Introduction Ben Azzai’s full name was Shimon ben Azzai, and like Ben Zoma of the previous mishnah, he was never called Rabbi. He is famous for his utter devotion to Torah, a devotion so great that he never married (to the disdain of the other rabbis). Like Ben Zoma, he also entered the “pardes” the orchard of metaphysical speculation and died as a result.
Ben Azzai said:
Be quick in performing a minor commandment as in the case of a major one, and flee from transgression; A person should be as careful in the performance of what seem in his eyes to be minor commandments as he is in the performance of what seem in his eyes to be major commandments. Likewise a person should distance himself from transgression, even a transgression that does not seem to be so serious.
For one commandment leads to another commandment, and transgression leads to another transgression; This is the first reason for why one should be scrupulous in the performance of even minor commandments. The performance of one commandment awakens a person to perform other commandments as well. I think we can compare this statement to exercise and healthy eating habits. A person who begins to physically exercise his body will naturally want to exercise more, to eat healthy and to stop bad habits such as smoking. One good thing he does for his body will lead to another good thing. So too with the negative side. If a person does not exercise, chances are he will also eat poorly. The worse he eats the less he will want to exercise, and he will deteriorate in a cycle. So too with commandments, the spiritual equivalent to exercise. The more a person performs the commandments, the more spiritually awake his soul will be and the more he will want to perform more commandments. However, the more a person transgresses, the more spiritually dead he will progressively continue to be, and he will continue in a downward spiral of sin.
For the reward for performing a commandment is another commandment and the reward for committing a transgression is a transgression. This is an extremely important statement. Throughout Avoth we have learned that the reward for the performance of commandments and the punishment for sin are meted out in the world to come. This is basically saying that one cannot expect to see divine justice in this world. However, Ben Azzai points out that there is one type of reward which is received in this world. A person who performs a commandment is rewarded by God by having the next commandment become easier for him. I think this means that one who takes the initiative to begin to lead a good and righteous life, will be rewarded by being able to continue to live a good and righteous life. In essence, the performance of the commandments is a reward in and of itself. The same is true with the opposite. One who sins will be punished by performing another sin. Once he is accustomed to sinning, his life will deteriorate into a life full of sin. The punishment is then, in essence, a direct result of what he does, in other words his sinful life is a punishment for his sins. Perhaps this is somewhat like the English saying, “you made your bed, now sleep in it”.
Questions for Further Thought:
• What is the relationship of section two to section three?