The Mishnah taught that Gemilus Chasadim (acts of kindness) are amongst the things that a person eats from their fruits in this world and the principal (reward) is in the world to come. As the pasuk states (Mishlei 21: 21), "One who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor'' - honor in this world and life in the world to come.

R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak would take a Hadas (myrtle) twig and dance before the bride. R. Zeira would hide from him as he disgraced himself, saying, "See this Sage that embarrasses us by disgracing the honor of his Torah.'' When R. Shmuel passed away, there were three hours of thunder and lightning. A Heavenly voice came out and said that since Rav Shmuel would do Chesed to others, they have come to do Chesed to him. Fire came down from heaven and created a Hadas of fire separating between his bed and the people. The people said that it was in the merit of his actions with the Hadas twigs.

The Mishnah taught that making peace between people also has its principal reward in the next world. The pasuk states (Tehillim 34:15), "Shun evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it'' - seek it in your place and pursue it elsewhere (i.e. even pursue people elsewhere who are arguing and make peace between them).

(R. Tivyumi): It says 'pursuing' here (above) and it says 'pursuing' there (Mishlei 21: 21), "One who pursues charity...'' - just as that pursuing (Mishlei) brings honor in this world and life in the world to come (as above), so too the pursuing here (when one seeks peace and pursues it).

The Mishnah listed Talmud Torah (Torah study). R. Berachya and R. Chiya of Kfar Dechumin disagreed - one said that even the entire world is not worth one word of Torah; the other one said that even all of the Mitzvos of the Torah are not worth one word of Torah. R. Tanchuma and R. Yosi ben Zimra also disagreed over this.

(R. Abba, father of R. Abba Mari citing R. Acha): One pasuk states (Mishlei 8:11), "all desirable things cannot be compared to it'' and one pasuk states (Mishlei 3:15), "all of your desirable things cannot be compared to it'' - 'desirable things' refers to precious stones and diamonds; 'your desirable things' refers to words of Torah as the pasuk states (Yirmiyah 9:23), "for in these things I delight, says Hashem''.

The nobleman Artavun sent a priceless diamond to Rabbeinu HaKadosh, saying, "Send me back something that is equally priceless''. He sent him a Mezuzah. Artavun sent a message back - I sent you something priceless and you've sent me something that is worth a small coin! Rabbeinu HaKadosh responded - yours and my desirables cannot compare to it and furthermore, you sent me something that I must guard and I sent you something that guards you whilst you are sleeping, as the pasuk states (Mishlei 6:22), "When you walk, it shall lead you; (when you lie down, it shall guard you, and when you awaken, it shall speak for you.)

R. Mana learned all of the items listed in the Mishnah (that their principal reward is in the world to come) from the following pasuk (Devarim 32:47), "For it is not an empty thing for you'' - this is Talmud Torah; "for it is your life'' - this is honoring one's parents; "and through this thing, you will lengthen your days'' - this is Gemilus Chasadim; "upon the land'' - this is making peace between people.

And corresponding to those are four sins that a person is punished for in this world, but the principal punishment is in the next world - idol worship, illicit relations, murder and Lashon Hara (derogatory speech about another). Idol worship - as the pasuk states (Bamidbar 15:31), "that soul shall be utterly cut off for its iniquity is upon it. What is the meaning of "its iniquity is upon it''? The soul is cut off but the sin still remains. And the pasuk states (Shemos 32:31), "Please! This people has committed a great sin {Chata'ah Gedolah}. They have made themselves a god of gold.'' (The term great is also used in the pesukim about illicit relations and murder as well, teaching that the same is true for them as for idol worship, as follows...)

Illicit relations - (Bereishis 39:9), "Now how can I commit this great evil {HaRa'ah HaGedolah}, and sin against God?''

Murder - (Bereishis 4:13), "And Kayin said to Hash-m, "Is my iniquity too great {Gadol} to bear?''

And concerning Lashon Hara, it does not say 'Gadol', nor 'Gedolah' nor 'HaGedolah'; it rather says 'Gedolos' (Tehillim 12:4), "May Hash-m cut off all smooth lips, the tongue that speaks great things {Gedolos}.'' This shows that Lashon Hara is equivalent to these three most severe sins.

The pasuk states (Bereishis 37:2), "And Yosef brought evil tales about them to their father''. What did he say?

(R. Meir): They were suspected of eating a limb from a live animal.

(R. Yehudah): They spoke disparagingly about the children of the maidservants (Bilhah and Zilpah) and treated them like slaves.

(R. Shimon): They were looking at the local women.

(R. Yudan ben Pazi): The pasuk states (Mishlei 16:11), "The balance and scales of justice are Hash-m's; all the weights in the bag are His work.'' He said that they were suspected of eating a limb from a live animal, so Hash-m said, 'I will prove from them that they are not suspected of this, as they slaughtered...(Bereishis 37:31), "and they slaughtered a kid, and they dipped the coat in the blood''.

He said that they were speaking disparagingly about the children of the maidservants (Bilhah and Zilpah) and treated them like slaves - so Yosef was sold as a slave.

He said that they were looking at the local women - so the 'bear' (Potiphar's wife) was incited against him, as the pasuk states (Bereishis 39:7), "...that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Yosef; and she said: 'Lie with me.'"