20 May BECHUKOSAI: “THE PREPARATION FOR A MITZVAH IS GREATER THAN THE MITZVAH.”

Tzaddikim said that
the preparation for
a mitzvah is greater
than the performance
of the mitzvah. Proof
of this concept is that
Chazal (Tanchuma,
Emor 2) tell us that the
four days after Yom
Kippur, we don’t have
any aveiros. We are
occupied by preparing
for the mitzvos of
the yom tov, and that
brings us atonement. However, on the
first day of Succos, when we perform the
mitzvos, we begin a new cheshbon, and
aveiros are now counted. (This is alluded
to in the pasuk, that we should take the
lulav and esrog the first day of succos,
and Chazal explain that it is the first day
for the reckoning of the aveiros.) We see
from this source that we attain atonement
when we prepare for the mitzvos and
not when we perform them. And this
indicates that the preparation is greater
than the mitzvos, themselves.

The Taz (581) asks, how can this be? How
can preparing for mitzvos be greater than
the first day of Succos, when we sit in
succah and take the four minim? How can
it be that we attain atonement when we
prepare for the mitzvos and not when we
perform the mitzvos?
The Sfas Emes writes (Bechukosei 5644),
“The chachamim (Yoma 29.) say, thinking
about aveiros is worse than actually
performing aveiros. The opposite is also
true. Thinking about doing a mitzvah
is better than performing the mitzvos
themselves. The rectification of his soul
is based on the extent of his desire and
attempt to serve Hashem.”
The Imrei Emes (Succos, second
night, 5691) proves the greatness of
preparing for mitzvos from the Simchas
Beis Hashoeva, celebrated in the beis
hamikdash. The celebration was to
rejoice with the mitzvah of pouring water
on the mizbeiach, which is performed on
Succos. The Gemara describes in detail
this great celebration, and it is evident that
most of the celebration occurred before

they poured water on the
mizbeiach. At the actual
time of the mitzvah, music
isn’t played, and there isn’t
much joy (at least not in an
external sense). The Imrei
Emes zt’l said that this
indicates the greatest joy
for the mitzvos is when
one prepares to perform
the mitzvos.
Another indication is
from the menorah in the
Beis HaMikdash. The
halachah is (Yoma 24:, and it is written in
Rambam, Hilchos Beis Hamikdash 9:7)
that someone who isn’t a kohen may light
the menorah in the Beis haMidkdash.
However, only a kohen may prepare the
menorah for lighting it. This shows that
the preparation is greater than the mitzvah.
On Yom Kippur, the kohen gadol placed
the ketores on the coals in the holiest
place, the kodesh hakadoshim. The
Tzedokim (the apikorsim) said the kohen
gadol should place the ketores on the

coals outside the kodesh Hakadoshim. We
can explain that the Tzedokim felt that the
holiest place in the world is not the right
place to prepare the ketores. Therefore,
they thought it better to prepare the
ketores outside the kodesh kadoshim.
The chachamim, however, prove from
pasukim that the ketores should be lit in
the kodesh hakadoshim. It isn’t a problem
to do this deed in the Kodesh Hakadoshim
because it is preparing for a mitzvah,
which is even greater than performing the
mitzvah.