The Torah commands in Parashat Va’et’hanan (6:26), “Lo Tenasu Et Hashem Elokechem” – “Do not test Hashem your G-d.” The Sages understood this as referring to excessively testing a prophet whose authenticity has already been confirmed. If a prophet had already proven to be a real prophet by making two or three correct predictions, it is forbidden to test him further by demanding that he make additional predictions or perform certain miracles. Since he had already established himself as a true prophet, it is forbidden to demand additional verification. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that the Torah forbade excessively testing a prophet because this could undermine his stature in the people’s eyes, leading them to question his words and to ignore his calls for repentance. This command, the Sefer Ha’hinuch adds, also forbids testing G-d by performing a Misva in order to see if He will give a reward. The ultimate rewards for Misva observance are received not in this world, but in the next world. Therefore, we must perform Misvot without any expectation of seeing their rewards here in our lifetime, and we may not test G-d by performing a Misva with the specific intention of seeing whether or not we receive reward for it. For example, one cannot decide to observe Shabbat in order to see if G-d would compensate him for the money he forfeits for the sake of Shabbat observance. We are to observe Shabbat and our other religious requirements out of subservience to G-d, and not with the expectation of reward. Some Rishonim raised the question of how to reconcile this prohibition with the Gemara’s comment that if one gives charity with the specific intention that his child should recover from his illness, he is considered “perfectly righteous.” Even though he performs this Misva for the sake of receiving reward, nevertheless, he is regarded as pious because he performs a Misva. Seemingly, giving charity with this specific intention transgresses the prohibition against “testing” G-d, and should thus be forbidden. The Rishonim answer that the Gemara speaks of a person whose child did not live after he gave charity, but he nevertheless did not regret his Misva, and for this reason, he is considered righteous. The fact that he did not regret giving charity despite not receiving what he wished for proves that he gave out of sincere motives, and so he is called “entirely righteous.” The lone exception to this law is the Misva of Ma’aser – tithes – which may be given with the expectation of receiving reward. The prophet Malachi (3:10) conveys G-d’s announcement regarding the Misva of Ma’aser, “U’vhanuni Na Ba’zot” – that we are invited to “test” Him by giving charity to determine whether we will be rewarded with material blessing. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that as Ma’aser is given to G-d’s servants in the Bet Ha’mikdash – the Leviyim – He is automatically dutybound, as it were, to repay the person. When we take care of Hashem’s servants, it’s practically automatic that He will generously repay us. Since there is no question that this will happen – as this is almost a natural consequence of Ma’aser – there is no prohibition against testing to see whether or not G-d will repay for giving Ma’aser. This compensation will be given irrespective of the person’s behavior – even if he is guilty of wrongdoing – because the process is automatic. Returning to the case of a prophet, if a prophet warns of some calamity, which in the end did not occur, this does not disprove his authenticity. G-d is compassionate and rescinds harsh decrees in response to sincere repentance, and therefore if a predicted catastrophe never takes place, this could be explained as the revocation of G-d’s decree. A well-known example of this phenomenon is the story of Yona, who warned that the city of Nineveh would be destroyed, but in the end, the city was spared, because of the townspeople’s repentance. Another example is King Hizkiyahu, who fell ill and was warned by the prophet Ye