In a certain country, there was a king who loved his subjects very much and was always seeking ways to do good for them. Therefore, the king decreed that each day he would sit in the courtyard of his palace, and any citizen could come and tell of a good deed they had done and receive gifts and reward from the king. Indeed, the people of that land were happy and loved their king and always strove to do good in order to please him.
One day, however, a man came and said, “I would like to receive a reward for not killing so-and-so.” The king was astonished and asked, “What kind of reward is there for that?” The man answered, “That person greatly angered me, and I had fully resolved in my heart to kill him. But when I remembered you, my lord the king, I restrained myself and did not kill him.” The king replied, “I am indeed glad that you did not kill him. But know, my son, that it is neither good nor proper to become angry, for this negative trait nearly led you to commit murder. And although I am pleased, this is not a sufficient reason to receive reward from me.”
The Torah says (18:6): ‘איש איש אל כל שאר בשרו לא תקרבו לגלות ערוה אני ה’’ - ‘A man shall not come near to any of his close relatives to uncover their nakedness; I am Hashem.’ Rashi comments: ‘I am Hashem—faithful to give reward.’ We want to understand: what is this ‘faithful to give reward’ that Rashi speaks of? What reward is being referred to? Even more puzzling—how can one receive reward for the prohibitions of forbidden relationships (arayos)? After all, there’s no active way to fulfill these mitzvos other than by refraining, by “sitting and not doing (שב ואל תעשה) .”
This very question is the answer. HaKadosh Baruch Hu promises to give reward to the one who refrains from a prohibition. Even though outwardly he has done nothing to warrant a reward, the Creator Yisbarach—Who examines the inner thoughts and emotions—knows when a person faces a test and overcomes his evil inclination. He promises: ‘I am Hashem—faithful to give reward.’
Only HaKadosh Baruch Hu examines the heart and mind, knows how many times you held yourself back from looking at something forbidden—and He will repay you for each and every time. As it is written (Makkos 23b): “Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya says: HaKadosh Baruch Hu wanted to grant merit to Israel; therefore, He gave them abundant Torah and mitzvos.” Not only did He increase the number of positive commandments, but also the number of negative commandments—so that every time a Jew refrains from transgressing a prohibition, he receives reward for it.
- Tiv HaTorah - Acharei
