## Kiddushin Daf 39b

###### Kiddushin 39b:1
[Kiddushin 39b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:1)

אַרְבַּע עַל אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעֲרוּגָה וְאַחַת בָּאֶמְצַע – שַׁפִּיר. אֶלָּא הָכָא, מִשּׁוּם נוֹי. וְאִי נָמֵי מִשּׁוּם טִרְחָא דְּשַׁמָּעָא הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
and he was careful to plant **four** different species **along the four sides of the garden bed and one in the middle,** so that there would be space between them, it works out **well.** This would show that Rav was cautious not to plant diverse kinds together. **But here,** where Rav actually planted each species in its own bed, he did so **due to beautification,** i.e., to improve the appearance of the garden in front of the study hall. **Alternatively,** the reason Rav planted this way **is due to the trouble** that would be caused to **the attendant.** When his attendant would be sent to fetch a certain type of vegetable from the garden he would not need to search for it, but would know where the different vegetables were planted. Therefore, this does not prove that Rav was concerned about diverse kinds outside of Eretz Yisrael.


###### Kiddushin 39b:2
[Kiddushin 39b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:2)

**מַתְנִי׳** כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת – מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וּמַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו, וְנוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְכֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת – אֵין מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וְאֵין מַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Anyone who performs one mitzva has goodness bestowed upon him, his life is lengthened, and he inherits the land,** i.e., life in the World-to-Come. **And anyone who does not perform one mitzva does not have goodness bestowed upon him, his life is not lengthened, and he does not inherit the land** of the World-to-Come.


###### Kiddushin 39b:3
[Kiddushin 39b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:3)

**גְּמָ׳** וּרְמִינְהִי: אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּירוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֵלּוּ הֵן: כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כּוּלָּם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a mishna (*Pe’a* 1:1): **These** are the **matters that a person** engages in and **enjoys their profits in this world, and the principal** reward **remains for him for the World-to-Come,** and **they are: Honoring one’s father and mother, acts of loving kindness, hospitality** toward **guests, and bringing peace between one person and another; and Torah study is equal to all of them.** This indicates that one is rewarded in this world only for fulfilling these mitzvot, but not for fulfilling all mitzvot.


###### Kiddushin 39b:4
[Kiddushin 39b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:4)

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: הָכִי קָאָמַר: כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת יְתֵירָה עַל זְכִיּוֹתָיו מְטִיבִים לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁמְּקַיֵּים כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ. מִכְּלָל דְּהָנָךְ אֲפִילּוּ בַּחֲדָא נָמֵי? אָמַר רַב שְׁמַעְיָה: לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה שְׁקוּלָה – מַכְרַעַת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yehuda said** that **this is what** the mishna **is saying: Anyone who performs one mitzva in addition to his** other **merits,** and thereby tips the scale of all his deeds to the side of righteousness, **has goodness bestowed upon him and is compared to one who fulfills the entire Torah.** The Gemara asks: One can learn **by inference** from here **that** with regard to **those** mitzvot listed in the mishna in *Pe’a* one is rewarded **even for one** of them, notwithstanding the fact that overall his sins are more numerous. **Rav Shemaya said:** The other mishna serves **to say that if** one’s sins and merits **were** of **equal** balance, i.e., he has accrued an equal amount of merit and sin, one of these mitzvot **tilts** the scale in his favor.


###### Kiddushin 39b:5
[Kiddushin 39b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:5)

וְכׇל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת יְתֵירָה עַל זְכִיּוֹתָיו מְטִיבִין לוֹ? וּרְמִינְהוּ: כֹּל שֶׁזְּכִיּוֹתָיו מְרוּבִּין מֵעֲוֹנוֹתָיו – מְרִיעִין לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁשָּׂרַף כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ וְלֹא שִׁיֵּיר מִמֶּנָּה אֲפִילּוּ אוֹת אַחַת. וְכֹל שֶׁעֲוֹנוֹתָיו מְרוּבִּין מִזְּכִיּוֹתָיו – מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁקִּיֵּים כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ וְלֹא חִיסֵּר אוֹת אַחַת מִמֶּנָּה!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara further asks: **And** does **anyone who performs one mitzva in addition to his** other **merits have goodness bestowed upon him** in this world? The Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a *baraita*: **Anyone whose merits are greater than his sins is punished with suffering** in order to cleanse his sins in this world and enable him to merit full reward for his mitzvot in the World-to-Come. **And** due to this punishment **he appears** to observers **like one who burned the entire Torah without leaving even one letter remaining of it.** Conversely, **anyone whose sins are greater than his merits has goodness bestowed upon him** in this world, **and he appears like one who has fulfilled the entire Torah without lacking** the fulfillment of **even one letter of it.**


###### Kiddushin 39b:6
[Kiddushin 39b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:6)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: מַתְנִיתִין דְּעָבְדִין לֵיהּ יוֹם טָב וָיוֹם בִּישׁ. רָבָא אָמַר: הָא מַנִּי – רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב הִיא, דְּאָמַר: שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said:** When **the mishna** said that he is rewarded, it means **that he has one good day and one bad day.** He is rewarded for the mitzvot he performs; nevertheless, occasionally he also has bad days which cleanse him of his sins, and the *baraita* is referring to those days. **Rava said** that the mishna and this *baraita* represent two different opinions. In accordance with **whose** opinion **is this** *baraita*? **It is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Ya’akov, who says: There is no reward** for performance of **a mitzva in this world,** as one is rewarded for mitzvot only World-to-Come.


###### Kiddushin 39b:7
[Kiddushin 39b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:7)

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: אֵין לָךְ כׇּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁכְּתוּבָה בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ בְּצִדָּהּ שֶׁאֵין תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ. בְּכִיבּוּד אָב וָאֵם כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״, בְּשִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Ya’akov says: There is not a single mitzva written in the Torah whose reward** is stated **alongside it, which is not dependent on the resurrection of the dead,** i.e., the reward is actually bestowed in the World-to-Come, after the resurrection of the dead. How so? **With regard to honoring one’s father and mother it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you”** (Deuteronomy 5:16). **With regard to** the **dispatch** of the mother bird from **the nest it is written: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days”** (Deuteronomy 22:7).


###### Kiddushin 39b:8
[Kiddushin 39b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:8)

הֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו: עֲלֵה לַבִּירָה וְהָבֵא לִי גּוֹזָלוֹת, וְעָלָה לַבִּירָה וְשִׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְנָטַל אֶת הַבָּנִים וּבַחֲזִירָתוֹ נָפַל וָמֵת – הֵיכָן טוֹבַת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה, וְהֵיכָן אֲרִיכוּת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה? אֶלָּא: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב, ״וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Despite this, it occurred that **there was** one **whose father said to him: Climb to** the top of **the building and fetch me chicks. And he climbed to** the top of **the building and dispatched the mother** bird **and took the young,** thereby simultaneously fulfilling the mitzva to dispatch the mother bird from the nest and the mitzva to honor one’s parents, **but upon his return he fell and died. Where is the goodness of the days of this one, and where is the length of days of this one? Rather,** the verse **“that it may be well with you”** means **in the world where all is well, and “that your days may be long”** is referring **to the world that is entirely long.**


###### Kiddushin 39b:9
[Kiddushin 39b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:9)

וְדִלְמָא לָאו הָכִי הֲוָה? רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא. וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה? מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצָרְפָהּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But perhaps this** incident **never occurred?** It is possible that everyone who performs these mitzvot is rewarded in this world, and the situation described by Rabbi Ya’akov never happened. The Gemara answers: **Rabbi Ya’akov** himself **saw an incident** of this kind. The Gemara asks: **But perhaps** that man **was contemplating sin** at the time, and he was punished for his thoughts? The Gemara answers that there is a principle that **the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not link a bad thought to an action,** i.e., one is not punished for thoughts alone.


###### Kiddushin 39b:10
[Kiddushin 39b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:10)

וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲוָה, וּכְתִיב: ״לְמַעַן תְּפֹשׂ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִבָּם״?! אִיהוּ נָמֵי הָכִי קָאָמַר: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אַמַּאי לָא אַגִּין מִצְוֹת עֲלֵיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לֵיתֵי לִידֵי הִרְהוּר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But perhaps he was contemplating idol worship** at the time, **and it is written** with regard to idol worship: **“So I may take the house of Israel in their own heart”** (Ezekiel 14:5), which indicates that one is punished for idolatrous thoughts. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ya’akov **was saying this as well: If it enters your mind** that there is **reward for** performing **a mitzva in this world, why didn’t** these **mitzvot protect him so that he should not come to contemplate** idol worship? Since that man was not protected from thoughts of idol worship at the time, this indicates that the performance of mitzvot does not entitle one to merit reward in this world.


###### Kiddushin 39b:11
[Kiddushin 39b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:11)

וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵין נִזּוֹקִין! הָתָם בַּהֲלִיכָתָן שָׁאנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say** that **those on the path to perform a mitzva are not** susceptible to **harm?** How is it possible that this individual, who was sent by his father to perform a mitzva, could have died? The Gemara answers: **There,** Rabbi Elazar is referring those **on their way** to perform a mitzva, which **is different,** as one is not susceptible to harm when he is on his way to fulfill a mitzva. In this case the individual was harmed on his return, and one is not afforded protection after having performed a mitzva.


###### Kiddushin 39b:12
[Kiddushin 39b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:12)

וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִין לֹא בַּהֲלִיכָתָן וְלֹא בַּחֲזִירָתָן! סוּלָּם רָעוּעַ הֲוָה, דִּקְבִיעַ הֶיזֵּיקָא, וְכׇל הֵיכָא דִּקְבִיעַ הֶיזֵּיקָא לָא סָמְכִינַן אַנִּיסָּא. דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say** that **those on the path to perform a mitzva are not** susceptible to **harm, neither** when they are **on their way** to perform the mitzva **nor when they are returning** from performing the mitzva? The Gemara answers: In that case it **was a rickety ladder,** and therefore **the danger was established; and anywhere that the danger is established one may not rely on a miracle, as it is written** with regard to God’s command to Samuel to anoint David as king in place of Saul: **“And Samuel said: How will I go, and Saul will hear and kill me;** and God said: Take in your hand a calf and say: I have come to sacrifice an offering to God” (I Samuel 16:2). Although God Himself issued the command, there was concern with regard to the established dangers.


###### Kiddushin 39b:13
[Kiddushin 39b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:13)

אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אִילְמָלֵי דַּרְשֵׁיהּ אַחֵר לְהַאי קְרָא כְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר בְּרַתֵּיה – לָא חֲטָא. וְאַחֵר מַאי הוּא? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא חֲזָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef said: Had Aḥer,** literally Other, the appellation of the former Sage Elisha ben Avuya, **interpreted this** aforementioned **verse:** “That it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16), **homiletically,** as referring to the World-to-Come, **as** did **Rabbi Ya’akov, son of his daughter,** he would **not have sinned.** The Gemara asks: **And what** caused **Aḥer** to sin? **There are** those **who say he saw a case like this,** where a son went up to the roof on his father’s command, dispatched the mother bird, and then died. It was witnessing this episode that led Elisha ben Avuya astray.


###### Kiddushin 39b:14
[Kiddushin 39b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:14)

וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: לִישָּׁנָא דְּחוּצְפִּית הַמְתוּרְגְּמָן חֲזָא דַּהֲוָה גָּרַיר לֵיהּ דָּבָר אַחֵר. אֲמַר: פֶּה שֶׁהֵפִיק מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת יְלַחֵךְ עָפָר?! נְפַק חֲטָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And there are** those **who say** that **he saw the tongue of Ḥutzpit the disseminator** after the latter was executed by the government, thrown in the street, and **dragged** along **by something else,** a euphemism for a pig. **He said: Shall a mouth that produced pearls lap** up **dirt?** For this reason **he went out** and **sinned.**


###### Kiddushin 39b:15
[Kiddushin 39b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:15)

רָמֵי רַב טוֹבִי בַּר רַב קִיסְנָא לְרָבָא: תְּנַן כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת מְטִיבִין לוֹ: עָשָׂה – אִין, לֹא עָשָׂה – לָא. וּרְמִינְהִי: יָשַׁב וְלֹא עָבַר עֲבֵירָה – נוֹתְנִים לוֹ שָׂכָר כְּעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָתָם, כְּגוֹן שֶׁבָּא דְּבַר עֲבֵירָה לְיָדוֹ וְנִיצּוֹל הֵימֶנָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Tuvi bar Rav Kisna raises a contradiction to Rava** and asked: **We learned** in the mishna that **anyone who performs one mitzva has goodness bestowed upon him.** This indicates that if one actually **performed** the **mitzva, yes,** he is rewarded, but if he **did not perform** the mitzva, **no,** he does not receive a reward. He **raises a contradiction** based on the following statement: If **one sits and does not transgress, he receives a reward as one who performs a mitzva,** despite the fact that he does not actually perform a mitzva. Rava **said to him: There,** when it is referring to one who sits and does not transgress, it does not mean that he was merely sitting; rather, it is speaking of a case **where** an opportunity to commit **a sinful act presents itself** to him **and he is saved from it.**


###### Kiddushin 39b:16
[Kiddushin 39b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/39b:16)

כִּי הָא דְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פַּפֵּי תְּבַעְתֵּיהּ הָהִיא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא. אֲמַר מִלְּתָא וּמַלִּי נַפְשֵׁיהּ שִׁיחְנָא וְכִיבָא, עֲבַדָה הִיא מִילְּתָא וְאִיתַּסִּי. עֲרַק, טְשָׁא בְּהָהוּא בֵּי בָנֵי דְּכִי הֲווֹ עָיְילִין בִּתְרֵין אֲפִילּוּ בִּימָמָא הֲווֹ מִיתַּזְּקִי. לִמְחַר אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן: מַאן נַטְרָךְ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: שְׁנֵי

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This is **like** an incident involving **Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappi, who was enticed by a certain noblewoman [*matronita*]** to engage in sexual intercourse with her. **He said a formula** of an incantation **and was covered with boils and scabs** so as to render himself unattractive to her. **She performed an act** of magic **and he was healed. He fled and hid in a bathhouse** that was so dangerous, due to the demons that frequented the place, **that when two people entered** together **even during the day they would be harmed. The next day the Sages said to him: Who protected you** in that dangerous place? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappi **said to them:** There were angels who appeared like **two**