The Trials of Sin and Spiritual Reckoning
In this context, the term “mytarstva” refers to a series of tests through which the soul passes, in which various sinful inclinations and vices of a person are evaluated. These trials serve as stages of moral and spiritual judgment, where specific shortcomings (for example, sloth, theft, greed for silver, usury, injustice) undergo careful analysis and testing. That is, each trial is linked to a particular kind of misdeed or sin and involves a test that indicates the gravity of the sin and the need for its atonement.For example, in the source “ link txt”, the following excerpt is provided:"Thus, in conversation, they reached the (fifth) trial of sloth. There, all the days and hours spent in laziness, in neglect of serving God, are taken into account; there, idlers who subsist on the labors of others and refuse to work, as well as mercenaries who receive wages but perform their duties negligently, are tormented. Following this trial was the (sixth) trial of theft, where all kinds of pilfering and stealing, both blatant and subtle, are examined; then the (seventh) trial of greed for silver and stinginess; next, the (eighth) trial of usury, where moneylenders, usurers, and those who appropriate what belongs to others are accused."(source: link txt)Also, the document “ link txt” describes the transition from one trial to another:"After the trial of theft, we came to the trial of greed for silver and stinginess. Yet, we passed this trial successfully as well, because I, by the grace of God, did not concern myself during my earthly life with the acquisition of property and was not greedy for silver, but content with what the Lord sent me; I was not stingy, and what I had, I diligently gave to those in need. Ascending further, we reached the trial known as the trial of usury, where those who lend money at interest and thereby obtain unrighteous gains are tested. Here, too, an account is taken of those who appropriate what belongs to others."(source: link txt)From these quotes, it follows that each trial is aimed at testing a person’s character in a specific aspect of their life. They act as a kind of mechanism for self-examination and moral purification, inevitably raising the question of how capable a person is of resisting their weaknesses and rectifying their sinful inclinations.This understanding is further confirmed by another excerpt, which emphasizes that not many souls pass these tests unscathed, for "the world lies in evil, and people are very weak and have been inclined from youth towards lustful sins" – indicating that these trials are a serious test of spiritual resilience and moral responsibility.Thus, in the context under consideration, “mytarstva” represent structured stages or tests aimed at identifying and punishing various forms of sin (sloth, theft, greed for silver, usury, injustice, etc.), determining the degree of a person’s moral and ethical shortcomings, and serving as a criterion for their further destiny.