משלי, פרק י״א, פסוק ל׳

A person’s moral achievements and good character rarely remain confined to their private life. Instead, they ripple outward, shaping both their community and their eternal legacy. The outcome of a righteous life is often compared to a flourishing tree. The primary approach among commentators is that this growth represents the ultimate reward for good deeds, granting the individual a deep connection to God and eternal life in the World to Come [רש״י, עמנואל הרומי, אמרי דעת]. Others view this harvest not as a future reward, but as the moral traits and good actions themselves [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם], or as the product of a person's refined intellect and thoughts [אבן עזרא]. Because this righteousness is compared to a tree of life, it shows that good people do not hoard their vitality. Their actions become a life-giving source for others, who learn from their ways and find nourishment in their example [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם].

While a righteous person influences the world through their lived actions, a wise person actively draws others in through speech and instruction [מלבי״ם]. The wise individual invests their primary energy into people [ביאור שטיינזלץ], gently guiding them toward the right path. By doing so, they effectively acquire or win over the souls of others, much like Abraham did when he brought people closer to faith [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Another perspective links this action directly to the sharing of knowledge, suggesting that the wise person imparts moral instruction and wisdom to the minds of others [אבן עזרא, עמנואל הרומי]. Ultimately, this guidance saves people from harm, pulling them away from material desires and directing them toward the service of God [אבן עזרא, עמנואל הרומי].

A completely different approach applies these concepts to the difficult question of why good people suffer in this world or pass away at a young age. According to this view, the spiritual fruits of the righteous are preserved for them as a tree of life in the World to Come. Furthermore, the wise figure gathering souls is not a human being at all, but God Himself. God takes the soul of the righteous from this world with perfect wisdom and at the exact right moment, just as a careful farmer knows the precise instant to harvest his figs [אלשיך].