The Educational Question
The passage begins by addressing a difficulty in the verse “Educate the child according to his way.” The problem is that this phrase suggests educating the child according to his limited level, rather than according to ultimate truth. If so, it is unclear why such an education should endure even into adulthood. The text seeks to explain how something that is not the highest level of truth can nevertheless have a lasting effect.
The Foundations of Divine Service
To answer this, the author first establishes that all divine service is built on two fundamental qualities: awe and love of G‑d. Awe serves as the root that restrains a person from wrongdoing, ensuring that one does not violate prohibitions. Love, in contrast, motivates a person to act positively, driving the fulfillment of the commandments. These two qualities are the essential roots from which all observance grows.
The Problem of Commanded Love
The text then raises a further question concerning the commandment to love G‑d, which is described in the Torah as something to be “done.” This is difficult to understand because love is an internal emotional state, not an external action. The question is therefore how the Torah can command something that seems to lie beyond direct control.
Two Types of Love
The resolution is that love of G‑d exists in two distinct forms. One type depends on a rare level of spiritual refinement, while the other is accessible to every individual through deliberate effort.
The First Type: Natural, Intense Love
The first type is a powerful and spontaneous love that arises when the soul dominates the physical body. In such a state, a person experiences joy and delight in G‑d in a natural and overflowing way, like a flame that rises on its own. This level is associated with tzaddikim, who have refined themselves extensively through Torah study and commandments and who have attained a higher level of soul. Because this form of love depends on exceptional spiritual attainment, it is not available to most people.
The Second Type: Meditative Love
The second type of love, which is central to the passage, is one that any person can develop through thoughtful meditation. This love is not automatic but is cultivated through reflection on ideas that naturally awaken love within the heart.
General Reflection
One method is general contemplation, in which a person reflects that G‑d is his very life. Just as a person naturally loves his own life and soul, he can come to love G‑d when he internalizes that G‑d is the true source and essence of that life.
Detailed Reflection
A more developed form of meditation involves reflecting both on the greatness of G‑d and on His love for the Jewish people. The text provides the example of the exodus from Egypt, where G‑d brought the people out from a state of extreme spiritual impurity and drew them close to Himself. This demonstrates a direct and personal expression of divine love, which serves as a foundation for awakening reciprocal love in the individual.
The Principle of Reflection
The passage explains that this process operates according to the principle that “as in water, face reflects face.” When a person deeply contemplates the love shown to him, his own heart naturally responds with love in return. In this way, love of G‑d becomes something that can be “done,” meaning that it can be generated through intentional thought and reflection.
Resolution of the Original Question
With this understanding, the original question is resolved. Although a child is educated according to his limited capacity, the method used—cultivating love through reflection—connects to a real and enduring capacity within the soul. Because this approach is rooted in genuine psychological and spiritual processes, it remains effective even as the child matures. Thus, the education given “according to his way” persists throughout life, despite not initially being presented at the level of ultimate truth.