(Devarim 32:47) "For it is not an empty thing for you; for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days": There is nothing empty in the Torah, for which, if you fulfill it, you will not be rewarded in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come. Know this to be so, for they said: Why is it written (Bereshith 36:22) "And the sister of Lotan was Timna," and (Ibid. 36:12) "And Timna was a concubine to Elifaz (the son of Esav)"? Because she said: "I am not worthy of being his wife; (at least) let me be his concubine." Why all this? To apprise us of the greatness of our father Abraham, kings and sultans [(Timna was a daughter of royalty)] desiring to marry into his family. Now does this not follow a fortiori? If Esav, who kept only one mitzvah, that of honoring his father — kings and sultans desired to marry into his family, how much more so would they run to do so with Jacob the tzaddik, who fulfilled all of the mitzvoth, viz. (Ibid. 25:27) "And Jacob was a whole man!"
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and by this thing (Torah study) you shall prolong days.": This is one of the things, which, by doing them, one eats their fruits in this world and "prolongs days" in the world to come, viz. "for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days." Whence do we derive (the same for) honoring father and mother? From (Devarim 5:16) "Honor your father and mother so that your days be prolonged and so that it be good for you, etc." Whence do we derive (the same for) lovingkindness? From (Proverbs 21:21) "He who pursues righteousness and lovingkindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." Whence do we derive (the same for) the conferring of peace (upon man and his neighbor)? From (Psalms 34:15) "Seek peace and pursue it," and (Isaiah 54:13) "and all of your children learned of the L-rd, and an abundance of peace (will be the lot of) your children."
(דברים לב מז) כִּי לֹא דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם, אֵין לְךָ דָּבָר רֵיקָם בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ לָמָּה נִכְתַּב (בראשית לו כב) ״וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע״, (שם יב) ״וְתִמְנַע הָיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ״? לְפִי שֶׁאָמְרָה אֵינִי כְדַאי שֶׁאֱהֵא לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, אֱהֵא לוֹ פִּילֶגֶשׁ. וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה? לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ חִבָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, הָיוּ שֶׁלֹּא רוֹצִים מַלְכוּת וְשׁוּלְטָנוּת וְרָצִים לְהִדָּבֵק בּוֹ. וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר: וּמָה עֵשָׂו שֶׁאֵין בְּיָדוֹ אֶלָּא מִצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁכִּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיו, הָיוּ מְלָכִים וְשִׁלְטוֹנִים רָצִים לְהִדָּבֵק בּוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁהָיוּ רָצִים לְהִדָּבֵק בְּיַעֲקֹב הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁקִּיֵּם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כה כז): ״וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״.
(Devarim 32:47) "For it is not an empty thing for you; for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days": There is nothing empty in the Torah, for which, if you fulfill it, you will not be rewarded in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come. Know this to be so, for they said: Why is it written (Bereshith 36:22) "And the sister of Lotan was Timna," and (Ibid. 36:12) "And Timna was a concubine to Elifaz (the son of Esav)"? Because she said: "I am not worthy of being his wife; (at least) let me be his concubine." Why all this? To apprise us of the greatness of our father Abraham, kings and sultans [(Timna was a daughter of royalty)] desiring to marry into his family. Now does this not follow a fortiori? If Esav, who kept only one mitzvah, that of honoring his father — kings and sultans desired to marry into his family, how much more so would they run to do so with Jacob the tzaddik, who fulfilled all of the mitzvoth, viz. (Ibid. 25:27) "And Jacob was a whole man!"
וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּאֲרִיכוּ יָמִים, זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם אוֹכֵל פֵּירוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וּמְפֹרָשׁ כָּאן בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, בְּכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כ יב): ״כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ״. בְּשִׁלּוּחַ הַקֵּן כָּתוּב (דברים כב ז): ״שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״. בַּהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם כָּתוּב (ישעיה נד יג): ״וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה׳ וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָיִךְ״.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and by this thing (Torah study) you shall prolong days.": This is one of the things, which, by doing them, one eats their fruits in this world and "prolongs days" in the world to come, viz. "for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days." Whence do we derive (the same for) honoring father and mother? From (Devarim 5:16) "Honor your father and mother so that your days be prolonged and so that it be good for you, etc." Whence do we derive (the same for) lovingkindness? From (Proverbs 21:21) "He who pursues righteousness and lovingkindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." Whence do we derive (the same for) the conferring of peace (upon man and his neighbor)? From (Psalms 34:15) "Seek peace and pursue it," and (Isaiah 54:13) "and all of your children learned of the L-rd, and an abundance of peace (will be the lot of) your children."