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Purity is the rectification of the heart and the thoughts. We find this term used by king David who said: "Create in me a pure heart, O G-d" (Tehilim 51:12).

Its matter is for a man to not leave any room in one's deeds for the evil inclination, but rather, that all of his deeds be from the side of wisdom and fear of G-d, and not from the side of sin and lust.

This applies even to bodily and material deeds. For even after a person has accustomed himself in Separation, namely, to not take from the world anything besides the essential, he must still purify his heart and thought, so that even in the little that he takes, he does not have any intent whatsoever to pleasure and lust, but rather to the good that results from deeds, with respect to wisdom and divine service.

This is as they said regarding Rabbi Eliezer: "he would expose one handbreadth and conceal two, and was as one compelled by a demon" (Nedarim 20b). He would not derive any enjoyment whatsoever, and would perform the act only with intent to the mitzva and divine service. Shlomo said on this: "Know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths" (Mishlei 3:6).

However, you must know that just like Purity of thought applies to the bodily deeds which are intrinsically near to the evil inclination, whereby Purity involves distancing the bodily deeds from the evil inclination such that they don't stem from it, so too Purity of thought applies to the good deeds which are near to the Creator, blessed be He, whereby, Purity involves not distancing from G-d and not stemming from the evil inclination. This is the matter of "not for the sake of the mitzva itself" (Shelo Lishma), mentioned frequently in the words of our sages, of blessed memory.

However, our sages, of blessed memory, have already clarified that there are various levels of "not for the sake of the mitzva itself" (Shelo Lishma).

The worst of all of them is for one to not be serving at all for the sake of divine service, but rather in order to deceive others and to gain money or honor. On this type of person it was said: "it would have been better had his placenta turned over his face (died in the womb)" (Yerushalmi Berachot 1:5). On such a person, the prophet said: "we are all as one unclean, and all our righteous deeds as like a discarded garment" (Yeshaya 64:5).

There is another type of "not for the sake of the mitzva itself" (Shelo Lishma), which is the "for the sake of receiving a reward" (Avot 1:3). On this our sages said: "a man should always occupy himself with Torah and good deeds, even if it is not for their own sake, for doing so will lead to doing them for their own sake" (Pesachim 50b). Nevertheless, he who has not yet reached from "not for their own sake" (shelo lishma) to "for their own sake" (lishma), is still far from reaching his Shelemut (wholeness/perfection).

However, that which requires deeper analysis and greater work is in mixtures of the forbidden, namely, sometimes a person does a mitzva really for its own sake, namely, that thus our Father decreed, but he cannot refrain from including with it some other motive, such as that other people praise him or that he receive a reward for it. Sometimes, although he does not actually intend that others praise him, nevertheless in rejoicing on the praise received, he puts more effort to improve it. This is similar to the story of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon's daughter who was once walking in a graceful manner. When she heard (the Romans) saying: "how beautiful that girl walks", she immediately tried to become more meticulous [in her gracefulness] (Avodah Zara 18a). Hence, this addition stemmed from the spurring of the praise with which they praised her.

Although such a prohibited motive may be annulled in its minor amount [by the major intention], nevertheless a deed with such a mixture is not completely pure. And just like one cannot offer up a flour offering on the altar in the earthly temple unless it is clean, sifted through thirteen sieves (Menachot 76b), so that it is entirely pure of all impurities, so too is it impossible to offer favorably on the heavenly altar, the whole and chosen service of G-d, unless it is the choicest of deeds, entirely pure from all types of impurities.

I am not saying that anything which is not this is completely rejected, for "the Holy One blessed be He does not withhold the reward of any creature" (Pesachim 118b), but He rewards deeds according to what they are. I am referring to the perfect divine service (avodah temima), which is fitting to all those who truly love G-d. It is not proper to call it with this name (avodah temima) except the completely pure service, whose only motive is to G-d, blessed be He, and not to anything else. According to the extent that one is distant from this level, so too will be the extent of his deficiency in it.

This is what king David, peace be unto him, said: "Whom have I in Heaven [but you]? And having You I desire none on earth" (Tehilim 73:25), and likewise "your Word is very pure; therefore your servant loves it" (Tehilim 119:140). For in truth, the true divine service must be purified far more than gold and silver. This is what was said regarding the Torah: "the Words of G-d are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times" (Tehilim 12:7).

He who is truly a servant of G-d, will not be satisfied with serving Him minimally. He will not be content to take silver mixed with dross and lead, that is, divine service mixed with impure motivations, but rather only with the clean and pure as is befitting. Then he will be called "one who does a mitzva as it is stated", of which our sages of blessed memory said: "whoever does a mitzva as it is stated, will receive no evil tidings" (Shab.63a). Likewise they said: "do [good] deeds for the sake of their Maker, and speak of them for their own sake" (Nedarim 62a).

This is what is chosen by those who serve G-d with a whole heart. For he who does not cleave to G-d with a true love will find the purification of this service to be very tedious and burdensome. He will say: "who can possibly withstand this? We are physical creatures, born of woman. It is impossible to attain such great refinement and purification".

But those who love G-d, who desire in His service, will rejoice in demonstrating their faithfulness of love before Him, blessed be He, and in strengthening themselves in refining and purifying it. This is what David himself concluded saying "[Your Word is very pure;] therefore Your servant loves it" (Tehilim 119:140).

In truth, this is the criteria through which the servants of G-d themselves are tested and differentiated in their respective levels. For he who knows more how to purify his heart is likewise drawn closer and is more beloved by Him, blessed be He. These are the ancient ones in the land, who overcame and were victorious in this area, namely, the forefathers and the other shepherds who purified their hearts before Him. This is what David exhorted his son Shlomo: "[know the G-d of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind]. For the L-rd searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts"(Divrei Hayamim 28:9).

And as our sages, of blessed memory, said: "G-d wants the heart"(Sanhedrin 106b).

For to the Master of the world, the deeds alone are not sufficient, namely, to perform an act of mitzva. Rather, the primary importance before Him is that the heart be pure, so that its intent is to true service.

The heart is the king and mover of all other parts of the body and the leader over all of them. If the heart does not bring itself to serve Him, blessed be He, the service of the other limbs are worth nothing. For wherever the spirit of the heart goes, they will follow along as scripture states explicitly: "Give your heart to Me my son"(Mishlei 23:26).