דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל הַמִּצְוָה. אִם הִתְחַלְתָּ בְּמִצְוָה, הֱוֵי גּוֹמֵר אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. לָמָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, כָּל מִי שֶׁמַּתְחִיל בְּמִצְוָה, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן בָּא אַחֵר וּגְמָרָהּ, נִקְרֵאת עַל שֵׁם גּוֹמְרָהּ. מִמִּי אֶת לָמֵד, מִמּשֶׁה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ (שמות יג, יט). כָּל הָעָם עוֹסְקִין בַּבִּזָּה, וּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה מְטַפֵּל בְּעַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף. בָּא וְעָמַד בֵּין הָאֲרוֹנוֹת, צָעַק וְאָמַר, יוֹסֵף יוֹסֵף, הִגִּיעָה הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹאֵל אֶת בָּנָיו הַשְּׁכִינָה מְעַכֶּבֶת, יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד מְעַכְּבִין לָךְ. אִם אַתָּה מְגַלֶּה אֶת עַצְמְךָ, מוּטָב. וְאִם לָאו אָנוּ נְקִיִּים מִשְּׁבוּעָתְךָ. מִיָּד נִזְדַּעְזֵעַ אֲרוֹנוֹ, נְטָלוֹ וְהָלַךְ. נִסְתַּלֵּק מֹשֶׁה בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא נִכְנַס לָאָרֶץ. הִכְנִיסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף וְקָבְרוּ אוֹתָן, וְתָלָה הַמִּצְוָה בָּהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִּשְׁכֶם (יהושע כד, לב). לְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם: כָּל הַמִּצְוָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי, כָּל הַמַּתְחִיל בְּמִצְוָה וְאֵינוֹ גּוֹמְרָהּ, קוֹבֵר אִשְׁתּוֹ וּשְׁנֵי בָּנָיו. מִמִּי אַתָּה לָמֵד. מִיְהוּדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל אֶחָיו מַה בֶּצַע וְגוֹ' (בראשית לז, כו). יָשְׁבוּ לִפְרֹס עַל הַפַּת, אָמַר לָהֶם: הוֹרְגִים אָנוּ אֶת אָחֵינוּ וּמְבָרְכִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ נִאֵץ ה' (תהלים י, ג). לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: מַה בֶּצַע וְגוֹ'. לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים. וְשָׁמְעוּ לוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה מֶלֶךְ. וְאִלּוּ אָמַר לָהֶם לְהַחְזִירוֹ אֶל אָבִיו, הָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. אֶלָּא הִתְחִיל בַּמִּצְוָה וְלֹא גְּמָרָהּ. לְפִיכָךְ הַמַּתְחִיל בְּמִצְוָה, יְהֵא גּוֹמֵר אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. כָּל הַמִּצְוָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, כָּל הַלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּר אוֹתָהּ, נוֹחַ לוֹ שֶׁנֶּהְפְּכָה שִׁלְיָתוֹ עַל פָּנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶחָא, כָּל מִי שֶׁמְּשַׁמְּרָהּ וְעוֹשֶׂה, זוֹכֶה שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עָלָיו רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַשְׂכִּיל לְאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי וְגוֹ' (שם פט, א). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּיךָ וְגוֹ' (יהושע א, ח). לְפִיכָךְ, תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת. Another interpretation: "All of the commandment" (Deuteronomy 8:1). If you have began with a commandment, finish all of it. Why? Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who began with a commandment, and afterwards another comes and finishes it, it will be called according to the name of the one who finishes it." From who do you learn [this]? From Moshe. When Israel left Egypt, what is written? "And Moses took the bones of Yosef with him" (Exodus 13:19). All of the people were involved in the plunder and he was taking care of Yosef's bones. He went and stood among the coffins. He called out and said, "Yosef, Yosef, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem His children. The Divine Presence awaits [you], and Israel and the clouds of glory await [you]. If you will make yourself appear good, but if not, we will be free of your vow." [Whereupon] his coffin immediately stirred, and [Moses] took it and departed. Moshe departed in the wilderness and did not enter the Land. [So] Israel brought in Yosef's bones and buried them. And the commandment was draped upon them, as it is stated (Joshua 24:32), "The bones of Joseph, which the Children of Israel had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shekhem." Therefore He said to them, "All of the commandment." Rabbi Yannai said, "Anyone who begins a commandment but does not finish it will bury his wife and two of his sons." From who do you learn [this]? From Yehudah, [where it is stated (Genesis 37:26),] "And Yehudah said to his brothers, 'What gain (betsa) etc.?'" They sat to prepare for the bread [and eat their meal]. He said to them, "We are going to kill our brother and then recite a blessing [over the bread]?" As it is stated (Psalms 10:3), "the one that loots (botsea) and blesses reviles the Lord." Hence is it written, "What gain, etc." "Come, let us sell him to the Yishmaelites" (Genesis 37:27). And they listened to him, as he was a king. And had he said to them to bring him back to his father, they would have listened to him. But rather he began with the commandment and did not finish it. Hence one who begins with a commandment should finish all of it. Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who learns Torah but does not fulfill it, it is better for him to have his placenta roll over his face [and smother him], as it is stated (Deuteronomy 8:1), 'guard to keep.'" Rabbi Acha said, "Anyone who guards it to keep it, merits that the holy spirit should descend upon him, as stated (Psalms 89:1), 'A psalm of wisdom (maskil) of Eitan the Ezrachite, etc.' And so [too] did He say to Yehoshua (Joshua 1:8), 'Let not this Book of the Torah cease from your mouth... [and then will you comprehend (taskil)].'" Hence is it written, "to guard to keep."