Avos 5:18-19

Avos 5:18

If someone leads the masses to merits, sin will not be brought through his hand, but if someone leads the masses to sin, he will not be given the opportunity to repent. Moshe was meritorious and led the masses to merits with the result that the merits of the masses are credited to him as per Deuteronomy 33:21, “He carried out the righteousness of Hashem and His ordinances with Israel.” Jeroboam sinned and led the masses to sin with the result that the sins of the masses are blamed on him as per I Kings 15:30, “For the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and by which he caused Israel to sin.”

Avos 5:19

One who possesses the following three traits is considered a disciple of our forefather Avraham but one who possesses three other traits is considered a disciple of the evil Balaam. The characteristics of our forefather Avraham are a generous eye, a humble spirit and a lowly soul; the characteristics of the evil Balaam are a begrudging eye, an arrogant spirit and a proud soul. The difference between the disciples of Avraham and those of Balaam is that the disciples of Avraham enjoy the fruits of their labors in this world and receive their reward in the Next World as per Proverbs 8:21, “I will cause those who love Me to inherit substance, that I might fill their treasuries” but the disciples of Balaam inherit Gehinnom and descend to the pit of destruction as per Psalms 55:24, “You, Hashem, will bring them down into the nethermost pit. Men of blood and deceit will not live out half their days. As for me, I will trust in You.”