Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Musar for Pesachim 100:4

ת"ר יש זריז ונשכר ויש זריז ונפסד יש שפל ונשכר ויש שפל ונפסד זריז ונשכר דעביד כולי שבתא ולא עביד במעלי שבתא זריז ונפסד דעביד כולי שבתא ועביד במעלי שבתא שפל ונשכר דלא עביד כולי שבתא ולא עביד במעלי שבתא שפל ונפסד דלא עביד כולי שבתא ועביד במעלי שבתא אמר רבא הני נשי דמחוזא אע"ג דלא עבדן עבידתא במעלי שבתא משום מפנקותא הוא דהא כל יומא נמי לא קא עבדן אפילו הכי שפל ונשכר קרינן להו

Our Rabbis taught: Some are industrious and profit [thereby,] while others are industrious and suffer loss; some are indolent<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'low'.');"><sup>10</sup></span> and profit [thereby], while others are indolent and suffer loss. An industrious man who profits, - he who works the whole week but does not work on the eve of the Sabbath. An industrious man who suffers loss, - he who works the whole week and works on the eve of the Sabbath. An indolent man who profits, - he who does not work the whole week and does not work on the eve of the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though his abstention then is due to indolence, not to respect for the Sabbath, he is nevertheless rewarded, since in fact he does abstain.');"><sup>11</sup></span>

Orchot Tzadikim

Concerning this matter our Sages said : "There is an alert person who receives a reward and there is an alert person who loses by his alertness. There is a lazy man who receives a reward, and there is a lazy one who loses by his laziness. The alert person who receives a reward is one who does his work all week long but does not do any work on the eve of the Sabbath. The alert person who loses by his alertness is one who does work all week long, and also works on the eve of the Sabbath. A lazy person who receives a reward is one who loes not do work all week long and does not do work on the eve of the Sabbath either. A lazy person who loses thereby is one who does not do any work all week, but does work on the eve of the Sabbath" (Pesahim 50b). Observe how the sages came up with the idea that there is an alertness that is good and an alertness that is bad. It is the same with laziness.
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