Musar על ברכות 12:21

Until now we have spoken about the beginning of the verse (Psalms 34:13-15): "Who is the man who wants life, etc., Guard your tongue from evil, etc." And now, with the help of the L-rd, we shall explain the end of the verse: "Depart from evil and do good," as it applies to the beginning of the verse. It is well known what our sages of blessed memory have said about this, viz.: "Who is the man who wants life" — in the world to come, "who loves days to see good" — in this world. "Guard your tongue, etc. Depart from evil and do good." We shall precede [the explanation of this verse] with what is said in the name of the GRA on the verse (Isaiah 3:10-11): "Say of the tzaddik that [he is] good, for the fruits of their deeds shall they eat. Woe to the rasha [the wicked one], for he is evil. For the recompense of his hands shall be rendered him," viz.: If one fulfills the mitzvoth between a man and his Maker, the essence of his reward is in the world to come; and so, his punishment, when he transgresses them. And for the mitzvoth between a man and his neighbor, where he benefits his fellow men, he receives his reward in this world, too. Similarly, if he transgresses them, aside from the punishment awaiting him in the world to come, he is punished in this world too, for by his acts he also causes suffering to men. The terms "tzaddik" and rasha" apply to the relationship between a man and his Maker, and the terms "good" and "evil," to that between a man and his neighbor. And the verse is now resolved, viz.: "Say of the tzaddik that [he is] good," i.e., that by his acts he benefits also his fellow men — "for the fruits of their deeds [(those of the tzaddikim)] shall they [(their fellow men)] eat." "Woe to the rasha, for he is evil," i.e., even in the area of "between man and his neighbor" — "for the recompense of his [the rasha's] hands shall be rendered him [his fellow man]." And now, the aforementioned verse is also resolved, viz.: "Who is the man who wants life" — in the world to come; "who loves days to see good" — even in this world. "Depart from [doing] evil and do good," i.e., also the mitzvoth between a man and his neighbor, to do good to his fellow man, and through this to see good, even in this world. Now, "Depart from evil" includes all aspects of evil: theft, violence, wronging, interest, cheating, "whitening" one's face, and the like. And "do good," includes all aspects of good: charity, lovingkindness, supporting the indigent, burial of the dead, visiting the sick, welcoming guests, returning lost objects, returning a pledge, paying a hired worker on time, and many other such mitzvoth between a man and his neighbor. A man must set his heart on all of them and spur himself to fulfill them. As we have seen with the mitzvah of shofar, that all run to fulfill it, so should it be with all mitzvoth, to pursue them and to rejoice in their fulfillment. As we say every day: "Therefore, O L-rd our G-d, in our lying down and in our rising, let us speak in Your statutes and rejoice in the words of Your Torah and in Your mitzvoth forever." [And, in our many sins, we say to the Holy One Blessed be He that we shall do this, but we transgress it. And in us there is fulfilled what our sags of blessed memory have said (Berachoth 6b) on the verse (Psalms 12:9): "…when the vile are exalted over the sons of men" — "these [i.e., mitzvoth] are the things that stand at the height of the world, and the sons of men cheapen them."]