(1) GOD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. (2) Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground, (3) he said, “My lords! If it please you, do not go on past your servant. (4) Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. (5) And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.” (6) Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!” (7) Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it.

(1) Chapter Fifteen: ON ZEAL

(2) Zeal for the Torah and the commandments is a great quality, and so is zeal that aims to make a better world. And it is a quality of the righteous in the service of the Creator, may He be Blessed. Our Sages, of blessed memory, said : "The zealous are early to perform their religious duties" (Pesahim 4a).

(3) Concerning Abraham, our father, in the account of the sacrifice of Isaac, it is said : "And Abraham rose in the morning" (Gen. 22:3). Even though it was difficult for him to offer up his only son, he nevertheless did the will of the Creator with zeal, arising early in the morning. He who performs his deeds with zeal demonstrates convincingly that he loves his Creator as a servant who loves his master and hastens to do His will. For zeal depends upon the heart of a man, as when a man cleanses his heart of all other thoughts that may be in it and clings to one thought only, then he makes himself alert and will no doubt succeed. Thus did Abraham do when he removed the love for his son from his heart and carried out the will of his Creator, nullifying his love for his son before his love for the Creator. Therefore, he made a point of rising early, for there was in his heart a great love for the Creator. ...

(7) Now, you ought to remember the things that men tend to be lazy about. If you must look up something in a book, and you do not know where to find it, you must be quick to go and to ask someone who is familiar with the subject. If a poor man comes to your house to ask for bread, do not say, "I cannot go and get the bread," but go quickly and bring it. ...

(9) The general rule in this matter is that a man should examine himself and ask himself which sin he does customarily, and he should hasten to set up fences in order to take care to cease committing that particular transgression. He should also examine himself as to which commandment of God he is lax in. For example, an idlerאָדָם בַּטְלָן should understand right off that this idleness is a result of his being concerned with idle things. He who attaches himself to idle things will obviously reject Torah and prayer and all that is good. Such a man should depart from people who waste time in idle talk, and he should not be their companion; this will be a cure for his illness. Thus should he act with respect to all bad qualities. He should understand from the start what is at the root of his unworthy conduct and destroy it, thus removing the darkness which darkness the light of his soul. And for all these zeal is required, for if he is too lazy to root out these evil qualities, then they will become fixed in his heart so firmly that he will be unable to uproot them. He should be alert to seek peace and to pursue it. As it is said : "Seek peace and pursue it" (Ps. 34:15).

(11) Rabbi Judah, the son of Tema, said, "Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, fast as a deer, mighty as a lion to do the will of your Father in heaven" (Aboth 5:24). See how they warned that one make himself light and strong in order to fulfill the commandments! Thus did David say, "I made haste, and delayed not, to observe Thy commandments" (Ps. 119:60). Thus did our Rabbis expound : " 'And ye shall observe the matzot (Ex. 12:17), do not read it as matzot (unleavened bread), but read it is as mitzvot (commandments)" — meaning if an opportunity comes to you to do a good deed, do not let it grow stale but do it at once (Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, vol. I., p. 74). ...

(12) Even though zeal is a very good quality, one must be careful not to work too quickly. For one who rides quickly is liable to stumble, and one who runs quickly may fall. It is not wise to attempt to repair anything in haste, but rather with deliberation. And thus said our teachers, "Be deliberate in judgment!" (Aboth 1:1). And zeal means that one's heart must be stirred, and one's thoughts aroused and that one's limbs must be light for one's work, but one ought not to be hasty in any matter. All of these matters require great wisdom as to when to hurry and when to tarry. ...

(13) Just as a man must be quick in the matter of the Torah, so should he be quick in the matters of this world and be alert in his work. Great success is in store for him who does his work with alertness. Therefore, son of man, be alert in what concerns both worlds, and be quick in your work which is needed for this world, in order that you will soon be free to do the work of Heaven.

(1) There are two divisions of Zeal. One applies before beginning a deed and the other one after beginning a deed.

(2) Before beginning a deed: that one not allow a Mitzva to become delayed (lit. Chametz).

(3) Rather when the time of its performance comes, or when it happens to present itself to him, or when the thought of performing it enters his mind, he should hurry and hasten to seize hold of it and perform it, and not allow time to go by in between. For there is no danger like its danger. Since, behold each new second that arises can bring with it a new impediment to the good deed.

(4) ...

(6) Therefore, the sages of blessed memory exhorted us: "And you shall watch over the Matzot" - if a Mitzva comes to your hand, do not delay its performance (lit. allow it to become Chametz)' (Mechilta Shemot 12:17).

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(8) And they said: "zealous people do Mitzvot as early as possible" (Pesachim 4a). Likewise, they said: "a person should always run to perform a mitzva, even on the Sabbath".

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(10) For the trait of Zeal is a very high spiritual level of Shelemut (perfection) which a person's nature impedes him from attaining at the current time. But he who strengthens himself and takes hold of it as much as he can, will, in the future world, merit to truly attain it. The Creator, may His Name be blessed, will bestow it to him as a reward for his striving for it during the time of his service.

(11) The division of Zeal "after beginning a deed" is as follows. Since one took hold of a mitzva he should hasten to complete it. This is not in order to lighten on himself like one who desires to cast a burden off himself but rather out of fear lest he not merit to complete it.

(12) On this our sages exhorted us numerous times. They said: "one who begins a Mitzva but does not complete it buries his wife and sons" (Bereishis Raba 85:3).

(13) And they said: "a Mitzva is attributed only to the one who completed it" (ibid).

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(15) The Sages of blessed memory applied this praise to Shlomo himself for hastening the construction of the Temple and not being lazy in delaying it. They likewise expounded the verse regarding Moshe, peace be unto him, for hastening in the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

(16) Likewise, you will observe that all the deeds of the Tzadikim (righteous) are always performed with haste. By Avraham it is written: "And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, make ready quickly three measures of fine meal... And he gave it to the lad and he hastened to prepare it" (Bereishis 18:6-7)

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(19) You can see that a man whose soul is afire in the service of his Creator certainly will not become lazy in doing the Mitzvot. Rather, his movements will be like the quick movements of fire. For he will not rest nor be still until he has finished completing the deed.

(20) Reflect further that just like an inner fieriness of soul leads one to act with Zeal, so too the opposite, outwardly acting with Zeal leads to an inner fieriness of the soul. Namely, when one feels himself performing a Mitzva with great swiftness this will move his inner being to kindle aflame also, and the desire and want will increasingly intensify within him.

But if he acts in a sluggish manner in the movement of his limbs, so too the movement of his spirit will die down and extinguish. This is something experience can testify to.

(21) You already know that what is most desired in the service of G-d, may His Name be blessed, is desire of the heart and longing of the soul. חֵפֶץ הַלֵּב וּתְשׁוּקַת הַנְּשָׁמָה It is concerning this that King David praised his portion saying: "As a deer yearns longingly for the water brooks, so does my soul yearn longingly to You, O G-d; My soul thirsts for G-d..." (Tehilim 42:2-3), ...

(22) But for a man in whom this longing does not burn as it should, a good advice for him is to act with zeal by force of will in order that this will bring an inner awakening of this longing in his inner nature.

For the external movement rouses the inner ones and certainly the external movement is more in his power than the inner ones. Thus, if he exercises what is in his power to do, this will lead him to also attain what is not in his power. For an inner joy will awaken within him and a desire and longing through the power of acting fiery, externally, by the force of will...