What actions need to follow the accounting with oneself? I say, this will be from a man according to the purity of the essence his soul, and according to what his soul received of the lights of truth which reach it from G-d, blessed be He. Because when the intellect of one who reflects on this accounting is pure, and he will understand the intent and desire in it, and he does it for G-d alone - he will attain the favor of the Creator who will help him to do His commandments, teach him by the light of truth which distances the ways of doubt from his heart, and will illuminate him with the light of wisdom so that his intellect will be bright, and his inner and outer being will be purely devoted to G-d, and he will be similar to what Iyov said: "I put on righteousness and it clothed me; like a coat and a turban was my judgment" (Iyov 29:14).
And then his soul will quiet, and his thoughts will calm from the worries of the world and its desires, and he will rejoice in the service of the Creator, and will delight in what he gazed of the secrets of wisdom and its lights, and will feel fortunate on what has reached him, of knowledge of the truth of the lower world and the upper world, and the good plan of G-d, and His conduct, and the fulfillment of His decrees on His creations, as David said: "The righteous rejoice in the L-ord, and shall take refuge in Him" (Tehilim 64:11), and "let the heart of them rejoice that seek the L-ord" (Tehilim 105:3), and "Thus says the L-ord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glory be in this - that he understands, and knows Me" (Yirmiya 9:22-23).
And this is the highest level in the knowledge of G-d, because one who truly knows Him will cling to His service and to fear of Him, according to the knowledge in his heart and mind, and he will fulfill the duties of the heart and limbs without effort and without hassle, but rather with desire and craving, and zeal, as David said: "I made haste, and delayed not, to observe Your commandments" (Tehilim 119:60), and on this the wise man said: "Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding" (Mishlei 3:13), and "Happy are they that keep justice, that do righteousness at all times" (Tehilim 106:3).
אֲבָל מָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִסְמֹךְ לַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ מִן הַמַּעֲשִׂים אוֹמַר כִּי זֶה יִהְיֶה מִן הָאָדָם כְּפִי זַכּוּת עֶצֶם נַפְשׁוֹ וְקִבּוּלָהּ לְאוֹרֵי הָאֱמֶת הַמַּגִּיעִים אֵלֶיהָ מֵאֵת אֱלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שֵׂכֶל הַמְחַשֵּׁב עִם נַפְשׁוֹ הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַזֶּה זַךְ וְיָבִין הַכַּוָּנָה וְהַחֵפֶץ בּוֹ וִייַחֵד לִבּוֹ בּוֹ לָאֱלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ יָפִיק רְצוֹן הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיַעַזְרֵהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹתָיו וְיוֹרֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּאוֹר הַחָכְמָה וְיַזְהִיר בְּזֹהַר הַשֵּׂכֶל וְיָזֹךְ נִגְלֵהוּ וְנִסְתָּרוֹ לֵאלֹהִים וְדוֹמֶה לְמָה שֶׁאָמַר אִיּוֹב (איוב כט) צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי וְגוֹ׳.
What actions need to follow the accounting with oneself? I say, this will be from a man according to the purity of the essence his soul, and according to what his soul received of the lights of truth which reach it from G-d, blessed be He. Because when the intellect of one who reflects on this accounting is pure, and he will understand the intent and desire in it, and he does it for G-d alone - he will attain the favor of the Creator who will help him to do His commandments, teach him by the light of truth which distances the ways of doubt from his heart, and will illuminate him with the light of wisdom so that his intellect will be bright, and his inner and outer being will be purely devoted to G-d, and he will be similar to what Iyov said: "I put on righteousness and it clothed me; like a coat and a turban was my judgment" (Iyov 29:14).
וְאָז תִּשְׁקֹט וְתָנוּחַ מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ מִדַּאֲגוֹת הָעוֹלָם וּשְׂכִיּוֹתָיו וְיִשְׂמַח בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיָגִיל בְּמָה שֶׁהִשְׁקִיף עָלָיו מִסּוֹדוֹת הַחָכְמָה וּמֵאוֹרֶיהָ וִיאַשֵּׁר נַפְשׁוֹ עַל מָה שֶׁהִגִּיעַ אֵלָיו מִיְּדִיעַת אֲמִתַּת הָעוֹלָם הַתַּחְתּוֹן וְהָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן וּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הָאֱלֹהִים הַטּוֹבָה וְהַנְהָגָתוֹ וְקִיּוּם גְּזֵרָתוֹ בִּבְרִיּוֹתָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם (תהלים סד) יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק בַּה׳ וְחָסָה בוֹ וְאָמַר (שם קה) יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי ה׳ וְאָמַר (ירמיהו ט׳:כ״ג) אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חָכָם בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (שם) כִּי אִם בְּזֹאת יִתְהַלֵּל הַמִּתְהַלֵּל הַשְׂכֵּל וְיָדֹעַ אוֹתִי.
And then his soul will quiet, and his thoughts will calm from the worries of the world and its desires, and he will rejoice in the service of the Creator, and will delight in what he gazed of the secrets of wisdom and its lights, and will feel fortunate on what has reached him, of knowledge of the truth of the lower world and the upper world, and the good plan of G-d, and His conduct, and the fulfillment of His decrees on His creations, as David said: "The righteous rejoice in the L-ord, and shall take refuge in Him" (Tehilim 64:11), and "let the heart of them rejoice that seek the L-ord" (Tehilim 105:3), and "Thus says the L-ord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glory be in this - that he understands, and knows Me" (Yirmiya 9:22-23).
וְזֹאת הִיא הַמַּדְרֵגָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁבִּידִיעַת הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי מִי שֶׁיֵּדָעֵהוּ בֶּאֱמֶת יִדְבַּק בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ וּבְיִרְאָתוֹ כְּפִי יְדִיעָתוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וּבְמַצְפּוּנוֹ וְיִתְקַיְּמוּ לוֹ חוֹבוֹת הַלְּבָבוֹת וְהָאֵבָרִים בְּלִי טֹרַח וּבְלִי עָמָל אַךְ בַּחֲרִיצוּת וְהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת וּזְרִיזוּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים קיט) חַשְׁתִּי וְלֹא הִתְמַהְמָהְתִּי וְגוֹ׳ וּבוֹ אָמַר הֶחָכָם (משלי ג) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מָצָא חָכְמָה וְאָמַר (תהלים קו) אַשְׁרֵי שׁוֹמְרֵי מִשְׁפָּט וְגוֹ׳.
And this is the highest level in the knowledge of G-d, because one who truly knows Him will cling to His service and to fear of Him, according to the knowledge in his heart and mind, and he will fulfill the duties of the heart and limbs without effort and without hassle, but rather with desire and craving, and zeal, as David said: "I made haste, and delayed not, to observe Your commandments" (Tehilim 119:60), and on this the wise man said: "Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding" (Mishlei 3:13), and "Happy are they that keep justice, that do righteousness at all times" (Tehilim 106:3).
וְהָאֱלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ יְשִׂימֵנוּ מֵהֶם וְיַכְנִיסֵנוּ בְּכִתּוֹתֵיהֶם (ס״א בכונתם) בְּרַחֲמָיו, אָמֵן:
נִשְׁלַם שַׁעַר הַשְּׁמִינִי. תְּהִלָּה לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ:
May G-d place us among them, and enter us among their ranks, in His mercy, Amen.