Love and Fear
Abraham served G‑d primarily through love and compassion. He is called, “Abraham, My loved one” (Isaiah 41:8) and to men as well as to G‑d his relation was one of kindness and love and unconditional acceptance of the will of G‑d. Isaac represents the service of fear. The Torah speaks of G‑d as the “Fear of Isaac.” And as a result, he could tolerate no evil in the world. His “eyes became dim” when he knew of the idolatry of Esau’s wives. And Jacob represents mercy the synthesis of love and fear.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose main way of service to G-d was through Emotions, are called the “Fathers.” A father is someone who brings children into the world and in the personal context, the 'children" are the emotions of love and fear of G-d.
G‑d says about Abraham “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the L-rd.” (Bereishit 18:19). One has to make an effort to serve G-d with love and fear which can be achieved after learning about His greatness and His infinite unity. This leads to a higher level of perception of G‑d's Unity and to love and fear of G-d.
In the Divine code chapter 6, it says: "What are this love and fear? When a person understands that G-d is the Creator of everything and keeps everything in existence at every moment and that G-d created all people so they should honor and serve Him, then he meditates on the infinite greatness of G-d according to his ability and understanding, he will come to love G-d.....This understanding and these meditations are the ways to recognize G-d and serve Him with love and fear. There is no true recognition without thought and contemplation, and true contemplation brings true emotions into the heart, and proper intentions for proper actions".
Brought By Rabbi Moshe Bernestein
Rabbi Moshe Bernestein is a writer and a Community Rabbi in Netanya, Israel. He believes in making connections between the Jewish People and the Noahides worldwide in order to share and enhance the knowledge of the Torah's Universal Code for Humanity and fulfil Isaiah's Prophecy 11:9 " And the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the oceans".
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