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Why does serving the community protect someone from sin? When a person dedicates their talents to communal benefit, they transcend individual identity and become a 'community person' whose destiny cannot be separated from the collective's. God therefore protects them from sin to maintain their unity with the community they serve.
Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing a puzzling Mishna from Pirkei Avos that states whoever benefits the community will be protected from sin, while those who cause communal sin will be denied Divine assistance in repentance. The Mishna brings proof from Moshe Rabbeinu, whose merits are linked to the community's merits, and Yerovam ben Nevat, whose sins are tied to communal sins. Rabbi Zweig questions the logical connection between benefiting the community and being protected from sin, noting that the Mishna's proof texts don't obviously support its claims. The key insight emerges: when someone dedicates their talents to communal benefit, they transcend their individual identity and become a "community person." They are no longer judged as individuals but as part of the collective. Using Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation, Rabbi Zweig explains that such a person cannot be separated from the community's destiny - if the community merits Gan Eden, they cannot be left behind in purgatory due to personal sins. Therefore, God protects them from sin to maintain their unity with the community.
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Pirkei Avos 5:18 (Kol hamezakeh et harabim)
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