“If a bird’s nest chances to be before you…” (Devarim 22:6)

Throughout the generations, our Rabbis have placed great emphasis on preparing for a mitzvah. Preparation does not mean merely thinking the correct thoughts; it also means placing oneself in the proper frame of mind to perform the mitzvah. This idea is most eloquently expressed in a story with Rabbi Leibel Eiger (1817-1888), grandson of Rabbi Akiva Eiger (1761-1837). He was a mohel and unlike the custom of Litvishe Jews, he would perform the bris late in the afternoon. On one occasion, circumstances delayed the bris until moments before sunset. Several Litvishe Jews present were extremely bothered by this practice. At the seuda, Rav Leibel Eiger was asked to speak, saying: “Chazal teach us ‘zrizim makdimim l’mitzvos’. The simple understanding is that a zealous person performs a mitzvah at the earliest opportunity. But I believe that there is a deeper understanding. A ‘zariz’ is someone who prepares extensively for a mitzvah – learning the relevant material and working to place himself in the proper mood and mindset. Because of this, he may end up performing the mitzvah later rather than earlier, since he is busy elevating the mitzvah to a higher level. ‘Makdimim’, then, means preparing in advance for the mitzvah rather than merely performing it earlier in the day.”

I would like to expand on this idea based on an idea from the grandson of the Chasam Sofer. The gemora derives “zerizim makdimim l’mitzvos” from Avraham Avinu, who rose early in the morning to prepare for the akeida. A question arises: Why didn’t Avraham begin preparing in the middle of the night so he could leave first thing in the morning? The answer is that the preparations for the mitzvah should be done at the time of the mitzvah itself, because the preparations are considered part of the mitzvah. Therefore, Avraham waited until daylight – the proper time for the actual binding – before beginning his preparations.

A related idea from The Imrei Emes (Avraham Mordechai Alter, fourth Gerer Rebbe 1865-1948) was shared by Reb Lazer Silver (Eliezer Silver 1882-1968), the famous Rabbi from Cincinnati. He heard it at the first Knessia Gedolah in 1923, where he and Rav Elchanan Wasserman went to hear divrei Torah from The Imrei Emes. The Imrei Emes asked “Chazal tell us that the mitzvah of shiluach hakan is an easy (kalah) mitzvah. What makes this mitzvah easy?” The Gerer Rebbe explained that one is obligated to perform this mitzvah only if one happens to encounter a nest. The nest may not be prepared in advance. Therefore, this is a mitzvah performed without preparation – hence a mitzvah “kalah”.

I would like to expand on this idea. We now find ourselves in the month of Elul, an entire month dedicated to preparing for the mitzvah of repentance, which is by no means a mitzvah “kalah”. It is weighty, demanding a great amount of introspection to do it properly. Therefore, we must use this month to its fullest, so that we arrive at the Yamim Noraim ready to engage in true repentance.

May we merit to use this month to cultivate a mindset in which all mitzvahs feel “easy” because serving Hashem is constantly at the forefront of our minds. When we develop that awareness, even the mitzvah of repentance becomes easier to fulfill.