Dear Rav Kornfeld, shlita:
Thank you very much for your speedy response. The point about having Zechuyos due to great forebears which has protective value brings to a mind a related issue.
It is understandable, when we speak of zechuyos, that when any Jew, regardless of his background, puts forth effort in Torah learning or Mitzvos, or working to acquire Yiras Shomayim, or Midos Tovos, earns Zechuyos thereby. These ''earnings'' bring certain Beracha, whether in Olam Hazeh or Olam Haba, a sense of protection, etc. But when we speak of Zechus Avos in particular, it would seem that one can possess (as opposed to ''earn'') merits without any effort, simply because that person had the priviledge of having Tzaddikim and Talmidei Chochomim among his forebears, i.e. Zechus Avos. And someone else may be a much bigger Oveid Ha-shem, and may have worked much harder for spiritual attainments, only due to a family background lacking great people, he has a lot less (or is without) Zechus Avos, and, in the final analysis, possesses less Zechuyos, and consequently, less Brocha, Shemira, etc. Of course, in Ha-shem's master plan, we understand everything works out perfectly, but can you address this for me?
Thanks very much,
Yitzchok Gesser
The Mishnah in Eduyos (2:9) cites in the name of Rebbi Akiva that a father is "Zocheh l'Ben" (that is, he bequeaths to his son) six things. Among those six things are beauty ("Noy"), wisdom ("Chachmah"), wealth ("Osher"), and the assurances that are promised to the sons in the Zechus of the fathers (see Bartenura there).
Hence, just like no one was born with the same beauty or wisdom, and there are those whose fathers were handsome and wise and they inherit those traits from their fathers, as well as those whose fathers were ugly and ignorant, there are those who are born with the assurances of the Zechus of their fathers. (Of course, this is not related to the S'char that one will receive in Olam ha'Ba, for one is Zocheh to such S'char only through his own efforts and deeds. Rather, the Zechus Avos gives the opportunity to ease the Avodah in this world, just like wealth gives such an opportunity.)
We can add that this concept contains deep underpinnings. Hash-m sees each person and the generations that will come forth from him (and each person and the generations that preceded him) as a single entity that exists at one time. Each person in this entity of continuity is expected to build upon, to add to, and to rectify the entity that his fathers left to him, in order to complete the entire entity (see what we wrote on this topic in Insights to Shabbos 55:4, and see also there (55:2) with regard to Zechus Avos nowadays).
Kollel Iyun Hadaf