A woman asked R. Chanina bar Papa to sin with her. He said something, which caused his body to be covered with boils. She healed him (through witchcraft).

R. Chanina hid in a bathhouse that was inhabited by very strong Mazikim (damaging spirits) that can harm even two people during the day. He was not harmed.

Rabanan (who did not know why he entered): What saved you?

R. Chanina: Two people who carry the Kaiser guarded me all night.

Chachamim: Perhaps you were tempted to sin (sexually) and overcame it?

(Beraisa): If one is tempted to sin (sexually) and overcomes it, a miracle is done for him.

A woman tempted R. Tzadok to sin.

R. Tzadok: I am too weak. Do you have anything to eat?

The woman: I have only meat of a Tamei animal.

R. Tzadok: That is what I deserve!

While she was heating the oven, R. Tzadok entered it. He explained that this is (a taste of) his future punishment (burning in Gehinom) for sinning. She left him alone.

Rav Kahana was selling women's baskets. A woman asked him to sin; he said that he needed time to adorn himself. He went to the roof and jumped off. Eliyahu caught him.

Eliyahu: You made me come a tremendous distance to save you!

Rav Kahana: My poverty forced me into this profession!

Eliyahu gave him much money, so he could quit his job.

Question (Rava - Mishnah): For the following Mitzvos, the principal reward is saved for the world to come, and one enjoys dividends of the Mitzvos in this world: honoring parents; bestowing Chesed; and making Shalom between people. Torah is equal to all of them together.

"In order that your days will be lengthened and it will be good for you" teaches about honoring parents;

"One who pursues Tzedakah and Chesed will find life, Tzedakah and honor" teaches about bestowing Chesed;

(R. Avahu): We learn from a Gezeirah Shavah "Redifah-Redifah" to "seek Shalom and pursue it" to teach about making Shalom between people;

"It is your life and the length of your days" teaches about Torah.

Question: Regarding sending the mother bird, it also says "in order that it will be good for you and your days will be lengthened". Why isn't this listed?

Answer #1: The Tana omitted some Mitzvos.

Objection: He said "these Mitzvos." Surely he did not omit any!

Answer #2 (Rava) Question: "A good Tzadik... will eat the Peros (dividends) of his deeds." Are there Tzadikim who are not good?!

Answer: Rather, a Tzadik who is good to Hash-m and people is a good Tzadik. A Tzadik who is good to Hash-m but bad to people is not a good Tzadik.

Question: Similarly, it says "woe to an evil Rasha, he will be paid like his actions." are not all Resha'im evil?!

Answer: Rather, one who is evil to Hash-m and to people is an evil Rasha. One who is evil to Hash-m but not to people is not an evil Rasha.

Merit has principal and dividends - "A good Tzadik (will eat the Peros...)" Sins have principal (for punishment) but not Peros - "woe to the Rasha..."

Question: It says "they will eat the Peros of their ways, and will be satiated from their (evil) counsel"!

Answer: For sins that have Peros (cause others to sin), the punishment has Peros.

One is rewarded for a good intention.

(Rav Asi): "Ul'Choshvei Shemo" - if one Choshav (intended) to do a Mitzvah, but was unable, the verse considers it as if he did it.

Hash-m does not punish for a bad intent - "if I saw sin in my heart, Hash-m will not hear".

Question: It says "I will bring to this nation evil, the Peros of their thoughts"!

Answer: If a bad intention is fulfilled, Hash-m punishes (additionally) for the intent.

Question: It says "In order to trap Bnei Yisrael in their hearts"!

Answer #1 (Rav Acha bar Yakov): That discusses idolatry.

Idolatry is severe. One who denies idolatry is like one who admits to the entire Torah.

Answer #2 (Ula): Hash-m punishes for intention to repeat a sin.

(Rav Huna): Once one sins and repeats the sin, it becomes permitted to him.

Objection: This cannot be!

Answer: Rather, he considers it to be permitted.

(R. Avahu): It is better to sin privately and not desecrate Hash-m's name in public - "go serve your idols; you do not heed Me, do not profane My Holy name."

(R. Ila'i ha'Zaken): If one feels his evil inclination overpowering him, he should go to a place where people don't recognize him, cover himself in black, and do like his heart desires. This way, he will not desecrate Hash-m's name. (Humbling himself can subdue the Yetzer. And even if it does not, people will not pay attention to his sin.)

Question (Beraisa): Anyone who is not concerned for the Creator's honor should not have come to the world.

(Rabah): This discusses one who gazes at a rainbow (it is a semblance of Kavod ha'Shechinah).

(Rav Yosef): This is one who sins in private.

Answer: Rav Yosef discusses one who could have overcome his inclination. R. Ila'i discusses one who was unable.

Question: A Mishnah says 'Hashem is not Makif regarding Chilul Hash-m, whether Shogeg or Mezid'. What does this mean?

Answer #1 (Mar Zutra): Hash-m does not extend credit (rather, He punishes right away).

Answer #2 (Mar Brei d'Ravna): If merits and sins are equal, this sin makes the sins prevail.

(Beraisa): One should view himself as if his merits and sins weigh equally;

If he does one Mitzvah, he is now mostly a Tzadik!

If he does one sin, he is mostly evil!

"One Chotei can ruin much good" - one can lose many good things due to one sin,

(R. Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon): The world is judged according to its majority, and individuals are judged according to their majority.

By doing one Mitzvah, one can make himself a Tzadik, and change the judgment of the world to merit! By doing one sin, one can make himself a Rasha, and make the world liable!

(R. Shimon): Even if one was a Tzadik his whole life, if he rebels at the end he loses all his merits - "the righteousness of the Tzadik will not save him on the day of his transgression".

Even if one was a Rasha his whole life, if he repents at the end his sins are not mentioned - "the Rasha will not stumble in his evil on the day he repents from it."

Question: If one sins at the end, he should be considered half-meritorious!

Answer (Reish Lakish): If one regrets his merits, he is not rewarded for them.

(Mishnah): If one who learns Mikra (written Torah) and Mishnah, and acts properly, he is not prone to sin - "a three-stranded rope is not quick to become untied";

If one does not learn Mikra or Mishnah or act properly, he is uncivilized.

(Gemara - Beraisa - R. Elazar ben Tzadok): Tzadikim in this world are compared to a tree standing in a Tahor place, and its foliage is in a Tamei place;

If the foliage is cut, then it is entirely in a Tahor place.

Similarly, Hash-m brings afflictions on Tzadikim in this world, in order that they will inherit the world to come - "your beginning will be small, and your end will be very exalted."

Resha'im in this world are like a tree standing in a Tamei place, and its foliage is in a Tahor place;

If the foliage is cut, then it is entirely in a Tamei place.

Similarly, Hash-m bestows good on Resha'im in this world, in order that they will descend to the lowest level - "there is a path, straight in the eyes of men, and its end are ways of death."

Question: Which is greater, Talmud Torah or doing Mitzvos?

Answer #1 (R. Tarfon): Doing Mitzvos is greater.

Answer #2 (R. Akiva): Learning Torah is greater.

(Rabanan): Learning is greater, for learning leads one to do the Mitzvos.

(Beraisa - Rebbi Yosi): Learning Torah is great, for it applied (from Matan Torah), 40 years before Chalah (when Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael), 54 years before Terumah and Ma'aser (after Bnei Yisrael conquered and apportioned Eretz Yisrael), 61 years before Shemitah, and 103 years before Yovel.

Question: It should be 104 years before Yovel (since the fiftieth year is Yovel)!

Answer: Rebbi Yosi holds that land returns at the beginning of the fiftieth year.

Just like Torah applied before other Mitzvos, also the judgment about Torah comes before judgment on other Mitzvos.

(Rav Hamnuna): "The beginning of his judgment is (for) releasing water" - one is judged first about (casting off the yoke of) Torah (which is compared to water).

Just like the judgment about Torah precedes that of other Mitzvos, also the reward for Torah - "He gave them lands... because they guard His statutes and Torah."

(Mishnah): Whoever does not learn Mikra or Mishnah...

(R. Yochanan): Such a person cannot be a witness.

(Beraisa): One who eats in the market is like a dog;

Some say, he cannot be a witness.

(Rav Idi bar Avin): The Halachah follows the latter opinion.

(Bar Kapara): An angry person gains nothing from his anger. It only harms him;

Hash-m gives a Tzadik a taste of the reward for his deeds;

If one does not learn Mikra or Mishnah and does not behave properly, one should vow not to benefit from him.

"In the gathering of scoffers he did not sit" - such a person is like a scoffer.