A man came to the home of the Chofetz Chaim, asking if he could stay for Shabbos. The Chofetz Chaim happily agreed. However, the man then added a stipulation: at the end of Shabbos, he wants to pay the Chofetz Chaim for any food that he will eat. He did not want to eat without paying. And again, the Chofetz Chaim agreed.
After Shabbos, the man insisted that the Chofetz Chaim calculate how much he ate, per his stipulation. “We agreed that you would give me the total at the end of Shabbos.”
“Did you then think that I would sell the mitzvah?!” replied the Chofetz Chaim. “My mitzvos are not up for sale. It was my pleasure to do this mitzvah, and at no price am I willing to sell it!”
A bit surprised, the man replied, “But we agreed. How are you backing out on your word?”
“Over Shabbos, I wanted you to feel that you’re paying for the food, and thus you’d eat as much as you wanted. I wanted you to enjoy it and feel no pressure to spare yourself on my expense. I had no intent in letting you pay for the food, so I’m not breaking any word. The mitzvah is far more valuable than any money you’d offer me. I, therefore am not willing to give it up!”
The opportunities that we’re granted on a constant basis, whether it be hachnasas orchim or other mitzvos—the fact that we’re privileged to do the mitzvos should override the value of any individual one. Each is an enormous world that is preparing for us outstanding reward. So even though we don’t see the reward, we nonetheless believe it, and thus we know that the day will come when we will see and feel it.
