The Need for Love
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Toldos
וירא אליו ה' בלילה ההוא ויאמר אנכי אלהי אברהם אביך אל תירא כי אתך אנכי
“I am the G-d of your father Avraham, do not be afraid, for I am with you”
“I am the G-d of your father Avraham, do not be afraid, for I am with you”
The Kabbalists teach that Avraham embodied the attribute of Chessed. His service of Hashem was through love (Ahava). In contrast, Yitzchak personified the attribute of Gevurah. His service of Hashem stemmed from fear or awe (Yirah).
The emotion of love causes a person to draw closer to the one whom they love. In this case, the love of Hashem leads a person to desire to draw closer to Him. Yirah (fear) is the opposite. The feeling of Yirah leads a person to hold back and stay at a distant.
To be complete, our service of Hashem needs to have both Ahava and Yirah.
A service that it purely based on Yirah is not positive as an extreme sense of fear before Hashem or awe of His greatness, could lead a person to fear and hold-back from approaching Hashem to serve Him, feeling to meek and unworthy to do so.
This was the message that Hashem was giving to Yitzchak in the vision described in the verse above.
Hashem refers to Himself as “the G-d of Your father Avraham”, alluding to Avraham’s service with the attribute of Ahava. Hashem tells Yitzchak אל תירא, “do not be afraid”, meaning that his service of fear was too intense and must be curbed.
The reason that Hashem tells him to not be afraid is - כי אתך אני “for I am with you”. Because Hashem wishes for Yitzchak to draw close to Him and because this is ultimately Yitzchak’s desire as well, his service of fear is not enough. He must also serve Hashem with love, like the service of his father Avraham.
The emotion of love causes a person to draw closer to the one whom they love. In this case, the love of Hashem leads a person to desire to draw closer to Him. Yirah (fear) is the opposite. The feeling of Yirah leads a person to hold back and stay at a distant.
To be complete, our service of Hashem needs to have both Ahava and Yirah.
A service that it purely based on Yirah is not positive as an extreme sense of fear before Hashem or awe of His greatness, could lead a person to fear and hold-back from approaching Hashem to serve Him, feeling to meek and unworthy to do so.
This was the message that Hashem was giving to Yitzchak in the vision described in the verse above.
Hashem refers to Himself as “the G-d of Your father Avraham”, alluding to Avraham’s service with the attribute of Ahava. Hashem tells Yitzchak אל תירא, “do not be afraid”, meaning that his service of fear was too intense and must be curbed.
The reason that Hashem tells him to not be afraid is - כי אתך אני “for I am with you”. Because Hashem wishes for Yitzchak to draw close to Him and because this is ultimately Yitzchak’s desire as well, his service of fear is not enough. He must also serve Hashem with love, like the service of his father Avraham.