28 Jan PARSHAS BO: REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

Reward and Punishment
are also largely dependent
on what one thinks. We
will offer a couple of
examples:
A spy hid his maps
and papers in the
pocket of a yeshiva bachur’s suit from
Yeshivas Radin. The bachur was caught
with the documents and was charged
with espionage. The Chofetz Chaim
came to court to testify to his innocence.
He said, “I can swear he didn’t know
about these papers. Someone placed the
papers in his pocket.”
The defense attorney explained to the
judge the greatness of the Chofetz
Chaim so he would appreciate the
weight of his testimony. The lawyer
told the judge the following story:
Once, while traveling, someone
grabbed the Chofetz Chaim’s suitcase
and ran off with it. The Chofetz Chaim

shouted after him, “I forgive you.”
The judge asked the attorney, “Do you
believe that story?”
The attorney replied, “Even if the story
isn’t true, such stories aren’t told about
me and you.” He was implying that the
Chofetz Chaim was very righteous and
trustworthy, and his testimony should
be believed.
People asked the Chofetz Chaim, “We
understand that you forgave the thief.
You didn’t want him to be punished in
Olam HaBa. But why did you have to
tell him that you are mochel him? You
could have forgiven him in your heart!”
The Chofetz Chaim replied, “Chazal
say, if a person thinks he performed an
aveirah, he will be punished for his bad
intentions, even if he actually didn’t
perform the aveirah. I also wanted him
to be freed from the punishment of
bad intentions, so I let him know that I
forgive him, and he isn’t committing an
aveirah by holding on to the suitcase.”

The Gemara (Kiddushin 39:) says
that reward is given for keeping the lo
saasehs, the prohibitions of the Torah,
only when one has the opportunity to
perform an aveirah, and he refrains.
For example, he saw an expensive item
unattended, and no one was watching.
He had the opportunity to steal, and
he refrained, that is when he will be
rewarded for keeping the lo saaseh
of lo signov. But if he didn’t have the
opportunity to take it, he isn’t rewarded
for not stealing. He didn’t have a test.
And for mitzvos asei, as well, he will
only be rewarded for the mitzvos that
he performs or tries to perform.
The Chofetz Chaim teaches that
there is a way to be rewarded for all
the mitzvos and all the lo saasehs
with thought, alone. It states (12:28)
“And they went and did; as Hashem
commanded Moshe and Aharon, so
they did.” This pasuk refers to making
the korban Pesach. Rashi asks, “Did
they already do [the korban pesach]?

… It was only Rosh Chodesh [and the
korban pesach wasn’t brought until two
weeks later]! But since they accepted
upon themselves [to make the korban
pesach], the pasuk credits them for it as
if they had done it.”
So, by accepting the yoke of Torah, one
receives reward and it is considered as
if he kept the entire Torah, with all the
lo saasehs and all the aseis. If he accepts
the yoke of Torah in his thoughts, it is
already considered as if he kept the
entire Torah! He will be rewarded for
desiring and thinking about keeping the
entire Torah, even before he actually
keeps it.