Commentary for Avodah Zarah 9:2

וצריכא דאי אשמועינן יחיד משום דלא מפרסם חטאיה אבל צבור דמפרסם חטאיהו אימא לא ואי אשמועינן צבור משום דנפישי רחמייהו אבל יחיד דלא אלימא זכותיה אימא לא צריכא

And both these are necessary; for if it had taught only [the case of] the individual, [it might have been thought that teshuvah was possible] because his sin is not well known, but in the case of a community whose sins are well known it might not be so; if, on the other hand, the case of a community only were mentioned, it might have been thought [that teshuvah is possible] because mercy for them is great, but with an individual, whose merits are not so strong, it is not so; hence both are necessary.

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