Preparing is such an integral part of all our avodas Hashem. Although the examples of this are truly endless, Rav Aharon David shlita of the Mirrer Yeshiva of Yerushalayim (in 5782) first brought the prime example of this fact (brought in the Mishnah in Meseches Berachos, Chapter 5) that the original pious Jews would prepare for Shemoneh Esrei for one hour during each and every tefillah! He thus explained (as Rav Shimshon Pincus zt’l does similarly in his sefer Shearim BaTefillah, Hachanah) that even if we cannot prepare for an hour before we begin Shemoneh Esrei, we should at least try to spend a moment or two in holy preparation!
Similarly, Reish Lakish, Chazal tell us, would review the Gemara 40 times before coming to hear shiur; because he wanted to ensure that through his preparation, he would be fully ready for shiur!
The specific example in our parashah that Rav Aharon highlighted is Yaakov Avinu’s preparation for the Mishkan so many years prior to its building, as he planted cedar trees in Be’er Sheva specifically for just that purpose. And then, when the time came to go down to Mitzrayim, that was the first place he stopped so that he could bring those trees with them on their descent.
The Mishkan needed special holy preparations so that the foundation of its holy edifice would truly be holy as well. Chazal teach us that Rebbi Chiya planted flax himself in order to ensure the nets he used to catch the animals (for the parchment) on which to write a Sefer Torah, were woven with the ultimate level of holiness; that is what Yaakov Avinu did for the Mishkan as well — he planted the trees in purity (see Zichron Avinoam Issue 465).
Says Rav Aharon David, we learn from these examples the great principle of the importance of preparation. He then shared a number of incredible living examples that emphasize further this very great yesod:
Rav Chaim Brim revealed about the Brisker Rav that all day he prepares to say Krias Shema at night, and all night he prepares for the Krias Shema of the morning, in order to be able to say, “Hashem Echad!” Rav Shalom Schwadron would travel to the United States via plane, but to return to Eretz Yisrael, he traveled by ship — because as Eretz Yisrael is Eretz HaKodesh, one needs a long preparation to enter it!
He then added from the Mesilas Yesharim that a person must prepare himself with thought before he fulfills a mitzvah; there is a beautiful remez to this idea from a well-known pasuk: שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָבָר רָע — One who guards a mitzvah will not know of evil...” (Koheles 8:5).
The simple meaning, as translated above, is about how the guarding of a mitzvah protects a person from all harm. Yet, the word שׁוֹמֵר does not only mean “to guard,” for as we see in the descriptions of Yosef’s dreams in Parashas Vayeishev, when it says that Yaakov Avinu was “shomer” the matter, it does not mean “‘guard,” but rather it means “waited” — for Yaakov Avinu anticipated and waited for the dreams to come true.
Similarly, Shlomo HaMelech is teaching us above, explained Rav Aharon, that if a person anticipates and looks forward to doing a mitzvah, that longing is a great zechus for his protection!
Every Shabbos, we have a very great avodah inherent within the Shabbos itself: Kabbolas Shabbos, in which Klal Yisrael as a nation prepares to greet the Shabbos Queen; with song and fervor and joy.... (See Chapter 2, Section 2, in the new sefer Be’H, Living Uplifted from Mosaica Press.)
And really, the entire Erev Shabbos is all one long, holy preparation, symbolizing the ultimate preparation in This World for the day that is Kulo Shabbos, the everlasting world of eternity.
B’Siyata DiShmaya.
