Daf Yomi, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Torah and Psychology, Marriage Counseling, Psychotherapy
Our Gemara on Amud Beis relates the Aggadah that Og, King of Bashan, survived the flood by hanging on to the ark. Even Yisrael (Noach) asks, why did Noach need the Raven and the Dove—why not send out Og? He answers that Noach did not want to give him any opportunity to receive merit, as he saw him as evil and unworthy.
When we combine this idea with the Aggadah (Niddah 61a) that Og merited a long-lasting kingdom because of the steps he took to warn Avraham about Lot’s capture, it is even more powerful. We see that in the end, by hook or by crook, so to speak, Og got his merit. Noach might have sensed this potential via Ruach Hakodesh and wanted to avoid it. By the way, this merit came even though, according to the Aggadah, he had an ulterior motive. He was hoping Avraham would die in battle and he could possess Sarah as a wife.
While the traditional thought is that this shows how great the reward for a mitzvah is, even when woefully lacking in motivation, I have a different idea. Perhaps the true merit was that he had some deeper sense and inner dignity to realize who Sarah was, and his yearning to attach to a great person nudged his personality just a bit in the direction that allowed him to benefit from a divine flow.
This is consistent with a few other notable evil despots who merited reward for having done relatively small acts of decency:
Sotah (47b) tells us that Pharaoh merited a long, successful dominion over the Jews because he took four steps to honor and accompany Avraham and Sarah. Nevuchadnezar also took four steps to honor God by having the order of a royal communiqué changed so that God was put before Chizkiyahu.
True, these actions were small compared to their sadistic evil, but in the end they all consisted of recognizing something sacred or holy. The spiritual connection that ensues, and its resulting benefit, is automatic and inevitable. As Avos (4:2) states, “The reward for a mitzvah is another mitzvah.”
Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com