Working for a Higher Bottom Line
From this week's Pirkei Avos
Have you ever noticed that the most frustrating moments in life often come not during moments of isolation, but in your interactions with other people—especially when money or responsibility is involved? Whether it’s a difficult coworker, a tense business deal, or trying to stay patient when others test your limits, these moments stretch us in ways that Torah learning alone doesn’t always reach. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot hints at something powerful: real spiritual growth happens not only in the beit midrash, but also in the marketplace, in the office, and in our daily dealings with others. And it’s precisely there that Hashem is watching closely.
The Mishna: Torah and Derech Eretz
This Shabbat, we’ll study the well-known Mishna:
רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא אוֹמֵר:
יָפֶה תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשַׁכַּחַת עָוֹן.
וְכָל תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ מְלָאכָה, סוֹפָהּ בְּטֵלָה וְגוֹרֶרֶת עָוֹן.
וְכָל הָעֲמֵלִים עִם הַצִּבּוּר, יִהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים עִמָּהֶם לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם...
There are many important ideas in this Mishna about learning and working, but I’d like to share a thought based on the Midrash Shmuel.
What Does “Meshakachat Avon” Mean?
Midrash Shmuel addresses the unusual use of the word meshakachat (משכחת), usually meaning forgetfulness, and explains that in this context it refers to Hashem “forgetting” or overlooking our sins:
כי שתים אלה משכחת העון לפניו ית'
על התורה ועל השלום עובר על כל פשעים כי שתים אלו מכסים עליהם.
In other words, both Torah and peace between people have the power to suspend divine judgment.
The Power of Torah to Shield from Judgment
We find many sources in Tanach and Chazal that highlight Torah's ability to shield a person from punishment. One Midrash gives the example of a servant who makes many mistakes but plays beautiful music that soothes the king. As long as the servant plays, the king tolerates his faults. But when the music stops, the king punishes him.
Torah is like that music. It protects us, even when we fall short in other areas.
Derech Eretz: Good Character and Social Harmony
According to Midrash Shmuel, derech eretz—in the sense of peaceful relationships—is equally powerful:
וגם דרך ארץ והוא קירוב דעת ואהבת הבריות זו בזו והשלום שביניהם גם זה עומד למגן על האדם על עבירות רבות...
This interpretation emphasizes that derech eretz refers to good middot, closeness between people, and peace in society. Many mefarshim see this as the Mishna’s meaning.
A Second View: Derech Eretz as Work
However, other commentators interpret derech eretz as referring to working for a living—earning an honest livelihood through business or labor.
Far from being contradictory, I believe these two interpretations are complementary.
How Work Refines Our Character
It’s relatively easy to be pleasant when no money is involved. As my father likes to say:
“Business would be easy if it weren’t for the people—and people would be easy if it weren’t for the business.”
Rav David Lapin once remarked on Shark Tank that Hashem created the world with money in it specifically to challenge and refine our character. If not for money, it would be easier to be kind—just as lifting weights would be easier without gravity.
Where Character Meets Commerce
Seen this way, the two meanings of derech eretz—moral behavior and honest work—are actually interconnected. Hashem “forgets” sins not just when we learn Torah, but also when we actively build peaceful, respectful relationships—especially in challenging areas like business, where self-interest and tension often arise.
That difficulty is precisely the point. It’s where our greatest spiritual work lies, and where the deepest growth happens.
Conclusion: Building Peace in the Real World
Let’s not allow money or personal interest to get in the way of refining our middot and strengthening our relationships. This is what Hashem wants from us: effort not only in Torah study, but in living peacefully with others—especially when it’s hard.
And that effort, the Mishna teaches, has the power to change the way Hashem relates to us.