בן עזאי אומר מצוה גוררת מצוה, ועברה גוררת עברה.
Ben Azzai says: ...one mitzvah leads to another mitzvah, and one sin leads to another sin
Guiding Questions:
1} Can you think of an example where Ben Azzai's teaching is true?
2} Do you agree with Ben Azzai? Why or why not?
שוב מעשה בר' אליעזר שירד לפני התיבה ואמר עשרים וארבע ברכות ולא נענה ירד רבי עקיבא אחריו ואמר אבינו מלכנו אין לנו מלך אלא אתה אבינו מלכנו למענך רחם עלינו וירדו גשמים הוו מרנני רבנן יצתה בת קול ואמרה לא מפני שזה גדול מזה אלא שזה מעביר על מדותיו וזה אינו מעביר על מדותיו
Another story is about prayer in the time of a drought: Rabbi Eliezer prayed before the ark and said 24 blessings but was not answered. Rabbi Akiva prayed afterwards saying: "Avinu, Malkeinu, we have no Sovereign but you! Avinu, Malkeinu, have mercy on us!" and the rains fell. The rabbis murmured against him. A heavenly voice called out saying, "Not because this Akiva is greater than Eliezer, rather because this Akiva has compassion on others when they do wrong and Eliezer is not forgiving."
1} How would it feel if someone treated you like Rabbi Akiva, forgiving you for anymisstep? Describe a time when this might be a more appropriate position than Rabbi Eliezer's.
2} How would it feel if someone treated you like Rabbi Eliezer, holding you to the highest expectation and not forgiving any misstep? Describe a time when this might be a more appropriate position than Rabbi Akiva's.
3} What is the moral of this rabbinic story?
הנהו בריוני דהוו בשבבותיה דר"מ והוו קא מצערו ליה טובא הוה קא בעי ר' מאיר רחמי עלויהו כי היכי דלימותו אמרה לי' ברוריא דביתהו מאי דעתך משום דכתיב (תהלים קד, לה) יתמו חטאים מי כתיב חוטאים חטאים כתיב ועוד שפיל לסיפיה דקרא ורשעים עוד אינם כיון דיתמו חטאים ורשעים עוד אינם אלא בעי רחמי עלויהו דלהדרו בתשובה ורשעים עוד אינם בעא רחמי עלויהו והדרו בתשובה: אמר לה ההוא צדוקי לברוריא כתיב (ישעיהו נד, א) רני עקרה לא ילדה משום דלא ילדה רני
There were some lawless men living in the neighborhood of Rabbi Meir, and they used to cause him much suffering. Once R' Meir prayed that they should die. His wife, Beruriah, exclaimed, "Why would you pray for them to die?... Rather you should pray for mercy on them that they should do teshuva and turn from their evil ways--and then the wicked shall be no more." R' Meir followed his wife's advice and offered prayers on their behalf so they did teshuva.
1} Explain the difference between the original positions of Rabbi Meir and Beruriah.
2} Can you think of any current situations where opinions fall into these two different camps?
א"ר אבהו מקום שבעלי תשובה עומדין צדיקים גמורים אינם עומדין שנאמר
R. Abbahu teaches: The place where those who do teshuva stand, the perfectly righteous are unable to stand.
1} Explain Rabbi Abbahu's teaching in your own words.
2} Some understand Rabbi Abbahu to mean that those who err and do wrong and then do teshuva occupy a more holy space then those who never did wrong at all. Does this teaching make any sense? Why or why not?
Commentary on Source #7:
"A perfectly righteous person"--this is someone who sees themself as complete in all of their words and actions. A person such as this resides on a lower rung then one who has done teshuva since their heart is broken [over their wrongdoing].
--Rabbi Simcha Bunem from Peshishcha
1} Based on the comment above, what does Rabbi Simcha add or explain to the original teaching from Source #7?
2} Do you agree with Rabbi Simcha? Why or why not?