The Matter of Our Service

עִנְיַן עֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ

And now understand the nature of the avodah [divine service] entrusted to us (וּתְבִין עַתָּה מַהוּ עִנְיַן הָעֲבוֹדָה הַמְּסוּרָה לָנוּ). For when His Simple Will decreed (כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר גָּזַר רְצוֹנוֹ הַפָּשׁוּט) to conduct Himself in His actions according to the deeds of those below (לִהְיוֹת מִתְנַהֵג בִּפְעוּלוֹתָיו לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂה הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), and He had already established a law (וְכְבָר שָׂם חֹק), that when a person performs an act (שֶׁבַּעֲשׂוֹת אָדָם מַעֲשֶׂה), He will act correspondingly with a particular action (כָּךְ יִפְעַל הוּא לְעֻמָּתוֹ פְּעוּלָה כָּךְ), and from that action such-and-such a consequence will be drawn forth (וּמִן הַפְּעוּלָה הַהִיא תִּמָּשֵׁךְ תּוֹלָדָה כָּךְ וְכָךְ), it is therefore fitting for us to perform the deeds He commanded (עַל כֵּן רָאוּי לָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּנוּ).

And know that these deeds awaken His action in particular ways (וְתֵדַע שֶׁהַמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה מְעוֹרְרִים פְּעוּלָתוֹ בִּדְרָכִים פְּרָטִיִּים), so that particular consequences may likewise be drawn from them (לְהִימָּשֵׁךְ מֵהֶם תּוֹלָדוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת כָּךְ), all of which is for the benefit of the created beings (מַה שֶּׁהוּא הַכֹּל לְתוֹעֶלֶת הַנִּבְרָאִים). And when we perform these things with this intention (וּבַעֲשׂוֹתֵנוּ הַדְּבָרִים בַּכַּוָּנָה הַזֹּאת), behold, they will be more acceptable before the Emanator, blessed be He (הִנֵּה רְצוּיִם יִהְיוּ יוֹתֵר לִפְנֵי הַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא), for it is not as the commandment of men learned by rote (כִּי לֹא כְּמִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלוּמָדָה), but as one who knows his Maker and intends to fulfill His will (אֶלָּא כְּיוֹדֵעַ אֶת קוֹנוֹ וּמְכַוֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ).