Avoth, Chapter Five, Mishnah Nine
Introduction
This mishnah continues to list calamities that come to the world as a result of sin.
Mishnah Nine
1)
Wild beasts come to the world for swearing in vain, and for the profanation of
the Name.
2)
Exile comes to the world for idolatry, for sexual sins and for bloodshed, and
for [transgressing the commandment of] the [year of the] release of the land.
3)
At four times pestilence increases: in the fourth year, in the seventh year and
at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the Feast [of
Tabernacles] in every year.
One)
In the fourth year, on account of the tithe of the poor which is due in the
third year.
Two)
In the seventh year, on account of the tithe of the poor which is due in
the sixth year;
Three)
At the conclusion of the seventh year, on account of the produce of the
seventh year;
Four)
And at the conclusion of the Feast [of Tabernacles] in every year, for
robbing the gifts to the poor.
Explanation
Section one: A vain oath is one taken unnecessarily (see Shevuoth 3:8). Profaning
God’s name refers to one who sins in public, thereby giving not only himself a bad
name but all of Judaism. It can also refer to the sin committed by a respectable
person, from whom others learn. When such a person sins it causes a greater
profanation of God’s name than when a regular person sins. The Meiri draws a
connection between the punishment and the crime. By taking a vain oath and
profaning God’s name, the person attempts to bring God’s holiness down a level. As
a punishment God brings him down to the level of an animal and wild animals come
and attack him.
Section two: Exile, which is the ultimate punishment, comes from a trio of the worst
crimes: idol worship, sexual crimes (incest and adultery) and murder. Generally, if a
person is told that he must sin or he will be killed, he is supposed to commit the sin.
The three exceptions are idol worship, sexual crimes and adultery. When people
willingly commit these sins, God will exile them from their land. According to
Jewish legend, it is for these three sins that the first Temple was destroyed.
During the seventh year Jews are not allowed to work their land. The punishment for
not observing this law is that the land itself will exile you from living on it. This is
another case of “measure for measure”; the punishment fits the crime.
Section three: This section expands on section four of the previous mishnah, where
we learned that “Pestilence comes to the world for …neglect of the law regarding the
fruits of the sabbatical year.” Fruits of the sabbatical year (which grow on their own
without the field having been worked) should be left in the field to be collected by the
poor. One who collects them is actually stealing from the poor. Our mishnah teaches
that pestilence can come as a result of other crimes committed involving food
intended for the poor, and that the punishment comes after immediately after the sin
has been committed. In the third and sixth years, the second tithe goes to the poor.
When people don’t give those tithes, there will be pestilence in the fourth and seventh
years. The punishment that comes at the end of the seventh year was already
mentioned above. The pestilence that comes after the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth)
is retribution for not leaving parts of the harvest for the poor. According to the Torah
the corners of the field, things that have fallen and things that have been forgotten
must be left for the poor. Since the main harvest time in Israel is in the fall, the
punishment for not leaving these things to the poor comes after Sukkoth.