Doing What is Right
The Mishna in Avos Chapter 2 states "Consider the reward of doing a Mitzva versus what will be lost to you for doing that Mitzva. Rabbi Yisroel Salantar explains this to mean that the punishment for the least severe Aveira has to be worse than any suffering in this world. Also, the reward for the lightest Mizvah has to be greater than any pleasure in this world. This must be otherwise if you are asked to do an Aveira for any amount of money or to alleviate suffering and we know that it is not permitted.
This calculation must be made within the spiritual realm too. If one, for example, can become a very influential Rosh Yeshiva who will go on to teaching hundreds and thousands of students but to do this he must do a small Aveira (even D'rabanan) it is surely prohibited. This, even if according to the punishment/reward calculation it should be allowed or he should do it anyway.
A source where we see this concept is brought by the Torah T'mima on the Pasuk "Ve'ahavta es Hashem Bechal Levavcha". He brings the story discussed in Talmud Eruvin 21A. R' Akiva was in jail and didnt have enough water to wash his hands before eating. When R' Yehoshua brought him water and told him to drink rather than wash, R' Akiva respnded I would rather die my own death than go against my friends (The Chachamim). The question is what does "my own death" he should have said I would rather die! The Torah T'mima explains that R' Akiva ultimately died when the Romans combed his flesh with iron combs. When this was happening, R' Akiva smiled and said that he was waiting to die via Kidush Hashem and be mekayem "Bechal Nafshecha" his whole life. When the water was brought to R' Akiva and he realized that he might die of thirst and not be able to die "al kiddush hashem" the way he wanted to his whole life he was very disturbed but said anyway that as great as it is to die al kidush hashem he must die rather than be oiver on netilas yadayim. This is what he meant by "my own death" and not al kidush hashem. Even though dying al kidush hashem is much more rewarding in heaven.
This might be what the Mishna in Avos 1, 3. "Antiganus Ish Socho states- Dont be like servants that serve for reward and have the fear of God. He is saying that the way to live is to fear God and dont calculate how you will get the most reward.
This calculation must be made within the spiritual realm too. If one, for example, can become a very influential Rosh Yeshiva who will go on to teaching hundreds and thousands of students but to do this he must do a small Aveira (even D'rabanan) it is surely prohibited. This, even if according to the punishment/reward calculation it should be allowed or he should do it anyway.
A source where we see this concept is brought by the Torah T'mima on the Pasuk "Ve'ahavta es Hashem Bechal Levavcha". He brings the story discussed in Talmud Eruvin 21A. R' Akiva was in jail and didnt have enough water to wash his hands before eating. When R' Yehoshua brought him water and told him to drink rather than wash, R' Akiva respnded I would rather die my own death than go against my friends (The Chachamim). The question is what does "my own death" he should have said I would rather die! The Torah T'mima explains that R' Akiva ultimately died when the Romans combed his flesh with iron combs. When this was happening, R' Akiva smiled and said that he was waiting to die via Kidush Hashem and be mekayem "Bechal Nafshecha" his whole life. When the water was brought to R' Akiva and he realized that he might die of thirst and not be able to die "al kiddush hashem" the way he wanted to his whole life he was very disturbed but said anyway that as great as it is to die al kidush hashem he must die rather than be oiver on netilas yadayim. This is what he meant by "my own death" and not al kidush hashem. Even though dying al kidush hashem is much more rewarding in heaven.
This might be what the Mishna in Avos 1, 3. "Antiganus Ish Socho states- Dont be like servants that serve for reward and have the fear of God. He is saying that the way to live is to fear God and dont calculate how you will get the most reward.
posted by funnyfundamentalist at 8:30 PM
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