The Hassles That Often Precede Exalted Times
When we analyze it, we will see that very often, prior to the onset of a holy and exalted time (such as Shabbos and Yom Tov), many preparations must be made, and things are very hectic right before the arrival of these important moments. This tension tends to throw a person into turmoil, and it robs him of his peace of mind. It takes away the presence of mind he needs so that he can derive from that occasion what a Yid must take from of the elevated moments of the year.
Afterward, when the Yom Tov departs, people often say, “It was nice, but halevi I would have been more present.... I had so many distractions, so many things to do... so many things that caused me not to be there 100 percent.
The Shabbos Preparations
This really plays out every Shabbos. We know that the kedushah of Shabbos is even greater than that of the Yamim Tovim. But Shabbos so often comes with so many hassles. Beginning on Friday, there are so many things that must be prepared; shopping, schlepping, cleaning, etc., until the home is ready for the arrival of Shabbos.
But in general, there’s a concept of בערב שטרח מי שבת... there is hassle and frenzy on Erev Shabbos. We find that even the Amoraim busied themselves with Shabbos preparations. So important are these preparations that, according to halachah, it is permitted to shop for Shabbos even before davening Shacharis on Friday morning, if you think that item may not be available afterward. In short, Shabbos brings with it hecticness and feverish preparations.
The Problem with Hassle
Ideally, it should be the precise opposite. Shabbos is a time of rest and tranquility. Shouldn’t Shabbos, and the time that surrounds it, be the epitome of serenity and tranquility?! The concept of hassle would appear to be diametrically opposed to menuchas hanefesh.
In fact, some people will tell you that their lives are more organized and even more ehrlich during the weekday than on Shabbos. During the weekday, he has a set schedule... the time he wakes up, the times he davens, the time he devotes to learning.... But when Friday and Shabbos arrive, his entire schedule is thrown off. In addition to the frantic activity and the myriads of tasks to be done, there’s a “scattering of the soul” that comes with a different schedule and different foods, etc. One may sometimes think that it’s more difficult to serve Hashem on Shabbos than during the weekday.
The Nissan Frenzy
The same takes place during the days of Nissan, as we approach the exalted days of Pesach. We’re talking about Rosh Chodesh Nissan, which is the beginning of the year. Chodesh Nissan is the start of Creation: the entire year is built from these days. The Chozeh of Lublin, and other tzaddikim, taught us that each day of the first twelve days of Nissan corresponds to another month of the forthcoming year. Everything is established during those days. The entire year is an outgrowth of these days in Nissan.
But, l’maiseh, when it comes down to it, people are hectic, preoccupied, and frenzied precisely during those days. The Ribbono shel Olam specifically designed the calendar in such a way that we’re preoccupied with many technical things during these days; this is how it works. We can always draw solace from the fact that this is how the Ribbono shel Olam wants it. But the question remains: Why, indeed, is it this way?
So many people, when Erev Pesach comes, don’t even know if they have a brain... they run to bake matzos and there is an entire stack of things they would have wanted to accomplish but didn’t get to... they nearly forget their own names.
Bedikas Chametz with a Scattered Soul
Let’s take the evening of bedikas chametz. It’s a holy and exalted time when we fulfill the mitzvah d’Oraisa of תשביתו, of ridding our homes of chametz, and the Rabbinic institution of בדיקה. It’s the one time in the year that we merit to fulfill this mitzvah. There’s a great inyan of drawing שלנו מים, and Erev Pesach is a day of עמלק מחיית, obliterating Amalek.
But this person barely knows what’s happening with him—especially if he’s at the stage of life when it is, baruch Hashem, filled with responsibilities. He’s no longer a young bachur who has nothing on his mind. This person feels that he’s barely here....
Chodesh Tishrei: A Month of Hassles
When we think about it, we will see that it continues this way throughout the year; it’s so often this way. The Yamim Nora’im and the rest of Tishrei are similarly so. These are days of such greatness and awe.... Indeed, there are kehillos where even working yungeleit sit in shul learning from morning till night and don’t even go to work.... Formerly, there were Yidden who sojourned in Miron from Elul until Yom Kippur, sitting and toiling in Torah and avodah.
But the usual way that the Ribbono shel Olam designed the world, with families, with hassles, is that precisely the days of Tishrei bring with them tremendous irritations and busyness. Here, one must purchase an esrog... then there are other myriads of preparations for Yom Tov—and this is how we go into Yom Tov. What is the peshat in this? Why, indeed, did the Ribbono shel Olam design it this way—and more importantly, what does He therefore expect of us?
