04 Aug HOW SPECIAL ARE OUR MITZVOS?

In the second parsha of
Krias 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, saying, “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, “V’hayah eikev tish’ma’un
es hamish’patim ha’eileh… – And it will be
when you (plural) hearken to My laws,” and
it begins in the plural. But when it comes
to the reward, the verse switches to the
singular, “V’shamar Hashem Elokecha lcha es
hasbris v’es hachesed… – And Hashem your
(singular) G-d will keep for you (singular) the
covenant and the kindness.”
Both 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 Yisroel. 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 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 Pirkei 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 Himself of his or
her great accomplishment. While it is
true that they’ve achieved a lot, like
having the constant presence of the
Shechina 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, our prayer. 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 it is a big thing to stare 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 mai-hamitzvha – 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.