Mitzvah #4

To Love G‑d

 (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Category:

Positive

Definition:

The commandment to feel a love for G‑d that makes an impression on your heart.

Reason:

This Mitzvah provides foundation and backbone for all positive Mitzvot (the Do’s). A person who loves G‑d will want to connect to G‑d. And, the only way for us (finite beings) to connect to G‑d (infinite being) is by doing His will- Mitzvot.

Who/When/Where?

·        Must be kept by men and women

·        At all times and under any circumstance

·        At every moment of the day and night and at every turn in life.

How do I keep it?

Through finding pleasure in an idea in Torah and Mitzvot upon which you are contemplating, you come to appreciate G‑d, the Creator of the World.

Details:

ü     Constantly strive to make this passion the main focus in your life.

ü     Constantly think about it, like a person who always thinks about those they love most.

ü     No other desire in life should be as strong

Other details regarding this Mitzvah can be found scattered throughout the Talmud and Midrash.

Chassidic Perspective:

The Shema speaks of three types of love for G‑d. 1)bichol levavcha-with all your heart, 2)bichol nafshecha-with all your soul, 3)bichol me’odecha-with all your might.

‘With all your heart’ (The Hebrew word levavchahints to plural, two hearts) means to love G‑d with both hearts. The heart that desires G‑dliness, Torah and Mitzvot. And the negative heart, the one that desires physicality and to not do a Mitzvah.  This is accomplished through meditating on the source of life for everything on this earth- it all comes from G‑d. It follows that life force within myself is powered by G‑d. I love myself and therefore love G‑d, who causes me to exist, as well, with both desires (hearts), positive and negative.

This form of love is limited to the heart.

‘With all your soul’ means even if I have to give up my soul, I am ready to die for this love. This is accomplished through meditation on the supernatural, G‑dliness that is above the realm of this world. This elicits a yearning in the soul to leave this corporeal world for G‑dliness. At this level the negative side is completely shut out, it no longer exists.

This form of love overtakes the whole person.

‘With all your might’ means 1) with all your money 2) me’od is from the Hebrew word midah, measurement. Whatever happens, you thank G‑d for it. This is the highest form of love. It is the kind of love that is the product of such close attachment to G‑d that there is no sense of self. This comes from the essence of the soul which is one with G‑d. This kind of love comes from above. All you can do to attain this level of love is to go out of your own limitations. Not everyone can do this.

This form of love affects not only the whole person, but the whole world too- with all your money and all that happens to you.