There were once two brothers who worked together, composing music. Their compositions were sold and enjoyed around the world. Once, as they were working on a particular piece, there was a massive explosion in their studio, and both brothers lost their sense of hearing. One of them decided to leave the world of music and go into another field of work since he could no longer enjoy the music he composed. The other musician continued writing music by heart. Although he could not hear his music, he knew that people worldwide were enjoying it.
Years passed, and significant advances were made in the medical field. The brothers underwent surgery and got back their sense of hearing. The brother who composed songs all along could now listen to and enjoy the beautiful music he created.
The nimshal is that even if, at the moment, you are not yet experiencing the joy and the sweetness of avodas Hashem, don’t stop performing good deeds. Continue doing the mitzvos because eventually, you will enjoy everything you accomplished – in the next world, and even in this world.
When people are ill, they sometimes lose their sense of smell and taste. Eating becomes a chore because they don't enjoy it. But they force themselves to eat because they know they must eat to remain alive. Reb Gamliel Rabinowitz Shlita says that from this we learn that even those who lost their taste and enjoyment in Torah and tefillah should continue performing these good deeds, for eventually, they will get their taste back. They will once again experience the pleasure of Torah and mitzvos.
The Gemara (Brachos 17.) tells us that when the students of the yeshiva took leave of one another (before returning home, after a prolonged time learning together in yeshiva), one of the blessings they gave one another was, בחייך תראה עולמך, "May you see your world in your lifetime." The Baal Shem Tov explained that they wished each other, בחייך תראה עולמך, "May you see your future world of Olam HaBa in your lifetime." It is possible to experience a taste of the future world in one's avodas Hashem.
That is why the future world is called הבא עולם, which means "the world that comes." When does it come? The Meor Einayim (Yisro, שהקדימו בשעה ה"ד) explains that it comes to every Yid, in this world, when he serves Hashem with joy, fear, and love of Hashem. The Meor Einayim adds that this is the meaning of Bnei Yisrael's famous proclamation, ונשמע נעשה, "We will do, and we will listen." He explains that this means that we will serve Hashem, even without feeling the joy in it, and in the end, we will taste the sweetness of avodas Hashem.
The happiness we experience when we perform Torah and mitzvos.
Longevity for Honoring Parents
The Chasam Sofer (Drashos, vol.2 p.362:) explains that a Torah scholar might think that it is inappropriate for him to spend too much time caring for his parents because it would take away from his Torah studies, and כולם כנגד תורה תלמוד, learning Torah is the greatest merit. Therefore, the Torah promises longevity for kibud av v'em. The Torah tells him the time spent honoring his parents will be returned to him. He will live long and have plenty of time to make up his studies.
The Lev Simchah of Gur zt'l said that each person is born with a quota of days and years he will live. The time one devotes for kibud av v'em isn't part of the calculation. He will live extra because those times aren't deducted from the days of his allotment.
Reb Sadyah Gaon z'l explains that kibud av v'em is a difficult mitzvah to keep, as it is time-consuming and hard work. To encourage people to devote themselves to this essential mitzvah, the Torah promises longevity. This great reward encourages people to keep this mitzvah, despite the hardships involved.
