Ive heard (not sure where)that you get more reward for doing a obligated mitzvah than a non obligated mitzvah. Where is this brought down, and whats the reason for this?
Answer
The source that someone obligated in a mitzvah receives more reward than someone not obligated is a statement of R. Chanina which appears several times in the Talmud. The first appearance is Kiddushin 31a.
וא"ר חנינא ומה מי שאינו מצווה ועושה כך מצווה ועושה עאכו"כ דאר"ח גדול מצווה ועושה ממי שאינו מצווה ועושה אמר רב יוסף מריש ה"א מאן דהוה אמר לי הלכה כר"י דאמר סומא פטור מן המצות עבידנא יומא טבא לרבנן דהא לא מיפקידנא והא עבידנא השתא דשמעיתא להא דא"ר חנינא גדול מצווה ועושה יותר ממי שאינו מצווה ועושה אדרבה מאן דאמר לי דאין הלכה כרבי יהודה עבידנא יומא טבא לרבנן
Now, R. Hanina observed thereon, If one who is not commanded [to honour his parents], yet does so, is thus [rewarded], how much more so one who is commanded and does so! For R. Hanina said: He who is commanded and fulfils [the command], is greater than he who fulfils it though not commanded. R. Joseph said: Originally, I thought, that if anyone would tell me that the halachah agrees with R. Judah, that a blind person is exempt from the precepts,I would make a banquet for the Rabbis, seeing that I am not obliged, yet fulfil them. Now, however, that I have heard R. Hanina's dictum that he who is commanded and fulfils [the command] is greater than he who fulfils it though not commanded; on the contrary, if anyone should tell me that the halachah does not agree with R. Judah, I would make a banquet for the Rabbis. (Soncino translation)
Tosafot on the spot explains that the reasoning behind this is that an obligated individual goes through more worry and anguish that he might mess it up, while the non-obligated individual has nothing to worry about because he is not even obligated. The extra worry/anguish gets him extra reward.
נראה דהיינו טעמא דמי שמצווה ועושה עדיף לפי שדואג ומצטער יותר פן יעבור ממי שאין מצווה שיש לו פת בסלו שאם ירצה יניח
Ritva, in his commentary there, first quotes "our rabbis" as explaining that Satan goes after one who is commanded and not one who is not commanded. Therefore, one who is commanded receives more reward in accordance with the extra effort that was required.
פירשו רבותינו ז"ל טעם הדבר שזה שטן מקטרגו כשהוא מצווה וזה אין שטן מקטרגו ולפום צערא אגרא
He than quotes "our great rabbi" (Ramban) as explaining that one who is obligated fulfills the decree of the King by doing a mitzvah whereas one who is not obligated does not fulfill a decree of the King; hence the former gets more reward.
ורבינו הגדול ז"ל פירש שהמצות אינן להנאת האל יתברך המצוה אלא לזכותינו ומי שהוא מצווה קיים גזירת המלך ולפיכך שכרו מרובה יותר מזה שלא קיים מצות המלך
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