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How can Avos 2:14 speak of divine reward while Antigonus taught serving God without expectation of reward? The shiur resolves this through the yesod that God, being perfect, created the world entirely for our benefit, not His. Mitzvos function like spiritual exercise - we receive immediate benefit from performance itself, plus ultimate reward when our spiritual development makes us capable of deeper relationship with God.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes Pirkei Avos 2:14-16, focusing on Rabbi Elazar ben Shamu'a's teaching about studying diligently, knowing how to answer heretics, and understanding that God will reward. He addresses the apparent contradiction between this awareness of reward and the earlier teaching of Antigonus ish Socho that we should serve God without expectation of reward. The Rabbi explains that God, being perfect and complete, created the world not for His benefit but entirely for ours. Since God is 'Ein Od Milvado' (there is nothing besides Him), He cannot create independent existence - everything must derive its existence from Him through relationship and free will choice. This philosophical foundation leads to a revolutionary understanding: when we perform mitzvos, we do nothing for God but everything for ourselves. The 613 commandments correspond to parts of our body and soul, serving as spiritual exercise for our own development and perfection. Just as a parent doesn't owe a child payment for exercising (since the child benefits), God owes us nothing for mitzvah (מצוה) performance since we are the beneficiaries. However, there are two types of reward: the immediate 's'char mitzvah' (the inherent benefit of the mitzvah itself) and the ultimate reward that comes when our spiritual health and appreciation of God makes us capable of deeper relationship with Him. Rabbi Zweig uses this framework to address the historical question of why Antigonus's students Tzadok and Baitos, troubled by the 'no reward' teaching, formed breakaway movements (Tzadukim and Baitosin) that rejected oral law. He explains that understanding mitzvos as being for our benefit naturally leads to enthusiastic performance, like the 'shekad' (almond) that blossoms first, representing the flowering that comes from engaged Torah (תורה) study done for one's own spiritual growth rather than external reward.
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Pirkei Avos 2:14-16
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Why does lashon hara cause tzaraas, and why are those with tzaraas considered 'dead while alive'? The shiur develops a psychological yesod: people speak lashon hara to avoid the hard work of actualizing their potential, instead taking a 'quick fix' by putting others down. This destroys their inner spark, creating spiritual death reflected in the dead skin of tzaraas.
