Jerusalem Talmud Kiddushin 1:9

משנה: כָּל־הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת מְטִיבִין לוֹ וּמַאֲרִיכִין אֶת יָמָיו וְנוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְכָל־שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת אֵין מְטִיבִין לוֹ וְאֵין מַאֲרִיכִין אֶת יָמָיו וְאֵינוֹ נוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְכָל־שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא בַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא בַמִּשְׁנָה וְלֹא בְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ אֵין זֶה מִן הִיִּשׁוּב וְהַמַחֲזִיק בִּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר וְהַחוּט הַמְשׁוּלָּשׁ לֹא בִמהֵרָה יִנָּתֵק. MISHNAH: Everybody who keeps one commandment they⁶⁴⁴The Heavenly court. treat well and prolong his life; he will inherit the Land⁶⁴⁵This probably is the Future World, in Psalms called “the Lands of Life.”. But everybody who does not keep one commandment they do not treat well, do not prolong his life, and he does not inherit the Land. ⁶⁴⁶Of this part of the Mishnah there exist versions widely differing in text but identical in meaning. Anybody who knows neither Scripture nor Mishnah nor a trade⁶⁴⁷Which lets him earn an honest living. is not part of civilization, but about one who holds on to these three, the verse says⁶⁴⁸Ecclesiastes.4.12">Eccl. 4:12. The person studying Scripture and tradition, and earning an honest living, will not easily sin. This formulation is that of the Tosephta, 1:17.: “The triple cord will not easily break.”

הלכה: כָּל־הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת מְטִיבִין לוֹ כול׳. הָא כָּל־הַיּוֹשֵׁב וְלֹא עָבַר עֲבֵירָה נוֹתְנִין לוֹ שָׂכָר כְּעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה. וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתָּ אָכֵן. אֶלָּא כֵּן אֲנָן קַייָמִין בִּמְחוּצֶה. עָשָׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת מְטִיבִין לוֹ וּמַאֲרִיכִין אֶת יָמָיו וְנוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְהָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה אַחַת אֵין מְטִיבִין לוֹ וְאֵין מַאֲרִיכִין יָמָיו וְאֵינוֹ נוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. הָא כָּל־הַיּוֹשֵׁב וְלֹא עָבַר עֲבֵירָה נוֹתְנִין לוֹ שָׂכָר כְּעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָה. מִי שֶׁבָּאת לְיָדוֹ סְפֵק עֲבֵירָה וְלֹא עֲשָׂאָהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. מִי שֶׁייִחֶד לוֹ מִצְוָה וְלֹא עָבַר עָלֶיהָ מִיָּמָיו. מָה אִית לָךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי מַר עוּקְבָּן. כְּגוֹן כִּיבּוּד אָב וָאֵם. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא. אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי דָרֶךְ הַהוֹלְכִים בְּתוֹרַת יי֨. כְּהוֹלְכִים בְּתוֹרַת יי֨. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן. אַף לֹא פַעֲלוּ עַװְלָה בִּדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ. כְּבִדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. מַה כְתִיב. אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים כְּמִי שֶׁהָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת צַדִּיקִים. HALAKHAH: “Everybody who keeps one commandment they treat well,” etc. ⁶⁴⁹Makkot 3:12:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Makkot.3.12.1">Mishnah Makkot 3:17.“Therefore anybody who is passive and refrains from sinning they reward like one who fulfills a commandment,” and you say so⁶⁵⁰Mishnah Makkot contradicts the Mishnah here since there one is rewarded for not sinning while here one is only rewarded for doing good.? But we hold with one who is 50–50⁶⁵¹In the Heavenly accounting, he collected as many merits as demerits. If he now collects one merit, he is one of the Just and takes his place in Paradise; if he sins once he is of the sinners and has lost his share in the Future Life. If he does not do anything, his fate remains suspended; cf. Kiddushin.39b">Babli 39b.. If he keeps one commandment, they treat him well and prolong his life; he will inherit the Land. But if he commits one sin, they do not treat him well, do not prolong his life, and he does not inherit the Land. There⁶⁴⁹Makkot 3:12:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Makkot.3.12.1">Mishnah Makkot 3:17., we have stated: “Therefore anybody who is passive and refrains from sinning they reward like one who fulfills a commandement.” Rebbi Ze‘ira said, one who had occasion to commit a possible sin and did not act⁶⁵²He refrained from acting out of religious scruple when there was a possibility that the intended act was permitted because possibly it was forbidden. His inaction is a very meritorious act.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, one who chose one commandment which he never violated in his lifetime. What kind? Mar Uqban said, for example the honor of father and mother⁶⁵³Which is extremely difficult to keep at all times; cf. Kiddushin 1:7:2-20" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Kiddushin.1.7.2-20">Halakhah 7.. Rebbi Mana said, “Happy are those on a straight path, who walk in the Eternal’s Torah⁶⁵⁴Psalms.119.1">Ps. 119:1. If they walk in the Eternal’s Torah, they certainly are on the right path. The verse can only mean that somebody choosing the right path, even if he is far from being perfect, is considered walking totally in the Eternal’s Torah. This gives a biblical source for the Mishnah.,” as if they did walk in the Eternal’s Torah. Rebbi Abun said, “Also they did no evil, in His path they went,” as if they went in His path⁶⁵⁵Psalms.119.3">Ps. 119:3. In order to be counted with those who walk in the Eternal’s way it is enough to refrain from evil; this explains the Mishnah in Makkot.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, what is written? “⁶⁵⁶Psalms.1.1">Ps. 1:1. The argument is better in the Genizah text: “It does not say, ‘Happy the man who walks in the council of the just,’ but …” Happy the man who did not walk in the council of the wicked;” since he did not walk in the council of the wicked it is as if he walked in the council of the just.

דָּרַשׁ בֶּן עַזַּאי. זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ. אִילּוּ זְבוּב אֶחָד שֶׁמֵּת שֶׁמָּא אֵינוֹ מַבְאִישׁ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ. וְזֶה עַל יְדֵי חֵט אֶחָד שֶׁחָטָא אִיבֵּד כָּל־זְכִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. דָּרַשׁ רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה. לָכֵן הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֹל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָעֲרָה פִיהָ לִבְלִי חוֹק. לִבְלִי חוּקִים אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶלָּא לִבְלִי חוֹק. לְמִי שֶׁאֵין בְּיָדוֹ מִצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁיְּסַייֵעַ לוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת. הָדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֲבָל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֲפִילוּ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְתִשְׁעִים וְתִשְׁעָה מַלְאָכִים מְלַמְּדִין עָלָיו חוֹבָה וּמַלְאַךְ אֶחָד מְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת. וּמַה טַעַם. אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אֶלֶף לְהַגִּיד לָאָדָם יוֹשְׁרוֹ. וַיְחוּנֶנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כוֹפֶר. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אִם שָׁמַעְתָּ דָּבָר מֵרִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁלְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגָּלִילִי נְקַב אָזְנְךָ כְּאַפְּרֳכָס הַזּוֹ וּשְׁמַע. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁלְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגָּלִילִי אוֹמֵר. אֲפִילוּ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְתִשְׁעִים וְתִשְׁעָה מַלְאָכִים מְלַמְּדִין עָלָיו חוֹבָה וּמַלְאַךְ אֶחָד מְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת. וְלֹא סוֹף דָּבָר כָּל־אוֹתוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶלָּא אֲפִילוּ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְתִשְׁעִים וְתִשְׁעָה צְדָדִין מֵאוֹתוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ מְלַמְּדִין עָלָיו חוֹבָה וְצַד אֶחָד מֵאוֹתוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ מְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת. מַה טַעַם. אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶלָּא אֶחָד מִנִּי אֶלֶף. מֵאֶלֶף לִצְדָדִין שֶׁלְּאוֹתוֹ מַלְאָךְ. מַה כְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ. וַיְחוּנֶנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כוֹפֶר. פְּדָעֵהוּ בְּיִיסוּרִין. מָצָאתִי כוֹפֶר. מָצָא כוֹפֶר לְעַצְמוֹ. הָדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. אֲבָל לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא רוּבּוֹ זְכִיּוֹת יוֹרֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן. רוּבּוֹ עֲבֵירוֹת יוֹרֵשׁ גֵּיהִנָּם. הָיָה מֶחֶצְייָן. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲנִינָה אָמַר. נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמַר. נוֹשֵׂא כְּתִיב. מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה. חוֹטֵף אֶחָד מֵחוֹבוֹתָיו וּזְכִיּוֹתָיו מַכְרִיעוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי לָ‍ֽעְזָר. וּלְךָ יי֨ חָסֶד כִּי אַתָּה תְּשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ. וְאִין לֵית לֵיהּ אַתְּ יְהִיב לֵיהּ מִן דִּידָךְ. הִיא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר. וּלְךָ יי֨ חָסֶד מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהוּא מַטֶּה כְלַפֵּי הַחֶסֶד. Ben Azai preached: “A dead fly will permanently spoil perfumer’s oil.⁶⁵⁸Ecclesiastes.10.1">Eccl. 10:1; the translation follows Ibn Ezra.” Does not one dead fly spoil perfumer’s oil? And this person⁶⁵⁹Who has exactly as many merits as he has demerits. The Babylonian sources, Kiddushin.40b">Babli 40b, Tosephta 1:14, base a formally similar agument on Ecclesiastes.9.18">Eccl. 9:18; but the Babli does not make the difference between the Worlds that are the main thrust of this paragraph. by one sin spoiled all merits he had. Rebbi Aqiba preached: “⁶⁶⁰Is.. 5:14. So the abyss opened wide and its mouth swallowed the one without law.” It does not say “without laws”, but “without law”, him who has not a single merit that should help him on the scale of merit⁶⁶¹The image is always that the deeds of a person are weighed on scales in Heavenly court; the person is found innocent if the scale containing his merits tilts the balance in his favor. A different interpretation is in the Sanhedrin.111a">Babli, Sanhedrin 111a.. That is, for the Future World. But in this world, even if 999 angels plead for his conviction and one angel pleads for his acquittal, the Holy One, praise to Him, lends His weight to the scale of merit. What is the reason? “If there is for him one angel out of a thousand, to tell a man his straightness. He will act with him in grace and say, let him be redeemed, not go down to destruction; I found weregilt⁶⁶²Job.33.23-24">Job 33:23–24..” Rebbi Joḥanan said, if you find a saying of Rebbi Eliezer, son of Rebbi Yose the Galilean, bend your ear like this funnel and listen, since Rebbi Joḥanan reported that Rebbi Eliezer, the son of Rebbi Yose the Galilean, said: Even if 999 angles plead for his conviction and one angel pleads for his acquittal, the Holy One, praise to Him, lends His weight to the scale of merit. Not only this entire angel, but if 999 aspects of that angel plead for conviction and one aspect for acquittal, the Holy One, praise to Him, lends His weight to the scale of merit. What is the reason? It does not say, “if there is for him one angel of a thousand,” but “one out of a thousand”, one aspect out of a thousand aspects of that angel. What is written afterwards? “He will act with him in grace and say, let him be hurt, not go down to destruction; I found weregilt.” “Let him be hurt,” by suffering⁶⁶³R. Eliah Wilna points out that the Talmud reads פְּדָעֵהוּ as Aramaism, equivalent to Hebrew פְּצָעֵהוּ (cf. Onqelos and Pseudo-Jonathan to Exodus.21.25">Ex. 21:25).. “I found weregilt,” he found means to redeem himself. That is, in this world. But in the Future World, if he has a majority of merits, he inherits paradise; a majority of sins, he inherits hell. If he was 50–50. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, “he carries his iniquity.⁶⁶⁴Exodus.34.7">Ex. 34:7, Micah.7.18">Micah 7:18. R. Yose ben R. Ḥanina holds that the person with an equal number of merits and demerits is found guilty. But in Peah1:1, Sanhedrin 10:1:2-26" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sanhedrin.10.1.2-26">Sanhedrin 10:1, and the Babli, Roš Haššanah17a, R. Yose ben R. Ḥanina is credited with the opinion attributed here to R. Abbahu, who is not mentioned in the other sources. Everybody seems to agree that in the Heavenly Court, no more than one transgression will be forgiven.” Rebbi Abbahu said, it is written: “He carries.” What does the Holy One, praise to Him, do? He grabs one of his demerits, and the merits decide⁶⁶⁵R. Abbahu holds that the person with an equal number of merits and demerits is found not guilty.. ⁶⁶⁶Babli Roš Haššanah 17b. Rebbi Eleazar said: “You, Eternal, are acting in grace, for You will complete for everybody according to his deeds.⁶⁶⁷Psalms.62.13">Ps. 62:13.” And if he has none, You will give him from Yours. That is Rebbi Eleazar’s opinion, for Rebbi Eleazar said, “You, Eternal, are acting in grace,” this teaches that He turns to the aspect of grace⁶⁶⁸He also holds that the person with an equal number of merits and demerits is found not guilty..

רַב יִרְמְיָה אָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק בְּעָא. צְדָקָה תִּצֹּר תָּם דָּרֶךְ וְרִשְׁעָה תְסַלֵּף חַטָּאת. חַטָּאִים תְּרַדֵּף רָעָה וְאֶת צַדִּיקִים יְשַׁלֶּם טוֹב. רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחוֹשֶׁךְ יִדַּמּוּ וגו׳. אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן חֵן. כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ וּכְסִילִים מֵרִים קָלוֹן. וּסְייָגִין סְייָגָא וְתִרְעִין תְרִיעָה. וְבינִי סְייָגִין סְייָגָה וְתִרְעִין תְרִיעָה. אֶלָּא בָעֵי רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק. שׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הָעֲבֵירָה פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִייָה וּשְׁלִישִׁית מִיכָּן וָהֵילַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁמְּרוֹ. מַה טַעַם. הֵן כָּל־אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵל פַּעֲמַיִים שָׁלֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר. Rebbi⁶⁶⁹For chronological reasons, this title from פן is the only correct one. Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked about: “Justice watches over the one ambling in simplicity but evil falsifies sin⁶⁷⁰Proverbs.13.6">Prov. 13:6. This and the following verses seem to imply that a person is just not by his own merit but only by God’s grace, whereas the wicked are destined to be wicked. This kind of predestination certainly contradicts the doctrine of personal responsibility which rabbinic interpretation finds in Deuteronomy.11.26-28">Deut. 11:26–28, Deuteronomy.30.15-20">30:15–20..” “Evil pursues the sinners but He well rewards the just.”⁶⁷⁰Proverbs.13.21">Prov. 13:21. “He watches over the feet of His pious, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness, etc.⁶⁷¹1S. 2:9. This and the following verses are not in the Genizah fragment. In Peah, the order of the verses is slightly different.” “If He scoffs with the scoffers, but to the meek He gives kindness.⁶⁷²Proverbs.3.34">Prov. 3:34.” “Sages inherit honor, but shame lifts the silly.⁶⁷³Proverbs.3.35">Prov. 3:35.” Fencing makes a fence, and doors entry⁶⁷⁴A popular adage to the effect that a good fence warns away potential trespassers but an open door invites thieves. If the just are fenced in from the start but the wicked left open to sin, there is no personal merit in good behavior.. And so it is, fencing makes a fence and a door entry. But Rebbi Jeremiah asked in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: If somebody guards himself once, twice, and three times from a sin, from then on the Holy One, praise to Him, will guard him⁶⁷⁵If a person from personal initiative guards himself a few times from sinning in a particular way, then it becomes an automatic habit and in the future will not require additional will power. In the Yoma.86b">Babli, Yoma 86b, the Tanna R. Yose ben R. Jehudah is quoted as inferring that the same kind of sin is forgiven by the Heavenly Court a maximum of three times. Šabbat 104a, Yoma.38b">Yoma 38b, R. Simeon ben Laqish quotes Proverbs.3.34">Prov. 3:34 to the effect that Heaven will make it easy for the just to be just, for the wicked to be wicked.. What is the reason? “Lo, all this God will work, twice or three times with a man.”

אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא וּבִלְחוּד דְּלָא יְתוּב לֵיהּ. וְהַחוּט הַמְשׁוּלָּשׁ לֹא לְעוֹלָם יִנָּתֵק. אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא לֹא בִמְהֵרָה יִנָּתֵק. אִין אַטְרַחְתְּ עֲלוֹי מִיפְסַק הוּא. רִבִּי חוּנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּך הוּא אֵין לְפָנָיו שִׁכְחָה. הָא מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשֶׂה שׁוֹכְחָן. מַה טַעַם מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ נוֹשֵׂא עֲוֹן ועוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַּׁע. נוֹשֵׂא כְּתִיב. וְכֵן דָּוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן עַמֶּךָ כִּסִּיתָ כָּל חַטֹּאתָם סֶלָה. Rebbi Zeïra said, but only if the person does not revert⁶⁷⁸Here begins the discussion of the quote at the end of the Mishnah. What is the reason? It does not say “The triple thread will never snap” but rather “The triple thread will not quickly snap.” If you work on it, it will split. Rebbi Ḥuna said in the name of Rebbi Abbahu: There is no forgetting before the Holy One, praise to Him, but for Israel He becomes forgetful. What is the reason? It is written⁶⁶⁴Exodus.34.7">Ex. 34:7, Micah.7.18">Micah 7:18. R. Yose ben R. Ḥanina holds that the person with an equal number of merits and demerits is found guilty. But in Peah1:1, Sanhedrin 10:1:2-26" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sanhedrin.10.1.2-26">Sanhedrin 10:1, and the Babli, Roš Haššanah17a, R. Yose ben R. Ḥanina is credited with the opinion attributed here to R. Abbahu, who is not mentioned in the other sources. Everybody seems to agree that in the Heavenly Court, no more than one transgression will be forgiven. “He forgets⁶⁷⁹Replacing נשׂא “to lift, carry” by נשׁה “to forget”. sin.” And so David says⁶⁸⁰Psalms.85.3">Ps. 85:3.: “You forgot Your people’s sin, You covered up all their misdeeds, Selah.”