## Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction

###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 1
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/1)

**בְּבֵאוּר אָפְנֵי חִיּוּב הֱיוֹת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂינוּ מְיֻחָדִים לִשְׁמוֹ וּלְהִזָּהֵר מִן הַחֹנֶף. וְזֶה פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר:**
אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּדַם מַאֲמָרֵנוּ בַּבִּטָּחוֹן עַל הָאֱלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ רָאִינוּ לִסְמֹךְ לוֹ בֵּאוּר אָפְנֵי חִיּוּב הֱיוֹת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂי הָעֲבוֹדָה מְיֻחָדִים לֵאלֹהִים לְבַדּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּדָבָר זֶה מִזַּכּוּת הַמַּצְפּוּנִים וּבֹר הַלְּבָבוֹת מִן הָעִרְבּוּב הַמַּפְסִיד אוֹתָם וְהַהַצָּלָה מִמִּינֵי הַיִּפּוּי הַמֵּבִיא אֶל הַחֹנֶף וּלְהִתְרַצּוֹת בַּחֲלָקוֹת לַבְּרוּאִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר אֱלִיהוּא (איוב לב) אַל נָא אֶשָּׂא פְנֵי אִישׁ וְאֶל אָדָם לֹא אֲכַנֶּה כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֲכַנֶּה.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
Since the topic of our preceding discussion was placing one's trust in G-d, I deemed proper to follow with a clarification of the ways in which it is incumbent to devote all actions of religious service to G-d alone. For this leads to purification of thought and heart from mixtures of other intents which diminish the quality of the actions, and saves one from all sorts of embellishment and flattery to try to win the approval of other people, as Elihu said "I will show partiality to no one, nor will I flatter any man" (Iyov 32:21).


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 2
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וְרָאוּי עַתָּה שֶׁנְּבָאֵר מֵעִנְיְנֵי יִחוּד הַמַּעֲשִׂים לֵאלֹהִים שִׁשָּׁה עִנְיָנִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
It is now proper to clarify six matters on the subject of devotion of actions to G-d:


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 3
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/3)

אֶחָד מֵהֶם מָה הוּא יִחוּד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה לֵאלֹהִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
1. What is devotion of actions to G-d?


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 4
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/4)

וְהַשֵּׁנִי בְּמָה יִהְיֶה.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
2. What leads to it?


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 5
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/5)

וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי בְּאֵיזֶה מַעֲשֶׂה חַיָּבִין בּוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
3. On which actions is devotion a duty?


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 6
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/6)

וְהָרְבִיעִי כַּמָּה מִינֵי מַפְסִידָיו.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
4. Which things damage devotion?


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 7
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/7)

וְהַחֲמִישִׁי אֵיךְ אָפְנֵי הַרְחָקָתָם מִן הַנֶּפֶשׁ עַד שֶׁיִּתָּכֵן לִבְנֵי אָדָם לְיַחֵד כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ לְשֵׁם הָאֵל.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
5. Ways to distance from them until one can successfully devote all actions to G-d


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 8
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion, Introduction 8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion,_Introduction/r/8)

וְהַשִּׁשִּׁי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִזְהָר בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה וְנִשְׁמָר מִמֶּנָּה וּמוֹשֵׁל בָּהּ:

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
6. To guard, protect and rule over one's thoughts