Pirkei Avos, Perek 2
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2:10 to 2:14 · Yiras Cheit and Haroeh Es Hanolad
AI summary (may contain mistakes)
Why does Rabbi Shimon, whose good path is ha'roeh es hanolad, give the one who borrows and does not repay as the bad path? A yirei chet values his soul so much that he foresees where each action can lead. The Bartenura equates that borrower with one who fails to see the outcome. The Chasam Sofer finds in the borrower a picture of life as a loan from Hashem.
Key points
- The meforshim read the search for a good path as finding the core midah that unlocks the rest.
- Yirei chet here means valuing one's soul too much to taint it, not fearing punishment.
- Rashi reads im in the pasuk on lending as when, so lending to the needy is a mitzvah.
- The Chasam Sofer's borrower knew he could not repay and relied on the mitzvah to lend.
- For the Chasam Sofer, life is a loan from Hashem, and each action adds debt or repays it.