Summary

How can we possible love someone that we are scared of? The purpose of the creation of the world is judgment, but the medium through which G'd conducts the affairs of the world is a combination of merciful kindness and strict judgment. Only G'd promises us rewards for every time we fulfill a commandment. In education we should also combine kindness and strictness. G'd wants us to be scared of the consequences of our wrongdoings. A person must be in awe of G'd as he realizes how great and exalted G'd is. "I have set G'd before me always." On a higher level, we must fear not living up to the standard fitting a member of the Chosen Nation.

Scared of G'd

In last week's Torah Attitude we spoke about the fourth and fifth constant commandments, and we discussed how we must constantly serve G'd out of both love and fear. However, we still need to clarify how can we possible love someone that we are scared of? Even more, does G'd really want us to be scared of Him?

Combination of mercy and judgment

We already mentioned that Rashi quotes from the Sifri that it is much better to serve G'd out of love than out of fear. This clearly teaches us that G'd wants us to fulfill the commandments because we want to do what is right, rather than because we are scared what will happen to us if we do not listen. However, just like every country needs laws and regulations to ensure that the citizens live in peace and good order with each other, so did G'd create the world based on the rules that He already established in the Torah before the creation of the world. As the Zohar (Shemos 161b) explains, G'd created the world based on the Torah. In the Torah, G'd clearly sets out the consequences of following His commandments and of transgressing them. This is the justice system upon which G'd designed the world. Rashi (Bereishis 1:1) points out that this is why G'd is referred to as Elokim, the name that describes G'd as a judge Who rewards and punishes. But, says Rashi, G'd was well aware that the world would not be able to exist based on the strict conduct of judgment. G'd therefore introduced the conduct of mercy, as represented by G'd's name HASHEM, immediately after the seven days of creation, and put it ahead of judgment, as it says (ibid 2:4): "On the day that HASHEM Elokim made the world." The Vilna Gaon explains that this teaches that the purpose of the creation of the world is judgment, but the medium through which G'd conducts the affairs of the world is a combination of merciful kindness and strict judgment.

Rewards for fulfilling commandment

G'd created the world to bestow goodness upon His creations (see Way of HASHEM by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto 1:2). However, there must be judgment for transgressors as well. This encourages people to do right and get reward, and not to do wrong and be punished. In this way, the Torah is different than any other judicial society. No country rewards their citizens for abiding by the law. Only G'd promises us rewards for every time we fulfill a commandment.

Kindness and strictness

The Talmud (Sotah 47a) teaches that in education we should also combine kindness and strictness. The Talmud says that one shall use the left hand to push away and the right one to bring close. It is not by chance that our sages instruct us to use the left hand that is weaker to push away, and the right hand that is stronger to bring close. For the primary tool in education should be to be kind and encouraging through rewards. However, there must be an option of strictness and appropriate punishment for misbehaving to be successful in raising and educating children. Today's permissible society has developed a generation of cynics who do not trust anyone and have no respect for authority. This is just the opposite of the Torah's instruction to honour and respect our parents, elders and scholars.

Scared of consequences

No parent or educator wants their children to be scared of them, but they want to instill in the children that there are consequences in life. Even animals can be trained to understand that when one does what is right one gets a reward, and when one does what is wrong one gets punished. In the same way, G'd does not want us to be scared of Him, but He wants us to be scared of the consequences of our wrongdoings. As the Ramban writes (Shemos 13:16) that we strongly believe that when a person fulfills commandments, he will be rewarded, and if he transgresses them, he will be punished.

Awe of G'd

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto (Path of the Just chapter 24) explains that this fear of being punished for a transgression is easy to accomplish. For every person loves himself and will therefore do everything possible to avoid pain to his body or soul. This level of fear of G'd even a simple person can understand and develop. But an intelligent and educated person is expected to acquire a higher level of fear of G'd that has nothing to do with punishment. Rather, a person must be in awe of G'd as he realizes how great and exalted G'd is. How can a small human being allow himself to do anything that goes against what G'd wants of him. The more we try to understand the greatness of G'd, the more we will be ashamed of transgressing His will. It is this kind of fear of transgressing G'd's will that the Torah instructs us to develop, but one can only reach this through serious study.

Constant awareness

This fear, says Rabbi Luzatto, should affect our every action. For as a member of G'd's chosen nation, we must live with a constant awareness to make sure that everything we do shall bring honour to G'd and not involve even a minute transgression. Rabbi Luzatto explains that in order to achieve this kind of fear, we must study and internalize the fact that G'd's presence is all over. This will help us to live with a constant reminder that we are in the company of G'd all the time and must conduct ourselves as is fitting for someone who is in the presence of the King of Kings. As King David says (Tehillim 16:8): "I have set G'd before me always" (see Rama Orach Chaim 1:1).

Member of Chosen Nation

We now understand that G'd does not want us to be scared of Him. Rather, when we speak about serving G'd with fear, it means on a simple level to fear the consequences if we are wrong. And on a higher level, we must fear not living up to the standard fitting a member of the Chosen Nation.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

Shalom. Michael Deverett