SCHAR V'ONESH-----for machshova

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Isn't there a gemora that says that yirmiyahu davened that the rishaim should give their tzadaka to frauds so that they won’t have a mitzva? But acc. to Chovos HaLevovos, they DO get a mitzva cuz they used their bechira to give what they thought was tzedaka, so they should get credit for a mitzva?

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Good question - Rav Elchonon Wasserman asks it in Kovetz Maamarim (Maamar HaTeshuva). The question stands even without our discussion, cuz the Gemora says that a good thought equals a good deed to hashem, and your Chazal would appear to contradict that.

He says the answer is that even though Hashem considers a good thought like an action, there is definitely a special merit or holiness gained form actually doing the action. If Hashem decides that the doer is Zocheh, he will succeed in his actions thereby gaining the holiness as well as the Mitzvah. If Hashem for whatever reason does not want the person to merit the holiness, He won’t allow him to succeed with the act.

And it’s the same thing for an aveirah. There’s a special responsibility - unholiness that a person gets when they actually commit a sin. To someone who is very evil, if G-d does not have mercy on him, he will allow the sin to be committed. If Hashem ahs mercy on the soul of the sinner, He will not allow him to bring his sin to fruition.