How Special Are Our Mitzvos?

In the second parsha of Kerias Shema, we say at least twice daily, “V’haya im shamo’a tishma’u el mitzvosai – And it will be if you (plural) listen to My mitzvos.” This section continues in lashon rabim, in the plural, until it begins to mention the reward. Then, at this point, the language switches to the singular: “V’asafta d’ganecha v’sirosh’cha v’yitz’harecha – And you (singular) will gather your (singular) piles of wheat, your (singular) wine, and your (singular) oil.” This observation is posed by the Alshich HaKadosh, zt”l, zy”a.

In another area, a similar observation is made by the Kli Yakar, zt”l, zy”a. There, the verse starts out in the plural, “V’hayah eikev tish’ma’un es hamish’patim ha’eileh… – And it will be when you (plural) hearken to My laws.” But when it comes to the reward, the verse switches to the singular: “V’shamar Hashem Elokecha l’cha es habris v’es hachesed… – And Hashem your (singular) G-d will keep for you (singular) the covenant and the kindness.”

Both of these great sages explain this grammatical shift with the same fundamental concept. They explain that the mitzvos are given consistently in the same way to all of Klal Yisrael. Thus, the plural usage. But, when it comes to rewards, thousands of people can do the same mitzvah, but each one’s reward is highly individualized and depends on many variables.

Let me explain.

One such variable is how much joy we do the mitzvah with. The Torah instructs us, “Ivdu es Hashem b’simcha – Serve Hashem with joy.” One person might do a mitzvah as a chore while another will do it with zest and excitement. The Arizal, zt”l, zy”a, said that he reached his dizzying heights of knowledge in the merit of doing Hashem’s mitzvos with simcha. Rabbi Moshe Wolfson, zt”l, zy”a, was asked by Rav Nesanal Quinn, zt”l, zy”a, of Yeshiva Torah v’Daas, “Vas macht Die avodah?” which is a common way of asking, “How is your service [to Hashem] going?” Rabbi Wolfson answered him, “You are probably referring to the avodah of simcha,” the task of serving Hashem with joy.

Another variable is how challenging the mitzvah is for us. As it says in the fifth perek of Avos, “L’fum tza’ara agra – According to the hardship is the reward.” For one person, not talking in shul is no challenge at all. He innately feels that it’s uncivilized behavior. But another person can’t wait to talk about Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu, how the market plunged 1100 points in a single day, or how much attention the World Cup garnered. When this person restrains himself and is quiet, his reward is that much greater.

Here’s another interesting example. A person can have a very serene marriage and prides themself of his or her great accomplishment. It is true that they’ve achieved a lot, like having the constant presence of the Shechinah when there’s harmony in the home, the fine example they’ve set for their children, and the fulfillment of v’simach es ishto and being an eizer k’negdo, the fulfillment of gladdening a wife’s heart and being a help to a husband. But for the man who is married to a shrewish wife and for the woman who is married to an angry domineering husband, and they hold things together, their merit is astronomically greater.

There is a famous Pele Yoetz that says that a woman who is married to a hard man and preserves her marriage will merit children that will be praised in the streets. There is also a Me’am Lo’ez in Parshas Ki Seitzei that says when a husband is out of work and his wife knows how to pick up his spirits and cheers him up, she is a true eishes chayil, a valorous woman.

Then there is the variable of kavannah, making the performance of mitzvos meaningful and with concentration. Of course, the first example of this that comes to mind is davening. We are taught, “Hamarech b’tefiloso, marichim lo yamav v’shnosov – One who says a lengthy prayer, full of concentration, will merit quality days and a length of years.”

Concentration would include having thoughts like thinking back to the Exodus when we don our tefillin, because that was the very first time we wore our tefillin, having made them from the hides of the korban pesach. Or, our tefillin can be used as a reminder, “L’ma’an tihyeh Toras Hashem beficha – That the Torah of Hashem should be in your mouth.” In other words, when we put the tefillin on, we should think about when we are going to learn Torah that day. Another focus of our concentration can be when we pass by countless mezuzos every day, we should think (as the Rambam says) that Hashem is in the room that we are entering.

There is a beautiful story that, in his later years, Rav Wolfson was sitting in his sukkah and his grandson saw him staring intently at a silver spoon. In wonderment, he asked his grandfather what he was doing. Rav Wolfson explained that the ancients said that one can gain a lot by staring at the schach. Since in his old age, he couldn’t lift up his neck, he was staring at the reflection of the schach in the spoon.

Another beautiful story is that, on Chanukah, Rav Wolfson had a menorah where all the lights, including the shamash, were oil. So, given that the shamash was also oil, how did he light the candles? He again used a silver spoon, filled it with oil and put a wick at the end. Finally, in order that his rebbetzin should feel an active part of the mitzvah, he would have her light the wick of that spoon. How thoughtful and beautiful was his way of actively including his wife in the mitzvah of menorah.

Then,there is the variable of hachanas hamitzvah, how much effort we put into the preparation of our mitzvah. We all make Shabbos, but some people sharpen the knife for Shabbos while singing a Shabbos song. Others buy a different item for Shabbos on each of the days of the week. Still others have a special pair of glasses which they wear only on Shabbos to honor Shabbos. Remember, we are taught, “Gedolah hachanas hamitzvah yoser mei’hamitzvah – Greater is the preparation of the mitzvah than the mitzvah itself.” Everybody does mitzvos, but it is a mark of distinction how they prepare for the mitzvah.

Then, there’s the variable of when the mitzvah is done. As the Gemara says about Torah study, “Yafah sha-ah achas b’tzar m’meah shelo b’tzar – Greater is one hour [of Torah study] with difficulty that a hundred without difficulty.” Thus, we can imagine the reward one gets for learning during the break between Mussaf and Mincha on Yom Kippur or a person opening a Gemara after a late-night chassana because he hasn’t studied the whole day. And then there’s the incredible statement of the Ben Ish Chai, that one hour of learning on Shabbos equals a thousand hours of learning during the week.

So, we see that it’s not just doing a mitzvah, but how we do the mitzvah that makes all the difference in the world. In the merit of upgrading the quality of our mitzvos, may Hashem bless us with long life, good health and everything wonderful.

Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.