Whoever causes the public to do good will not be given the opportunity to sin. But whoever causes the public to do evil will not be given the opportunity to repent. Moses merited and brought merit to the public; [thus] the merit of the public is to his cred-it, as it is said: He carried out the righteousness of Hashem and His ordinances with Israel. Jeroboam son of Nevat sinned and caused the public to sin, [so therefore] the sin of the public is charged against him, as it is said: For the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit.

Anyone who has in his hand the following three things is [counted] among the stu- dents of our patriarch Abraham, and [any-one who has in his hand] three other things is [counted] among the students of the evil Balaam. (1) [One who has] a good eye, (2) a humble spirit, (3) and a reserved nature is [counted] among the students of our patriarch Abraham. [And one who has] an evil eye, a haughty spirit, (3) and an indulgent nature is [counted] among the students of the evil Balaam.  What is the difference between students of our patriarch Abraham and students of the evil Balaam? Students of our patriarch Abraham eat in this world and inherit in the next world, as it is stated: I [the Torah] have what to bequeath [to] those who love me, and I shall fill their storehouses. But students of the evil Balaam inherit Gehinnom and descend to the well of destruction, as it is stated: And You, O God, You will lower them into the well of destruction, men of bloodshed and deceit shall not live out half their days; but as for me, I will trust in You.