ALL ISRAEL HAVE A SHARE IN THE WORLD TO COME, AS IT IS STATED:[1]
"And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the Land
forever. [They are] the branch of My planting, the work of My
hands in which to take pride." [2]

****************************************************************

Chapter Two
page 1

REBBI WOULD SAY: "WHICH IS THE RIGHT PATH THAT A MAN SHOULD
CHOOSE FOR HIMSELF? THAT WHICH IS HONORABLE TO HIMSELF AND BRINGS
HIM HONOR FROM MAN.

"BE AS CAREFUL IN [THE PERFORMANCE OF A SEEMINGLY] MINOR MITZVAH
AS OF A MAJOR ONE, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW THE REWARD GIVEN FOR THE
MITZVOS.

"CONSIDER THE LOSS [THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED WHILE PERFORMING] A
MITZVAH AGAINST THE REWARD [EARNED BY ITS OBSERVANCE], AND THE
GAIN [DERIVED] FROM [COMMITTING] A SIN AGAINST THE LOSS.

"REFLECT UPON THREE THINGS AND YOU WILL NEVER COME TO SIN: KNOW
WHAT IS ABOVE YOU  AN EYE THAT SEES, AN EAR THAT HEARS, AND A
BOOK IN WHICH ALL YOUR DEEDS ARE RECORDED."


            REBBI WOULD SAY: "WHICH IS THE RIGHT PATH
              THAT A MAN SHOULD CHOOSE FOR HIMSELF?"

This opening clause presents several difficulties. Among
them:

     a) The very question: "Which is the right path that a man
        should choose for himself?" is problematic. There is only
        one proper path of conduct for a Jew  the Torah's way.
        Furthermore, we are obligated to fulfill the Torah; the
        matter is not a question of choice.

     b) There are four Hebrew terms for "man"  adam, ish, gevar,
        and enosh. [1] The mishnah uses the term adam, which
        refers to man at the highest level one who has developed
        his intellectual capacities.  Yet the need to follow "the
        right path" applies even to a person on the lowest level.

     c) What is the relationship of this teaching to its author?
        Furthermore, why does the mishnah refer to him as simply
        Rebbi? On the surface, it would have been appropriate to
        refer to him using his name and title, Rabbi Yehudah
        HaNasi. Indeed, the next mishnah refers to him in this
        manner.

These difficulties can be resolved as follows: In this mishnah,
Rebbi is instructing a person who has reached the level of adam.

For other people, the right path to follow is obvious; one must
adhere to the directives of the Torah and its mitzvos.

When, however, a person already fulfills the Torah and its
mitzvos in a complete manner and has internalized them, thus
meriting the title, adam, there is room to ask: Which path
should he follow now?

G-d, the Torah, and the Jewish people are all infinite. Therefore
a person must realize that at all times he has both the potential
and the responsibility to advance in divine service. There are,
however, many paths which grant such an opportunity. Which should
the person take? This is the question which Rebbi addresses.

THAT WHICH IS HONORABLE TO HIMSELF AND BRINGS HIM HONOR FROM MAN

"That which is honorable to himself" points to the potential of
human beings to unite with G-d without intermediaries. After a
person has thoroughly developed his required connection to G-d
through the Torah, he should also seek to develop an intimate,
private relationship with G-d. Nevertheless, the connection with
G-d a person establishes must also "bring him honor from man."

Coming close to G-d must not take one away from worldly life. [2]

A person's conduct should be "good to the heavens, and good to
the creations," [3]  i.e., the good one performs should be
appreciated by others. While striving for the spiritual heights,
a man must find favor in the eyes of his fellowmen, Jews and
gentiles alike.

To explain this concept in terms of the mitzvah of Kiddush
HaShem, the Sanctification of G-d's Name: On one hand, Kiddush
HaShem represents the deepest possible bond between man and G-d.
[4]  Nevertheless, when communicating this mitzvah, the Torah
uses the expression: [5] "I will be sanctified among the children
of Israel," i.e., one's sanctification of G-d must also find
favor "among the children of Israel."

In this vein, our Sages explain [6] that this mitzvah involves
making G-d's name beloved.

One's conduct should make others exclaim: "How fortunate is
he for having studied the Torah!"
This level of service is possible because one is already an adam.
I.e., the name adam relates to the word adamah as in the phrase,
[7] adamah l'elyon  "I resemble the One above."

Just as G-d can combine and resolve opposite tendencies, a person
should seek to rise above the limits of worldliness while at the
same time remaining involved with his surroundings.

Moreover, his efforts to relate to his environment should reflect
his connection to G-d and his appreciation of G-d's desire for "a
dwelling in this world." [8]

The mishnah communicates this teaching in the name of Rebbi. In
this context, Rebbi is not a name (as used in the following
mishnah), but rather a title meaning "teacher."

In composing the Mishnah, Rebbi served as a teacher to the entire
Jewish people; this title describes the essence of his existence.

To emphasize this point, the mishnah refers to him as Rebbi
instead of using his name, Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi.

The title Nasi, "leader," reflects a connection with the entire
people.  Nevertheless, it also means "uplifted," indicating that
the leader is on a much higher rung than the people at large.

The term Rebbi, i.e., teacher of Israel, indicates the point at
which all Jews are united  the level at which "Israel and the
Holy One, blessed be He, are one."

Rebbi relates to the Jewish people on this level, and teaches
them how to achieve this inner and outer harmony.

These concepts are particularly relevant in the present age, when
we anticipate Mashiach's coming. For it was concerning Rebbi that
our Sages said: [9] "If Mashiach is among those alive today, he
is surely our holy teacher [Rebbi]."

Rebbi 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
have, to borrow an expression of the Previous Rebbe, [10]
"polished the buttons"; as a collective, we are on the level
of adam.

Having completed everything required of us, we must know what
is the right path  the most direct and effective means to bring
about the actual coming of Mashiach and the raising of the world
to a higher plane of divine service.

(Sefer HaSichos 5750, Vol. II, p. 420ff; 5751,
Vol. II, p.  497ff.)


                          BE AS CAREFUL

The Hebrew word zahir, translated as "careful" also means
"shine."

All the mitzvos share a fundamental quality; each of them enables
one's soul to shine forth. [11]

             (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IV, p. 1191ff)


            Be as careful in [the performance of a seemingly]
            minor mitzvah as of a major one, for you do not
            know the reward given for the mitzvos

In his Commentary to the Mishnah, the Rambam points out that
there is no statement in the Torah detailing the relative
severity of the positive commandments. Therefore, one should
be careful in the observance of all of them.

Nevertheless, the Rambam continues, there is an indirect means of
appreciating the relative severity of positive commandments. The
severity of each negative commandment is reflected in the
severity of the punishment for its violation.

Certain positive commandments are paralleled by negative ones
e.g., there are both positive and negative commandments to
observe the Sabbath. By comparing the positive commandment to the
negative commandment that parallels it, one can appreciate its
relative importance.

In that vein, the Rambam interprets the subsequent clause of the
mishnah as follows: "Calculate the loss incurred by [the
violation of] a mitzvah [in order] to know the reward [for its
fulfillment]"; i.e., appreciate the severity of a negative
commandment and from it, assess the importance of the parallel
positive commandment.

The Rambam's statements raise a question: Since it is possible to
appreciate the relative severity of some positive commandments,
how can a person be expected to be equally committed to the
performance of all mitzvos?

It can be explained that there are two dimensions to each
mitzvah:

   a) the particular effect it has in refining the person
      performing it and the world at large;

   b) the strengthening of a transcendent bond with G-d.

With regard to the first dimension, there is a difference between
one mitzvah and another, for each mitzvah is intended to refine a
different element of our personality and of the world at large.
And yet, such differences do not apply with regard to the second
dimension; every mitzvah serves equally to strengthen our
connection with the Infinite.

Similar concepts apply in regard to the reward brought about by
the observance of mitzvos. On one hand, the reward for a mitzvah
depends on the extent of its effects, and thus there are
differences between the reward for one mitzvah and another. On
the other hand, the ultimate reward for performing a mitzvah is
the mitzvah itself, [12] i.e., the tzavsa, or "bond," [13] with
G-d that is established by its performance.

The realization that such a connection is possible should
motivate a person to "Be as careful of [the performance of a
seemingly] minor mitzvah as of a major one."

(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IV, p. 1191ff;
Sichos Shabbos Parshas Matos-Masei, 5747)



          CONSIDER THE LOSS [THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED WHILE
          PERFORMING] A MITZVAH AGAINST THE REWARD [EARNED
          BY ITS OBSERVANCE], AND THE GAIN [DERIVED] FROM
          [COMMITTING] A SIN AGAINST THE LOSS


R.  Ovadiah of Bartenura teaches that this clause instructs a
person to focus on the endless spiritual advantage he will gain
from the observance of a mitzvah, rather than on the momentary
material loss he might suffer. Similarly, committing a sin may
provide a temporary material gratification, but also involves
an eternal spiritual loss.

This concept raises a question: We are taught that teshuvah,
repentance, has the potential to wipe away all a person's sins.
How then, can sin be considered as an eternal loss?

This difficulty can be resolved as follows: In Tanya, ch. 29, the
Alter Rebbe explains that when a person turns to G-d in complete
teshuvah, he renews his relationship with Him, and it is as if he
had never sinned.  Nevertheless, the sin is not wiped away
entirely, since "there are many levels and dimensions within our
hearts." As a person advances in his divine service and
experiences deeper dimensions of love for G-d, the sins he
committed previously create a block, making it necessary for
him to rise to an even more complete level of teshuvah.

So even though teshuvah is effective at every level, the effect
of sin is lasting.

                 (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IV, p. 1196)


                      KNOW WHAT IS ABOVE YOU

The Maggid of Mezritch would say: [14] "Know that everything
above" all that transpires in the spiritual realms is "from
you" dependent on your conduct. Each of us has the potential to
influence the most elevated spiritual realms.

                        (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XX, p. 331)
*****************************************************************