Pirkei avot 2:1 A righteous individual

BySamantha Chabot

משנה אבות ב׳:א׳

(א) רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיָּבֹר לוֹ הָאָדָם

, כֹּל שֶׁהִיא תִפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ וְתִפְאֶרֶת לוֹ מִן הָאָדָם.

Pirkei Avot 2:1

(1) Rabbi Said: which is the straight path that a man should choose for himself?

What do you think?

One which is an honor to the person adopting it, and [on account of which] honor [accrues] to him from others.

What does this mean? Bartenura! below :)

ברטנורא על משנה אבות ב׳:א׳:ב׳

כָּל שֶׁהִיא תִפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ וְתִפְאֶרֶת לוֹ מִן הָאָדָם. שֶׁיְּהֵא נוֹחַ לוֹ, וְיִהְיוּ נוֹחִין בְּנֵי אָדָם מִמֶּנּוּ. וְזֶה יִהְיֶה, כְּשֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בְּכָל הַמִּדּוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ הָאֶמְצָעִי וְלֹא יִטֶּה לְאֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי הַקְּצָווֹת. שֶׁאִם הוּא כִּילַי בְּיוֹתֵר, יֵשׁ תִּפְאֶרֶת לוֹ, שֶׁאוֹסֵף מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה, אֲבָל אֵין בְּנֵי אָדָם מְפָאֲרִין אוֹתוֹ בְּמִדָּה זוֹ. וְאִם הוּא מְפַזֵּר יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי, בְּנֵי אָדָם הַמְקַבְּלִים מִמֶּנּוּ מְפָאֲרִים אוֹתוֹ, אֲבָל אֵינוֹ תִפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹחַ לוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בָּא לִידֵי עֲנִיּוּת בִּשְׁבִיל כָּךְ. אֲבָל מִדַּת הַנְּדִיבוּת שֶׁהִיא אֶמְצָעִית בֵּין הַכִּילוּת וְהַפִּזּוּר, הִיא תִּפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ, שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵר אֶת מָמוֹנוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְפַזֵּר יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי. וְתִפְאֶרֶת לוֹ מִן הָאָדָם, שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם מְפָאֲרִים אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָאוּי לוֹ לִתֵּן. וְכֵן הַדִּין בְּכָל שְׁאָר הַמִּדּוֹת:

Bartenura on Pirkei Avot 2:1:2

"Which is the right path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it]": that it should be pleasant for him and pleasant to people from him. And this will be when he walks in the middle path in all of this character traits and not veer to one of the two extremes. For if he is very stingy, it is praiseworthy for him, as he gathers much money together, but people do not praise him for this trait. And if he throws [money] around beyond what is fitting, the people that receive it from him praise him, but it is not praiseworthy for [him] and it is not pleasant for him, as he will come to poverty because of it. But rather, the trait of generosity - which is the middle [trait] between stinginess and throwing [money] around - is praiseworthy for him, as he keeps his money and does not throw it around more than is fitting; and it is praiseworthy for others from [such] a man; as people praise him, that he gives as is fitting for him to give. And so is the case with all of the other traits.

People are born with different characteristics, one thing could be right for someone and wrong for another!

משנה אבות ב׳:א׳

וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת. וֶהֱוֵי מְחַשֵּׁב הֶפְסֵד מִצְוָה כְּנֶגֶד שְׂכָרָהּ, וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵרָה כְנֶגֶד הֶפְסֵדָהּ. וְהִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, דַּע מַה לְּמַעְלָה מִמְּךָ, עַיִן רוֹאָה וְאֹזֶן שׁוֹמַעַת, וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ בַסֵּפֶר נִכְתָּבִין:

Pirkei Avot 2:1

And be careful with a light commandment as with a grave one, for you did know not the reward for the fulfillment of the commandments. Also, reckon the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [accruing] thereby, and the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [entailed] thereby. Apply your mind to three things and you will not come into the clutches of sin: Know what there is above you: an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book.

What time of person cares about the little mitzvah in addition to big ones or you can flip the question why are you more likely to not drive on shabbat then kiss the mezuza?
Also, rabbis so smart tell us about positive and negative reinforcement, but really waht's important human being or paper- story :)