PESACH 86 NEILAS HACHAG - ZERIZUS
The earliest prep times, we precede the yom tov by 30 days. But truthfully it begins much earlier with ושמרתם את המצות. The middah of zerizus is woven into Pesach with preps going as far back as the harvesting of the grains, as chazal darshan this applies to all mitzvos. מצוה הבאה לידך אל תחמיצנה.
And now we are at the last day of all this preparation. According to R' Moshe Hadarshan brought in the last Rashi in the parsha of tzitzis in the end of Shlach, Shirah was said today - on the 8th day, represented by the 8 strings of tzitzis. (Some explain that he means eight from slaughtering the Korban Pesach.)
What is the connection between the middah of zerizus expressed in the beginning with ושמרתם את המצות and the culmination of Shirah? This also correlates with the first time Hashem is called מלך in the Torah - ה' ימלוך לעולם ועד , and also the first time we have מלכות in sefira, as the 8th of Pesach is מלכות שבחסד with the culmination at the end of sefira מלכות שבמלכות.
Shlomo HaMelech in Mishlei 6.6-8 tells us to learn zerizus from the ants, whose are exemplary in their industrialism without any קצין שוטר ומושל telling them what to do. Yet in Mishlei 22.29 he writes that איש מהיר במלאכתו - a zariz, לפני מלכים יתיצב - will stand in service before Kings. So is the Zariz in the presence of his authorities or not?
We find the term התיצבו preceding the Shirah of krias Yam Suf as well. The Mechilta tells us that it is an expression of readiness for Ruach Hakodesh. As when Moshe told them ואתם תחרישון - to be silent from their cries and prayers, they asked him what should they be saying? Moshe told them אתם תהיו מפארים ומרוממים ונותנים שיר…. So Shlomo HaMelech tells us that a Zariz leads to being נתיצב and this leads to Ruach Hakodesh needed for shirah.
The first Pachad Yitzchok on Pesach is about zerizus and he explains based on the Maharal that doing a mitzvah with alacrity (or laziness) effects the actual mitzvah, infusing the bread with holiness and setting it above the realm of time itself. We may add that if zerizus can infuse and effect an item being worked upon, all the more so it effects the actual person doing the mitzvah!
This is clear in the ladder of aliyah of R' Pinchas ben Yair (Avodah Zara 20a) that zerizus leads… to Ruach Hakodesh. It is the spark plug that ignites and energizes a chain reaction of middos culminating even beyond Ruach Hakodesh.
Amazingly, the very first Medrash Rabbah in Shir HaShirim, (and the following many medrashim) are all on this passuk in Mishlei! חזית איש מהיר במלאכתו לפני מלכים יתיצב - Suggesting that Shlomo's zerizus led him to the lofty Ruach Hakodesh bringing him to Shir Hashirim the ultimate שיר called קודש קדשים .
The medrash relates as well a story with R' Chanina ben Dosa,who was known for his poverty, and was inspired by many people passing his home bringing their offerings to the bes Hamikdash. He could not afford any sacrifices, but would not settle to do nothing. He found and cut a large stone, chiseled and polished it by hand and then sought men to carry it to Yerushalayim. The price was exorbitant, but he could not rest. Hashem sent five angels as men who offered to transport it for 5 shekel and upon its acceptance by the Chachamim, they paid on his behalf and commented חזית איש מהיר במלאכתו לפני מלכים יתיצב - לפני מלאכים - The Zariz merits to be joined by angels!
We can't attain those levels of Ruach Hakodesh and angelic revelations, but the true Zariz is inspired with a Ruach HaKodesh to understand רצון ה'. Without instruction the industrious, zealous ants fulfill their mission and don't need a קצין שוטר ומושל to tell them what to do. But they are נתיצב לפני המלך, not a supervisor, law enforcement or even a Moshel, who micromanages and controls those under them, but לפני מלכים - the Zariz is always before The King. And he always is aware of what The King wants even without The King having to command him.
The Malbim explains, that the Zariz who merits to stand in service of The King reaches true cheirus from the servitude of mankind and even his own desires. The Zariz realizes that all other pursuits are not his calling בל יתיצב לפני חשוכים - He is in servitude of Hashem alone, the ultimate Cheirus.
The morning after Pesach we have a specific duty of zerizus to awaken early to once again grab the mitzvah of Tefillin and more specifically this year we also are encouraged to start the day early to prepare for Shabbos.
With the seemingly simple act of the first halacha in Shulchan Aruch, יתגבר כארי לעמוד בבוקר לעבודת הבורא שיהא הוא מעורר השחר one is following in the ways of צדיקים אשר הולכים לפני אלוקים. With simply being זריזים מקדימים למצוות - by preceding mitzvos over one's own "bucket list" or "to do list", it can spark the chain reaction leading to Divine Inspiration to know what Hashem WANTS even without an actual mitzvah commanding you.
This was the middah of Pinchas, who understood the WILL of Hashem and he merited to become Eliyahu who will be mevaser us very soon to the last step of R' Pinchas ben Yair's ladder - רוח הקודש מביא לידי תחיית המתים B'mheirah B'yameinu Amen.