Chapter seven is entitled, "Describing the Components of Zerizus." The author tells us that zerizus consists of two parts: 1) taking advantage of Mitzvah opportunities as soon as they arise, and 2) completing Mitzvos with alacrity, not because you want to get it over with but because you are afraid the Mitzvah might slip away before you are finished doing it.
Luzzatto then goes on to tell us something extraordinary about zerizus. Whereas a person is by nature lazy, acting with zeal and alacrity will create a fundamental change. Acting externally with zerizus transforms you internally into a person who is in love with Hashem and is driven to do Mitzvos.
It is nice to know about the transformative power of zerizus, but why is Luzzatto writing about it here? This chapter is dedicated to describing the components of zerizus; side effects, however positive, are irrelevant. While it is possible that Luzzatto is just trying to encourage us, telling us that zerizus won't be as hard as we think for we will grow into it and eventually enjoy it, I believe our Kabbalist author has something far more fundamental in mind.
The next level after zerizus is nekius. Nekius is the state of being entirely clean of sin - both in deed and in mind. A naki has eradicated his evil inclination and his negative drives, and no longer has any desire to sin. This is an extraordinary spiritual level, one which seems light years ahead of zerizus. Nonetheless, it is the very next level. How does a person get from zerizus to nekius?
Luzzatto deals with this problem in chapter ten and his answer is amazing: Once a person achieves zehirus and zerizus they will automatically transform into a naki! (The only thing lacking is a comprehensive knowledge of Torah. See chapter twelve.) For, as he wrote here, zerizus changes the person internally, developing a growing love for Hashem and Mitzvos. Eventually, the fire of his Yetzer HaRa will be extinguished.
But our question still remains unanswered. So what if zerizus develops into nekius? That is relevant for nekius, not zerizus. Why speak of it here in chapter seven?
The answer can be found in the original words of R. Pinchas ben Yair. "Zerizus leads to Nekius." This is the very definition of zerizus: it is a thing that leads to nekius. And if it doesn't, then it just isn't zerizus. For example, if one were to act with zeal and alacrity because they just wanted to get the Mitzvah over with, such behavior will not create any inner transformation, nor will it lead to nekius. Ergo, such behavior is not zerizus at all. The transformation of the person is thus a defining component of zerizus and that is why it belongs in chapter seven.
It turns out that the ladder of spiritual growth is actually more of an escalator than a ladder. A person is lifted automatically from level one to level two, from level two to level three, and so on. The task is thus far less daunting than one would suppose. One needs only to perform well on their current level - and one day they will discover themselves elevated to the next level.
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