Home
Weekly Portions
Anti-Lashon Hara Project
Ways of the Righteous
The Pirkei Avot Project
Directory of Shiurim / Speakers
Jewish CV
Links
Questions & Comments

Divrei Torah on the weekly portions

Shemot: Bo

Don't Delay

"USHmartem Et HaMatzot Kee Be'etzem Hayom Hazeh Hotzeiti Et TZivoteichem MeiEretz Mitzrayim" = "And you shall guard the Matzot (unleavened bread) for on this very day I have brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt" (Shemot 12:17).

Rabbi Yoshiya said: "Do not read the word only as HaMatzot, "the Matzot" , but rather also as HaMitzvot, "the Mitzvot (commandments)". Just as people do not allow the Matzot to become Chametz (leavened), so should they not allow the Mitzvot to become 'Chametz' (i.e. to be left unattended). Rather, if a Mitzvah comes your way, do it immediately" (Rashi, based on Mechilta). It is so important to perform Mitzvot without delay. Following are 10 reasons why.

  1. Staying alive
    The Midrash (BeMidbar Rabbah 17:5) teaches that the Mitzvot constitute the difference between life and death! Man is here compared to a drowning swimmer, struggling against the stormy seas of his own selfish passions. The Mitzvot are the lifeline thrown out by the Captain, God, hence: "Take fast hold of instruction; don't let go of it: keep it; for it is your life" (Mishlei 4:13).
  2. Enhancing our life
    In contrast, another Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 6:3) teaches that the role of Mitzvot is to elevate man's daily activities to the level of Divine service. The Mitzvot are comparable to ornaments, adding grace and beauty to man's life, hence: "They shall be a crown of grace upon your head" (Mishlei 1:9).
  3. Acquiring merit
    Rabbi Chananyah ben Akashya says: "God wanted to confer merit upon Israel; therefore, He gave them Torah and Mitzvot in abundance …" (Gemara Makot 23b).
  4. The most opportune time
    Rabbi Aharon Cohen explains the reason one should not delay performing a Mitzvah is because each Mitzvah has its own Eit Ratzon LeKiyumah = "opportune time to fulfil it." The continuation of our verse "Kee Be'etzem Hayom Hazeh" = "for on this very day" (Shemot 12:17) alludes to this urgency.
  5. Enthusiasm is greatest at the outset
    Rabbi Chizkiyahu Eliezer Kahan says that the original potential enthusiasm cannot be recovered even if one later performs the Mitzvah.
  6. Someone else might perform the Mitzvah instead
    We should emulate our forefather Avraham who rushed to personally perform Mitzvot (Bereishit 18:2-8).
  7. The opportunity may disappear
    The Gemara (Taanit 21a) records an incident when someone delayed performing a Mitzvah with grave consequences. The famous Nachum Ish Gam Zu said: "I was once walking on a journey with my three donkeys laden with food, drink and delicacies when a poor man approached me and said: "My master, feed me." I responded: "Wait while I unload the donkey." I hadn't finished unloading when the poor man died! I fell upon his face and said: "Let my eyes which did not have pity on your eyes be blinded; let my hands which did not show consideration for your hands be stumped through sickness; etc."" (Mordechai Wallenberg comments that in the plague of darkness which fell upon Egypt we are told that during the first three days "a man saw not his fellow" (Shemot 10:23). There is no greater darkness than one in which "a man saw not his fellow" - in which a person becomes oblivious to the needs of his fellow man. By getting rid of our 'Chametz' from ourselves - by deflating our egos and allowing room for others and their needs, we remove that darkness and make room for God Himself in our lives.)
  8. Steering clear of Ga'avah (Haughtiness)
    God has commanded us to observe the Mitzvot, so who do we think we are when we delay?
  9. The right path
    Ben Azzai says: "Run to perform even a minor Mitzvah, and flee from sin; for one Mitzvah leads to another Mitzvah, and one sin leads to another sin; for the consequence of a Mitzvah is a Mitzvah and the consequence of a sin is a sin" (Pirkei Avot 4:2). When someone performs a Mitzvah he becomes conditioned to obey God's will; conversely, each wrongful act dulls the conscience. In Birkat HaCHodesh (the prayer for blessing the new moon) we pray for "Chayim SheYeish BaHem Yirat Shamayim VeYirat Cheit" = "a life incorporating fear of heaven and fear of sin". If "fear of heaven" means fear of punishment by God then "fear of sin" cannot also refer to the fear of being punished for transgressing the Torah but must mean something else. Our sages explain that "fear of sin" means being afraid of causing damage to our character by the action of committing a sin.
  10. The day is short
    Rabbi Tarfon says: "The day is short, and the task is abundant …" (Pirkei Avot 2:20) . Hillel used to say: "… if not now, when?" (Pirkei Avot 1:14).
back to top