Seven weeks after the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel stood at Mount Sinai. They were told there would be a great Revelation; the Almighty would descend and give them His holy Torah and the Jewish way of life.
But before they could receive the Torah, they required shloshet yemei hagbalah, “three days of separation,”—a period of physical and spiritual purification. After all, it’s not every day that the Almighty Himself comes calling!
Every spiritual occasion requires preparation. Before we pray, we wash our hands. Before reciting the Shema, we cover our eyes to focus our minds and hearts on this moment of meditation. Before the silent devotion of the Amidah, we take three steps backwards. Before we perform most mitzvahs, we recite a blessing.
In fact, one of the only mitzvahs I can think of that does not require a blessing is giving tzedakah, charity, lest one get carried away with spiritual preparations that delay helping the person in need.
Likewise, in life. A wedding only takes a few hours but involves months of preparation. The excitement is mostly in the time preceding the actual simcha. Planning, making all the arrangements, deciding on everything from a venue to a menu … it’s all part of the fun.
Delivering a baby takes a few hours, but the process of childbirth began nine months earlier.
Essentially, every important life occasion involves preparation which becomes part of the experience itself. Without it, we would miss out on most of the anticipation, excitement, the adrenalin, and all the fun. The preparation is not only a prelude to the event but part and parcel of the actual experience. Without it, we would miss out on so much of the excitement.
So when it came to receiving the Torah from G‑d at Mount Sinai, the 49 days of preparation, and particularly those three days of intense purification, were absolutely necessary.
And so it is in our own lives.
Whether it is Shabbat, a blessing, a mitzvah, or a joyous celebration, let’s make an effort and be prepared!
-adapted from www.chabad.org
