Ruach Chaim:
Rav Chaim Volozhiner's Classic Commentary on Pirkei Avos
Rendered into English by Chanoch Levi

Know what is above you -
a seeing Eye, a hearing Ear, and all your deeds are recorded in a book

Even if you have acquired a good reputation in this world, realize that Hashem’s opinion of you is what really matters. Strive to acquire a good reputation in the upper spheres.

This comment can be understood in a deeper sense. Hashem created myriad worlds, one beneath the other, culminating in our world. When He wills so, a flow of pure spirituality enters the uppermost world and filters down through the various worlds. As the flow descends, it gradually takes on a physical form until it reaches our world as the physical manifestation of the spiritual flow. Anything that affects one of these worlds will have a ripple effect on all the worlds below it, for each world acts as the source of stimuli and sustenance for the world beneath it. Although man resides in the lowest world, the root of his soul is in the highest worlds. Any action he takes, therefore, has a direct effect on the uppermost spheres, which will have a ripple effect on the other worlds, whether for better or for worse.

Know what is above you. That is, know that what exists above results from your actions below. Every sight that you see, every sound that you hear, affects the uppermost worlds. All your deeds are automatically inscribed in a “book,” as they manifest themselves in the upper worlds as either construction or destruction. Any improvements that you have wrought through your mitzvos will be your reward in the World to Come. Any damage that you have caused requires repair, either through repentance or personal suffering in this world or the Next. Even a mindless or unintentional sin causes damage which needs to be repaired.

If a person commits a capital crime the king can commute his sentence, but if he ingests poison, even unintentionally, the king cannot save him. The Mishnah warns us to be exceedingly careful, for sinning is like ingesting poison, and the only two antidotes available are repentance and personal suffering. It is in this vein that Rav Chanina stated that anyone who says that Hashem forgos punishing sin has forfeited his life (Bava Kamma 50a). In short, if he thinks that Hashem will allow any sin to go unrectified, he has forfeited his life, for the damage has been done and must be repaired. Interestingly, the Midrash quotes Rav Chanina as saying, “Anyone who says that Hashem forgoes punishing sin has forfeited his innards.” This fits very nicely with the comparison of sin to poison. For if man does not repent, the poison of sin will destroy his innards. Hashem is not going to change the mechanism of the world just to spare one person the effort of fixing the harm he has wrought.

A seeing Eye, etc.

Imagine a person following you around all day, watching your every move with a pair of high-powered binoculars. He has also placed a sensitive listening device on your person and is recording every word you utter and every move you make. Would you not be meticulous with each action and each word? “Man sees what his eyes see, but Hashem sees into the heart” (Shmuel I 16:7). Hashem sees, hears, and records everything, but His knowledge is not limited to the physical, overt act. He knows man’s thoughts, his motives and intentions, and all this is taken into consideration when man is judged for his actions. “Hashem will judge every action” (Koheles 12:14). Hashem will not judge for every action, but will judge the action itself, for the action is inscribed in the Book of Records and is judged in its entirety. This includes the physical deed and all the motives behind it. Man’s three expressions are carefully monitored by Hashem. The Eye “sees” your thoughts, as in “Hashem sees into the heart”; the Ear hears your words; and every action is inscribed in the book. When a person concentrates on this idea, he will surely refrain from sin.

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