Why was Chizkiyahu liable to receive the severe punishment of death on account of his failure to marry, which is merely a mitzvas asei that generally doesn’t carry a death penalty?
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Why was Chizkiyahu liable to receive the severe punishment of death on account of his failure to marry, which is merely a mitzvas asei that generally doesn’t carry a death penalty?
To answer this question of the Maharsha, perhaps we can suggest that the king’s responsibility to perform Mitzvos is of a much greater proportion than the ordinary man, since he serves as a public example to be emulated, hence his greater liability if he neglects to do so; specifically when involving the Mitzva of marriage which is essential to the continuity of the Jewish nation.
R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Peshat V’Iyun, p. 92) writes that when a king negates the performance of a mitzvas asei it’s a terrible Chillul Hashem and therefore his punishment was so severe, both in this world and the next.
His aveira was for making Hashem’s chebonos, which is al lack of trusting HKB”H hanhoga