## Tzava'at HaRivash Chapter 122

###### Tzava'at HaRivash 122:1
[Tzava'at HaRivash 122:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/122:1)

**"רבי אומר איזה דרך ישרה שיבור לו אדם".** פירוש איזה דרך ישרה מאיזה מדות ימנע עצמו ממנו. שיבור לשון ריקות ע"ז אמר כל שהוא תפארת לעושיה ר"ל שעושה המצוה בסתר ואין אדם יודע ממנה. אבל אם סובר הוא במחשבתו שעובד ד' ואצלו הוא התפארות. וכ"ש שתפארת לו מן האדם ר"ל שהעושה המצוה לקבל תפארת מן האדם שיאמרו עליו זה הוא ירא אלקים. מכ"ז ימנע א"ע.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
It states in the Mishnah,¹⁹⁸ “Rebbi said: which is the straight path that a person should choose for himself? That which is honorable to himself and brings him honor from others. Be careful with a light *mitzvah* as with a major one, for you do not know the reward of the *mitzvot*.” The explanation is as follows: “Which is the straight path that a person should choose-*שיבור*” may be interpreted as, “Which is the straight path that a person should avoid,” for the term *SheYavor*-*שיבור* also means, “empty,” as in the verse,¹⁹⁹ “And the pit-*בור*was empty,” which is to be avoided. It then continues and answers, “That which honorable to himself.” That is, he does the *mitzvah* in a hidden manner so that others should not know about it, but in his heart, he thinks to himself that he is an exemplary servant of *HaShem*, and is proud of it. This is certainly so regarding a person who does *mitzvot* openly, “to bring honor from others.” This refers to a person who fulfills *the mitzvot* openly to receive honor from others, that is, so that others should consider him to be God fearing. Both these characteristics must be avoided.

footnotes:
¹⁹⁸ Mishnah Avot 2:1
¹⁹⁹ Genesis 37:24


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 122:2
[Tzava'at HaRivash 122:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/122:2)

ואם תעשה זה אזי הוי זהיר וכו' שאז אין אתה יודע מתן שכרן של מצות אלא תעשה שיהי' נ"ר לבורא ית' בלי שום תשלום גמול מלקבל התפארות. שאם תרצה לקבל התפארות תדקדק במצוה אם הוא קלה. שאם הוא חמורה תקבל התפארות ואם הוא קלה לא תעשה אותה:

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
If you follow this advice, you will, “be as careful with a light commandment as with a major one.” For, “You do not know the reward of the *mitzvot*,” meaning that you will not take the reward of the *mitzvot* into consideration, but do them solely to give satisfaction to your Creator, *HaShem,* blessed is He. However, if you are looking for honor, you will examine whether it is a light *mitzvah*or not and you will do a major one, because you think it will give you more honor.