This is an important rule in the service of God: One should focus only on today. Whether with regard to his livelihood and personal needs—he should not think about one day to the next, as is brought in the holy books—or with regard to his serving God, he should not consider anything beyond this day and this moment.
For when a person wants to enter the service of God, it seems to him a heavy burden; he cannot possibly bear such a heavy load. However, when a person considers that he has only that day [to deal with], he will find it no burden at all.
In addition, a person should not procrastinate from one day to the next, saying, “I’ll start tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll pray more attentively, and with the right enthusiasm”; and likewise for the other devotions. For a person’s world consists only of the present day and moment—tomorrow is a different world entirely.
הַיּוֹם אִם בְּקוֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ (תהילים צ״ה:ז׳).
“Today! if you heed His voice.” (Psalms 95:7)
זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁלֹּא יָשִׂים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו כִּי־אִם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, הֵן בְּעֵסֶק פַּרְנָסָה וְהִצְטָרְכוּתוֹ, צָרִיךְ שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲשֹׁב מִיּוֹם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים, וְכֵן בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לֹא יָשִׂים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו כִּי אִם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הַשָּׁעָה,
This is an important rule in the service of God: One should focus only on today. Whether with regard to his livelihood and personal needs—he should not think about one day to the next, as is brought in the holy books—or with regard to his serving God, he should not consider anything beyond this day and this moment.
כִּי כְּשֶׁרוֹצִין לִכָּנֵס בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, נִדְמֶה לְהָאָדָם כְּאִלּוּ הוּא מַשָּׂא כָּבֵד, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִשָּׂא מַשָּׂא כָּבֵד כָּזוֹ. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּחֲשׂב שֶׁאֵין לוֹ רַק אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ מַשָּׂא כְּלָל,
For when a person wants to enter the service of God, it seems to him a heavy burden; he cannot possibly bear such a heavy load. However, when a person considers that he has only that day [to deal with], he will find it no burden at all.
וְגַם שֶׁלֹּא יִדְחֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם, לֵאמֹר: מָחָר אַתְחִיל, מָחָר אֶתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה וּבְכֹחַ כָּרָאוּי, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה בִּשְׁאָר הָעֲבוֹדוֹת, כִּי אֵין לְאָדָם בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כִּי אִם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁעוֹמֵד בּוֹ, כִּי יוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת הוּא עוֹלָם אַחֵר לְגַמְרֵי.
In addition, a person should not procrastinate from one day to the next, saying, “I’ll start tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll pray more attentively, and with the right enthusiasm”; and likewise for the other devotions. For a person’s world consists only of the present day and moment—tomorrow is a different world entirely.
הַיּוֹם אִם בְּקוֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ – הַיּוֹם דַּיְקָא, וְהָבֵן:
Today! if you heed His voice—Specifically, “Today!” Understand this.