The Eternal Merit of a Mitzvah

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

Rabbi Chananiah ben Akashia teaches us that Hashem desires to bestow abundant merit upon the Jewish people. For this reason, He gave us many mitzvot—each one an opportunity to earn immense spiritual reward. While the ultimate reward for mitzvot is reserved for the World to Come, Chazal teach that mitzvot also bring tremendous benefits in this world. Our sages explain that the Jewish people were not originally deserving of redemption from Egypt. It was only through the merit of two mitzvot that they were finally freed. The sea itself split in the merit of Yosef HaTzaddik, whose steadfast resistance to Eshet Potiphar became a merit for all of Klal Yisrael. The Midrash at the beginning of Parashat Ki Tavo tells us that Hashem gave the mitzvah of bikkurim (bringing the first fruits) to the Jewish people as a merit to help them enter the Land of Israel. The Torah also teaches that honoring one's parents brings the reward of long life. And in the merit of emunah , Chazal say, we will be redeemed from our current exile. There are countless examples of how mitzvot serve as a source of zechuyot . Every test and opportunity Hashem gives us is a chance to accumulate spiritual wealth that benefits not only us but our children and grandchildren for generations. We may not always see the full reward of a mitzvah, but we can be certain that every one of them helps us in unimaginable ways. A powerful modern example was shared by A.J. Gindi, the head of Renewal—an organization that helps kidney patients find life-saving matches. A woman with an extremely high PRA level came to the organization, desperately in need of a kidney. Due to her rare profile, the chance of finding a match was extraordinarily slim. Even Renewal's vast international database turned up nothing. They held a special donor event in the hopes of a miracle—and miraculously, a match was found. Before the transplant, the woman was asked what merit she believed had brought about such an unlikely success. She replied that she personally wasn't aware of any special merit, but she shared a story from her grandmother's experience during the Holocaust. While imprisoned in a concentration camp, her grandmother was shown rare kindness by an SS officer, who gave her a pass allowing her to move freely without being questioned. She thanked him and pleaded for passes for her parents as well, which he granted. Overjoyed to help her family, she returned with the passes—but was then approached by someone who begged her to obtain one more. At first, she refused, fearing that pushing further might result in the officer rescinding everything. But then the person explained: the pass wasn't for himself—it was for the Bobover Rebbe , who was in their barracks. "We must save his life," he said. The woman, a professional artist, decided to try to replicate an identical pass. She spent the entire night replicating it with precision. The pass was delivered to the Rebbe, and baruch Hashem , it saved his life. The kidney recipient concluded: "Perhaps in the merit of my grandmother saving a life, Hashem is now saving mine." After the successful transplant, the donor was asked what merit she thought enabled her to be the match. She replied, "I'm not sure, but I come from a family of rabbis. In fact, my grandfather was the Bobover Rebbe." Everyone present was stunned. Eighty years after a brave woman risked her life to save the Rebbe, Hashem repaid the kindness in kind—his granddaughter was now saving her granddaughter's life. This is just one example of how a single mitzvah can echo across generations. Every mitzvah carries infinite merit, benefiting us both in this world and the next. It is our responsibility and privilege to embrace each opportunity with joy, knowing that every act of goodness creates a ripple of blessing beyond what we can ever imagine.