Some are quick and profit; some are quick and suffer loss (see Pesachim 50b).

For know! one mitzvah drags another (Avot 4:2). It follows, that the mitzvah drags its companion. There is certainly some element between the mitzvot; that which is between mitzvah and mitzvah, which connects one mitzvah to its companion so that, as a result, the mitzvot are dragged one after another. In fact, this element itself, i.e., that which is between the mitzvot, is also extremely precious.

Therefore, someone who is righteous from an early age and has walked the upright path from his first days, from level to level—as it is written of Avraham (Genesis 24:1), “Avraham was old, well advanced in days”; Avraham reached his level through the days, as is brought in the Zohar (I, 129a), for he recognized his Maker at the age of three (Nedarim 32a) and progressed constantly, from level to level—such a person suffers loss as a result of acting quickly. For when he is very quick and quickly runs from mitzvah to mitzvah, he thereby loses the element of holiness, that which is between mitzvah and mitzvah. On account of this quickness he bypasses and skips over this element. This is because the mitzvah itself is coming toward him, since it is being pulled and dragged in his direction by the first mitzvah, which drags the second one, as mentioned above. Thus, when he also runs quickly toward the mitzvah, he might skip over and bypass the aforementioned element—i.e., that which is between the mitzvot. He is therefore one who acts quickly and suffers loss. But if he waits a bit, he can in the meantime attain also the element between the mitzvot, as mentioned above.

All this applies to someone who has consistently walked in God’s ways from a young age. But someone who needs to repent must actually be extremely quick, to hasten and run swiftly in order to save his soul. He is forbidden to delay at all, to stand and settle in. This is because a penitent does not go from level to level at all, and between him and the sacred there is none of the aforementioned element. Instead, he must start anew. He has to run and leap towards holiness. As is brought, the penitent must skip over that which he must skip over and jump toward holiness with great quickness. Such a person is one who is “quick and profits,” as mentioned above.

2. An example of the element between the mitzvot is: “And God spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘You shall make.’” Now, there is surely a devotional practice in these words as well, in that they precede the mitzvah. For the core of the mitzvah itself is stated afterwards in the Torah, following the words “you shall make.” Yet, it is certainly true that the aforementioned verses between one mitzvah and the next also contain devotional practice. This is the aforementioned element, that which is between mitzvah and mitzvah.

There is more to this. See elsewhere (Likutey Moharan I, 22:9) regarding this subject, that there is actually devotional practice also in the verse “And [God] spoke….”