Our Greatest Gain

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

When people take upon themselves to do extra mitzvot as a zechut for something they want, they may feel disheartened if they don't receive what they hoped for. Heaven forbid, they might even regret the extra effort they invested in performing that mitzva. We must never lose sight of the real purpose of this world. The true gain is always the mitzva itself. If a situation we are experiencing inspires us to do more mitzvot, we have already achieved the ultimate goal. If we truly understood the value of a single mitzva, we would realize that any physical gain pales in comparison. If we really grasped what this world is about, we would gladly take upon ourselves additional mitzvot just to have the zechut that Hashem grants us more opportunities to fulfill more mitzvot. The Sefer Sas B'Imratecha shares a story about two older boys who were still unmarried. They decided to travel to Tzfat to immerse in the mikveh of the Arizal and to pray at kivrei tzaddikim. They also planned to spend Shabbat there. They set out on a Friday morning, but delay after delay and unprecedented traffic left them on a bus near Teveria with only half an hour remaining before Shabbat. Fortunately, they had a friend in Teveria, so they got off the bus, hoping to locate his house and have a place to stay for Shabbat. They hailed a taxi but couldn't provide the driver with a precise address. With just ten minutes left before Shabbat, they decided to get out in a nearby neighborhood. Desperate, they approached the closest building and knocked on the first door they encountered. The ba'al habayit opened the door and saw two young men standing there with suitcases. After they quickly explained their situation, he happily invited them to stay for Shabbat. They changed and set off for shul. During the meal, they shared with their host the challenges they faced that day and how they ended up in Teveria with only minutes to spare before Shabbat. The baal habayit reassured them, saying, "It was all min haShamayim . Do you think it was a coincidence that you were dropped off near my house? Do you think it was random that you knocked on my door? Let me explain what happened today." He continued, "We were in need of a yeshua, so my wife and I traveled to Ukraine to pray at the kever of the Ba'al Shem Tov. We found ourselves there for Shabbat without any food, unsure of what to do. Then we met a group of Jews from America. They were so warm and welcoming, inviting us to join them for Shabbat. We had the most beautiful Shabbat, with an abundance of food for every meal. We thanked our hosts and praised Hashem for sending us such kind individuals to take care of us. "Before we left Ukraine, we returned to the kever of the Ba'al Shem Tov. Inspired by the incredible hachnasat orchim we experienced, we prayed for the zechut to fulfill this mitzvah ourselves. "We returned from our trip this morning. My wife was utterly exhausted, but she quickly prepared food for Shabbat so she could rest. Later in the day, our married children called to invite us to spend Shabbat with them. However, we were already asleep when they called. Instead, they cooked for us and delivered an entire Shabbat meal. Suddenly, we had double the food we needed. "Then, the doorbell rang, and you two were standing there. At that moment, everything fell into place. We prayed for the zechut of hosting guests, and Hashem not only prepared all the food but also sent the guests we longed for right to our doorstep." That Shabbat, the atmosphere was electrifying. They sang zemirot, shared divrei Torah, and experienced a truly uplifting Shabbat. One week later, a shadchan contacted one of the boys and suggested a shidduch with the daughter of the family who hosted them. A month later, they celebrated their engagement. Even if the shidduch had not happened, the story would still be incredible. The couple understood the value of a mitzvah and prayed to Hashem for the opportunity to fulfill it. Hashem orchestrated so many events to grant them that opportunity. The shidduch was a beautiful bonus. But the main purpose of this world is Torah and mitzvot, and whenever we have the zechut to perform any mitzvah, we should recognize it as our greatest gain.