Weighing Good Deeds and Sins
One who performs mostly good deeds inherits the garden of Eden. One who performs mostly transgressions inherits Gehenna.
R. Yosi bar Ḥanina said: It does not say [God] “who forgives transgressions [pl.]” but who forgives transgression [sg.] (Exodus 34:7). The Holy One seizes one document of a person’s transgressions, so that his merits will outweigh his transgressions.
Said R. Eleazar: Kindness is Yours, Lord, for You repay each person according to his works (Psalm 62:13). But if a person has no good deeds, you give him one of your own. This is the opinion of R. Eleazar, for R. Eleazar said: Abounding in kindness (Exodus 34:6)—[that is,] he tips the scale toward kindness.
Translated by Dov Weiss and Jenny R. Labendz.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
