Mussar Drosha: Carrying out Mitzvos

Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov zt”l taught: A person should be particularly cautious, when doing mitzvah or a good deed, to carry it out to its completion.  People often discover all manner of obstacles that deter them from completing the mitzvah.  This is because the yetzer hara makes a special effort to undermine completing the mitzvah.  If one persists with the desire to complete it, Hashem will help him to do so. (As quoted in Four Chassidic Masters; p. 109-110).

Adds Rebbe Avraham J. Twerski M.D. shlita (Ibid. p. 110): “In Mesilas Yesharim’s chapter on Zerizus (diligence), Ramchal points out that one must have zerizus both when beginning a mitzvah and along the way.  It is not uncommon for a person to begin something with much enthusiasm, but gradually lose interest as one progresses.  Ramchal especially warns about procrastination, using the strong language that “there is no other danger as great as procrastination.” If a person decides not to do something, one does not deceive himself.  A procrastinator deceives himself, thinking “I will do it, but just not now,” and believes this to be true, whereas it is nothing other than the avoidance of something one does not want to do but does not want to admit it."

A Guten Tog to all and Kol Tuv!