יד

And every single thing that he wanted to do in the devotion of Hashem was extremely difficult for him with all types of heaviness in the world. And at first it was very difficult for him to sit alone in a designated house for some consecutive hours to engage in the service of Hashem, and this matter was very difficult for him in the beginning. However, he of blessed memory would force himself exceedingly and he broke his desires, and he sat for many hours everyday in hisbodidus in a designated room.

And similarly it was very extremely difficult for him the devotion that he had to do everyday, and it was so difficult for him to the extent that it was not at all possible to carry the yoke due to its great heaviness, that it was very extremely heavy and difficult for him, and just by this aitzu (remedy, recourse, scheme) he carried upon himself the yoke of the devotion, that is, that everyday he would think in his mind that he has nothing but this day alone, and he didn't look at the morrow or the future whatsoever, just as if he doesn't have but this day alone, and hence he was able to carry upon himself the yoke of the devotion of that day alone, because for one day alone a person can accept upon himself all types of devotions in the world, since it is only for one day alone, and when he finished the devotion of that day, then on the morrow he returned and accepted upon himself the devotion of that next day;

and this is what he used to do always, that he would not think in his mind just that day alone, and through this he was able to carry upon himself the yoke of his devotion, which was extremely heavy upon him, and without this he was not able to bear it whatsoever since he abounded in the service of Hashem tremendously with many types of devotions every day, and everything with great labor and exertion and very great heaviness to the extent that it was not possible to carry upon himself such a yoke except through the aforementioned aitzu, that he would not think in his mind except that day alone as mentioned above.