Why we don't have all the answers, especially when it comes to the big questions like, "What's the ultimate reward for doing good?"
Midrash Tehillim 9, a beautiful exploration within the larger collection of Midrash on the Book of Psalms, dives right into this. It uses the figure of King Solomon, known for his wisdom, to explore humanity's yearning for understanding.
The text opens by referencing Ecclesiastes 12:10, noting that Kohelet, another name for Solomon, sought "pleasing words." He wanted to understand complex matters, like the ritual of the Red Heifer (parah adumah). This ritual is fascinating because, as Rabbi Yitzhak points out, "Whoever engages with the Red Heifer becomes impure, while it purifies the impure." It's a paradox! The verse responds that "the words of truth are straightforward," but are they really? Sometimes the deepest truths are wrapped in complexity. The Midrash then states, "I already wrote in the Book of Yashar..." This mysterious "Book of Yashar," also mentioned in Joshua 10:13, seems to be a source of profound wisdom.
Solomon's quest doesn't stop there. He seeks to understand the reward of Torah study, referencing Proverbs 3:15: "She is more precious than rubies." He also wants to know the reward of the righteous and the reward for fulfilling commandments (mitzvot). He quotes Malachi 3:12, "For you will be a desirable land," and Hosea 6:6, "For I desire kindness." In each case, the answer is the same: "And the words of truth are written." Again, we are directed to the Book of Yashar, and Isaiah 64:3, which states, "No eye has seen, O God, besides You, what You have prepared for those who wait for You."
But what about the end of days? Solomon even probes into understanding the end, citing Song of Songs 3:5: "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem… that you will not arouse or awaken love until it desires." This connects to Isaiah 63:4, "For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come." Rabbi Shaul, quoting Rabbi Yehuda, gives a stern warning: "If someone asks you, 'When will the end of the redemption come?' do not believe him, as it is said, 'For the day of vengeance is in my heart.' What is in my heart, I have not revealed to anyone." Some things, it seems, are simply not meant for us to know.
Adding another layer, Rabbi Barchia and Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, speak of three signs for the grave of Moses—a sign within a sign, referencing Deuteronomy 34:6: "And He buried him in the valley," and ultimately, "No man knows his burial place." This reinforces the idea that some mysteries are divinely protected. Daniel 12:9 echoes this sentiment: "The words are sealed and closed until the time of the end."
So, what are we to do? Should we just give up on seeking meaning? Absolutely not! Rabbi Chayya's teaching is key: "The path of life - lest you wander." (Proverbs 5:6). We shouldn’t take the commandments of the Torah lightly, wondering which one offers the greatest reward. Proverbs 5:21 reminds us: "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths."
The text uses a powerful parable here. Imagine a king who hires laborers to work in his garden but doesn't reveal the reward for each task. If the laborers knew which plants yielded the biggest reward, they'd focus solely on those, neglecting the rest of the garden. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, doesn't reveal the specific rewards for each mitzvah so that we will fulfill the entire Torah, not just the "best" parts. The Sages wisely changed the language of the Mishnah to urge us to "Be as careful with a light commandment as with a severe one" and to "Turn away from a doubtful matter."
Rabbi Acha, quoting Rabbi, offers a final thought: God "wavers the reward for the commandments in this world, so that Israel may perform them, and when God comes to give their reward, He will give the reward for belief and the reward for action."
Ultimately, Midrash Tehillim 9 suggests that the reward for our actions isn't always clear or immediate. But it’s the act of striving, of engaging with the commandments, of seeking truth and righteousness, that truly matters. The reward, perhaps, lies in the journey itself. And as David said, "For the conductor, concerning the death of a son," because the reward for the commandments was hidden so that the Torah would be fulfilled entirely.