Daily Tanya Thursday 19th Nissan Chapter 41 Part 3: Being a servant of G-d even if one struggles with feeling a fear of G-d

19^th Nissan/(LY) 15^th Nissan

1. Being a servant of G-d even if one struggles with feeling a fear of G-d:

• Cannot arouse fear of G-d even in one’s mind due to low level soul: Even one who cannot bring himself to feel any fear or shame of G-d even in his mind and thoughts, due to the low level that his soul derives from in its root above, which is from the lower levels of the 10 Sefiros of the world of Assiya, nevertheless, he can still serve G-d as a servant, as explained next.
• Intention to serve G-d as a servant is also a complete service: Even such a person can still serve G-d as a servant if his intentions in his service is to serve the king [as a servant serves his master with the acceptance of the yoke of his master], and in such a case it is considered a complete service.
• Fear and service are two separate commands: The reason for this is because fearing G-d and serving G-d are considered two independent commands within the 613 commands, and they are not contingent on each other. [Hence, it is possible for one to be considered to be serving G-d similar to a servant, even if he does not feel any of fear of G-d in his heart or even his mind, so long as he is serving G-d out of acceptance of the yoke of heaven.]
• He truly does fear G-d in his mind: Furthermore, such a person in truth is considered to also be fulfilling the command of fearing G-d in the mere fact that he is contemplating the concept of fear in his mind, as certainly and at the very least during these very moments of the contemplation, he has the fear of heaven upon him.

2. Fearing G-d like one would fear to do something in the presence of another person:

• Intimidation felt when in the presence of another human: At the very least, this fear of heaven that a person has in his mind when he contemplates the fear of G-d, is no less than the fear that a person has when in the presence and view of a person of flesh and blood, as simple as he may be, even if he is not a king. Even when in the presence of such a person, one is intimidated against doing something that is not befitting in his eyes and abstains from doing so.
• Even this level of fear has significance: This most basic level of fear is also considered fear as we can see from the message of Rabbi Yochanon ben Zakkai to his students, that “may it be G-d’s will that they at the very least experience the fear of heaven upon you, like the fear of a person of flesh and blood.”
• A fear that abstains one from sin: It is well-known that when a person commits a transgression, he wishes to himself that nobody will see him do so [as if he were to be aware that people were present and seeing his actions, then he would not commit the transgression]. [So too, abstaining from sin due to the fear that one has of G-d’s presence, suffices to be considered fear.]
• Yirah Tatah-A lower fear and fear of sin: This type of fear is referred to as a lower fear [Yirah Tatah] and a fear of sin [Yiras Cheit]. This level of fear is considered a prerequisite for wisdom.
• Higher fear-A fear of shame: The higher level of fear is a fear of shame and bashfulness against sinning against G-d. Indeed, the Zohar states that there are various levels of fear.

3. Without any fear, there is no elevation of one’s Divine service even if done with love:

• [Although there are many different levels of fear of G-d which can serve as the wings of one’s Divine service to be elevated above] nonetheless, without any fear at all one’s Divine service cannot be elevated above. This applies even if one serves G-d with love to attach himself to Him.
• A bird needs two wings to fly, and Divine service needs both love and fear to be elevated above: Just like a bird cannot fly with only one wing, so too, one’s Divine service cannot become elevated above with only love or fear, as love and fear of G-d are the two wings which help elevate one’s Divine service as written in the Zohar.

4. Without any love, there is no elevation of one’s Divine service even if done with fear:

• The same applies regarding one who serves G-d with only fear. Fear alone is only a single wing, and one’s Divine service cannot be elevated above with a single wing, even though it is considered the service of a servant due to the fear of G-d which motivated it.
• The need for incorporating a son’s love in one’s Divine service: Rather, one must also incorporate the service of a son in his Divine service [in order for it to contain two wings and be elevated above].
• Arousing a natural love at the very least: At the very least, one must arouse the natural love which is hidden in the heart. It is to be aroused at the very least to the point that it is consciously felt in his mind. This can be accomplished by reminding himself in his thoughts and will of the love for the one G-d that he contains, and of his desire to attach to Him.
• Serving G-d with this intent to attach the souls to G-d: One should then serve G-d with this intent, by studying Torah and fulfilling Mitzvahs with the intent to attach his G-dly soul and animal soul, as well as their garments, to G-d.