In Parshas Eikev we get a glimpse of the reward that we receive for all the good that we do in this world. Our sages tell us that the principal portion of the reward is reserved for the next world, yet a person receives inconceivably great reward in this world for fulfilling even the smallest mitzvah.
The prophet Yirmiyahu asks (12:1), “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” We read in the Torah (Devarim 32:4), “Perfect is His work for all His paths are justice… righteous and fair is He.”
Chacham Ovadiah Yosef points out that the Rambam writes in the “Thirteen Principles of Faith” that we believe with complete faith that Hashem rewards with good those who observe His commandments, and punishes those who violate His commandments. One who scorns the mitzvos it is as if he disdains Hashem. Such an individual is immediately rewarded in this world for any mitzvah that he does fulfill by chance or unwittingly.
Thus, although the individual who seems to be evil, may, in fact, enjoy great success in life, when he dies, he has already received all his reward in this world. This is in contrast to the tsaddikim who will receive the lion’s share of their reward in the world-to-come. That is the meaning of the words of the pasuk (Devarim 7:12), “And it will be because you will heed these ordinances… that Hashem will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness ….” It means to say that if one listens to the word of Hashem his reward will be protected for the next world.
King Chizkiyahu was virtuous and righteous and immediately reversed all the disruption of Jewish religious practices that the previous king, Achaz, had instituted. He uprooted all idolatry, cleansed and purified the Bais HaMikdash and renewed the avodah in the Holy Temple. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 94b) tells us that he ensured Torah study among the entire nation, to the extent that there was no child, man or woman, who was not expert even in the complex laws of ritual purity and impurity.
The Talmud teaches (Brachos 10a) that Chizkiyahu fell critically ill, and the prophet Yeshaya told him that he was going to die because he had not brought children into the world. Chizkiyahu explained that he had seen that in the future he would have wicked children. Yeshaya rebuked him: Your mitzvah is to follow the Torah. You do your best, raise your children in a Torah environment, provide them with the proper chinuch and direction. What happens afterwards is ordained in Heaven and not your concern.
Chizkiyahu then made a startling request of Yeshaya and asked for his daughter as a wife, suggesting that perhaps in their combined merit they would have righteous children.
Yeshaya informed him that the judgment had already been decreed. Chizkiyahu then told him, “I have a tradition from my father’s house that even if a sharp sword rests upon a person’s neck, he should not restrain himself from praying for mercy.” We learn (Melachim II, 20:2) that Chizkiyahu “then turned his face to the wall and prayed to Hashem.” Hashem heard his prayers, and Yeshaya returned to tell him that he had been granted another fifteen years of life. It was the simple act of Chizkiyahu’s prayers that elicited Hashem’s mercy, and Chizkiyahu was able to live another fifteen years.
Indeed, Chizkiyahu had a son Menashe, who for the first 23 years of his reign was evil. He reconstructed all the idolatry that had been banished under his father’s rule; the prophet Yeshaya and those who remained faithful to Hashem were killed; and Torah study diminished.
The Talmud Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin 10) relates that Menashe was captured by the Assyrians and taken to Bavel in chains. Menashe was placed into a copper cauldron and a fire was lit beneath it. He called out to all the gods for help but he was not answered. The Medrash (Devarim Rabbah) says that Menashe then called out to Hashem. The angels closed all the windows to Heaven so that Menashe’s prayers could not gain entry, but Hashem made a hole underneath His Throne of Glory and accepted Menashe’s prayer and repentance, as it says (Divrei HaYamim II, 33:13) “And he prayed to Hashem, and He accepted his prayer; He heard his supplication and restored him to Yerushalayim ….” Hashem sent a powerful wind which blew Menashe out of the pot and back to Yerushalayim, where he ruled for another 32 years.
Chizkiyahu had foreseen the wickedness of Menashe, but not his teshuva.
Apropos to this narrative about Chizkiyahu, the Talmud (Sanhedrin 96a) brings a fascinating illustration of the magnitude and breadth of reward for a good deed.
When Chizkiyahu was informed that his life would be extended, he was given a Heavenly sign to confirm its veracity, and the day was extended by ten hours (Yeshaya 38:8). This phenomenon was observed throughout the world, and the Babylonian King Merodach sent a letter to Chizkiyahu acknowledging the supremacy of Hashem.
Nevuchadnezzar was then the King’s scribe at the time, but he was not present when this letter was written. When he returned, he asked what had been written. He was told about the letter and its salutation, which read, “In honor of the King Chizkiyahu, in honor of the city of Yerushalayim, and in honor of Hashem.” Nevuchadnezzar understood that it had been written inappropriately, and that the letter should be addressed to the honor of Hashem first. He quickly ran out in pursuit of the messenger and took merely three steps before he reached him with the corrected version. As a reward for those three steps that Nevuchadnezzar took to honor Hashem, he merited to have three generations rule over the world.
The Jewish nation strive to maximize their observance and fulfillment of the mitzvos of Hashem – studying Torah, praying, kashrus, Shabbos, Pesach, Sukkos et al. Considering the reward of Nevuchadnezzar for his transitory concern about the honor of Hashem, one cannot begin to imagine the unfathomable reward that we will merit for performing Hashem’s mitzvos.
