[1] Just as Yehoshua ben Perachyah clarified and qualified the teaching of his master Yosi ben Yo'ezer regarding the sages, so too did Nittai HaArbeli qualify and clarify the teaching of his master Yosi ben Yochanan regarding the poor — for Yosi ben Yochanan had said: "Let your home be open wide, and let the poor be members of your household." Nittai HaArbeli explained that this teaching should not be understood in a sweeping, general sense — that one's home should be open wide to every person indiscriminately, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. For extending charity and hospitality to the pious, the good, and the upright of heart is indeed a fine and worthy thing; but this is not so with regard to the wicked, for it is not fitting for a person to bring them into his home — and it is even inappropriate to dwell in their vicinity, lest one be enticed to join in their wrongdoing. It is for this reason that Nittai said: "Distance yourself from a bad neighbor," for "woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor" (Sukkah 56b). And even if the wicked person is not one's neighbor, one should not form a close association with him, as Dovid said (Tehillim 1:1): "Praiseworthy is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and did not stand in the path of sinners, and did not sit in the company of scorners." And Shlomo said (Mishlei 4:14): "Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed on the way of evil men." And it is stated in Avot DeRabbi Natan that one who cleaves to the wicked, even if he does not act as they do, receives a punishment like theirs, as it is said (Divrei HaYamim II 20:37): "Because you have joined yourself with Achaziah, Hashem has broken apart your works."

[2] And indeed, after saying "Distance yourself from a bad neighbor, and do not associate with a wicked person," they added the saying "and do not despair of punishment." The word pur'anut (punishment/calamity) may be interpreted as referring either to the wicked person himself or to his punishment. If we interpret it as referring to the wicked person — in accordance with their usage, may their memory be blessed, when they said "a place designated for pur'anut" — then the saying means: a person should not trust in himself and say, "I will associate with a wicked person and a bad neighbor, for I am confident in myself that I will not learn from his evil deeds, nor will his calamity and wickedness cling to me." Do not speak thus — "do not despair of his pur'anut" — for it will undoubtedly cleave to you when you associate with him. This matter is already addressed in the Torah with regard to the Canaanites, where it says (Shemot 23:33): "They shall not dwell in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me." And Dovid said (Tehillim 106:35): "They mingled among the nations and learned their deeds." If, however, we interpret pur'anut as referring to punishment — as it is found in their language, may their memory be blessed: "Seven types of pur'anuyot come upon the world for seven categories of transgression" — then the saying means: even though punishment is delayed for the wicked, you should not therefore suppose that their wickedness does no harm and that their sickness does not spread. "Do not despair of the pur'anut" and the punishment merely because it is delayed — for in any case it will surely come and will not tarry, as the Psalmist says (Tehillim 37:35–36): "I have seen a wicked man, powerful and spreading himself like a flourishing native tree — yet he passed away, and behold, he was gone; I sought him, but he could not be found." And regarding Korach, Moshe said (Bamidbar 16:26): "Withdraw now from beside the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be swept away in all their sins." Behold, then, Nittai of Arbel also explained and clarified the matter of acts of lovingkindness.