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I heard that you can retroactively influence the Mitzvot you already did. For example, let's say I put on Tefilin everyday, but, in one specific day, I felt really sick and I have to make a really big effort to also put on Tefilin that day. If I do manage to do it that day, it shows that I was ready to make this kind of effort and I would do the Mitzvá even in difficult situations.

I heard that the merit I had putting on Tefilin on a normal day will be increased after this situation, because H'shem will recognize that I would be willing to do the Mitzvá even if it was hard for me and involved effort. This way I proved that I don't put the Tefilin just because it is easy, but because I take it really seriously. Being so, I deserve, retroactively, to earn more merit for all those regular Tefilin days.

It this correct? If so, could anyone tell me the source?

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  • One day, Hashem will take away the yeitzer hara, so "evil" will no longer be one of our options. In that world, you'll put on tefillin, and someone will come to you and say "oh, yeah, all well and good you put on tefillin now that it's as easy as breathing, but I bet you couldn't do it with a yeitzer hara", and you'll be able to turn around and tell them "actually, one time I was really sick and I had a huge yeitzer hara to not put them on, but I did anyway, so I have every right to be in this world, putting on tefillin for Hashem now, tyvm" So yes, it retroactively improved ALL your tefillin!
    – Rabbi Kaii
    Oct 23, 2022 at 12:22

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Regarding your observation/question, "Hashem will recognize that I would be willing to do the Mitzvah even if it was hard for me and involved effort. " I would like to point out a commentary by Rabbi Dovid ben Shalom HaKohen, author of Ohr Dovid.

In the sefer, he writes that, let's say a person is suffering because he cannot fulfill certain mitzvos, either because he's sick or other reasons, but he really wants to observe those mitzvos in his heart, scripture regards him as if he did them. See: "אור דוד"

או אחרת מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עשאה וכן אמרו חז"ל הלומד זבחים ומנחות או האומר סדר הקרבנות מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו הקריבן וכן אמרו מחשבה טובה הקדוש ברוך הוא מצרפה למעשה כל שכן אם זו לא רק מחשבה אלא גם הבעה של צער על חוסר האפשרות לקיימה הרי בודאי שהקדוש ברוך הוא מחשיב גם את המחשבה וגם את הרצון למעשה

There are different mitzvot in Eretz Yisrael, the author of Or David writes:

יש מצוות השייכות למלך ויש לכהנים ויש לבכורים וכו' There are mitzvot that belong to the king, priests and firstborns

So, when Moshe Rabbeinu asked G-d to fulfill (all) those mitzvot, G-d saw that Moshe Rabbeinu really wanted to fulfill them all, and to this applies the statement of the Or David. Namely, that in this case, scripture raises this person as if he fulfilled them all.

Taken from my answere at this post.

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    Beautiful answer ty
    – Rabbi Kaii
    Oct 23, 2022 at 12:24

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