Acquiring Zeal

Chapter 8: Acquiring Zeal

הִנֵּה הָאֶמְצָעִים אֲשֶׁר נִקְנֶה בָּם הַזְּרִיזוּת, הֵם הֵם אוֹתָם אֲשֶׁר נִקְנֶה בָּם הַזְּהִירוּת, וּמַדְרֵגוֹתֵיהֶם כְּמַדְרֵגוֹתֵיהֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה
The means through which Zeal is acquired are the same ones through which Watchfulness is acquired, and their levels are likewise similar as I wrote earlier.
כִּי עִנְיָנָם קָרוֹב זֶה לָזֶה מְאֹד, וְאֵין הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם אֶלָּא שֶׁזֶּה בֶּעָשִׁין וְזֶה בַּלָּאוִין.
For their matters are very similar. There is no difference between them except that Zeal is for the positive commandments while Watchfulness is for the negative commandments.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִתְאַמֵּת אֵצֶל הָאָדָם גֹּדֶל עֵרֶךְ הַמִּצְוֹת וְרֹב חוֹבָתוֹ בָּהֶם, וַדַּאי שֶׁיִּתְעוֹרֵר לִבּוֹ אֶל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְלֹא יִתְרַפֶּה מִמֶּנָּה.
When a man comes to realize as truth the great value of the Mitzvot and the greatness of his obligation in them, his heart will certainly be awakened to the service of G-d and he will not be lax in it.
וְאָמְנָם, מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל לְהַגְבִּיר הַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַזֶּה הוּא הַהִסְתַּכְּלוּת בְּרוֹב הַטּוֹבוֹת, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עִם הָאָדָם בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת הַגְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ מֵעֵת הַלֵּדָה עַד הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, כִּי כָּל מַה שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה לְהִסְתַּכֵּל וּלְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בִּדְבָרִים אֵלֶּה, הִנֵּה יַרְבֶּה לְהַכִּיר לְעַצְמוֹ חוֹבָה רַבָּה אֶל הָאֵל הַמֵּטִיב לוֹ,
However, that which may intensify this rousing is looking into the many benefits that the Holy One blessed be He does with a man at all moments and times and the great wonders G-d performs for him from the time of his birth until his final day. For the more one looks into and contemplates these things, the more he will recognize his enormous debt to G-d Who bestows good to him.
וְיִהְיוּ אֵלֶּה אֶמְצָעִים לְשֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַצֵּל וְיִתְרַפֶּה מֵעֲבוֹדָתוֹ. כִּי הֲרֵי הוֹאִיל וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל וַדַּאי לִגְמֹל לוֹ טוֹבָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, לְפָחוֹת יוֹדֶה לִשְׁמוֹ וִיקַיֵּם מִצְוֹתָיו.
This looking into will cause him to not grow lazy or lax in His service. For since it is impossible for him to repay G-d, blessed be His Name, for His goodness, he will feel that at least he can thank His Name and fulfill His commandments.
וְהִנֵּה אֵין לְךָ אָדָם בְּאֵיזֶה מַצַּב שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא, אִם עָנִי וְאִם עָשִׁיר, אִם בָּרִיא וְאִם חוֹלֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה נִפְלָאוֹת וְטוֹבוֹת רַבּוֹת בְּמַצָּבוֹ.
Whatever circumstances one may be in, whether poor or rich, healthy or ill, there is no person who cannot see wonders and many great benefits in his particular situation.
כִּי הֶעָשִׁיר וְהַבָּרִיא כְּבָר הוּא חַיָּב לוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל עָשְׁרוֹ וְעַל בְּרִיאוּתוֹ.
For the rich and healthy man is already indebted to G-d, blessed be He, for his wealth and health.
הֶעָנִי חַיָּב לוֹ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בְּעָנְיוֹ מַמְצִיא לוֹ פַּרְנָסָתוֹ דֶּרֶךְ נֵס וָפֶלֶא וְאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחוֹ לָמוּת בָּרָעָב.
The poor man is indebted to G-d that even in his poverty, G-d provides his sustenance through miracles and wonders, not leaving him to die of hunger.
הַחוֹלֶה עַל שֶׁמַּחֲזִיקוֹ בְּכֹבֶד חָלְיוֹ וּמַכּוֹתָיו וְאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחוֹ לָרֶדֶת שַׁחַת, וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, עַד שֶׁאֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּיר עַצְמוֹ חַיָּב לְבוֹרְאוֹ.
The sick man [is indebted to G-d] for He strengthens him in the weight of his illness or injuries, and does not leave him to descend to the grave. Likewise for all similar conditions. There is not a single person who will not find himself indebted to his Creator.
וּבְהִסְתַּכְּלוֹ בְּטוֹבוֹת אֵלֶּה שֶׁהוּא מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, וַדַּאי שֶׁיִּתְעוֹרֵר לְהִזְדָּרֵז לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה,
When he looks at these benefits which he receives from G-d, certainly, he will be roused to be Zealous in His service as I wrote earlier.
כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם יִתְבּוֹנֵן הֱיוֹת כָּל טוּבוֹ תָּלוּי בְּיָדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּמָה שֶׁמִּצְטָרֵךְ לוֹ וּמָה שֶׁמֻּכְרָח אֵלָיו, מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא, וְלֹא מֵאַחֵר,
All the more so, if he contemplates that all of his good is dependent on G-d's hand and that all of his needs and necessities is only from G-d alone, blessed be His Name, and no one else.
אֲשֶׁר עַל כֵּן וַדַּאי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַצֵּל מֵעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלֹא יֶחְסַר לוֹ מָה שֶׁהוּא מֻכְרָח אֵלָיו.
Then certainly he will not become lazy from engaging in His Divine service, so that G-d does not diminish that which is essential to him.
וְהִנְּךָ רוֹאֶה, שֶׁכָּלַלְתִּי פֹּה בִּדְבָרַי שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת אֲשֶׁר חִלַּקְתִּים בַּזְּהִירוּת, כִּי כְּבָר עִנְיָנָם אֶחָד. וְהַדָּבָר לָמֵד מֵעִנְיָנוֹ,
Behold, you can see that I included in my words the three levels of people which I divided in relation to Watchfulness for their matters are the same and can be learned one from the other.
שֶׁלִּשְׁלֵמֵי הַדַּעַת תִּהְיֶה הַהֶעָרָה מִצַּד הַחוֹבָה וּמִצַּד עֵרֶךְ הַמַּעֲשִׂים וַחֲשִׁיבוּתָם,
Those of wholeness of understanding will be roused to Zeal by their sense of duty and by the great worth and importance of the deeds.
לַפְּחוּתִים מֵהֶם מִצַּד הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וּכְבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא תַּשִּׂיגֵהוּ בּוּשָׁה לְיוֹם הַגְּמוּל בִּרְאוֹתוֹ הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַשִּׂיג וְאִבְּדָהּ,
Those of lesser understanding - from matters of the World to Come and honor, so that they do not suffer shame in the Day of Reward in seeing the good he could have attained but lost it.
וְלֶהָמוֹן מִצַּד הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּצְרָכָיו, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי שָׁם לְמַעְלָה.
For the general masses - from matters of this world and its needs similar to what I explained there.
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