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Duties of the Heart, Addenda, Ten Sections (Poem)

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וְאֵלּוּ הֵן עֲשֶׂרֶת הַבָּתִּים יִכְלֹל בָּהֶן שַׁעֲרֵי הַסֵּפֶר. בַּיִת אֶחָד לְכָל שַׁעַר.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

These are the ten stanzas: Which include the topics of the gates of this book. One stanza per gate.

וְרָשׁוּם בְּרָאשֵׁי הַבָּתִּים שֵׁם הַמְחַבֵּר:

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Meter: Yated, two Tenuot, Yated, two Tenuot, Yated and Tenuah in the first half of the stanza, and likewise repeated in the second half.)

בְּנִי. יַחֵד יְחִידָתְךָ לְצוּרָךְ. בְּיַחֶדְךָ לְאֵל אֶחָד יְצָרָךְ: יִחוּד הָאֵל.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Unity of G-d) - My son, devote your unique soul wholly to its Rock, when you declare the Unity of the One G-d who formed you.

חֲקוֹר וּדְרוֹשׁ. וְהִתְבּוֹנֵן פְּלָאָיו. וְשִׂים שֵׂכֶל וְדַת צֶדֶק אֲזוֹרָךְ: בְּחִינָה.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Reflection) - Examine, investigate, and contemplate His wonders, and let understanding and the law of righteousness be your girdle.

יְרָא הָאֵל. וְעֵדֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו. שְׁמֹר לָעַד. לְבַל תִּמְעַד אֲשׁוּרָךְ: עֲבוֹדָה.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Service) - Fear G-d, and guard His testimonies and laws always, so that your steps shall not stray.

יְהִי סָמוּךְ לְבָבְךָ. וְתָמוּךְ. וּבָטוּחַ בְּצוּר יִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרָךְ: בִּטָּחוֹן.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Trust) - Let your heart be confident and assured, trusting in G-d, the Rock, that He will be your help.

בְּלֵב טָהוֹר. עֲשֵׂה חֻקָּיו לְמַעֲנוֹ. וְאַל תִּשָּׂא פְּנֵי אָדָם בְּדוֹרָךְ: יִחוּד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Devotion) - With a pure heart do His laws for His sake, and exalt no human being in your generation.

רְאָה כִּי סוֹף יְצִיר עָפָר לְעָפָר. וְשַׁח. כִּי חוֹל וְגוּשׁ עָפָר מְגוּרָךְ: כְּנִיעָה.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Submission) - See, that the end of a creature is to the dust, be lowly for sand, and dirt will be your dwelling place.

יְרִיבְךָ לְשׁוֹן שִׂכְלָךְ לְסִכְלָךְ. וְשׁוּבָה מִזְּדוֹן לִבָּךְ וְיִצְרָךְ: תְּשׁוּבָה.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Repentance) - Let the speech of your understanding contend against your folly, and repent from the brazen of your heart and [evil] inclination.

וְדַרְכֵי אֵל בְּדִין צֶדֶק וּמִישׁוֹר. חֲכַם לָתוּר בְּמַחְשָׁבָךְ וְסִתְרָךְ: חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Accounting) - The ways of G-d, in just and proper judgment, search with wisdom in your thoughts and inner being.

סְחֵה יַלְדוּת וְשַׁחֲרוּת מִלְּבָבָךְ. וְאַל תִּתְאָיו לְמַחֲמַדֵּי נְעוּרָךְ: פְּרִישׁוּת.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(Abstinence) - Remove from your heart the childish and adolescent, and do not desire the desires of your youth

פְּנֵי אֵל חַי אֲזַי תִּרְאֶה בְּחִשְׁקָךְ. וְתִתְיַחֵד יְחִידָתָךְ לְצוּרָךְ: אַהֲבַת ה׳.

Duties of the Heart, trans. Rabbi Yosef Sebag

(love of G-d) - In your yearning, you will see the face of the everlasting G-d, and your unique soul will commune with your Rock