Vaetchanan: Chapter 10

Awe

Synopsis

The Faithful Shepherd says that it is a commandment to be in awe of God in a general way, but that one should also be in awe of Him in particular; this means that he should feel awe out of love, that is the base and foundation of the love of God.

Evil Fear Fire Punishment Sanctuary Torah

67. It is a commandment to be in awe of the Holy One, blessed be He, in general and in particular. HE SAYS, We explained awe TO MEAN that man should be always in awe of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 28:58). Awe is a place called awe, NAMELY MALCHUT, since there the awe of the Holy One, blessed be He LIES. It is CALLED the awe of Hashem BECAUSE ONE SHOULD BE in awe of Him. This is the secret of the verse, "and reverence My sanctuary" (Vayikra 19:30). For in this awe, MALCHUT, a baton of fire dwells that strikes the evil who do not observe the commandments of the Torah SINCE PUNISHMENTS COME FROM MALCHUT. Hence one should be in awe in general, NAMELY FEAR OF PUNISHMENT.

67. פִּקּוּדָא לְיִרְאָה בְּאֺרַח כְּלָל, וּבְאֺרַח פְּרָט. וְהָא יִרְאָה אוֹקִימְנָא, בְּגִין דְּאִית עָלֵיהּ דְּב"נ לְדַחֲלָא מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר. כד"א, לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה אֵת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. וּבְגִין יִרְאָה דָּא, יִסְתָּמָר בְּאָרְחוֹי. וְיִרְאָה, אֲתָר הוּא דְּאִקְרֵי יִרְאָה, בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָא דַּחֲלָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִיהוּ יִרְאַת יְיָ' לְדַחֲלָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, וּמִמִּקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ בְּהַאי יִרְאָה שַׁרְיָא פּוּלְסָא דְּנוּרָא, לְאַלְקָאָה לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָּא, דְּלָא נַטְרִין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא וְע"ד בְּאֺרַח כְּלַל, אִית לְדַחֲלָא.

Love Torah

68. Then ONE SHOULD BE IN AWE OF HIM in particular, namely, when man knows what the awe of Hashem is, BY ATTAINING THE QUALITY OF MALCHUT HERSELF. This is awe out of love, which is the base and foundation of the love of the Holy One, blessed be He. This awe causes one to observe all the commandments of the Torah, so man will be a faithful servant of the Holy One, blessed be He, as is proper.

68. וּבָתַר בְּאֺרַח פְּרָט, כַּד יָדַע ב"נ מַאן אִיהִי יִרְאַת יְיָ,' וְדָא אִיהוּ דַּחֲלָא דַּחֲבִיבוּתָא, דְּאִיהִי עִיקָר וִיסוֹדָא לְמִרְחַם לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הַאי יִרְאָה עָבֵיד לְנַטְרָא כָּל פִּקּוּדוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי ב"נ עֶבֶד נֶאֱמָן לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת.

<
>