Speed is a most essential ingredient when it comes to doing mitzvos. It is a sure sign that we love doing them. Something we don’t like doing we do slowly or delay doing. Something we love we do as quickly as possible.
The word “vayitzhav” explains Rashi, connotates speed. Kohanim must be especially careful when being makriv a korbon to do it quickly. One cannot be lazy. If we want Hashem to accept our present it must be given with love. If we do it slowly then it’s a sign that it doesn’t mean so much to us. Yet Rashi says it also must be done immediately. We are not supposed to delay for even one moment. When Avrohom went to shect Yitzchok it says “he got up early and did it right away”. There’s no putting it off to later.
Just imagine that you’re the lucky winner of a lottery. You’ve won a beautiful, brand-new Rolls Royce. I’m sure you would hurry to get your prize as quickly as possible. Everything else must wait while you rush to get your prize. Nothing can stand in your way. The love for your prize overshadows everything else.
All of creation stands on the merit of the korbonos – sacrifices. That’s because the bringing of a korbon shows our sense of appreciation and gratitude to our Creator. A present brought without love is no present at all. It was Hevel’s present that Hashem accepted; Kayin’s present was left untouched.
Another advantage of doing something quickly and immediately is that it doesn’t give the yetzer hora a chance to butt in and stop you from doing the mitzvah. Before he even has a chance to start bothering you and convincing you not to do the mitzvah it’s already done.
And that’s why Chazal tell us that when getting up in the morning we must do so quickly – “we must run like a deer”.
The great Nochum Ish Gamzu was once riding on his donkey which was laden with much food. A poor beggar stopped him and asked for some of the food. Nochum got off his donkey and began to unload it. He wanted to take everything off and spread it out very nicely. Yet because he didn’t do it immediately the poor beggar fell dead. To the poor starving beggar even an extra minute can make the difference between life and death. Every moment we delay helping him can be disastrous! Never put off a mitzvah for later! That’s dangerous…that’s the Yetzer Hora’s tactic. “Slow down,” he says – “You can do it later’ is his clever advice. He tries to get you to delay performing a mitzvah. He figures that later you may not be in the mood and will forget about the mitzvah all together. It’s one of his best tricks and it usually works. The only way to beat him is to do it right away and quickly. Don’t give him a chance to give you any of his wicked advice.
How many times has it happened that you said you’ll daven later and then accidentally forget about it altogether? That’s exactly what the Yetzer Hora wants! Don’t fall for baloney. He tells you to wait and daven later when you’ll be good and rested. Then you can have more kavonoh. He’s giving you the frum line. He’s masquerading as G-d’s best friends. He wants to help you do mitzvos better. Better watch out … it’s just a trap!