Rashi notes the singular term vayikach, implying that he – Shem – was the one who took the garment to fulfill the commandment of honoring his father. Because he exerted himself more than Yafes, his reward exceeded that of Yafes. Shem was blessed with the mitzvah of Tzitzis, and Yafes, who also participated in carrying out the mitzvah, was blessed with burial for his descendants. This refers to the war of Gog and Magog, during which the children of Yafes will be accorded burial in Eretz Yisrael. The commentators question the attribution of the mitzvah of Tzitzis to Shem’s noble actions, when, in fact, we find that the mitzvah of Tzitzis is attributed to the merit of Avraham Avinu’s retort to the king of Sodom, Im michut v’ad sroch naal;“If so much as a thread or a shoe strap; or if I shall take anything that belongs to you (king of Sodom…) (Bereishis 14:23)
The Sifsei Chachamim explain that Tzitzis are comprised of two colors of wool: the white wool in merit of Shem; the techeiles, blue wool, in the merit of Avraham. The general mitzvah of Tzitzis, which is a reference to the white wool, preceded the supplemental aspect of techeiles.
Horav Eliyahu Baruch Finkel, zl, distinguishes between the Tallis, comprised of a four-cornered garment that has Tzitzis as its fringes, and the actual wool threads, which comprise the Tzitzis themselves. The Tallis is a body covering; therefore, it makes sense that this mitzvah is derived from Shem’s proactive act of honoring his father by taking the garment to cover him. Avraham who referred to a thread, warranted the reward of the wool threads which comprise the actual Tzitzis.
Rav Eliyahu Baruch posits that while the Tallis garment facilitates the mitzvah of Tzitzis— since it is used in conjunction with the Tzitzis to provide a garment through which one is na’eh b’mitzvos, beautifies himself (for Hashem) with mitzvos—it, too, becomes a cheftza d’mitzvah, object of the mitzvah, no different than the actual Tzitzis.
Both Shem and Yafes merited the reward of a “covering”: Shem, the covering of Tallis; and Yafes, the covering of the ground. The Tallis and the earth both cover the body. The Tallis covers a person when he is alive, performing a mitzvah, and he dons the Tallis himself. In contrast, the covering of the earth is for the corpse of the deceased, and this action is performed on his body by others. This underscores the difference between Shem’s proactive taking of the garment to cover his father, and the participation of Yafes in acting along with Shem. One is rewarded for the mitzvah and also for his attitude in executing the mitzvah. Everything that one puts into carrying out a mitzvah will be rewarded.
Furthermore, as noted by Rav Eliyahu Baruch, Rashi writes that, as a result of Shem’s actions, “his sons merited the mitzvah of and Tallis of Tzitzis.” Regarding Yafes he writes, “He (Yafes) merited burial for his children.” In other words, Shem’s zchus, merit, was transferred to his descendants, because he exerted himself and thus warranted the mitzvah for himself– it actually became his mitzvah, possession, so to speak. He could, therefore, transfer the mitzvah over to his children, who took possession of it in their own right.
Yafes who participated in this mitzvah but didn’t take the initiative was rewarded, but he did not merit that an actual mitzvah would become his. Therefore, his children receive spiritual dividends for their ancestor’s reward. However, they do not have their own merit.
Perhaps we might suggest a homiletic rendering of the distinction between the rewards received by Shem and Yafes. The Tallis is worn during one’s lifetime as a garment that accompanies him during his prayer service to Hashem. Hence, the Tallis symbolizes mitzvah performance. When a person dies, his mortal remains are interred in the ground. His body, which is the physical container that had been home to his neshamah, soul, decays, and turns into the dust from which it was created. The corpse is placed in the ground, and covered by dirt, so that it eventually blends in with the elements. The corpse of a Jew is first dressed in tachrichim, burial shrouds, and then wrapped in a Tallis. The body decays, the Tallis withers, but it does not disappear/blend in with the earth. What does this signify?
I think this teaches us that, while the body of a Jew breaks down upon burial and putrefies, his lifetime of mitzvah performance lives on to eternity. This is where Shem’s reward is distinguished from that of Yafes. Shem’s Tallis covers him in the ground, as Yafes’ reward is also a covering of “ground.” Yafes’ covering stays with him; Shem takes his covering before the Heavenly Tribunal as a symbol of a lifetime of service to Hashem. How sad it is that those who reject Halachah – and, instead, choose cremation– either ignore or are unaware of this beautiful and meaningful verity.
