It is related in Zohar Chadash, Parashas Noach (26b): Rabbi Elazar and his father-in-law Rabbi Yose were traveling from Usha to Lud. Rabbi Yose said to Rabbi Elazar, “Did you happen to hear from your father, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, what is meant by the verse, ‘And Yaakov went on his way and angels of God met him’ (Bereishis 32:2)? Who were these angels?” “I do not know…,” he replied. While they were yet traveling they noticed a certain cave and heard a voice saying, “There were two fawns of a gazelle that brought Me pleasure. They were the holy camp that met Yaakov and then went before him.” Rabbi Elazar became extremely agitated and fearful. “Master of the Universe!” he said, “Is this Your way? It would have been better had we not heard this, for now that we have heard it we still do not know who they were!” Then a miracle occurred and they heard a voice saying, “They were Avraham and Yitzchak.”
Rabbi Elazar fell upon his face, whereupon he beheld the image of his father. Rabbi Elazar told him, “I asked who the angels were and they answered me that they were Avraham and Yitzchak… In other words, the souls of Avraham and Yitzchak came to lead the way for Yaakov as he fled from Lavan the Aramean. And even though Yitzchak was still alive at the time, nevertheless, at the time that he was bound upon the altar his soul left him and ascended to Heaven where it became attached to the soul of Avraham. Then the two of them together went before Yaakov. This is the meaning of the verse, “The God of my father, the God of Avraham and the fear of Yitzchak, was with me” (Bereishis 31:42). Rabbi Shimon then explained that Yaakov was not the only one to be joined by the souls of the righteous. In fact, they come to every God-fearing person to save him from thoughts of sin and needless to say from actual sin. But if a man entertains wicked thoughts, whether in town, in the field or at home, a malignant spirit called ChNYH comes to him. It is appointed over all those who entertain wicked or foreign thoughts while traveling. This malignant spirit clings to the person and does not separate from him until it has led him into a serious transgression. This imparts a blemish to his soul, on account of our many sins, as a result of which he will be filled with regret until the end of his days. Nevertheless, it is a loss than cannot be made good. Know, therefore, that wherever you go you will be joined by emissaries who will further your thoughts, whether for bad or for good.
Afterwards Rabbi Elazar asked his father Rabbi Shimon, “What is our station in the World to Come?” He replied, “I and you will delight together with David, king of Israel.” Then Rabbi Elazar arose and while he was standing there Rabbi Yose noticed that his face was beaming like the sun. “Did you hear a novel insight?” he inquired. “No,” Rabbi Elazar replied, “but fortunate are the righteous who unite with the souls of the righteous, as it is stated, “For He will command His angels on your behalf, to guard you in all your ways” (Tehillim 91:11).
Therefore, mortal man, for the sake of Hashem, God of Israel, and for the sake of your pure soul that was carved out from beneath the Throne of Glory, see to your ways and have the wisdom to mend them. Avert your eyes from beholding evil and accustom yourself to gazing upon holy things, as we have already discussed in Chapter Two. And do not entertain envious thoughts about the possessions of others. Then you will be spared from theft and from ill-gotten gains. Conduct yourself according to the proper priorities even if you possess great wealth. And do not pamper yourself excessively with your means. Do not eat or drink to excess but recall at all times that you will one day be made to give an accounting for every word that comes out of your mouth and needless to say for your good and bad deeds. If you suppose that at that time you will be able to conceal things or deny them, know that there are ready witnesses — that is, the angels that accompany a person at all times. They will come and testify regarding the exact day and location in which the iniquity or good deed was performed. Then they will come and strike him on the face, saying, “Wicked one! How dare you deny and speak falsely before your Creator? Do you not know that everything is revealed before Him? He knows all of a person’s thoughts and He examines the heart and probes the kidneys!”
Therefore one must realize in general that the Holy One Blessed is He holds a person responsible even for his casual comments, not to mention for his deeds. He has many agents and many harsh punishments with which to requite those who do not live in accordance with His will. Therefore let every good deed seem precious in a person’s eyes. If the opportunity to perform a good deed comes before him, let him rejoice as if he discovered a precious jewel. Let him give praise to the Holy One Blessed is He for granting him this merit and enabling him to fulfill a commandment. And if there should come his way a commandment that no one else is concerned over, let him be especially eager and quick to perform it to the best of his ability, with his body, his resources and his soul. For a commandment that no one takes interest in is called a meis mitzvah [the name by which the Talmud refers to a corpse that has no one to bury it and that all are required to attend to]. Take hold of it and earn merit through it. At the same time you will be restoring and elevating the esteem of that commandment in the same way that the Holy One Blessed is He lifts us the poor and needy from the dung heap. Afterwards that commandment will be your defender and a just champion on your behalf before the Holy One Blessed is He. And if Heaven has decreed that some evil is to befall him, that commandment will stand up and confront the Heavenly court and plead for him until the decree is rescinded. Concerning this it states, “If there shall be for him one defending angel in a thousand to tell of the man’s uprightness” (Iyov 33:23).
And how much more does this apply if he toils in Torah for pure motives! For Torah study is the choicest of the commandments. Therefore his reward will be redoubled many times. And when he passes away the Prince of the Divine Countenance, the angel MTTRON, along with all the hosts of Heaven will accompany him and dress him in all sorts of precious garments and crown him with crowns. Then the Prince of the Countenance will kindle before him lamps fashioned from the majesty and splendor of the Shechinah. Concerning this did King David and our teacher Moshe pray when they said, I will walk before Hashem in the lands of the living” (Tehillim 116:9). Therefore let a person pray at all times that the Holy One Blessed is He, in His abundant mercy and lovingkindness, save him from every sort of iniquity, transgression and vain deed. And may He guide him along the straight and goodly path. For the Holy One Blessed is He, the Master of Mercy, hears the voice of one who beseeches Him with a broken heart and He will grant him a heart of flesh imbued with purity. Then will “Hashem’s desire flourish in his hand” (Yeshayahu 53:10), Amein.
אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת נֹח: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי חֲמוֹי אָזְלֵי מֵאוּשָׁא לְלוּד. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֶפְשָׁר דְּשָׁמַעַתְּ מִן אֲבוּךְ, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ, וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בּוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים. מַאן אִנּוּן הֲוֵי? אָמַר לֵיהּ: לָא יְדַעְנָא וְכוּ'. עַד דַּהֲוֵי אַזְלֵי, חָמוּ חַד מְעַרְתָּא. שָׁמְעוּ חַד קָלָא דְּאָמַר: תְּרֵין עוּזְלִין דְּאַיַּלְתָּא עֲבָדוּ קַדָמַי רְעוּתָא דְּנַיְחָא לִי, וְאִנּוּן הֲוֵי מַשְׁרְיָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, שֶׁפָּגְעוּ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְהָלְכוּ לְפָנָיו. אִתְרַגִּישׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאִתְעַר בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ (לְשׁוֹן הִתְעוֹרְרוּת וַחֲרָדָה) וְאָמַר: רִבּוֹן דְּעָלְמָא, כָּךְ אוֹרְחוֹי? טָב לָן דְּלָא נִשְׁמַע שְׁמַעְנָא דָּא וְלֹא יְדַעְנָא! אִתְרַחִישׁ לְהוּ נִסָּא וְשָׁמְעוּ קָלָא דְּאָמַר: אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק הֲוֵי.
It is related in Zohar Chadash, Parashas Noach (26b): Rabbi Elazar and his father-in-law Rabbi Yose were traveling from Usha to Lud. Rabbi Yose said to Rabbi Elazar, “Did you happen to hear from your father, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, what is meant by the verse, ‘And Yaakov went on his way and angels of God met him’ (Bereishis 32:2)? Who were these angels?” “I do not know…,” he replied. While they were yet traveling they noticed a certain cave and heard a voice saying, “There were two fawns of a gazelle that brought Me pleasure. They were the holy camp that met Yaakov and then went before him.” Rabbi Elazar became extremely agitated and fearful. “Master of the Universe!” he said, “Is this Your way? It would have been better had we not heard this, for now that we have heard it we still do not know who they were!” Then a miracle occurred and they heard a voice saying, “They were Avraham and Yitzchak.”
נָפַל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר עַל פָּנָיו, חֲמָא דְּיוּקְנָא דַּאֲבוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא שְׁאִילְנָא, מִי הֲווּ הַמַּלְאָכִים, וְהֵשִׁיבוּ לִי: אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק הֲוֵי, שֶׁהֵם נִזְדַּמְּנוּ לֵילֵךְ לִפְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי; וְאַף דְּיִצְחָק הָיָה עֲדַיִן קַיָּם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם נִשְׁמָתוֹ פָּרְחָה מִמֶּנּוּ וְעָלָה לְמַעְלָה בִּשְׁעַת עֲקֵדָה וְאִתְחַבֵּר עִם נִשְׁמַת אַבְרָהָם וְאָזְלוּ לִפְנֵי יַעֲקֹב. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם וּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי. וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: לֹא לְיַעֲקֹב לְבַד הָיָה מִזְדַּמֵּן נִשְׁמַת צַדִּיקִים, אֶלָּא לְכָל יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם מִזְדַּמְּנִין לוֹ נִשְׁמַת צַדִּיקִים לְהַצִּילוֹ מִן הִרְהוּרֵי עֲבֵרָה, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מֵהָעֲבֵרָה עַצְמָהּ. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן אִם אָדָם הוּא מְהַרְהֵר בְּהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, הֵן בָּעִיר וְהֵן בַּשָּׂדֶה וְהֵן בַּבַּיִת, מִזְדַּמֵּן אֵלָיו מַזִּיק אֶחָד, חַנְיָה שְׁמֵיהּ, וְהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל זֶה הַהוֹלֵךְ, וּבַהֲלִיכָתוֹ הוּא מְחַשֵּׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְזָרוֹת וְנִזּוֹק הוּא מֵאֵלָיו, וְהַמַּזִּיק נִזְקָק לוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ סָר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁמְּבִיאוֹ לִידֵי חֵטְא חָמוּר, וְיִפְגֹּם בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים פְּגָם מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר יִתְחָרֵט בְּסוֹף יָמָיו וְיִהְיֶה פְּסֵידָא דְּלָא הָדַר. לְמַעַן תֵּדַע, כִּי בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ שָׁם, יֵשׁ מְסַיְּעִין לְמַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ, הֵן לְרָעָה וְהֵן לְטוֹבָה.
Rabbi Elazar fell upon his face, whereupon he beheld the image of his father. Rabbi Elazar told him, “I asked who the angels were and they answered me that they were Avraham and Yitzchak… In other words, the souls of Avraham and Yitzchak came to lead the way for Yaakov as he fled from Lavan the Aramean. And even though Yitzchak was still alive at the time, nevertheless, at the time that he was bound upon the altar his soul left him and ascended to Heaven where it became attached to the soul of Avraham. Then the two of them together went before Yaakov. This is the meaning of the verse, “The God of my father, the God of Avraham and the fear of Yitzchak, was with me” (Bereishis 31:42). Rabbi Shimon then explained that Yaakov was not the only one to be joined by the souls of the righteous. In fact, they come to every God-fearing person to save him from thoughts of sin and needless to say from actual sin. But if a man entertains wicked thoughts, whether in town, in the field or at home, a malignant spirit called ChNYH comes to him. It is appointed over all those who entertain wicked or foreign thoughts while traveling. This malignant spirit clings to the person and does not separate from him until it has led him into a serious transgression. This imparts a blemish to his soul, on account of our many sins, as a result of which he will be filled with regret until the end of his days. Nevertheless, it is a loss than cannot be made good. Know, therefore, that wherever you go you will be joined by emissaries who will further your thoughts, whether for bad or for good.
וְאַחַר כָּךְ שָׁאִיל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אָבִיו: מָה אֲנַן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא וְאַנְתְּ נִשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע עִם דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. קָם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: עַד דַהֲווּ חֲמוּ לֵיהּ דְּאַנְפּוֹהִי נְהִירִין כְּשִׁמְשָׁא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מִלְּתָא חַדְתָּא שְׁמַעְתָּא? אָמַר לָהֶם: זַכָּאִין צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁמִּתְחַבְּרִין עִם צַדִּיקִים בְּסוֹד (תְּהִלִּים צא, יא): "כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ".
Afterwards Rabbi Elazar asked his father Rabbi Shimon, “What is our station in the World to Come?” He replied, “I and you will delight together with David, king of Israel.” Then Rabbi Elazar arose and while he was standing there Rabbi Yose noticed that his face was beaming like the sun. “Did you hear a novel insight?” he inquired. “No,” Rabbi Elazar replied, “but fortunate are the righteous who unite with the souls of the righteous, as it is stated, “For He will command His angels on your behalf, to guard you in all your ways” (Tehillim 91:11).
עַל כֵּן בֶּן אָדָם, לְמַעַן ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְמַעַן נִשְׁמָתְךָ הַטְּהוֹרָה הַחֲצוּבָה מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, רְאֵה דְּרָכֶיךָ וַחֲכַם לְיַשֵּׁר דְּרָכֶיךָ, וְשָׂא עֵינֶיךָ מֵרְאוֹת בְּרַע וְתַרְגִּיל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בִּדְבָרִים קְדוֹשִׁים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּפֶרֶק ב לְעֵיל, וְלֹא תַּעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ קִנְאָה שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים, וּבִשְׁבִיל כֵּן תִּנָּצֵל מִגֶּזֶל וּמָמוֹן שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁל ישֶׁר, וְתִתְנַהֵג בְּסֵדֶר נָכוֹן. אַף אִם אָסַפְתָּ מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה, וְלֹא תִּתְעַנֵּג בְּמָמוֹנְךָ הַרְבֵּה, וְאַל תַּרְבֶּה בְּזוֹלְלוּת וְסוֹבְאוּת, רַק תָּמִיד יִהְיוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן עַל מוֹצָא שְׂפָתֶיךָ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן עַל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ הָרָעִים וְטוֹבִים. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, פֶּן תּוּכַל לְהַעֲלִים וּלְכַחֵשׁ — הֲרֵי הָעֵדִים עוֹמְדִים. הֵן הֵן הַמְּלָכִים הַמְלַוִּין לָאָדָם, בָּאִים וּמְעִידִים בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם וּבְאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם נַעֲשָׂה הָעֲבֵרָה אוֹ הַמִּצְוָה, וּבָאִין הַמְטַפְּחִין עַל פָּנָיו וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ: רָשָׁע, אֵיךְ נְשָׂאֲךָ לִבְּךָ לְכַחֵשׁ וּלְשַׁקֵּר אֶת פְּנֵי בּוֹרַאֲךָ?! הֲלֹא הַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, וְהוּא יוֹדֵעַ כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו שֶׁל הָאָדָם, וְהוּא בּוֹחֵן לְבָבוֹת וְחוֹקֵר כְּלָיוֹת.
Therefore, mortal man, for the sake of Hashem, God of Israel, and for the sake of your pure soul that was carved out from beneath the Throne of Glory, see to your ways and have the wisdom to mend them. Avert your eyes from beholding evil and accustom yourself to gazing upon holy things, as we have already discussed in Chapter Two. And do not entertain envious thoughts about the possessions of others. Then you will be spared from theft and from ill-gotten gains. Conduct yourself according to the proper priorities even if you possess great wealth. And do not pamper yourself excessively with your means. Do not eat or drink to excess but recall at all times that you will one day be made to give an accounting for every word that comes out of your mouth and needless to say for your good and bad deeds. If you suppose that at that time you will be able to conceal things or deny them, know that there are ready witnesses — that is, the angels that accompany a person at all times. They will come and testify regarding the exact day and location in which the iniquity or good deed was performed. Then they will come and strike him on the face, saying, “Wicked one! How dare you deny and speak falsely before your Creator? Do you not know that everything is revealed before Him? He knows all of a person’s thoughts and He examines the heart and probes the kidneys!”
עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לֵידַע בִּכְלָל, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק עִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו אֲפִלּוּ עַד דִּבּוּר קַל, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן עַל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. וְהַרְבֵּה שְׁלוּחִין וְדִינִים קָשִׁים יֵשׁ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהִפָּרַע מִמִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ. עַל כֵּן מַעֲשֶׂה טוֹב יִהְיֶה יָקָר בְּעֵינֶיךָ. אִם הוּבָא דֶּרֶךְ מִצְוָה לְיָדְךָ — תִּשְׂמַח מֵאֲשֶׁר בָּא לְיָדְךָ מְצִיאָה שֶׁל אֶבֶן טוֹב וְתִתֵּן שֶׁבַח לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שֶׁזִּכָּה אוֹתְךָ וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ לִידֵי אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה. וּבִפְרָט אִם יִזְדַּמֵּן לְךָ אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מְהַדְּרִין — תִּהְיֶה מֵהַזְּרִיזִים וּמֵהַמַּקְדִּימִין בַּמִּצְוָה בְּכָל יְכָלְתְּךָ בְּגוּפְךָ וּבִמְאֹדְךָ וּבְנִשְׁמָתְךָ, כִּי הַאי מִצְוָה שֶׁאֵין מִתְעַסְּקִים, נִקְרֵאת 'מֵת מִצְוָה', שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מִתְעַסְּקִים. וְאַתָּה תַּחֲזִיק בּוֹ וְתִזְכֶּה בּוֹ, וּבָזֶה תַּגְבִּיהַּ וְתָרִים קֶרֶן שֶׁל מִצְוָה זוֹ מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵרִים מֵאַשְׁפָּה עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן. וְאוֹתוֹ הַמִּצְוָה תִּהְיֶה לְךָ מֵלִיץ וּפְרַקְלִיט ישֶׁר בִּפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף שֶׁנִּגְזַר עַל אוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם אֵיזֶה גְּזַר דִּין חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְהַמִּצְוָה הַהִיא נִזְקֶפֶת וְעוֹמֶדֶת לִפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה, עַד שֶׁיִּבָּטֵל הַגְּזַר דִּין. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (אִיּוֹב לג, כג): "אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ, מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אֶלֶף לְהַגִּיד לָאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ וְגוֹ'".
Therefore one must realize in general that the Holy One Blessed is He holds a person responsible even for his casual comments, not to mention for his deeds. He has many agents and many harsh punishments with which to requite those who do not live in accordance with His will. Therefore let every good deed seem precious in a person’s eyes. If the opportunity to perform a good deed comes before him, let him rejoice as if he discovered a precious jewel. Let him give praise to the Holy One Blessed is He for granting him this merit and enabling him to fulfill a commandment. And if there should come his way a commandment that no one else is concerned over, let him be especially eager and quick to perform it to the best of his ability, with his body, his resources and his soul. For a commandment that no one takes interest in is called a meis mitzvah [the name by which the Talmud refers to a corpse that has no one to bury it and that all are required to attend to]. Take hold of it and earn merit through it. At the same time you will be restoring and elevating the esteem of that commandment in the same way that the Holy One Blessed is He lifts us the poor and needy from the dung heap. Afterwards that commandment will be your defender and a just champion on your behalf before the Holy One Blessed is He. And if Heaven has decreed that some evil is to befall him, that commandment will stand up and confront the Heavenly court and plead for him until the decree is rescinded. Concerning this it states, “If there shall be for him one defending angel in a thousand to tell of the man’s uprightness” (Iyov 33:23).
וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אִם הָאָדָם עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ, שֶׁהִיא מֻבְחֶרֶת מִכָּל הַמִּצְווֹת, אֲזַי יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרוֹ כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל. וּבִשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתוֹ אָז מַטַּט, שַׂר הַפְּנִים, וְכָל פָּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה מְלַוִּין אוֹתוֹ וּמַלְבִּישִׁין אֶת הַצַּדִּיק בְּכָל מִינֵי בְּגָדִים דִּיקָר וּמְעַטְּרִין לֵיהּ בְּעִטְרִין. וְשַׂר הַפָּנִים מַדְלִיק לְפָנָיו נֵרוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיִין מֵהוֹד וְהָדָר מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה. וְעַל זֶה הִתְפַּלֵּל דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ: אֶתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי ה' בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים. עַל כֵּן יִתְפַּלֵּל הָאָדָם תָּמִיד, שֶׁיַּצִּיל אוֹתוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּרֹב רַחֲמָיו וַחֲסָדָיו מִכָּל מִינֵי עָווֹן וָפֶשַׁע וּפְעֻלּוֹת שָׁוְא. רַק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יַדְרִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר וְהַטּוֹב, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יִשְׁמַע לְקוֹל הַמִּתְחַנֵּן אֵלָיו בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, וְיִתֵּן לְהָאָדָם לֵב בָּשָׂר וְכָשֵׁר, וְחֵפֶץ ה' בְּיָדוֹ יַצְלִיחַ. אָמֵן.
And how much more does this apply if he toils in Torah for pure motives! For Torah study is the choicest of the commandments. Therefore his reward will be redoubled many times. And when he passes away the Prince of the Divine Countenance, the angel MTTRON, along with all the hosts of Heaven will accompany him and dress him in all sorts of precious garments and crown him with crowns. Then the Prince of the Countenance will kindle before him lamps fashioned from the majesty and splendor of the Shechinah. Concerning this did King David and our teacher Moshe pray when they said, I will walk before Hashem in the lands of the living” (Tehillim 116:9). Therefore let a person pray at all times that the Holy One Blessed is He, in His abundant mercy and lovingkindness, save him from every sort of iniquity, transgression and vain deed. And may He guide him along the straight and goodly path. For the Holy One Blessed is He, the Master of Mercy, hears the voice of one who beseeches Him with a broken heart and He will grant him a heart of flesh imbued with purity. Then will “Hashem’s desire flourish in his hand” (Yeshayahu 53:10), Amein.