Come and see: "Whatever your [left] hand finds to do, do it with your strength." (Eccl. 9:10) That means that a person needs to include the left [associated with the sefira of gevura] within the right [hinted at by the term "strength" and associated with the sefira of chesed]. Everything he does should only be contained by the right [i.e. what it represents spiritually]. "Whatever your hand finds to do," [refers to] the left, and, "to do...with your strength," [refers to] the right, as it is written, "Your right hand, G‑d, is glorious in power." (Ex. 15:6)

When a person is careful that all his actions are [based] on the "right" side and include the left within the right, G‑d will dwell within him in This World and will gather him to be with Him in the World to Come.

A person should not say, "When I get to that World, then I will ask the King [G‑d] for mercy, and I will repent in His presence." [About this it says:] "…for there is no [good] deed, nor accounting, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" (Eccl. 9:6) [the 2nd half of the verse] after the person departs from this world [when there is no longer the ability to perform good deeds, make a self-account, or acquire knowledge or wisdom]. However, if a person desires that the Holy King shine upon him in This World and grant him a portion in the World to Come, he should toil in This World to contain his activities in the right. All one’s deeds should be for the sake of G‑d, for after departing from This World (to be judged in harsh judgment in the punishment of Purgatory), there is no recourse then to counsel, wisdom or understanding to be saved from that sentence.

Another explanation of "For there is no [good] deed, nor accounting, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol": There are levels upon levels in Purgatory, and the lowest level is called "Sheol". An even lower level is "Avadon," and they are near one-another. Whoever descends to Sheol will be put on trial. From there he can ascend, as it is written: "He brings down to Sheol, and brings up." (Samuel I 2:6) Whoever is lowered to "Avadon" never rises.

Whoever has a good deed (1) or is of those who do reckoning (2) [if he's doing good deeds or not as] it was already explained that must make an accounting each and every night before he sleeps of the actions that he did all that day; he must repent for them and ask for compassion for them. What is the reason for doing this at that time [i.e. at night]? Because during that time, the Tree of Death prevails on the world, and all the world's inhabitants get a taste of death. At that time, a person must make an accounting of his misdeeds and confess them, since it is a time of death.1 And they are called "those who do reckoning'".

Similarly, whoever strives in knowledge and wisdom to know his Master, (3) [during life, after his death] when he is brought to look and gaze at the wicked that are being judged in Purgatory and at the level "Sheol," where all scream from these levels, he will not remain there and not be among them. About this [is written]: "for there is no [good] deed, nor accounting, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol." [3 things done in This World can save one from remaining2 in Purgatory: good deeds, soul reckoning, and engaging in the knowledge and wisdom of Torah.] And he will be found higher and higher, where many lights and luminaries and delightful things are found. And G‑d comes to rejoice with the rest of the righteous in the Garden of Eden. Praiseworthy is the portion of the righteous in This World and the World to Come. About them, it is written: "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name: the upright shall dwell in Your presence." (Psalms 140:14)

BeRahamim LeHayyim: What does the above mean to you, and why is it being revealed to you now?

Repent the day before you die. But wait, you may protest, only G‑d knows the day of one's death, how can I do this? The answer: as sleep is 1/60th of death, it so proper for one to examine his daily deeds of that day and offers his soul to G‑d before he sleeps. "In Your hand I shall entrust my spirit, You redeemed me, G‑d, E-l of truth." (Psalms 31:6) "Into His hand I shall entrust my spirit when I go to sleep, I shall awaken" (from Adon Olam).

If one discovers a miss-take, one should pray for forgiveness and undertake to correct his ways. So too should one forgive those who have harmed him. In the merit of this, one will attain long life (Mishna Berura 249:1:9) If done with intent, we will have fulfilled the mandate: Repent the day before you die.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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