[Avodah] Le'ilui Nishmas an Infant

[Danny Schoemann]

RMB: "I really don't know what le'ilui nishmas means when speaking of
a nifteres who only lived 11 weeks"

I really don't know what le'ilui nishmas means at the best of times,
since it seems to negate the entire foundation of Jewish Life, as
described, say, by the Mesilath Yeshorim.

I.e.: Your place in Neshoma-Land is defined by your actions down here.

(I understand that everything I do is "credited" to whoever
made/enabled/persuaded me to do it. E.g. parents, Rebbes, friends.
That's part of their "actions". Though even that needs to be
clarified; the billions of Tehilim said during the Holocaust - are
they credited to A.H. and his gang of thugs? may they rot, etc.)

So if I learn a Mishna, it gets credited to me, and some kickback to
my Alef-Beis teacher, my parents and all their ancestors. (Assuming
that never dissuaded me from doing such things, I imagine.)

Now I decide it's le'ilui nishmas a certain Opa who's Yahrzeit it is.
Why & how would he get more credit than anybody else? Maybe because
I'm learning specifically because it's his Yahrzeit? But that's not an
"action" he did.

Forget about learning a Mishna for a random childless niftar. How on
earth does that work? or: how in heaven does that work? ;-)

Sources "supporting" this view are abundant, starting at Rav Hai Gaon
& Rav Sherira Gaon who both wrote that doing good deeds for others is
nonsense. Some of these sources can be seen at
https://www.sefaria.org.il/sheets/57393.30

B'Kitzur, the M.Y. teaches us that we toil in this world to reap in
the next. Prep on Friday to eat on Shabbos, etc.
Le'ilui nishmas seems to undermine that. Do as you wish in this world
and somebody will hopefully come along and fix your mistakes le'ilui
nishmas your misguided soul.

I'd like an explanation how to reconcile the MY and le'ilui nishmas.

Kol Tuv

- Danny