Thus, we have a seeming contradiction here. On the one hand, we have tirdos and hassles that often precede a mitzvah or an otherwise exalted time—which seemingly rob a person of the presence of mind he needs to absorb the aura and the essence of the mitzvah.
On the other hand, these very hassles and preparations constitute our hachanah for the mitzvah! They’re meant to assist the person in getting into the mode of the mitzvah—for his heart and mind to be present during the mitzvah.
Of course, it would theoretically be wonderful if we could prepare for Yom Tov solely by learning chassidishe sefarim. In fact, among chassidim of yore (who were largely poor and didn’t have much to make Yom Tov with in any case), they would ask each other, “So where are you holding with your Yom Tov preparation?” To which the second Yid would answer, “In Kedushas Levi, I’m holding at this page, and in Shulchan Aruch, I’m up to this siman.”
But, practically speaking, if we were all to approach Yom Tov this way, we’d be left without matzos for Pesach, and we would enter into serious questions of having chametz on Pesach. The Ribbono shel Olam has clearly commanded us to prepare for Yom Tov by doing practical and material things.
