Avos 2:8 אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, אַל תַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמְךָ (1)

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received [the oral tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: if you have learned much Torah, do not claim credit for yourself, because for such a purpose were you created. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai had five disciples and they were these: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Yose, the priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Nethaneel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach. He [Rabbi Johanan] used to list their outstanding virtues: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop; Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah happy is the woman that gave birth to him; Rabbi Yose, the priest, is a pious man; Rabbi Simeon ben Nethaneel is one that fears sin, And Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach is like a spring that [ever] gathers force. He [Rabbi Yohanan] used to say: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus on the other scale, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus also with them, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach on the other scale, he would outweigh them all.

The Gemara relates: The Sages said about Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai that he did not neglect Bible; Mishna; Gemara; halakhot and aggadot; minutiae of the Torah and minutiae of the scribes; the hermeneutical principles of the Torah with regard to a fortiori inferences and verbal analogies; the calculation of the calendrical seasons; and numerology [gimmatreyaot]. In addition, he did not neglect esoteric matters, including the conversation of ministering angels; the conversation of demons, and the conversation of palm trees; parables of launderers, which are folk tales that can be used to explain the Torah; parables of foxes; and more generally, a great matter and a small matter.

(2)because for this you were created: The Holy One, blessed be He, only brought you into existence to do His will. And also for this reason is it not for you to credit it favorably for yourself if you have accomplished much Torah - "because for this you were created." There is a metaphor [about this]: If a debtor repays his debt, do we credit it favorably to him for that? And this measure is also [true] for the commandments - that if you have done many commandments, "do not credit if favorably for yourself, because for this you were created."

(2)"you were created": For this reason did you come out [of the womb] to the air of the world, as it is written, "and it was day and it was night, the sixth day" - [distinguishing the sixth day by calling it the sixth day and not just a sixth day, as with the other days] teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, made the work of creation conditional: if Israel does not accept the Torah, the world will go back to being chaos and void. It comes out now that there is a great obligation placed upon him and he is not doing it as a favor [to God] - Rashi.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: These are people who are considered important [yekarim] in this world and unimportant [kefuyim] in the World-to-Come. This is like the incident involving Rav Yosef, son of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who became ill and was about to expire. When he returned to good health, his father said to him: What did you see when you were about to die? He said to him: I saw an inverted world. Those above, i.e., those who are considered important in this world, were below, insignificant, while those below, i.e., those who are insignificant in this world, were above. He said to him: My son, you have seen a clear world. The world you have seen is the true world, as in that world people’s standings befit them. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked: And where are we, the Torah scholars, there?Rav Yosef responded: Just as we are regarded here, so are we regarded there.

Rav Yosef added: And I heard that they were saying in that world: Praiseworthy is the one who arrives here with his studies in hand. And I also heard that they were saying: Those executed by the government enjoy such an exalted status that no one can stand in their enclosure.

Let us describe the great holiness of this day, for it is awesome and frightening. On this day, Your Kingship is uplifted, and Your throne is established with kindness, and You sit upon it in truth. True that You are judge, admonisher, knower and witness; and You inscribe, seal, record and count, and recall all forgotten things. You open the book of records and it reads of itself; and the signature of every man is in it. A great shofar is sounded, and a silent, gentle voice is heard; and the angels are alarmed, pangs of fear and trembling seize them, and they declare, “behold the Day of Judgment.” The heavenly host is arraigned in judgment, for they are not guiltless in Your eyes in judgment. All mankind pass before You like young sheep. As a shepherd inspects his flock, making his sheep pass under his rod, so do You cause to pass, count, number, and review the soul of every living being, determining the life-span of every creature; and You record the decree of their judgment.

Another reason, is that a man does not become worthy of the reward of Olam Haba (the next world) due to his good deeds alone (since the reward is infinitely great - TL). Rather he is deemed by G-d worthy of it due to two things besides his good deeds. (1) That he teaches other people the service of G-d, and guides them to do good, as written "they who bring merit to the public shall be as the stars forever" (Daniel 12:3). And also, "to them that rebuke shall be delight, and on them will come the blessing of the good" (Mishlei 24:25). And when the industrious man will combine the reward for those who he brought merit, with the reward for his own good deeds, and the reward for the faith in his heart and patient acceptance [of G-d's will] - he will be deemed by the Creator worthy of the reward of Olam Haba. (i.e. if he also brings merit to others in addition to his own piety, then certainly he is worthy of the reward, as written: "to them that rebuke shall be delight" - ML) (2) The second factor is a kindness from the Al-mighty, and generosity and goodness, as written "to You, G-d, is kindness, for You pay a man according to his deeds" (Tehilim 62:13) (i.e. even if one has only his own good deeds [and did not bring others to the good], G-d will bestow on him good reward in Olam Haba - TL). The reason for this, is that even if a man's good deeds are numerous like the sand of the seashore, it would not weigh enough to cover even one favor the Creator had bestowed on him in this world. All the more so, if he has committed any sins, because if the Creator will hold a man strictly to account for his obligation of gratitude, all of his good deeds would be cancelled and wiped out by even the smallest favor the Creator has done for him, and that which the Creator owes him will not amount to anything. Hence, that which the Creator rewards a person for his good deeds is to be regarded as a Divine grace to him.

(99) The Sh'la wrote (page 52b): "Consider an analogy of one who [severely] broke his leg or blinded an eye, and a great doctor came and through his great expertise, healed him for free, or even for pay. Wouldn't he love him greatly all of his days, and nothing the doctor asked of him would be difficult for him? Behold, G-d gave a person hands, feet - all of his limbs, and sustains him and watches over him, and gave him a soul so that he can come to immortality..." see there for more. And the author already wrote in Gate#2 ch.5 on some of the favors that G-d did to us from our first existence in this world until today. He who places them always before his eyes - then, his heart will become fiery (impassioned) towards G-d, yisborach.

(1) R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.” This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to scribes and Mishnah teachers. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child.” R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said, “There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has done [something] along with God, let him come and receive his reward.’” The holy spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3), “’Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him?’ Who offered Me praise before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for Me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for Me before I gave him a prayer shawl? Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for Me before I gave him a roof? Who made a sukkah for Me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside the priestly tithe and the [other] tithes before I gave him a threshing floor? Who offered a sacrifice before I gave him a beast?” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born…].”

(23) In everything he did he would minimize his own honor so as to increase heaven’s honor, in public affairs and specifically in matters of general concern. It’s well known that he cast his own life aside and engaged himself to the extreme limits of his abilities. Even when he was old, he acted reliably to the end. And even when his energies were depleted (may the Merciful save us), even on his bed during his illness, he contemplated the future, and he would be gazing heavenward to associate heaven’s Name with the suffering of the masses and the individuals, with groans and the sighs of extreme exertion, and his many sighs would distress all who heard them. (He would regularly reprove me about not being involved with the sufferings of others, and he would always tell me that man was not created to care only for himself, but rather to be helpful to others to the maximum extent of his abilities.) He would offer judgment and instruct; a lover of peace and a seeker of peace. He loved all beings and brought them closer to Torah.[*]

(3) I declare, “Your steadfast love is confirmed forever; there in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

(4) ובו תדבקון AND UNTO HIM YE SHALL CLEAVE — i.e. cleave to His ways: do kindly actions, bury the dead, visit the sick, as did the Holy One, blessed be He (Sotah 14a).