The Torah promises that in the merit of fulfilling the mitzvah of shikchah - leaving any forgotten sheaves of grain for the poor, “Hashem, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do.”
Rashi observes that the Torah promises this great reward for a mitzvah whose fulfillment came about unintentionally! “It can hence be said,” Rashi concludes, “if a sela [coin] dropped from one’s hand, and a poor man found it and was sustained by it, then he who lost the coin will be blessed on its account.”
Our Genuine Desire
The significance of a mitzvah performed without conscious intent can be understood in light of the Rambam’s ruling in the Laws of Divorce (2:20), that when a husband is halachically obligated to divorce his wife, the court may use physical force to prevail upon him to agree to give his wife a get - a bill of divorce, even though a get is only valid when given willingly.
The Rambam explains that this get is still valid because the genuine desire of every Jew is to observe all the mitzvot and to refrain from the prohibitions.
Therefore, when he agrees under pressure to do a mitzvah, he is actually just acknowledging his true will and desire.
The same is true whenever a person fulfills a mitzvah. Even if he seems to do so out of habit, or for ulterior motives, what truly motivates him is the “sincere desire of every Jew to observe all the mitzvot.” (Rambam, ibid.)
Credited with the Mitzvah
Moreover, this desire to obey G-d’s will is rooted in the essential nature of the soul that transcends even the conscious mind. It can thus influence a person’s actions without his knowledge at all.
As such, when a Jew unknowingly drops a coin, it is possible that his subconscious desire to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah is what caused him to drop the coin, in the hope that a poor person will ultimately find it.
He is therefore credited with this mitzvah, which stemmed from the innermost desire of his soul, even though he is entirely “unaware” of the mitzvah he fulfilled.
Based on the teachings of the Rebbe, Torat Menachem, Sefer Hamaamarim Melukat, vol. 1, p243. Beware of Heights & Being Kind by Accident reprinted from Ohr HaChassidus.
