וכן לפאר את ה׳ ותורתו בכל מיני פאר

Likewise, by exercising the attribute of Tiferet (lit., “beauty”), [a man seeks] to glorify G‑d and His Torah in all ways possible, such as by possessing a beautiful sefer Torah, beautiful tefillin and the like,

ולדבקה בשבחיו בכל בחינות נפשו

and to cleave to His praises [by praising G‑d] with all the faculties of his soul:

דהיינו, בהתבוננות שכלו ומחשבתו

that is, by intellectual and thoughtful meditation on the greatness of G‑d, which blossoms into the singing of His praises;

גם בדיבורו

and likewise when he speaks, his praises are not empty words, but grow out of his preparatory meditation.

“[Praising G‑d] with all the faculties of his soul” thus means that the worshiper utilizes his intellect and emotions as well as all three “garments” of his soul (i.e., the soul’s media of self-expression), viz., thought, speech and action (for speech constitutes57 “mini-action”). Alternatively, “[praising G‑d] with all the faculties of his soul” may mean: all those aspects of the soul that relate to praise, i.e., intellect, thought and speech.

וכן לעמוד בנצחון נגד כל מונע מעבודת ה׳ ומלדבקה בו

Likewise, by exercising the attribute of Netzach, [a man seeks] to prevail triumphantly against anything that would restrain [him] from the service of G‑d and from cleaving unto Him,

ונגד כל מונע מלהיות כבוד ה׳ מלא את כל הארץ

and against anything that would restrain [the state of revelation in which]58 the entire earth is filled with the glory of G‑d,

כמלחמות ה׳ אשר נלחם דוד המלך, עליו השלום

like the wars for G‑d fought by King David, peace to him, which derived from his attribute of Netzach.

וכן להשתחוות ולהודות לה׳

Likewise, by exercising the attribute of Hod,59 which implies self-abnegation, and acknowledging the transcendence of that which defies his mortal understanding, [a man seeks] to prostrate himself and to [self-effacingly] praise G‑d

אשר מחיה ומהוה את הכל, והכל בטל במציאות אצלו, וכולא קמיה כלא חשיב, וכאין ואפס ממש

Who animates and creates everything, and before Whom everything is essentially non-existent and esteemed as truly nothing and null.

ואף שאין אנו משיגים איך הוא הכל אפס ממש קמיה

Though we cannot apprehend just how everything is truly as null before Him,

אף על פי כן מודים אנחנו, בהודאה אמיתית, שכן הוא באמת לאמיתו

nevertheless, we acknowledge and genuinely concede that in absolute truth such is the case.

From the very depths of his soul the Jew acknowledges that G‑d’s “Supernal Daat” and knowledge that everything is essentially non-existent before Him is true, and that the mortal understanding of our “inferior Daat” — that creation does indeed exist, except that it is nullified to Him — results from the limited compass of our earthbound perspective.60 This acknowledgement results from the self-abnegation expressed by the attribute of Hod.

ובכלל זה גם כן להודות לה׳ על כל הטובות אשר גמלנו

This [attribute] also includes the expression of gratitude61 to G‑d for all the favors that He has bestowed upon us,

ולא להיות כפוי טובה, חס ושלום

so that [we] should not be ungrateful, G‑d forbid.

ובכלל זה להודות על כל שבחיו ומדותיו ופעולותיו באצילות ובריאות עליונים ותחתונים

This [attribute of Hod] also includes the offering of thanks to G‑d for all His praiseworthy [deeds], and His attributes and His workings in the emanation and creation of the upper and lower worlds,

שהם משובחים עד אין תכלית חקר

for they are praiseworthy to no end,62

ונאים וראוים אליו, יתברך ויתעלה

and are becoming and befitting Him, blessed and exalted be He.

והוא מלשון הוד והדר

The term [Hod is here to be understood] as in the phrase,63 Hod vehadar (“majesty and splendor”).

וכן במדת צדיק יסוד עולם

And likewise [engaged in one’s divine service is] the attribute of [Yesod (lit., “foundation”), as in the phrase],64 “The tzaddik is the foundation of the world.”

In the above analogy, it was by means of the attribute of Yesod that the father communicated with his son and disciple through bonds of desire and pleasure. So, too, in the realm of divine service, the attribute of Yesod involves cleaving to G‑d with intense desire and pleasure,

להיות נפשו קשורה בה׳, חיי החיים

so that one’s soul is bound up with G‑d, the Fountain-head of Life,

ולדבקה בו בדביקה וחשיקה, בחשק ותענוג נפלא

cleaving to Him with an attachment and a desire, out of a wondrous love and delight, all of which are expressions of the attribute of Yesod.

ובמדת מלכות, לקבל עליו עול מלכותו ועבודתו

And as for the [divine soul’s] attribute of Malchut, [the worshiper seeks thereby] to accept upon himself the yoke of G‑d’s sovereignty and of His service,

כעבודת כל עבד לאדונו, באימה וביראה

like the service of any servant to his master, i.e., out of awe and fear.

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