We have 365 Lo Taaseh’s in the Torah, like “don’t steal” or “don’t kill.” These tell us it’s a mitzvah not to do X. So if I’m just sitting in my chair now not violating any of these Lavs, do I get schar for upholding all of them. For instance, I’m not killing anyone now or stealing anything now. Do I get constant schar for every moment that I don’t violate one of these?
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If you are it's probably negligible he.wikisource.org/wiki/…– Double AA ♦Commented Apr 11 at 1:18
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Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/133474/6592– shmoselCommented Apr 11 at 1:26
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Very related (dupe?): judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/99372/…– Joel KCommented Apr 11 at 11:11
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Thanks for the links– Curious YidCommented Apr 11 at 18:15
1 Answer
The Gemara in Kiddushin 39B asks this question in a similar way and answers that if there’s an opportunity/temptation to do an aveira and you don’t, then you get schar, but if not, then you don’t:
רָמֵי רַב טוֹבִי בַּר רַב קִיסְנָא לְרָבָא: תְּנַן כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת מְטִיבִין לוֹ: עָשָׂה – אִין, לֹא עָשָׂה – לָא. וּרְמִינְהִי: יָשַׁב וְלֹא עָבַר עֲבֵירָה – נוֹתְנִים לוֹ שָׂכָר כְּעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָתָם, כְּגוֹן שֶׁבָּא דְּבַר עֲבֵירָה לְיָדוֹ וְנִיצּוֹל הֵימֶנָּה
Rav Tuvi bar Rav Kisna raises a contradiction to Rava and asked: We learned in the mishna that anyone who performs one mitzva has goodness bestowed upon him. This indicates that if one actually performed the mitzva, yes, he is rewarded, but if he did not perform the mitzva, no, he does not receive a reward. He raises a contradiction based on the following statement: If one sits and does not transgress, he receives a reward as one who performs a mitzva, despite the fact that he does not actually perform a mitzva. Rava said to him: There, when it is referring to one who sits and does not transgress, it does not mean that he was merely sitting; rather, it is speaking of a case where an opportunity to commit a sinful act presents itself to him and he is saved from it