[Avodah] zrizim and mitzvot///

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Harvey Benton asked:

> why do we put on one of the tefillins first, when the other is meakev?

That's not my understanding. If one has one of the tefillins but not the other, he can certainly put it on and is fulfilling is Chiyuv D'Oraisa. Should I find a source, or would you like to rephrase the question?

> same would go for saying [brachot] and hinneni muchen umezuman,?
> before doing the mitzvot, when it delays the mitzvah and we hold
> that zrizim makdimin.....

Both of these practices do indeed delay the mitzvah. But they also enhance the mitzvah, by making us more aware of what we are doing. (Or at least, that's what saying these things is *supposed* to accomplish.) Now, consider the idea that one is not yotzay unless he does the mitzvah with the correct kavana. (I'm speaking about "mitzvos tzrichos kavana", and I do realize that there's a machlokes about how we hold on this issue, but everyone agrees that it is certainly the lechatchila way to do mitzvos.)

Suddenly, saying these things looks less like an improper delay, and more like an important preparation for the mitzvah. We rarely rush into a mitzvah blindly, but usually prepare for it in some way: We check the tzitzis strings, we put the oil or candles in the menora, we check which night of sefira we're up to. If the mitzvah is delayed a few more seconds to insure that we know why we are doing it, and then a few more seconds by thanking the One Who commanded us, it is well worth it, in my opinion.

Akiva Miller

____________________________________________________________
60-Year-Old Mom Looks 25
Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Angered Doctors!
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/4e69857261ced111e8cst04vuc