Musar for Avodah Zarah 6:20

And, especially, if one has a time set aside for Torah in the house of study, how much will the trait of guarding his tongue avail his learning that it not be disturbed! For failing that he runs the risk of losing learning every day, and his learning itself will be fragmented. And the greatness of the punishment for this is well known. As Chazal have said (Avodah Zarah 3b): "If one interrupts his Torah study to engage in talk, he is fed broom-coals, as it is written (Iyyov 30:4): 'Those who interrupt maluach [(homiletically) "words written on the tablets" (luchoth)] with [idle] talk, broom-coal roots are their bread.'" And this is measure for measure. For if one studies Torah, his soul endures forever by the light of the holy Torah, which does not consume the soul (G-d forbid), but, to the contrary, sustains it eternally, as bread sustains his body in his lifetime. For this reason, Torah is called "bread," as it is written (Mishlei 9:5): "Come, eat of My bread, etc." And if he stops in the middle of his learning, he indicates that he does not want that bread, wherefore, he is fed there — instead of the food of the soul, the light of Torah — the light [i.e., the fire] of broom-coal roots.

For if the reward and punishment were the arrangement, then, Heaven Forbid, it will look as if there is a change from desire to desire. Because now he agrees one way and then agrees another way. The matter of Desire is a secret that reveals the emanation that includes all the changes according to awakenings of awakening. This is how it continues from the essence and in nature. The idea is if we sanctify ourselves below, we sanctify Him above in the same nature of the matter that arises. And if he defiles himself, he defiles him from above in the same nature of the matter that has arisen. And if he awakens himself and throws of his ways of exile and binds himself in holiness, he is found in nature sanctified. And the Will of heaven is not changed, for on the contrary, the will is revealed and everything is expected and the authority is given to do so.

And when he does trust in God, let him not do so because he feels reward is coming to him on account of his good deeds, but he should do all of his deeds for the sake of God, may He be Exalted, who has raised him and carried him in this world and dealt well with him. He must realize that there is not a moment in all the days of his life that the goodness of the Creator is not upon him. And he must consider that, if his good deeds were doubled and multiplied many times over, it would not be one ten-thousandth of what he ought to do because of God's goodness, may He be Blessed, that hovers over him every moment. And after he has thought all this, let him trust in the kindnesses of the Lord, Blessed be He, who is the One who extends kindness and who is more merciful than all the deeds of mercy of man. For God, in His mercy, gives food even to the swarming creatures, from the mighty wild ox to the eggs of lice (Shabbath 107b). And just as God has mercy on these creatures, not because of their good deeds, so will He have mercy on him.