עברית
Faith
Are Those on a Mitzvah Mission Always Protected from Harm?
Question
Hello, honorable rabbi. I am troubled by the question of the concept that those on a mitzvah mission are not harmed, yet more than once we encounter reports of people who were on their way to perform some mitzvah and were injured, whether in terrorist attacks or in car accidents, etc. Is there a reasonable explanation for this? (Because I heard from someone that in a time of danger this does not apply, or something like that, and that reassured me, since one can always say that it is a dangerous area/period/security situation, etc.).
Thank you very much, and Shabbat shalom!
Answer
Greetings,
Indeed, our Sages already said in Tractate Pesachim (8b) that although those on a mitzvah mission are not harmed, nevertheless, where danger is common, it may be that even those on a mitzvah mission can be harmed.
And even in a place where danger is not common, it may still be that a person on a mitzvah mission will be harmed, because the meaning of those on a mitzvah mission are not harmed is that the mitzvah will not bring him any harm. But if his time to die has arrived in any case, then on the contrary, it is a merit for him that from Heaven his death is brought about through a mitzvah, as though he were giving his life for Kiddush Hashem, as is brought in Tractate Shabbat (118b): Rabbi Yosi said, May my portion be with those who die on the way to perform a mitzvah.
Sources: This is how Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l explained it in Tamma DeKra (p. 22) and in Derech Sichah, part 1 (pp. 99-100). See also Maharshal in Tractate Shabbat there, Tractate Chullin (7b, s.v. le-davar mitzvah), and in the book Mefagdim Chadashim on Tractate Shabbat there.
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
