Hachanah Prior to a Mitzvah Is Among the Great Teachings of the Ba’al Shem Tov
But we know that there’s a great concept of hachanah, preparation—and this concept of preparation can enable us to be present during the mitzvah. This is one of the great yesodos of chassidus that the holy Ba’al Shem Tov transmitted to his followers: the greatness of investing in the preparations for a mitzvah.
The rule is that if we’re lacking in the preparation for a mitzvah, we’re lacking in the kavannah, the meditation and thought of the mitzvah. One cannot be properly present when performing a mitzvah if he hasn’t properly prepared for the mitzvah. This is something we have heard over and over from the tzaddikim: A Yid must make a proper hachanah before going into a Yom Tov or before performing a mitzvah.
Premeditation
Now, how does hachanah indeed work? Preparation takes a person out of all surrounding elements, and places in him in the mode of the mitzvah!
Let us take the preparation for Shacharis as an example. A Yid wakes up early and begins getting ready for davening. People are often mistaken about this. Sometimes, even if a person has a chavrusa to learn with before davening, he doesn’t grasp what hachanah means. For the true essence of hachanah is the aspect of hisbonenus, meditation before the mitzvah. The Mishnah in Berachos (2:1) tells us, ומתפללים אחת שעה שוהין היו הראשונים חסידים, early chassidim would pause for an hour and only then daven.
One who isn’t on the madreigah of חסידים הראשונים can still get into the mode and the spirit of davening by learning a blatt Gemara. Torah has the ability to bring a person to such a place, since the Torah emanates from the Ribbono shel Olam Himself. This is the best possible hachanah—however, a person must concentrate on the fact that he is preparing for davening. He should constantly bear in mind that he is about to begin davening.
