Siman 434

(5.) When I was writing before him the first Aleph-Beis book — and from his mouth he would read to me from his manuscripts and I would write in the book in ink. And the matter extended over a long time. For at first I wrote before him a little — about half a page. And afterwards it did not come about that there was opportunity to write before him — and this extended approximately three or four months. And then I wrote before him a little more. Afterwards the matter was interrupted for about two years. And once before Chanuka... and then I wrote before him the entire Aleph-Beis. And then I wrote before him each day several hours at a stretch, until it was completed in perfection — praise to G-d. And the matter was very burdensome upon him, but out of love for Israel he gave himself over for everything in which there was merit and good for all. And once I wrote before him almost the entire day itself, and afterward toward evening he answered and said: "Come, let us make an accounting with me of that day — what we did in it." And he said: "Behold, we prayed, and also learned a little, and afterward we wrote. And this too is study" — that is, writing words of Torah is also counted as study. And he said then: "Everything I need to do, I desire very much to do and to complete it immediately, exactly — and not to postpone it to another time." And he said: "If it were possible to complete the writing of the Aleph-Beis book in one day, I would desire it very much." And on this there are several conversations: one very much needs to understand how he was swift in each and every necessary and compulsory thing — that he made haste very much to do it immediately at once without delay, even in matters of the mundane — so that he would not need to be confused about it afterward. For if he did not do it at once, he would not know whether he would ever do it again; for afterward he would no longer want to confuse his mind with it at all. For from then on he was always bound to what he needed for the service of Hashem. Therefore he desired every matter that was compulsory to do — even in mundane matters — to do it immediately at once without any delay. And even if he needed to learn or to engage in the service of Hashem, and some business came to him that he was compelled to do — although that business was not truly a thing of holiness — nevertheless, since he was compelled to do that thing, he was accustomed for the most part to free himself beforehand to do with swiftness, at once, what he needed and was compelled to do, so that his mind would be free afterward. But if it was not possible to do it at once, he would not confuse his mind about it at all. Only if it were possible to do it afterward, the next day or at another time, he would do it — and if not, not. And he was never troubled and never confused at all by anything in the world. And it is impossible to explain such matters in writing at all: