Proper Outlook on Life and Religious Cognizance

1. The Shulchan Aruch (O”C Siman 231) writes that even within the permissible activities that could be pleasurable, a person shouldn’t intend to get benefit and pleasure physically from this world but rather in order to serve Hashem as it says “BeChol Darchecha DaEhu” – “In all your ways you shall know Him”. All man’s endeavors should be for the sake of heaven. Even the permissible actions such as eating, drinking, walking, sitting, standing, relations, speech, and all of a person’s needs should be done for the service of Hashem or for something that causes a service of Hashem. A man who is hungry and thirsty and eats and drinks for his benefit isn’t praised, however, one should think that one is eating and drinking according to one’s health in order to serve Hashem. Similarly, one who sits amongst upright people, stands with Tzaddikim, or follows advice of the pure, if one does so for one’s pleasure and in order to fill one’s desires it’s not praiseworthy, however, one who does for the sake of Heaven is praised. Similarly, regarding sleep, it’s needless to say that at a time when one could learn or do מצות that a person shouldn’t indulge in sleep for pleasure, but even at a time when one is tired and needs to sleep in order to rest from one’s exhaust, if one does so for pleasure one is not praised, rather one should intend to sleep and proper rest to be healthy so that one’s mind isn’t unsettled and unable to study Torah because of one’s tiredness. Similarly, relations mentioned in Torah, if done with intent is to fulfill one’s pleasure, that’s disgraceful, if one intends to have children to serve him and fill his place, that’s not praiseworthy, rather one should intend to have children that will serve Hashem or intend to fulfill the mitzvah just like repaying a debt. Similarly in speech, even speech of wisdom one must have intent for the service of Hashem or something that leads to His service. The general rule is that a person is obligated to pay attention on his ways and to weight his actions with the scales of intellect, and when one sees something that leads to the service of Hashem, do it, and if not, don’t do it. Someone who practices these guidelines serves Hashem all the time.