Shiluach Haken: Why Does a Simple Mitzvah Bring Such Great Reward?

“You shall surely send away the mother, and take the young for yourself, so that it will be good for you and you will have a long life” (Deuteronomy 22:7).

Rabbenu Bachya explains, based on the Midrash, that the mitzvah of shiluach haken, sending away the mother bird before taking her young, is considered an easy mitzvah. It requires neither great effort nor significant financial expense. Yet despite its simplicity, the Torah promises an extraordinary reward: “so that it will be good for you and you will have a long life.”

Although the mitzvah may seem small, its reward is immense.

“According to the Midrash: ‘You shall surely send away the mother.’ There is no mitzvah easier than sending away the nest. And what is its reward? ‘So that it will be good for you and you will have a long life.’”

What Can We Learn From an Easy Mitzvah?

Rabbenu Bachya shares a parable comparing mitzvot and their rewards. A king hires workers to plant in his field but does not reveal how much they will be paid for their work. At the end of the day, a worker who planted just one small, simple tree receives one gold coin. The other workers are astonished. If someone who planted such a small tree received a gold coin, they reason, how much greater must the reward be for those who planted much more?

“What can this be compared to? A king who brought workers into his field to plant, but did not reveal to them the reward for their planting. In the evening, he gave one gold coin to anyone who planted one tree. Everyone began to wonder: If this person, who planted only one small and lesser tree, receives one gold coin, then how much more so will we, who planted many?”

The parable highlights the tremendous value of every mitzvah, even one that appears simple. We cannot measure the spiritual value of a mitzvah by the amount of time, money, or effort it seems to require.

The lesson is to value every mitzvah and recognize that its reward may be far greater than it first appears. Every mitzvah, large or small, is an opportunity to fulfill Hashem’s will and draw closer to Him.

The Reward of Mitzvot

Rabbenu Bachya explains that if the mitzvah of shiluach haken, which involves no financial loss or special exertion, earns such a great reward, how much more so must this be true of other mitzvot that require significant effort or financial expense.

If an easy mitzvah such as shiluach haken merits an enormous reward, then mitzvot involving major physical or financial effort surely carry even greater reward.

“Thus, if sending away the nest, which involves no financial loss, has such a reward, then other mitzvot that involve financial loss, effort, and saving lives are all the more so. This is why Hashem did not specify to Israel the reward for the mitzvot, so that they would perform them all.”

Rabbenu Bachya continues by explaining why the Torah does not spell out the reward for every mitzvah. Hashem wanted the mitzvot to be performed out of commitment and faith, with pure intention, rather than solely out of a desire for a particular reward or personal gain.

Still, the Midrashim reveal hints that the reward for mitzvot is far beyond what a person can imagine. Knowing that their reward is immense, even when it is not explicitly stated, can motivate a person to approach every mitzvah with faith and dedication.

Never Underestimate a Mitzvah

Rabbenu Bachya concludes by comparing mitzvot to fruit bearing trees. Just as some trees produce more valuable fruit than others, some mitzvot carry especially great rewards.

“For we find that mitzvot are comparable to trees that bear fruit: one tree produces more important fruit than another, and likewise, there is a mitzvah whose reward is greater.”

Still, every mitzvah is important in Hashem’s eyes. We should never minimize the value of what appears to be a small or easy mitzvah, because mitzvot are not measured simply by the physical or material effort invested in them. Their true value lies in their spiritual significance and in the commitment and respect a person demonstrates for the Creator’s will.

There are different levels of reward for different mitzvot, but every mitzvah carries blessing within it. The lesson of shiluach haken is a powerful reminder: what appears small in our eyes may be immeasurably precious in the eyes of Hashem.