## Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion

###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:1
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:1)

אֲבָל מַפְסִידֵי יִחוּד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה לֵאלֹהִים הֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
Three things damage one's devoting his act of service to G-d alone:


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:2
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:2)

אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יָבִין אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת טוֹבָתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(1) Ignorance of G-d and His good.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:3
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:3)

וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁלֹּא יָבִין מִצְוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת תּוֹרוֹתָיו.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(2) Ignorance of G-d's mitzvot and His torah.


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

וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי הִרְהוּר הַיֵּצֶר וּרְמִיזָתוֹ לָאָדָם בְּמָה שֶׁיְּחַבֵּב אֵלָיו העוה״ז וִירַחֲקֵהוּ מִדֶּרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(3) Thoughts and suggestions the yetzer presents a man to endear to him this world and distance him from the path that leads to [his good in] the next world.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:5
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:5)

אֲבָל אָפְנֵי הֶפְסֵד הַסִּכְלוּת מִדַּעַת הָאֱלֹהִים לְמַעֲשֶׂה הָעֲבוֹדָה הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֶת אֲדוֹנָיו לֹא יַעַבְדֵהוּ בְּלִבּוֹ אֲבָל יַעֲבֹד מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ עִנְיָנוֹ וְיִתָּכֵן מִמֶּנּוּ הַתּוֹעֶלֶת וְהַנֶּזֶק,

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
Explanation of the above three: Ignorance of G-d causes lacking in the service because one who does not know his master will not serve him devotedly. Rather, he will only serve someone who he is familiar with and which he expects benefit or harm from.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:6
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:6)

וְאִם יַעֲשֶׂה מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים מַעֲשֶׂה מִמַּעֲשֵׂי הָעֲבוֹדָה כַּוָּנָתוֹ בָּהֶם לְמִי שֶׁיִּירָא וִיקַוֶּה מִבְּנֵי אָדָם בִּלְבַד וְעוֹבֵד בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלֹא הַבּוֹרֵא אוֹתָם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינֶנּוּ יוֹדֵעַ וְלֹא מַכִּיר עִנְיָנוֹ וְכֵן נֶאֱמַר בְּהָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים כִּי מְבִיאָתוֹ לָזֶה סִכְלוּתוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
Hence, if one who does not know G-d does an act of service, his intent will be to people that he is afraid of or that he hopes to get some benefit from. Therefore, he is serving people not He who created them, because he is ignorant of G-d's matter. Similarly we can say for the idol worshipper, that ignorance of G-d is what brings him to this.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:7
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:7)

וְיֵשׁ יִתְרוֹן לְהָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים עַל הֶחָנֵף בְּאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
However, the idol worshipper is to be preferred over the flatterer (hypocrite) in the following four ways:


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:8
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:8)

אֶחָד מֵהֶם כִּי הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין חָזוֹן אֵינֶנּוּ מֻזְהָר ע״י נָבִיא שֶׁיְּבָרֵר אֶצְלוֹ הֶפְסֵד מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים אֲבָל הַמַּחֲנִיף בְּתוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים יֵשׁ עָלָיו טַעֲנָה בְּמָה שֶׁקִּבֵּל מִן הַמִּצְוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדַת הָאֱלֹהִים וְהַהַזְהָרָה מֵעֲבוֹדַת זוּלָתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(1) In our times, there are no prophets which can perform miracles to clarify to the idol worshipper his faulty outlook. But the flatterer in G-d's torah, there are grounds for a claim against him. For he undertook the commandments to serve G-d alone and undertook the prohibitions not to serve someone else (than G-d).


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:9
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:9)

וְהַשֵּׁנִי כִּי הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים עוֹבֵד מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַמְרֶה אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲבָל הַמַּחֲנִיף בְּתוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים עוֹבֵד מִי שֶׁמַּמְרֶה אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַמְרֶה אוֹתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(2) The idolater worships something which does not rebel against G-d . But the flatterer in G-d's torah worships a human being who rebels against G-d as well as one who does not rebel against Him.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:10
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:10)

וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים הוּא עוֹבֵד דָּבָר אֶחָד בִּלְבַד וְהֶחָנֵף אֵין תַּכְלִית לְנֶעֱבָדָיו.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(3) The idolater worships one thing alone, whereas for the flatterer, there is no limit to those he worships.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:11
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:11)

וְהָרְבִיעִי כִּי הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים אֵין עִנְיָנוֹ נִסְתָּר מִבְּנֵי אָדָם וְהֵם נִשְׁמָרִים מִמֶּנּוּ מִפְּנֵי פִּרְסוּם כַּפְרָנוּתוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים, אֲבָל הֶחָנֵף אֵין כַּפְרָנוּתוֹ נִרְאֶה וּבְנֵי אָדָם בּוֹטְחִים בּוֹ וְיִתָּכֵן לוֹ לְהַזִּיקָם, מָה שֶׁלֹּא יִתָּכֵן לְזוּלָתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(4) The idolater's status is visible for all to see, and people guard themselves from him due to public knowledge of his denial of G-d's existence. But the flatterer's denial is not visible, and people trust in him. Therefore, he is more likely to damage them than the idol worshipper.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:12
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:12)

וְהוּא הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּמַדְוֵי הָעוֹלָם וְנִקְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ חָנֵף וְיָהִיר וּמְפַתֶּה.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
It comes out that the flatterer is the greatest disease in the world. He is called in our writings, the flatterer, the haughty, the enticer.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:13
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:13)

אַךְ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִין מִצְוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים וְתוֹרוֹתָיו אֵין מַעֲשֵׂהוּ מְיֻחָד לְשֵׁם הָאֵל בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִין אָפְנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהֵם הַתּוֹרֹת כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יָבִין אָפְנֵי הַשְׁלָמָתָם בְּיִחוּד לְבָבוֹ בָּהֶם לֵאלֹהִים וְכָל מָה שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה מִמַּעֲשֵׂי הָעֲבוֹדָה כַּוָּנָתוֹ בּוֹ לְזוּלַת הָאֱלֹהִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְּמִסְתַּפֵּק בַּאֲמִתַּת חִיּוּבוֹ בָּהֶם וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶׁיַּפְסִיד יִחוּד לְבָבוֹ בַּעֲשׂוֹתוֹ לֵאלֹהִים וְאִם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ הָאֱלֹהִים וְטוֹבָתוֹ.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
One who does not understand the commandments of G-d and His torah is not capable of devoting his acts wholly to G-d. For as he does not know the ways of service prescribed and their roots in the torah, much less will he understand how to perform them properly, namely, with wholehearted devotion to G-d. Because he is not sure whether he is in truth under duty to perform them. Nor does he know what is detrimental to wholehearted devotion in his service of G-d, even if he is knowledgeable of G-d and of His goodness, as our Sages said "an ignorant man cannot be pious" (Avot 2:5).


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:14
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:14)

אֲבָל הִרְהוּר הַיֵּצֶר מִתְחַלֵּק לִשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
TEMPTATION OF THE YETZER HARA
The temptations of the yetzer (evil inclination) divide into two categories:


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:15
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:15)

אֶחָד מֵהֶם מַחְשָׁבוֹת מְסַפְּקוֹת עָלָיו הָאֲמִתּוֹת וּמְשַׁבְּשׁוֹת עָלָיו אֱמוּנָתוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁלַם לוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה לֵאלֹהִים.

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(1) Thoughts which cast doubt on truths and confuse his emuna (faith), so that he cannot do any religious act properly to G-d.


###### Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:16
[Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 4:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Duties%20of%20the%20Heart/s/Fifth%20Treatise%20on%20Devotion/r/4:16)

וְהַחֵלֶק הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁהוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטַּעֲנָה וְהָרְאָיָה כִּי מָה שֶׁהוּא רָץ אֵלָיו וּמִשְׁתַּדֵּל בּוֹ מִן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה לֵאלֹהִים אֵינוֹ חוֹבָה וְלֹא מִדֶּרֶךְ הַזְּרִיזוּת אֲבָל מוֹרֶה אוֹתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּלְיוֹשְׁבָיו:

**Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag:**
(2) He comes in the way of arguments and proofs that his zeal and exertion in the service of G-d is neither a duty nor meritorious, and advises him to instead work for this world and its inhabitants.