torah
a Jew learns, and the mitzvot he performs are the vessels for containing love
and awe of G-d, whether love and awe which are generated by the intellect, or
whether love and awe which transcend the intellect. An ignoramus is not one who
makes vessels suited to revealing love. Hence, regarding him it is said, "nor
can an ignoramus be a chassid."
Torah Or, 96c; Maamarim 5672 p.178 (3)
"Do not judge your fellow man until you find yourself in
his situation." This is why the Sages cautioned us (Avot 1:6),
"Judge every man in a favorable light." For in judging his fellow-man
favorably, in a good, kindly light, a person won't pass any harsh judgment on
himself, and he will never be subjected to any punishment in his lifetime. It
is in this sense that the Sages say, "Do not judge your fellow man until
you find yourself in his situation." It means that this you should know:
You are not shown by Heaven any action of another person to pass judgment on it,
until you have arrived actually at his situation, because you have done the same
kind of deed as your fellow man. Heaven therefore shows you the other's
deed, for you to judge it -- and as you pass judgment, so will it happen to you.
Consequently, you should always see to it that you judge him favorably, leniently;
and in this way you will also judge yourself favorably and leniently. Pri
Chaim (5) " A Boor cannot be Sin-fearing.."
Alacrity
leads to cleanliness. Cleanliness leads to purity. Purity leads to holiness. Holiness
leads to fear of sin. Hence, the fear of sin is a very elevated level, which follows
the acquisition of several other positive characteristics. A boor is a worthless
individual who certainly does not fear sin.
Midrash Shmuel (3) If
such a person feared sin, he would not remain a boor. Rather, he would make every
effort to study and acquire knowledge. Rav Menachem Mendel
of Kotzsk (2)
"All
those whose fear of sin is greater than their wisdom, their wisdom is retained"
(see below 3:9). If someone is clearly a boor, and is devoid of wisdom, this
is a sign that he did not give fear of sin precedence. Were he to have had the
fear of sin, the secrets of Torah would have been revealed to him, and he would
not have been a boor.
Midrash Shmuel (3) Even if a person is
a scholar, but despite his learning he is a boor, i.e. he is like a nutshell which
looks pretty on the outside, but which has nothing inside, he cannot be one who
fears sin.
Ma'amarei Admor HaZaken, Haketzarim, p. 305 (3) One
who fears sin is more praiseworthy than one who fears punishment. For one who
fears punishment is like a person who takes care of his health only because he
hates the medicine he must take when he is sick. One who fears sin however is
like one who fears the sickness itself; he fears the sin itself and the imperfection
it causes. Such fear of sin stems from a great love of G-d, for he knows that
with each sin, his love ceases. True love includes the fear of falling out of
love.
The Tzemach Tzedek (2)
"Don’t say that when I have free time, I will
learn Torah, lest you never find free time."
[This instruction] relates to unpredictability. The normal,
small constant changes and unforeseen issues that come up every day are
a part of the changing nature of the physical world. One should never
feel confident that in an hour or two he will be free, since inevitably
something unpredictable will arise. If he waits for a moment in the future
free from unforeseen issues, he will never find time for Torah learning.
With all the factors in flux around him— the human being, the physical
world, and time itself— unpredictability must be anticipated and
accounted for. Nothing that we experience in this world is static, and
tomorrow new changes are always waiting.
Maharal of Prague (8)
Mishnah 6 "He also saw a skull floating on the water..."
Once the Rebbe Rayatz explained the significance of the words rabba
emunateycha -- great is Your faith, which are recited every morning in the
Modeh Ani prayer: "It is not sufficient to have faith that the Creator is
the One and Only. Rather, there must be "lots of faith," (a literal
rendering of rabba emunateycha), i.e. one must believe that G-dliness is in everything,
and in every place. We can also explain our mishna, "He also saw a
skull floating in the water," according to the above principle: When you
see a person whose faith does not pervade his entire existence (in the way mentioned
above), despite his Torah learning (which is compared to water), so that his emotional
responses do not conform to what he knows is proper, nor do his actions correspond
to his level of understanding, he is merely a skull floating on the water. He
does not have a body, nor a heart, nor arms and legs…" Sefer
HaSichos 5697 p. 240 (3) "He also saw a skull floating on the
water." Our Rabbis explain that this refers to the skull of Pharaoh,
who was drowned in punishment for having Jewish boys drowned in the Nile. When
Hillel saw Pharaoh’s skull, he realized that this was an extraordinary phenomenon,
and contemplated the matter, gaining this insight. Why did G-d cause this to
happen? The fact that Hillel learned a lesson from the skull and shared it with
others enabled the skull to come to eternal rest after thousands of years of drifting
on the waters. This is the intent of the phrase “he said to it,” which can also
be translated “for it.” Hillel made his statement for the skull’s benefit. Once
the skull had communicated its lesson, it had fulfilled its purpose and could
rest. The Lubavitcher Rebbe (1)
Mishna
7
Mishna 8 Rabban Yochanan ben
Zakkai received [the oral tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say:
If you have learned much Torah, do not claim special credit for yourself etc. One
who takes credit for himself, even though he does not become conceited, is worse
than an ordinary, unsophisticated Jew. The latter prays and recites tehillim with
all his strength, and with subservience (kabbolas ol) of the loftiest level of
Divine service. When a learned scholar takes credit for himself, he shows that
essentially he only serves himself, and that his learning is really no better
that any of the other passions and delights that people indulge in for their own
enjoyment. Such learning is not called Divine service at all. Kuntreis
U'maayan p. 104 (3) "If you have learned much
Torah, do not claim special credit for yourself, since for that very purpose you
were created." If you have learned much Torah, and you have achieved
a high level of comprehension, do not claim it for yourself, as if it were only
for you. Rather, disseminate it to others, since for that very purpose you were
created-to learn and to teach, and you are duty-bound to transmit Torah to others. Midrash
Shmuel (3)
"If you have learned much Torah, do
not give yourself credit, because for this [purpose] you were created." If
you have learned much Torah, the insight gained from the Torah will itself ensure
that you not take undue credit for yourself. Only one who has learned little immediately
gives himself credit for his accomplishments. Rav Yehuda
Leib of Gur, the Sefas Emes (2) Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai
received [the oral tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you
have learned much Torah, do not claim special credit for yourself etc. One
who takes credit for himself, even though he does not become conceited, is worse
than an ordinary, unsophisticated Jew. The latter prays and recites tehillim with
all his strength, and with subservience (kabbolas ol) of the loftiest level of
Divine service. When a learned scholar takes credit for himself, he shows that
essentially he only serves himself, and that his learning is really no better
that any of the other passions and delights that people indulge in for their own
enjoyment. Such learning is not called Divine service at all. Kuntreis
U'maayan p. 104 (3)
Mishna 9 "He used
to enumerate their praiseworthy qualities.." Each of these students
possessed a quality in which he surpassed all others. As a teacher, Rabbi Yochanan
did not push them all in a single direction. Instead, he appreciated their uniqueness
and endeavored to give each the opportunity to develop his own potential. This
concept can be applied on a larger scale. Each person possesses a particular virtue
in which he surpasses all others, even the leaders of the generation. He (and
those who help him in his growth and development) should not seek universal conformity,
but should strive to cultivate this unique gift. The Lubavitcher Rebbe
(1)
"He used to enumerate their praiseworthy qualities." He
would enumerate them, but not elaborate upon them. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai did
not discuss his students' noble qualities at length or in detail. He merely indicated
one quality for each of his disciples. After assessing each of his students thoroughly,
Rabbi Yochanan singled out that particular quality which would serve as the disciple's
starting point and guiding light. Midrash Shmuel (3)
"Yehoshua ben Chananya, praiseworthy is she who bore him."
This expression refers to a "refined physical nature," as we will
now explain.
Since our will to do something actually results in action, it
is clear that the nefesh is ultimately linked to the body. In contrast
to our coarse physical nature that is ready to act for its own gratification,
this element may be understood as a refined physical nature that will submit to
noble, selfless intentions.
Rabbi Yehoshua's praise is phrased as "praiseworthy
is she who bore him" because his exemplary quality is the refined physical
nature which he inherited from his mother. Family characteristics are passed from
parent to child and physical qualities are primarily derived from the mother.
Therefore, Rabban Yochanan alluded to Rabbi Yehoshua's refined physical nature
by pointing out that his special quality was inherited from his mother.
Maharal of Prague (8)
"He used to enumerate their praiseworthy
qualities.." Each of these students possessed a quality in which he
surpassed all others. As a teacher, Rabbi Yochanan did not push them all in a
single direction. Instead, he appreciated their uniqueness and endeavored to give
each the opportunity to develop his own potential. This concept can be applied
on a larger scale. Each person possesses a particular virtue in which he surpasses
all others, even the leaders of the generation. He (and those who help him in
his growth and development) should not seek universal conformity, but should strive
to cultivate this unique gift. The Lubavitcher Rebbe (1) He
would enumerate them, but not elaborate upon them. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai did
not discuss his students' noble qualities at length or in detail. He merely indicates
one quality for each of his disciples. After assessing each of his students thoroughly,
Rabbi Yochanan singled out that particular quality which would serve as the disciple's
starting point and guiding light. Midrash Shmuel (7) "…Rabbi
Eliezer ben Horkanos is like a cemented cistern that loses not a drop…."
It is particularly remarkable that Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkanos, who
did not begin studying Torah until he was twenty-eight years old, nonetheless,
acquired complete mastery over every aspect of Torah to the extent that he never
forgot anything he learned. (His remarkable retentive powers are likened to a
pit sealed with lime that does not lose a drip of water.) His extraordinary memory
may be attributed to his exceptional love of Torah. For him, Torah was not merely
studied, but actually integrated into his very being, becoming a part of him.
“Rabbi Shimon ben Nasanel fears sin” When
he prayed to be spared from sin, it was with the same intensity with which one
would pray to be saved from a lion. Rabbi Yehudah Leib of
Gur, the Sefas Emmes (2)
Mishnah 10 "Repent…before your death.."
Even though a person was wicked all of his life, he should not despair
of G-d's infinite mercy and forgiveness. Complete repentance is always accepted
by G-d. Midrash Shmuel (7)
"Rabbi Eliezer says
..Warm yourself by the fire of the Sages, but beware of their glowing embers lest
you be burnt.."
The Torah is compared to fire - "My words
are like fire," and every person must warm himself by their heat until he
is capable of revealing novel insights (chiddushim) in Torah. However,
one must also beware. Rabbi Eliezer instructs us, "Warm yourself by the fire
of the Sages" - make sure that your innovations are according to the teachings
of our Sages. And "beware of their glowing embers lest you be burnt,"
if you contradict their teachings. Midrash Shmuel (3)
“A
good eye” If an “evil eye” can harm even one who has done no wrong,
all the more so can a “good eye” bring benefit to one who has no special merit.
Rabbi Avraham Mordechai of Gur (2)
Mishnah 11 "The evil eye, the evil inclination and hatred
of one's fellow drive a man from the world" "Evil Inclination" The
Gemara (Berachot 61a) says that the yeitzer hara -- evil inclination
-- resembles a zevuv -- fly. What is the analogy? All efforts to
chase a fly away will not deter it from coming back. The same is true of the yeitzer
hara. As much as one chases it away and refuses to listern to it, it continuously
returns and persters man. (MiMa'ayanot Hanetzach) "Let
your friends honor be as precious to you as your own."
Let the honor
your friend gives you be as precious to you as the honor you give yourself. Just
as the latter is quite insigificant, since one who honors himself is considered
foolish, so is the honor you receive from others. Rabbi DovBer,
the Maggid of Mezritch (2)
Mishnah
12 "Let all your deeds be for the sake of heaven."
It is written, In all your ways, know Him (Proverbs 3:6). This is a great principle….
In all his actions, even in ordinary physical, material things that a man does,
it is necessary that they should be a service, a worship for the need and purpose
of Heaven alone, without any other motivation. Even to the very slightest degree
there should be no personal motivation, but all should be only for the sake of
Heaven. Baal Shem Tov (5) "Let all your
actions be for the sake of Heaven" Your "for the sake of Heaven"
should also be for the sake of Heaven. Rav Menachem Mendel
of Kotzsk (2) "Let all your actions
be for the sake of Heaven" Our Rabbis identify this directive with
the verse, “Know Him in all your ways.” But it is possible to distinguish
between the two. Performing a deed “for the sake of Heaven” implies that
although it is performed with G-dly intent, the deed itself is mundane. To “know
G-d in all your ways” implies a deeper bond — one that plays a part in every worldly
activity. To cite an example: When one eats a meal with the intent of using
the energy generated from the food to serve G-d, one’s eating remains a mundane
act. In contrast, when one eats on Shabbat, or when one partakes of sacrificial
offerings, the eating itself is considered a mitzvah, an act of connecting
to G-d. In a large sense, this difference reflects two approaches with regard
to the oneness of G-d. In the first, our material world serves as a means by which
to establish a bond with G-d. This implies, however, that its actual material
substance remains separate from G-d. The second approach maintains that even material
existence can become unified with Him. The Lubavitcher Rebbe
(1)
Mishnah 13 "..Do not make your prayer
a routine, token act…." "Prayer without concentration is
like a body without a soul." Since a person prays three times a day every
day, there is a fear that his prayers will become mere habit. For this reason,
the author of our mishna declares, "do not make your prayer a routine, token
act," without any concentration or intention. Pray like a person who has
to beseech the king for his life. Midrash Shmuel (3)
This denotes
that a man should not pray about matters that concern only his own needs, but
he should rather pray constantly for the Shechinah, the Divine Presence,
that is should be redeemed and rescued from exile. This is why the Mishnah adds
"but rather an appeal for mercy and an entreaty for grace before the omnipresent
G-d": It signifies that a man should pray constantly before the "omnipresent"
- meaning on behalf of the Shechinah, which is called "omnipresent,"
as we know.
Similarly, the Zohar (Tikkuney Zohar, vi) states that those who
pray for themselves and not for the Shechinah are called dogs of arrogant spirit
who shout and exclaim, "Hav, hav!" - "Gimme, Gimme!" (In other
words, their entire prayer amounts to so much barking.) This too, is the sense
of the verse, One thing I have asked of the L-rd, that I will entreat (Psalms
27:4). It means to convey: "For the sake of the Shechinah I entreat
and pray before Thee, to repair the imperfection and defect that was made by sinful
deeds." Keter Shem Tov; Likkutey Amarim (5)
"Be
meticulous in Kriyat Sh'ma and Prayer (the Amidah)…." Particular
importance is attached to reciting Shema and praying on time, for those hours
are a time of grace, and are particularly favorable. In addition, the supernal
"unifications" which take place during the Shema and prayer are effective
only when they are recited at their proper time. Shulchan
Aruch HaRav [mehadura basra] 1:8 (3)
Mishna
14 "Rabbi Eliezer said: Be diligent in the study of Torah; know
what to answer a heretic; and know before Whom you toil, and Who your employer
is that will pay you the reward of your labor." One might conclude
that if a person learned those parts of Torah which would provide an answer to
a heretic, but he never met one to defeat, that he learned in vain. This is not
so - "know before Whom you toil." G-d desires the heart of man, and
He will certainly pay you your reward, just as if you had actually met a heretic
and had defeated his spurious arguments. Midrash Shmuel (3) A
heretic
It should be noted that an apikoros, who believes that the world was
not created, and who denies the existence of G-d, has no rectification and elevation.
The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that a gentile idol worshiper has more of a chance of
being rectified than an apikoros. In the future G-d will pour out his wisdom and
truth even upon the nations of the world, but not on a heretic. Their only rectification
is total annihilation.
Tzemach Tzedek, Or HaTorah,
NaCH, p. 782 (3) A man once came to the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Lubavitcher
Rebbe. He complained of being plagued with thoughts of doubts about the Creator.
The Rebbe asked him, "Why do you care?" Surprised, the man hesitated
for a moment, then replied, "Because I am a Jew." The Rebbe promptly
responded, "If that be the reason, everything is fine."
"Do not consider yourself wicked"
Literally, the mishnah
states, "do not be wicked by yourself." One who divorces himself from
the community and remains by himself is automatically considered wicked. Rav
Moshe Yechiel of Azrov (2) "Know before
whom you toil." As explained in Tanya, knowledge refers to an inner
bond. Every person has the potential to develop such an inner bond with G-d. Although
he labors for Him as a servant, there is nothing preventing him from establishing
a deeper connection. This also affects the nature of a person's relationship
with G-d with regard to reward and punishment. Although there are many intermediaries
by which G-d dispenses the reward granted for observance, a person must know "who
his Employer is, and who will pay him the reward of his labor," and realize
that the source for the reward is always G-d Himself and not the intermediaries. The
Lubavitcher Rebbe (1)
Mishna 15 "..the
workmen are lazy.." Man is naturally lazy, some more so than others,
but no one is really immune to this shortcoming. This does not only apply to wagon
drivers, but also to those who learn Torah day and night. This is particularly
true when they are required to toil in Torah, in the manner of middos Chassidus,
beyond the requirements of the law. Rabbeinu Yonah; Midrash Shmuel (3) "You
are not required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it." From
this mishna we can infer an extremely vital principle -- that it is never too
late to change the moral course of one's life. If indeed we were obligated to
complete our mission, then one might rationalize that it is already too late.
But since we only need to commence it, then it is never too late in life to at
least begin. Sfas Emes (6) The Workmen are Lazy Our
Sages demand that "a person apply himself to the words of Torah like an ox
to the yoke, and a donkey to a load." But his yetser makes him sluggish
and casts a spell of laziness upon him (from the element of earth in the animal
soul), so that he will not toil in serving G-d in a way that demands effort…(Tanya
chap. 25)
The yetser hara does not trouble itself for nothing in making
him sluggish and casting a spell of laziness upon him. For the Midrash informs
us that laziness is especially effective in initiating a person's downslide!
Maskil l'Eitan p. 739 (3)
Mishna 16
"…Much reward will be given to you; and your Employer
is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor." This indicates
that in addition to the reward you earned, an additional gift will be given to
you. And "your Employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor." Midrash
Shmuel (3) "It is not incumbent upon us to complete the work"
A person is never required to do more than he can. On the contrary, G-d
gives each person a mission that he can fulfill without having to face challenges
that he is unable to overcome. Even if at times a person feels daunted by the
task facing him, he must know that…. "He is not free to desist from it" - and
must persist with kabbalas ol. Even when he does not naturally feel joy in his
Torah service, he should persevere; such full-hearted dedication will lead to
personal fulfillment.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe
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