Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Tefillah #44: Yirah Is A Gateway

לע"נ דניאלה שיינא בת ר' יהושע פאליק ולרפאת ר' משה בן מלכה 

 לעולם יהא אדם ירא שמים

A person should always fear Heaven. 

The pasuk says: 

וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָ֠ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to fear the LORD your God, to walk only in His paths, to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.

The Gemara asks: What do you mean "What does Hashem ask of you???" This sounds like fearing Hashem is no big deal. But in fact, it is a HUUUGE deal. It is NO EASY TASK!!!

The Gemara responds - Yes, for Moshe who said this pasuk to the Jews it was no big deal. He was Moshe after all!!

EVERYBODY and their Aunt Bertha asks: GREAT - but Moshe was talking to US. The Jews. The Yidden. For us it is no easy task to have true Yiras Shomayim?! 

Millions of answers. 

One: The pasuk enumerates not only fear but also to love Hashem and to serve Him w/ all your heart and soul. Once you have fear, all of the great levels of Avodas Hashem are opened up!! Moshe wanted the Jews to appreciate the power of Yirah which would inspire them to try to achieve it. [Sfas Emes Likutim Ekev].