What is the Novelty of אין בור ירא חטא (A Boor Does Not Fear Sin) , and ולא עם הארץ חסיד (Nor is An Ignorant Man Pious))?

Question

In Pirkei Avot 2:5 it says, אין בור ירא חטא, and ולא עם הארץ חסיד, my question is:

What is the חידוש (novel insight) of saying that?

Isn't it obvious?

Also, what do these two sayings teach us about our avodat Hashem (service of the Lord)?

Answer 1

On the first part, here's a nice answer I found in Shaar HaEmuna VeYesod HaChasidut, that will provide an immersive sugya to delve into if one finds this interesting (as I do, thanks for the question). I'll summarise:

The Ishbitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Gershon Chanoch Henech Leiner Ztl, points out that the standard understanding of אין בור ירא חטא is that if someone doesn't fear sin, they won't study Torah; nothing would compel them to do so.

So, he explains, the chiddush is that fear of sin in this context means fear of Hashem, and that isn't truly possible without Torah. This is because Torah brings one to the level of being able to actually fear Hashem, instead of being afraid because of one's own deficiencies:

וזה ענין, שיסוד היראה העיקרית הוא אמונה, שעל ידי שיבין ויאמין בדעת ברוממות הש"י, ועל ידי זה יירא את הש"י, אז תהיה יראתו שלמה. שהיראה שהיא מצד האדם, הוא רק מפני שמכיר חסרונו

The true foundation of the fear of God is faith. Only by understanding and consciously believing in the supreme lofty heights of God, and then actively fearing Him, does fear become complete. Man's normal experience of fear usually stems from an awareness of his own deficiencies [borrowed Betzalel Edwards' translation]

He goes on to explain that by studying Torah, we learn about Hashem and thus have a different lot to the idolators of the world, who are stuck at the level of fearing their own deficiencies (rather than only using their deficiencies to better recognise the perfection of Hashem, and be in awe).

So, quote the Tikkunei Zohar:

דבלאו אורייתא לית דחילו כד"א אין בור ירא חטא וכגוונא דלית אורייתא בלא דחילו אוף הכי לית דחילו בלא אורייתא וכו׳

For without Torah, there is no fear of God. This is as it is said (Pirkei Avot, 2:5), “An unlearned person does not fear sin.” Just as there is no Torah without the fear of God, similarly, there is no fear of God without the Torah.

Now, for the second part. Perhaps this is a valid answer based on the Mesilat Yisharim's chapter 24 on יראת חטא, who explains that יראת חטא has two levels. One is suitable לעמי הארץ, and is all about fearing for one's own interests. The second is the real יראת חטא, and is only attainable after having become a חסיד, as he writes at the start of the chapter: כבר לא יוכל להגיע אליו, אלא מי שכבר השיג כל המדות שקדם זכרם

This I believe is what the Mishna is talking about, because it is noted by the gemara Bava Kama 30a that Pirkei Avot is aimed at a חסיד, who goes beyond the letter of the law. This type of ירא is the fear of the exaltedness of Hashem, because Hashem is the focus of one's heart and soul (rather than focussing on oneself). This is the שלמותה of the ירא according to Ramchal, and indeed quotes the Mishna when explaining that being a חסיד in chapter 18 requires perfect character, great depth in [Torah] understanding, and

על יסודות חכמה רבה ותקון המעשה בתכלית אשר ראוי לכל חכם לב לרדף אחריו, כי רק לחכמים להשיגו באמת, וכן אמרו ז"ל (אבות פ"ב): לא עם הארץ חסיד.

on foundations of great wisdom and utmost rectification of one's deeds, which befits every wise hearted man to pursue. For only the wise can truly attain it, as our sages stated: "an unlearned man cannot be pious" (Avot 2:5) [borrowed translation of Rabbi Yosef Sebag]

Summary: It seems for many reasons, that the quoted sources are both discussing a unified set of ideas that explain the chiddushim of this Mishna, which become apparent when considering the fact that Avot is speaking to the aspiring חסיד, rather than someone who is merely seeking the din.

According to the understanding of the Ishbitzher and Ramchal, the Mishna is saying that real fear of sin, i.e. fear of God rather than reward or punishment, is not possible without Torah study. It takes becoming a חסיד - someone who goes beyond the letter of the law - as a pre-requisite. That is not accessible to an עם הארץ (as it takes being a Tzaddik* and Talmid Chacham).

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^{* as defined by Ramchal. In Chassidus, this level refers to Benoni. Compare Ramchal's definition of Naki (explained as referring to a "Tzaddik" in Chapter 13), and the description of Benoni in Tanya Chapter 1}