About This Text
Author: Alexander Ziskind of Grodno
Composed: Grodno, Belarus, c.1769 – c.1781 CE
Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah (Foundation and Root of Service) is a guide to serving God with mindfulness through prayer, Torah study, and mitzvah observance. Most of its sections offer insights into various prayers and the thoughts that should accompany them, drawing heavily on the Zohar and Arizal. The work also addresses other religious practices, such as eating as a spiritual act, circumcision, repentance, and personal growth, and concludes with analyses of verses describing the borders of Israel and the Temple in Jerusalem.