with a select treasury of commentaries on all levels of Torah interpretation
Chapter 5 Mishna 18
with select commentaries
Commentaries used in this translation:
Rashi Commentary (1040-1105)
Rambam Commentary (1135-1204)
Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura Commentary (1445-1515)
Tiferet Yisrael commentary (1782–1860)
Rabeinu Yonah (1180-1263)
Derech Chaim - Maharal of Prague (1525-1609) (hebrewbooks.org/14193)
Biur HaGra of Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna - (1720-1797)
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai commentary - (1570-1643)
Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azoulai (Chida) commentary - (1724-1806)
Chatam Sofer commentary - (1762-1839), along with Ktav Sofer, and others
Ben Ish Chai commentary - (1835-1909)
and many more..
Commentary Level:
- Min - (level 1) for basic commentaries as relating to the plain meaning (Pshat).
- Med - (level 2) elaborates more into the theme.
- Max - (level 3) deeper in, Maharal of Prague.
- Max+ - (level 4) more themes in the text.
- ShortMix - (recommended) short version of level 4.
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Chapter 5 Mishna 18פרק ה משנה יח
| whoever brings merit to the many, sin occurs not through his hands. But whoever causes the many to sin, he shall not be given the opportunity to repent. Moshe was meritorious and brought merit to the many, the merit of the many is attributed to him, as written: "he executed the righteousness of G-d, and His ordinances with Israel" (Devarim 33:21). But Yeravam sinned and caused the many to sin, and so the sin of the many is attributed to him, as written: "because of the sins of Yerovam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit" (Melachim I 15:30). |
כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין חֵטְא בָּא עַל יָדוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. משֶׁה זָכָה וְזִכָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים, זְכוּת הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג) צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. יָרָבְעָם חָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים, חֵטְא הָרַבִּים תָּלוּי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א טו) עַל חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם (בֶּן נְבָט) אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. |
Bartenura - "whoever brings merit to the many, sin occurs not through his hands" - so that it will not be that he is in Gehinom (Heaven) while his disciples are in Gan Eden (Paradise).
"but whoever causes the many to sin, he shall not be given the opportunity to repent" - so that it will not be that he is in Gehinom while his disciples are in Gan Eden.
"Moshe was meritorious and brought merit to the many" - he taught torah to all Yisrael
"and His ordinances with yisrael" - it is as if he (Moshe) did them.
"because of the sins of Yerovam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit" - since it did not say "the sins of Yeravam and Yisrael", this teaches everything hangs on his head.
Tiferet Yisrael - "whoever brings merit to the many" - he teaches them torah, fear of Heaven and mussar. Or he caused them to do mitzvot.
"sin occurs not through his hands" - from Heaven, he will be prevented from sinning, as our sages said: "so that it will not be that he is in Gehinom while his disciples are in Gan Eden" (Yomah 86).
"But whoever causes the many to sin" - he entices them to sin or he causes them to sin in some other way.
"he shall not be given the opportunity to repent" - not only will he not be prevented from sinning further, but even if he wants to repent for his sins, he will not be helped from Heaven like others who want to repent. All this is so that it will not be that he is in Gan Eden while his disciples are in gehinom.
"the merit of the many is attributed to him" - it is considered as if he did them.
"But Yeravam sinned and caused the many to sin, and so the sin of the many is attributed to him" - it is considered as if they are his own sins.. since the verse includes his sins with those of Yisrael, this teaches they are equal. He would not have been punished so severely if he did not cause Yisrael to sin. He was also not given the opportunity to repent, as we find that he saw the great and awesome miracle which the man of G-d did to him and nevertheless, he did not repent. This teaches he was prevented from Heaven.
Meorei Ohr - "whoever brings merit to the many, sin occurs not through his hands" - nevertheless, it is written in the Sefer Chasidim (Ot 352): a man who brought merit to the public and taught them [torah] and committed sins - this will not shield him from punishments. Know that king Shlomo taught many proverbs (of Mussar) but nevertheless the sages wanted to count him among those who do not have a portion in the world to come until a fire came down. etc. (see sanhedrin 104b). Therefore one who brings merit to the public should not feel inflated thinking "I will do as I wish". For his merits will not help him.. end quote.
Rabeinu Yosef ben Shushan on Avot - "whoever brings merit to the many, sin occurs not through his hands" - ie no mishap will occur through him. But if he himself intends to sin, he is just like other people who do good or evil by free will. Thus, he did not write "he is prevented from sinning", but rather "sin occurs not through his hands". For some people have mishaps occur through them unintentionally which they are unable to fix. This is the reason for: "no evil shall befall the righteous [but the wicked shall be filled with mischief]" (Mishlei 12:21).
"but whoever causes the many to sin, he shall not be given the opportunity to repent" - he did not write: "he is prevented [from repenting]" but rather "not be given the opportunity to repent". For after many stumbled in sin due to him, it is almost impossible for him to bring each and every person to repent properly. But do not consider that "the Rock whose work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4) will prevent one of his servants from repenting.. Likewise, He will not prevent any man from exercising his free will, whether for good or evil. For He created man with two inclinations and will not prevent man from choosing as he wishes..
Shoshanim l'David - "Moshe was meritorious and brought merit to the many, the merit of the many is attributed to him" - one may think that since the merit of the public depends on him, therefore the public loses reward and it is given to him for he caused them to do. It is not so. Thus, he brings the verse: "and His ordinances with Israel". From the word "with", we learn that just like him so too them. All receive full reward. Those who do (the public) do not lose due to he who caused them to do.
Likewise regarding punishment. Do not think that since he caused them to sin, if so the sin depends on him and they will be spared. It is not so. For "there is no messenger to a sin (ein shliach ledavar aveira), the words of the Rav or the words of the student, who should one heed?"..
Matanat Avot - "whoever brings merit to the many, sin occurs not through his hands" - this is a bit difficult. For we find many people who "benefit the public" and nevertheless they feel they have what to confess on Yom Kipur. Not one of them can honestly tell himself that he is clean and assurred that "sin occurs not through his hands". So what do we do with the promise of this mishna?
It seems the intent of the mishna is that in that matter which he is bringing merit to the public, G-d will coordinate that no sin will come through his hands.
For example, one who benefits the public by disseminating words of mussar and chizuk, then G-d will help that people will not err in his words and misinterpret them and come to deny the torah and mitzvot.
Even so this is just a segulah (remedial), it is not a promise. The proof is many heretics bring proofs for their heresy from the tanach or talmud. Thus everything depends on free will.
"but whoever causes the many to sin, he shall not be given the opportunity to repent" - it is obvious that this too is only a segulah and not a promise. For G-d does not lock the gates of repentance before any person! Who among us is more wicked than Menashe king of Judah? Even so G-d accepted his repentance (Sanhedrin 103a)..
Furthermore, it is not possible to take this literally. For then no man has any hope left since almost every person who does not act properly and others learn from him - he causes the public to sin. Is it conceivable that almost every Jew's repentance will not be accepted. (for example, the mashgichim say that a bachur who sleeps late and misses sedarim in yeshiva is a machti harabim by cooling them down when they see his conduct).
Rather, it is just a segulah. For when others sin due to him, then he does not deserve that G-d helps him to be disgusted by the sin and thus he has less chance of repenting.