Duties of the Heart, Eighth Treatise on Examining the Soul, Introduction
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אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּדַם מַאֲמָרֵנוּ בְּגִדְרֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה וּתְנָאֶיהָ וְהָיָה הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֶחָד מִתְּנָאֶיהָ רָאִיתִי לִסְמֹךְ לָהּ בֵּאוּר עִנְיְנֵי הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ בַּעֲבוּר מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מֵעִנְיְנֵי הַהֶעָרָה לָהּ לְמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ תַּקָּנָתָהּ בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד ע״ה (תהלים קיט) חִשַּׁבְתִּי דְרָכָי וָאָשִׁיבָה רַגְלַי אֶל עֵדֹתֶיךָ.
On making a personal accounting of one's duties to G-d The author says: Since our previous discussion dealt with the essentials of repentance and its conditions, and making a spiritual accounting was one of those conditions, I saw proper to follow with a clarification of the matter of making an accounting with oneself, because this contains matters to arouse oneself for things beneficial in both worlds, as David, peace be unto him, said: "I reflected on my ways, and turned my feet unto Your testimonies" (Tehilim 119:59).
וְרָאוּי לָנוּ לְבָאֵר מִדְּבַר הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ שִׁשָּׁה עִנְיָנִים.
It is proper for us to clarify six matters on the subject of the spiritual accounting.
הָרִאשׁוֹן מָה הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ.
- What is meant by making a spiritual accounting with oneself.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי אִם חֶשְׁבּוֹן כָּל בְּנֵי אָדָם שָׁוֶה אִם לֹא.
- If the accounting is equal for all individuals or not.
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי עַל כַּמָּה פָּנִים יִהְיֶה חֶשְׁבּוֹן הָאָדָם עִם נַפְשׁוֹ.
- how many ways should one bring himself to an accounting.
וְהָרְבִיעִי מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַזֶּה.
- What are the benefits of this accounting.
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי אִם הָאָדָם חַיָּב לַחְשֹׁב עִם נַפְשׁוֹ תָּמִיד אִם לֹא.
- Whether the spiritual accounting is a constant duty
וְהַשִּׁשִּׁי בְּמָה שֶׁחַיָּב הָאָדָם לִסְמֹךְ לַחֶשְׁבּוֹן מִן הַמַּעֲשִׂים:
- Which activities should follow the accounting.