Abstinence "My son, may God set you among those who hear and listen, listen and reflect, reflect and know, know and act. "May He not set you among those who sink in error, drunk with the wine of ignorance; who are enslaved by the instinct, ruled by this world, overcome by desires which engross them in pleasures; [those who are] driven by obsessions and seduced by lust. In darkness they [trip and] fall, trapped in the routine of their error. "They hear but do not listen; speak but do not act. They long for ease but end up sighing [in distress]. They seek pleasures but are seized with severe suffering. Their souls are weary, their bodies are tired, their intellects are neutralized, their powers of understanding are shattered. "They collect gold, which will be lost, and silver, which will be relinquished, and they leave them to enemies or to unfaithful women. They finish palatial residences and well in graves. They build [homes] they will not live in, accumulate [wealth] they will not spend. Each of them buries his father and his child and yet fails to perform deeds of lasting value. [Each of them] is oblivious to his end and mindful only of his desires. What can be said for a middle that has lost its two ends, for the solitary individual whose parents have abandoned him? "My son, think of an individual endowed by the Creator with vast understanding and mastery over his own mind, an individual enlightened as to his own good by the Creator, Who shows him the right way and draws him to it. "People feel secure with him, and he feels secure with them. He is on good terms with them and is spared [any harm] from them. "While others serve their base instincts, he serves the God of heaven and earth, Who brings life and puts to death, Who creates and provides, beside Whom there is no other god. "What a difference there is between [people who follow base instinct] and people whose inner lives are refined, whose innermost beings are pure, whose eyes are serene, whose hearts are full of trust, who delight in remembering God when alone and express thanks for His goodness in every situation. "[The latter] devote themselves to [all areas of] speculation - theoretical, mathematical, and theological - and cut through the veil that keeps one from seeing the ways of inwardness. Through hard work they arrive at the serenity of truth, forsaking comfort for [true] delights. They are not distracted by desires and do not delay when death appears so far off. They proceed eagerly to the day of death, but are wary of what will follow it. "They are God's honored guests, who eagerly seek Him, wait for Him, serve Him. They speak the truth and call for justice, without fear of the ruler or domination by an adversary. They are the noblest of men and more vigilant than any other people, the most honorable and the greatest of them all. They are honored in the houses of God and esteemed in the sight of [His] creatures. "Nothing can distract them from remembering God, nothing can deter them from offering thanks to Him. Their tongues are fluent in songs of praise and thanksgiving; their hearts are filled with sincerity [toward God] and total commitment to the idea that God is one. "This world puts up a facade before them, but they recognize its true face. They stride through it and depict it [to others]. Its treachery is not hidden from them, its deceit is not concealed from them. [This world] puts on its best clothes before them, but they consider it bare. It shows itself as if it were yielding to them, but they realize that it is under control. It smiles at them, but they glare back at it. It wishes to attract them, but they turn away from it. They observe its evil deeds; the shameful character of its acts becomes clear to them. It has no control over them nor any means of drawing close to them. "They are God's chosen and pure ones, the elite of the devout, men of clear vision, noble aspirations, and pleasing endeavors. They stride toward God and are guided, trade with Him and profit, refine their inner lives and are refined, purify their hearts and become the elect. They arm themselves with reverence on the dangerous road and are saved. Riding chariots of good deeds, they reach their destination, [where] they meet with abiding joy and unfailing elation. They pass the test of reckoning and are safe from suffering. "Therefore, my son, choose what is good for your soul before [the onset of] remorse that will not help and worry that will not end." *quoted by R. Bachya ben Joseph ibn Paquda in Duties of the Heart, pg. 837 SimpleToRemember.com - Judaism Online |