Our Gemara on Amud Aleph uses the Hebrew word “Sachar” to describe the potential and likelihood for profit versus loss that one can achieve in a business venture. If he is a silent partner with another by contributing the funds and the other contributes the business efforts, whether it is categorized as charging interest via the profit or merely being in a partnership depends on many factors, including that there is equal or greater likelihood of sharing loss as well as profit. In standard interest charging, the lender receives the payment no matter the investment outcome.

In any case, we see that linguistically the word “sachar” means profit or gain. The Akeidas Yitschok (44) uses this semantic idea to argue with the Rambam on a key theological issue. The Mishna Avos (1:3) warns:

Do not be like servants who serve the master in the expectation of receiving a “peras”, but be like servants who serve the master without the expectation of receiving a reward.

Rambam translates “peras” as a bonus that one gives to a servant, or even a child, whom there is no obligation to give payment. In essence, a tip. He says this is in contradistinction to “sachar”, which is payment or wages, which a person deserves. According to the Rambam, the Mishna is requiring an even higher degree of devotion to God. Not only should one not feel he deserves a reward from God as payment, but also not even look forward to a bonus. We are to be such dedicated servants of God that we perform His will out of gratitude, love and loyalty.

Akeidas Yitschok translates these two words differently. “Peras” means a payment for some equivalent transfer of value or work, but “Sachar” means profit or gain as in our Gemara (which he quotes.)

There are several usages of the word “sachar” in rabbinic literature that connote a benefit for mitzvos, but the question is, do we translate them as “payment” or “profit”? There are theological implications to these translations. For example, the Gemara and Mishna speaks of “Schar Mitzvah” (Kiddushin 39, Avodah Zarah 3a, and Avos 2:1.) What if this “Schar Mitzvah”? Is it reward? We could say that, though it is a little difficult to understand why we discuss reward for mitzvos as a concept, when one isn’t supposed to perform with the expectation of compensation. We could answer the same answers we were told in third grade, which is, you aren’t supposed to expect reward, but nonetheless there will be a reward. This is, of course, one of the Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of Faith. Yet, there is still something odd about so much bandwidth devoted toward discussion of a reward that you aren’t supposed to be motivated by. 

The Akeidas Yitschok adds another dimension to this by using his translation of these two phrases, which we saw are different than the Rambam. Pirke Avos is warning us not to perform mitzvos expecting compensation or payment, but the teachings that use the term “Schar Mitzvah'' mean profit or gain from mitzvah, much as one profits from an investment. The Akeidas Yitschok explains that mitzvos bring personal and societal benefits, and this is “Schar Mitzvah”. Furthermore, such benefit is not forbidden by Mishna Avos to serve as a motivator, as it is not a cheapening of the relationship with God not lack of devotion. To the contrary, by recognizing that mitzvos have many positive effects that come automatically, it is high praise.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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