레위기 26:4의 Chasidut
וְנָתַתִּ֥י גִשְׁמֵיכֶ֖ם בְּעִתָּ֑ם וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִתֵּ֥ן פִּרְיֽוֹ׃
내가 너희 비를 그 시후에 주리니 땅은 그 산물을 내고 밭의 수목은 열매를 맺을지라
Kedushat Levi
Leviticus 26,4. “then I will provide you with your rain at the appropriate time.” Seeing that we have referred to the reward for performance of the commandments as being reserved for the world to come, this verse poses the question that it appears to contradict the statement of our sages that there is no reward for mitzvah performance to be expected in this life on earth. (Kiddushin 39)
We may answer this apparent contradiction by reminding the reader of Avot 4,2 in which we are told that the reward for performing a mitzvah is the opportunity to perform additional mitzvoth. Receiving the rain we need on time results in our economic viability and our ability to perform additional commandments such as being charitable to the poor with our disposable income. All this comes under the heading of “performance of a commandment dragging in its wake the opportunity to perform additional commandments.” This does not contradict what the sages meant when they described the “real” reward for performing the commandments being saved for life beyond the death of our bodies.
We may answer this apparent contradiction by reminding the reader of Avot 4,2 in which we are told that the reward for performing a mitzvah is the opportunity to perform additional mitzvoth. Receiving the rain we need on time results in our economic viability and our ability to perform additional commandments such as being charitable to the poor with our disposable income. All this comes under the heading of “performance of a commandment dragging in its wake the opportunity to perform additional commandments.” This does not contradict what the sages meant when they described the “real” reward for performing the commandments being saved for life beyond the death of our bodies.
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