Seize the Moment

There is Midrash that says that almost immediately after the Jewish people told Moshe, נעשה ונשמע, we will do and we will hear, they were given instructions to build the Mishkan.

There is a definite connection between the two events. There was a kind of inertia and enthusiasm that came with the acceptance of the Mitzvot. The end of the section on the Mishkan, ends with the words, וכן תעשו, and so they did it.

Too often it happens that we get inspired and motivated about a particular cause, and if we don’t act on it immediately, we lose our enthusiasm and forget about the idea.

The lesson here is not to delay when we see before us something needed to be done. Shlomo Hamelech tells us to, “Exploit the enthusiasm of the moment.”

There is a story told about one of the wealthy Rothschild’s who was approached by a very poor and needy individual. Lord Rothschild was very sorry for this person’s plight. He took off his gold watch and was ready to give it to him. The poor man said he was willing to meet Rothschild the next day, as it wasn’t such an emergency that he had to take his watch. Rothschild said that if he didn’t give the watch right then and there, he might lose his enthusiasm and change his mind.

It is never good to procrastinate and when a noble cause or good deed comes our way, we must act without delay. The נעשה ונשמע led to the construction of the Holy Mishkan.