"Which is, etc. And be as careful, etc.": Because "the straight path that a person should choose for himself, etc." is an optional matter and it is good advice that it is teaching us, but he is not obligating a person with this. However, "and be as careful, etc." is obligating a person that he should be careful, etc. Therefore the beginning of the words of his mouth, "Which is the... path that a person should choose, etc." are in third person; and afterwards, "and be as careful" is in second person, in order to obligate him in this - Derekh Chaim.

"And be, etc.": Concerning the matter of carefulness - to be careful and quick with a light commandment as he is careful and quick with a weighty commandment - is what he is speaking about and warning, "for, etc." And it is not that he wants to say that when two commandments come to your hand, [and] one is light and one is weighty and you do not have the ability to do both of them together, that you should not let go of the light one and do the weighty one - as the mind would not tolerate that. But rather he is only speaking concerning the matter of carefulness and each one [is to be done] at its time - Derekh Chaim.

And this is the language of Rambam: The reward of positive commandments was not explained as to what each one is with God, may He blessed, etc. And leave that it is found, "so that your days will be multiplied, etc.;" "so that it will be good for you;" "so that your days will be lengthened." But in Derekh Chaim, he explained that it is with regards to the exertion and the care and the expense that he said that you don't know; as 'according to the toil is the reward, etc.' And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"the reward given": 'There is reward for your action' from God, may He be blessed, etc. And it is like one who works for the king and has the reward for his work allotted. And because it is pleasing to the king - or from another angle - the king will give him much more reward than that which is allotted as the reward for his work. And reward like this is not fitting to just be called reward. But this is its name - it is called, "reward given" - as with it comes a great gift. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"weigh, etc.": As even though how much the reward will be is not known, we know that 'there is no reward for a commandment in this world' and that the true reward is in the world to come; and there is no comparison to it from the physical good that he will lose. (And see what I have written above, Chapter 1, Mishnah 3.) And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"Know:" As this 'keeping your eye' is not a physical vision, but rather with the vision of the mind. Therefore, he repeated and said, "know."

"above": Since if a weak one was above and a strong one below, the fear of the weak one would be on the strong one. All the more so, if the strong one were above. And mimekha (literally from you) means not far but right above from you. As the matter that is stated, "I have placed the Lord in front of me."

"An Eye, etc.": Corresponding to actions, he said "An Eye that sees," and corresponding to speech, he said, "an Ear that hears." And it would have been enough to prevent transgressions if he were to know that his actions are written in a book. But he would not know and understand this without first knowing that there is a Seer and a Listener. And in Derekh Chaim [its author] wrote, "He said Eye and Ear in the singular, because He is not a person that has eyes of flesh and blood, God forbid."

"The study of the Torah": In Derekh Chaim, he explained that it is because a worldly occupation is earlier in time than Torah study - it is for that reason that Torah study is made secondary to a worldly occupation by the word "with." And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

[Rabbi Bartenura] means to say, do not concern yourselves that the community not be able to carry this heavy burden, etc., and even if it is much money. And so long as this matter that they are forcing them, etc. is for the sake of Heaven and not for any other interest in the world. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"I": This [type of expression] is found in the language of the sages, as in "And I and Akiva ben Yosef are guarantors in the matter." And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"great reward": Since you are involved with the needs of the community, which are many. And since they are many, you have much reward, as if you had [taken care] of many - Derekh Chaim.

Since Shamaya was not speaking about [things] like this. As this is a great commandment to become acquainted with them in order to supervise communal matters and Mordechai and our holy rabbi (Rabbi) prove [it] - Midrash Shmuel.

"nullify, etc.": It appears to me that "Make His will," he said regrading positive commandments; and therefore, he said, "nullify your will," corresponding to negative commandments.

And there is an objection: that were it so [as Rabbi Bartenura explains], one could say, "Not from your sting, etc." And Rashi ends, "And he will never see a sign of blessing." And one can also say that he will not see, [meaning] and he will die before his time or he will be exiled from his place.

And, if so, that is [the same thing] as [the teaching] of Avtalyon in the first chapter, Mishnah 11, and so, why would I need more? But Rambam does not explain it [this way], but rather that simple words should not be very distant and confound speech. As [Rambam] says [that] your words should not require a far-fetched explanation.

As the beginning of the verse is, "In your mind do not curse a king, and in the chamber of your sleeping do not curse a wealthy man."

"'When I will be available, etc.'": It is [in the format of] 'not only this, but also that:' even if it is not to listen from someone else, but rather just to study by yourself; do not say, "When I will be available, etc."

"All": He said "all" because it is possible, and it has already been found that [some people who] engaged in much business became wise; as it happened with Rabbi Elazar ben Charsum or Ilfa and those like them - Midrash Shmuel. And it said, mechakim (literally, make wise), which is a transitive verb, because in free moments, he will teach others but he will not make them wise.

"who engage in a lot of business": It specifically said, "who engage in a lot." As without buying and selling to sustain his body [financially], his Torah will also not exist, as we say later on, "If there is no flour, there is no Torah." And we also say above, "Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation."

"strive (hishtadel)": This [word refers to] a matter of training and thought about the thing. And the [Aramaic] translation of, "and a man struggled with him" is veishtadel gavra imei - Rambam.

"Since, etc.": He did not say it as a matter of fact, that it is [this way] and that this is how it will be - as behold, it is possible that this [one] that drowned did not drown [others], and so [too] that the drowner will not be drowned. But rather between him and himself did he say it as an assumption, as it is so according to the intellect. And since its contradiction is famous, he accustomed his mouth to make the masses hear, "The more flesh, etc.;" to say, "so [too] all of the [occurrences] that happen in the world follow in [proper] order - and 'in the measure that a man measures, etc.' And from those which are revealed, you can judge about the concealed ones; that they also occur with justice and straightness, only that we do not have the power to understand them and to master their content." And from this he proved his previous statement, "A boor cannot, etc." To make us understand that even the many that killed an individual, all of them will be killed; And he said, "they will be drowned" in plural to make us understand that even the many that killed an individual, all of them will be killed.

Since behold, from his own choice did he do this and not to accomplish His task, may He be blessed. And, 'there are many messengers to the Omnipresent' [who will effect] that this one will be killed. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

It is not that they established feeling for the dead in this and made from something that is not something that is; as there is no pain to the dead from a needle, and this is proven [from the] embalmers. But [rather] they said it with regards to the soul, which is very pained in its seeing the disgrace of the body. And so [too] is it in Kolbo. And see Tosafot Yom Tov, who discussed this at length.

"has acquired for himself (leatsmo)": For his benefit in this world - Midrash Shmuel. And it appears to me to explain that its matter is that he acquired his essence (atsmuto), and it means to say that when he has a good name, behold, he becomes actualized and he is something; as anything that does not have a good name, behold, it is as if it were not [in existence]. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

Received, etc.: In Hillel's line it was not necessary to mention that they received it from him. And now it mentions [it] with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai as he was not from his grandchildren. And also because he had many students, and disagreements grew among them and after them, it mentions [it to say] that even though they disagreed in certain laws, nonetheless, they received [and agreed] upon the main part of the Torah.

"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.

five students, etc.: It only counted the great ones to whom the tradition was passed on. However, he had many other students [as well] - Midrash Shmuel.

Eliezer: Since they were his students, he would call them by their names [and not by their titles] - Rashi.

As a pit of plaster (sid) means to say a pit [holding] plaster, and what praise is there in this? Rather it is pit that is properly plastered and holds the water, such that earth does not absorb it [through its cracks]. And its complete form is siyud and its lacking of a [letter] yod comes by way of a 'resting middle letter of a root' - Midrash Shmuel.

"that does not lose a drop": meaning to say that it is in this matter that he is similar to a plastered pit and not in all of its aspects. As there are also inferior [matters connected with such a] pit, since its waters are not sweet like a spring of living waters, etc. And therefore it needed to explain, "that does not lose a drop" - Midrash Shmuel.

"And see": As we say [more] generally, "He went out, he was exact and he found." And the intention of all this is the going out of the intellect and its exertion to examine with deliberation and to understand well. And this is the expression [here], "see," as in, "and my heart saw much wisdom."

"should cling, etc.": Its explanation is that certainly one should cling to all of the good and straight [character traits], but rather he meant to say in one trait should [a person be] always complete. As it is better for a person to grab on to one trait completely always - and it makes it easier for him to achieve all of the important good traits - than for him to have a few character traits and not to be complete in any of them - the teacher, Rabbenu Yonah. And the lips should kiss [this] - Midrash Shmuel. And it works well with this that the words of Rabbi in the beginning of this chapter refer to all of the traits, [and discusses] what is the path that a person should choose, such that he can enact [it] in the doing of each and every [character trait]. That is why he did not say, "cling."

And one must say that that which [Rabbi Bartenura] said above, "and from this, he calculated, etc." is not the main understanding of "seeing the consequences;" but rather, that from it also extends that "he calculates, etc." But the main intention of "seeing the consequences" is that which he explains [first], "One who looks out and sees what will be in the future" - and this is in all of his matters and dealings, etc. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"The Omnipresent (literally, the Place)": He is the Place of the world. And so [too], it states, "and below are the Forearms of the world." But the world does not encompass Him, as it is stated, "the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You" - Rashi.

As it states, "He is righteous and straight." And so [too], "And You are righteous about all that befalls us" - Rambam.

"As your own": And he is not arguing with that which we learn later in Chapter 4, Mishnah 12, "the honor of your friend like the fear of your teacher." Since over there, it is [dealing with] friends (colleagues) in Torah [study] - Derekh Chaim.

And this is the language of Rambam: When you associate with sages and with people of lofty virtue, do not be playful with them and do not be arrogant towards them, but [rather] let your association show them that you will approach at the time that they will bring you close. And do not go on to come closer than that which they bring you close; so that you not lose their intention towards you and turn their love into hate, and the virtue from them that you hope for will not reach you. And he compared this to one who warms up with a fire; that if he sits far from it, he will enjoy its heat, but if he goes on approaching [it], he will get burned.

"for their bite, etc.": Which is to say that sometimes they hurt with a full act, and this is like a bite, etc. And sometimes when they hurt it is without a full act, and that is only like a sting, etc. And sometimes they only hurt with speech and he said that this is like the hiss of a Seraph. It also appears to me that these expressions are nicknames for [various types of] rabbinic excommunications, as we have found nicknames [for such things] in the gemara.

As the verse before it ends, "like a deaf python closes its ear."

And you know this from the matter of Gechazi, who protested in front of his teacher, Elisha, [and] fell into a disgusting sickness, as is explained in the words of the sages about the matter of the four leprous men. And so [too] with others; and with all of them, the damage that they received is explained - Rambam

"like burning coals": even the lightest of the light [among them], as he [would be] breaching the words of the sages. For example, seclusion with a single [woman]: As an undifferentiated woman is [considered to be] a menstruant, as it is stated, "she will be in her menstruation" - until she goes in the waters. And the sages made a decree [about a single woman] even if she immerses, as behold they decreed about seclusion with a single [woman], making no difference whether she is pure or whether she is impure - Rashi.

And [Rabbi Yehoshua] said that it removes a person from the world, and it is not necessary to say that he should distance itself from it. And therefore Rabbi Yehoshua said above that the path that a person should distance himself from is a bad friend, [as] that is a greater novelty - Midrash Shmuel.

"The evil impulse": The enormity of desire - Rambam.

And this is [Rambam's] language: [This is] badness of the spirit and it is a sickness of the black bile, which brings a person to despise the vision of his eyes and he hates it. And he prefers the company of animals, and [so] he isolates himself in wildernesses and in forests and chooses for himself an uninhabited place. And with them, this is not from the angle of asceticism, but rather because of the badness of their desire and envy of others. These [characteristics] will kill a person, without a doubt, as his body will get sick and he will die before his time.

There are some that explain that all curse him and their curse falls upon him, and [so] he leaves the world; as the sages, may their memory be blessed, say, "Do not let the curse of a commoner be light in your eyes, etc." - Midrash Shmuel.

As such did the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expound on the verse, "will not move from your mouth and from the mouth of your seed and from the mouth of the seed of your seed, etc." And Rabbi Yosi comes to let us understand that these words apply when he prepares himself for it, [then] they will be established in him more than in another. But if not, [then] not.

"In the reciting of Shema and with prayer": Because they are the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and service to Him, may He be blessed, therefore he warned about them more. And in Midrash Shmuel, he wrote that Rabbenu Yonah had the textual variant, "in the reciting of the Shema more than with prayer." And he explained that the reason is that the time of [morning] prayers is long - up until four hours; and the time of reciting the Shema is short - according to the stringent, with the rising of the sun [only]. And that is the [reason] for the expression, "be careful;" as this requires great care.

"Diligent, etc.": [Its] explanation is, "Be diligent" and toil in the study of Torah, so that you will know what to respond, etc. And according to this, we do not have the textual variant, "Know." But in other books, they have the variant, "Know." And [its] explanation is, you must know it with complete knowledge and your response to him should not be convincing [only] to you or rote, since in such a way you will not defeat him. And he said, "to respond," [in order to] inform that you should not go to him, to challenge him; but rather, if they came to you and challenge you, "know what to respond." (However, you should not initiate, to sic the dog upon yourself.) - Midrash Shmuel.

And this is the language of Rambam: Even though you study the opinions of those who denigrate the Torah to know how you should respond to them, be careful that nothing from these opinions enter into your heart. And know that the One before Whom you work knows that which is hidden in your heart." And that is [why] he said, "Know before Whom you labor;" [by which] he meant to say that he direct his heart to faith in God, may He be blessed. To here [are his words]. And, if so, "before Whom" refers to God, may He be blessed.

"reliable, etc.": He is not disagreeing with the statement, "Do not be like servants, etc." and [it is] as I wrote there. And I found a checked text of the Land of Israel that had the textual variant, "and who is the Master of your work;" and then nothing more.

"Much": Since he said earlier, "and the reward is great," a person could be led from this to say, "Behold, I will receive much reward when I learn for an hour, and then I will sit idle from Torah [study], as I will already have much reward to receive." Therefore he said, "If you have learned much Torah, etc." [meaning] that if [you do not learn much, then] not. As behold - [it is] just the opposite - you [would receive] the punishment for neglecting Torah [study] - Midrash Shmuel. And they only said that the one who does much and the one who does little [are equal] when we also evaluate the [relative wealth] of the donors. This is when the wealthy man gives much and the poor pan gives little, but not when he has the ability to do much and he does little. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"the wage, etc.": And it should not enter your mind that when you receive the gift that is hinted to by "gift" and by "much," that it will be deducted from your wage - Midrash Shmuel.

"And know, etc.": Which means to say, my intention is not that you should serve in order to receive a reward - rather, my intention is this: that you should know it intellectually, and as above. And some have the textual variant, "shematan (that the giving of the reward") with a [letter,] shin. And according to that, one can say that it is coming to say that even the reward which is the gift, 'it is not in this world.' And therefore, do not wonder when you see that the righteous are going from one misfortune to another. So is it written in Midrash Shmuel.