153 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Exodus, Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16), Source Book Keys, SINAI3 EXODUS | 15:9 pursue — EXOD220 Whoever makes a multitude meritorious, no... EXOD220 Whoever makes a multitude meritorious, no sin shall come through him; but whoever brings a multitude to sin will not be given the means to achieve repentance. Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 21. "R. Simeon says: How do we know that if one misleads another into sin, it is worse than if he killed him? If someone killed this man, he would remove him only from this world, but the man would receive a share in the world-to-come. The one who misleads him into sin kills him off in both this realm of existence and the world-to-come." Moral corruption, dry rot in the soul, is a destructive ill that lasts beyond physical death. Obviously the "Mephistopheles" behind it can never make amends on this earth. "Two nations (R. Simeon continues) met the Israelites with the sword: the Egyptians and Edomites. Of Egypt we read, [this verse]. Of the Edomites, And Edom said to him [Moses], You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you. (Numbers 20:18). And two nations met the Israelites with transgression: the people of Emon and Moab"--for as the Midrash recounts, they prepared a vast number of young women at Shittim to entice the Israelites into immorality and idol-worship, and as a result, 24,000 Israelites died at Heaven's hand. (Numbers 25:1-3,9) "About those who came with the sword (R. Simeon concludes) it is written, 'You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien sojourner in his land. The children of the third generation that are born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.' But as for those who came bringing transgression--No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord... for ever." (Deuteronomy 23:8-9, 4) If people threaten or attack us physically, we can come to terms with them, live with them, and ultimately accept them. But those who would cajole us into filthy sin and depravity, seek to infect us with the rightness at their core. We want no part of them, ever. Share Print Source KeySINAI3Verse15:9Keyword(s)pursueSource Page(s)196-7 Switch article EXODUS | 15:3 battle — EXOD218 The true Jew not only obeys the letter of... Previous Article EXODUS | 15:11 awesome — EXOD221 Some Jewish thinkers emphasize the genera... Next Article