An Outline of the Rebbe's Explanation of Pirkei Avos Chapter V
Chapter V
פרק ה', משנה ב': עשרה דורות מאדם ועד נח. להודיע כמה ארך אפים לפניו, שכל הדורות היו מכעיסין ובאין, עד שהביא עליהם את מי המבול, עשרה דורות מנח ועד אברהם. להודיע כמה ארך אפים לפניו, שכל הדורות היו מכעיסין ובאין, עד שבא אברהם וקיבל שכר כולם.
Chapter 5, Mishnah 2: There were ten generations from Adam to Noach. This is to teach us the extent of G-d's tolerance, for all these generations angered Him until He brought upon them the waters of the Flood. There were ten generations from Noach to Avrohom. This is to teach us the extent of G-d's tolerance, for all these generations angered Him until Avrohom came and reaped the reward for them all.
The Simple Explanation
The Mishnah tells us of two groups, each spanning ten generations. First, it tells us of the ten generations beginning with Adam; this was the very first generation in history. The tenth generation was that of Noach. The reason for telling us of these generations is to demonstrate how great Hashem's patience is. Even though each of these generations angered G-d, He allowed ten such generations to pass until acting. Only after many hundreds of years Hashem brought upon them the waters of the Flood.
This teaches us a valuable lesson. Throughout history, G-d has allowed many nations to thrive. This is so although they mistreated His children, the Jews. From this Mishnah, we understand it is due to His great tolerance.
The second group was the ten generations from Noach until Avrohom. Regarding those generations, we say that Avrohom reaped the reward for all of them. Avrohom single-handedly performed all the goodness and kindness demanded of the nine generations preceding him. Hence, he received all the rewards they would have been entitled to had they behaved by Hashem's wishes. This is in keeping with the teaching of the Talmud that "each person is born with two portions; one in Gan Eden and the other in Gehinnom – Purgatory. If one merit, he receives his portion and that of his fellow in Gan Eden. Otherwise, he receives his portion and that of his friend in Gehinnom."
Difficulties in Understanding the Mishnah
The Mishnah tells us, "Avrohom came and received the reward of them all." The obvious question is, what reward? The Mishnah says that all the previous nine generations angered Him. The simple explanation which was cited above does not explain this fully. Avrohom did not receive their reward. He received his award for all the Mitzvos and acts of goodness and kindness he performed.
This may be why at the beginning of the Mishnah, it does not say that "Noach came and received the reward of them all." All of those first nine generations (until Noach) angered Hashem; therefore, there was no reward for him to receive. Why was there a reward from the earlier nine generations waiting for Avrohom?
The Explanation
We first need to understand the difference between the generation of the Flood and the generation of the dispersal.
The generation of the Flood was primarily guilty of inter-personal sins. There was a great deal of robbery and strife between them. Contrast that to the age of dispersal. Their sins, for the most part, were directed against Hashem. The population "stretched out their hands against Hashem, to wage war against Him."
This is the difference between the two groups listed in the Mishnah. Teshuvah, usually translated as repentance, can atone for all sins. However, this only refers to sins between man and G-d. If one hurts or causes damage to his fellow, Teshuvah alone cannot atone until he makes restitution and his fellow forgives him. Even Yom Kippur cannot atone for inter-personal sins. These were the sins of the ten generations from Adam until Noach. They had no atonement. Therefore, they also had no reward for Noach to reap.
The generations from Noach until Avrohom angered G-d. Nevertheless, they deserved a reward since they "behaved with love and friendship between themselves." However, because they rebelled against Hashem, they could not receive their reward. Their reward for extending kindness to each other was, as so to speak, stuck. Due to their rebellion, it could not physically reach them … "until Avrohom came and reaped the reward of all of them."
Avrohom was continually working at reaching out to those around him. He dedicated himself to drawing people close to the Shechinah – G-dly Presence. Due to his Divine service, he was able to rectify and refine the impurity of the nine generations which preceded him. Therefore, he was entitled to all the rewards hanging in abeyance for the preceding nine generations. He was not merely entitled to their reward; it was natural for their reward to manifest itself in Avrohom because of his service.
A Practical Lesson
The Talmud teaches us that "even Jews who are sinners are filled with Mitzvos as a pomegranate is filled with seeds." Each of us is different and therefore focuses on a different type of Mitzvah. Some focus on Torah study, Mitzvos between an individual and Hashem, and others focus on Mitzvos that govern our relationship with each other. We should all learn from this Mishnah the importance of interpersonal Mitzvos. May we learn from our forefather Avrohom to spread G-dliness to those we come into contact with by drawing them close to ourselves.
