Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
By: R’ Mordechai Young
When studying American History, we learn about the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere. He rode his horse to warn the patriots that, “The British are coming; the British are coming!” I once heard that there were other riders who rode longer distances but didn’t get the same credit as Paul did since he came at the end. Makes you wonder if the other riders should get at least some credit.
In this week’s parashah, Eikev, it says in Devarim 8:1: “Every commandment that I command you this day you shall observe, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that Hashem swore to your forefathers.” Rashi explains the interesting word hamitzvah, which has a hey before it and it’s in singular. At first, Rashi states the simple explanation, that it means all the commandments (plural). Rashi continues bringing the Midrash’s explanation, that if you started to do a mitzvah you should complete it. Credit for the mitzvah is attributed to the one who completes it. The Midrash brings a proof that in sefer Yehoshua (24:32), it states, “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.”
The Midrash asks: Wasn’t it Moshe alone who brought up Yosef’s coffin? The answer is, as stated, that because Moshe didn’t complete the mitzvah of burying Yosef in Eretz Yisrael, a mitzvah that was completed by the nation, it is therefore credited in their name.
I was wondering. It states in Pirkei Avos (2:21) that Rabbi Tarfon taught that he used to say you are not required to complete the task (yet you’re not free to withdraw from it). Also, in Chovos HaLevavos, Shaar Bitachon, it teaches that there are three levels of fulfilling a mitzvah. First, you think about it and plan to do it. Second, you put some effort into doing it. And third, you actually do the mitzvah. The first two steps, he explains, are in our control. The last step is not in our control since Hashem decides if we are going to complete it or not. For example, a person may plan on shaking a lulav, so he puts in the effort of going out to look for one and buy it. When Sukkos arrives, he has no control if he will complete the mitzvah since the lulav might become pasul overnight with no warning. So, how does the Midrash state the credit only goes to the one who completes the mitzvah, even though we just stated that last part is out of our control?
Furthermore, why doesn’t Moshe Rabbeinu get credit for the mitzvah of entering Eretz Yisrael since he had no control over the fact that he passed away before entering the land, thereby preventing him from fulfilling the mitzvah?
In Ayelet Hashachar, it’s taught that when the Midrash stated the mitzvah is attributed to the one who completes it, it means being rewarded for the whole mitzvah, even though he only completed it. The one who started the mitzvah gets rewarded only for the portion they did. As we know, Hashem does not begrudge anyone their reward even if they only fulfill a small portion. Maharal explains the Rashi that with the completion of the mitzvah, that’s when the mitzvah is done. According to this, we can understand that the one who completed it gets credit because at that moment, the mitzvah was completed. Before this point, they can’t give credit for the mitzvah because it wasn’t fulfilled yet. They get rewarded for their actions and effort. All reward and credit is decided by Hashem for the one who is zocheh to complete the mitzvah. In the Mikraos Gedolos Oz Vehadar Chumash, it brings down Sifsei Chachamim HaShalem with an explanation of the Rashi that can answer the above question. It’s funny because in my Chumash, it also has Sifsei Chachamim HaShalem, but it quotes much less. Reminds me of going out for Josh’s Pizza and ordering his delicious deep-dish pizza that we all enjoyed. A friend of mine, Alon, had a slice that looked more like a regular slice (not deep). When he went to show an employee, they told him that was a deep-dish slice. Apparently, there’s deep and then there’s really deep. I have the complete Sifsei and the other sefer had the really complete Sifsei. Anyway, the complete Sifsei in Oz Vehadarexplains the Rashi in that only when it comes to burial does the credit go to the one who completes the actual mitzvah by burying the coffin. Credit does not go to those who carry the coffin. Only in the case of funerals, credit is given to the one who completes the mitzvah through burial. But in general, it appears the credit is split.
In regards to the other question above, that it wasn’t Moshe’s fault that he couldn’t enter the land, baruch Hashem, I found in sefer Otzrot HaTorah an answer that since Moshe Rabbeinu caused himself not to enter Eretz Yisrael by the sin of hitting the rock, he doesn’t get the credit. In a case where one started a mitzvah and couldn’t complete it because of circumstances beyond their control, they would normally get the credit.
So, back to our original question about Paul Revere. Does he get the credit? It depends on how we learn the Rashi. We can say credit goes only to him as the one who completed the mitzvah, in which case Paul would get the credit. Or we can say like this last point, that it’s split.
We see there are different ways of viewing schar mitzvah; however, it’s important to remember that Hashem rewards us for all we do.
Have a great Shabbos!
R’ Mordechai Young can be reached for comments at [email protected].
