Rav Kook: Becoming Aware of God’s Awesomeness | Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider | January 14th 2026

Thank you very much. Uh good morning everyone. Booker Tove and uh thank you very much for coming out this morning on a uh we say a very beautiful rainy morning in Shallay the Gish Braha. So we are very very thankful but sometimes it's challenging getting out of bed and getting on a bus when it's raining like this. So thank you very much for making a special effort to be here this morning. We have uh we have a great topic uh RF cook we're studying the midotaya the character traits that uh that are illuminated by RV cook and we're looking at a character trait this morning which I which I would say um might be less popular in the uh in the realm of of the different traits and that is yera or yatashem to be a shamaya which is translated as fear. We can translate that also as awe. Uh we'll see the uh we'll see Rift Cook's insight. I'll just begin with a following anecdote. I got a um a text, not a text, a WhatsApp message yesterday from from my boss. So who is my boss? My boss is Rabbi Avi Burman. He's the head of the OU. And he said, "I'd like to see you at 9:00 tomorrow morning at uh in the office." So, you know, so you you uh you'd sit there a little bit, you know, you shake a little bit thinking about awe, thinking about fear. So, uh so we have I have the meeting this morning. Everything was fine. Everything is good. Um but I, um you know, that little bit of that little bit of ya made sure I was there on time, got there early, made sure that I was ready to enter the office at exactly 9:00 and we had a good half hour meeting. But that's one way of thinking about yera. And the truth is that is part ofashem. That's part of what we mean when we think about the fear of God. The fear of God, the awesomeness of God, a sense of, you know, they say what's the term that the one community would call it the maybe the uh the very religious community called literally what does mean? That's right. Trembling to quake, right? a little bit of a little bit of nervousness before Hashem that we that we fulfill the will of of God properly. So let's begin with uh let's begin with the words of RVuk a beautiful teaching of RVuk about ya and we'll see how important this is and um actually how beautiful it is also in our lives a uh a sense of hashem and again I'll already kind of begin the the conversation that ya is we can translate as fear but also ya is awe of hashem to be in awe of the greatness of hashem and we'll see actually those there are different terms even within our literature and our tradition for those different types of era. So let's jump into RV cook. Actually before we jump into cook just one one other introduction which we have on the uh on the source sheet actually it's relatively well known that in the introduction of the safino the sino has a list and the tam mitzvah of all the different commandments one of the classic uh work of the rishonim a way of studying it's actually a beautiful way of studying all of the all the uh the laws art scroll has a translation recently of the entire saf and in the introduction the sino There are six mitzvah that are which means they are constant. These are mitzvah that one should have on their mind on a on a 247 365 days a year basis. And what is that? He lists the following. And I'll just read to you. This is from the it's the top of the page. He says generally when we talk about mitzvah they have a particular time and a particular place to do it except for there are six mitzvah that the counts they're all of the time they should not stop for a moment not a single moment even a single in a person's lifem to believe in God that we live with every moment of our life. Shalin number two not to believe in anything other than God the oneness of God to believe in the oneness and here to love God. And number five, and I bring this as a as an introduction to our learning this morning, that is something that we are to live with. That's part of our consciousness within our heart, within our soul, every moment of our life, every moment of the day. And number six, just to fill it out, shal not to be drawn to thoughts of our hearts, sightes of our eyes that are that are inappropriate. Okay, that is that's his list. You could have a a whole discussion around that list, but I wanted to share that with you. I think it's just a beautiful way to think about and that it's something that's very much a part of who we are as Jews and how we live our life and every moment of our life with a sense of year. Now, let's talk about what is hashem. So, let's now turn to RVuk. This is from again just to uh just so we know what we're reading. This is from the book Midotaraya. This is a section on a By the way, it's alphabetical. So we're up to letter Y. We're making our way through the alphabet. This is the third piece. The idea, the conception of whom owes it's something that brings where it adds strength and courage to the soul of man one who understands fear. If you understand fear in its purity, if you understand it accurately, it's something that is um something that gives us great strength. It's something that that builds us as people. It makes life. It gives great purpose to life and great longing in life and also fills our life with a spirituality that is of a of an a of an ascent of a of a great spirituality or also purifies the nephesh. I'll translate that. I think we have a translation below here also as the potential of our soul with a light of ash kodesh with a holy fire. So y according to cook the way that he opens it's something that uh that gives great courage and great meaning to life. It's something that is uplifting. And then he writes the following omn. And this is where you know when we think about for some people maybe it's there's like a negative connotation and this is what Rook addresses in the following line or two. However, for those that are petty petty are those that are foolish to them it appears as a sign of something that causes confusion in life. It brings about a weakness and a person gives up on and a person loses a sense of of of strength and of confidence. In other words, if you're overwhelmed by that sense of fear, that's something that's not healthy. But that that's not a that's not the accurate way to think about this idea or this influence. When you think about fear in this sense, that's something that is a bad influence. And if that idea begins to spread, it brings about a rebellion. It brings a rebellion to the idea of accepting the yoke of heaven. Okay, we'll talk about that in a moment. Again, we're reading RVuk. Let's just take in the words, his idea, and then we'll we'll clarify one other point from RVuk. the next uh the next paragraph within the section of Giml and a vision of this idea of fear. There's a great benefit in having fear and what is that? It weakens a the the um it weakens bad it weakens negative kot a negative negative power. [clears throat] In other words, referring to the har, right? The yates, that power within us, that strength within us. When we have that sense of it weakens that um that aspect of our of our personality and it brings back those that are wicked, those that are evil amongst people to the right path. In other words, it's something that's very healthy, that's important in terms of helping a person to refrain from that which would be sinful or a transgression. Okay? So that he says an important aspect of fear, what it means to have hashem, a very like foundational fundamental idea of the importance of hashem that it helps us when we are faced with a with a trial with a test and that we're able to overcome having that sense of fear or awe of God. And now the last paragraph the Torah. But those that come close to Hashem in a in a in a healthy way with the study of Torah in a person that wants to attain ethical and moral a moral way of life. These are people that are that not they're not going to give in to their ta right to these negative or evil desires. So for such a person where is the place of he says that that person needs to envision or understand in a way in a context that is uplifting and it brings life that it brings life to all of the strengths of a person's soul and look at the following word yerat. So, by the way, what he just spoke about a moment ago, I would I would um categorize as that we're afraid of sin. In other words, that there's a healthy part of yera of God that helps us refrain to restrain from doing a sinful or a transgression. He says that that's something that's important that we should all have that be aware of that and to live with that sense of fear of God like that that WhatsApp that I got from my boss a little bit of fear that make sure to be there at time make sure that you're doing the right thing but he says that's not the ultimate the ultimate is for somebody who studies Torah for somebody who's close to God the sense of which is the awesomeness of God to feel that awe of God and that experience of the awesomeness of God is something that's going to bring closer to God and to uplift our religious experience. And with that sense of awe of God mixed into that part of that is also the ahava is the love we feel the all when we're aware of conscious of the awesomeness of God that also brings the love of Hashem that we feel an inner tran tranquility and he and he ends with the following from and we are to feel the joy of Hashem and God will give you all of the desires of your heart. Okay. So this is the these are the words of Ravuk the way that he speaks about ya how healthy it is healthy on a very fundamental level that it helps us refrain from sin but healthy that we want to kind of take it from there that's just the very foundational very fundamental level but to take it to a place that we feel awe of hashem we could turn now to page two and yeah please >> um he gives practices >> a pract it's a >> ah okay Good ve very good. He he does not spell that out, but let's see. Let's see if we'll I think we we're going to touch on that. And that's a great that's a great question. That's a great point. Now, I was thinking about yatashem and where yatashem where do we find it? Where's the first time that we that we come across that idea in the Torah in our tradition? And the very first time is here on the top of page two. And this is the story of Abraham. He makes his way down to Gar. And you have Avi of Guerr, the king of Guerr. And he is going to take and Abra is concerned that he's going to take Sarah, which he does. And then the king says, "If I would have known that she if you were that she was married to you, I would not have taken Sara from you." And what does Ara say? And this is the first time that we have in the Torah. Riti says I'm sorry um beginning that's beginning with the the beginning of the puzzi elim says and what I recognize what I realize that in this place there isn't any elim there isn't any there we have for the very first time that phrase of here it's ali and I was afraid that you would kill me because of my wife. In other words, and that's why I said that she was my sister and that's and that's why I said what I said because I was afraid what was going to happen. But what do we see? We see that yatashem for the very first time is in the context of fear of sin of refraining from sin. Aram says that in this place there isn't hashem and without that sense of of of god and fear of god anything can happen. people can can act in a way that that is immoral that is unethical. So that I think is interesting as a as the beginning of a conversation and the way that RVok speaks a bad year at Hashem that number one the first thing that as Jews um in our relationship with God that sense of fear that little bit of sittering before Hashem that little bit of shaking before God that's not a that's not a bad thing and something that's necessary as as a as just the very foundation our relationship with Hashem and that's and we see that year at Hashem is the really the very first time the Torah describes Hashem is within that context that without hashem that we Abraham was concerned with the with the actions or the immoral actions the the the violent actions without a sense of hashem >> but yes please >> but he would put his wife in danger >> okay so that's a different that's a different sheer no he was trying to say he was trying to protect her as well but okay that that's a different discussion now what's interesting and here now we go into a little bit more familiar your territory but within the same para within the para vira which is also the word vayiraa and yera so we're going to have a very very significant moment of hashem that's used which which we're all familiar with the story and I'm not sure if we if we took note of that term so this is the aa zitzk abraham is about to sacrifice his son that he listens to the word of god and he brings his son his beloved son bring him on the altar not far from here. And he is about to sacrifice is about to sacrifice. And the puk says the following um pud and a voice comes from heaven and says do not stretch out your hand to the young man. Do not do him. Do not do any damage to do to him because I now know Elohim at I know that you have which is [clears throat] really fascinating that this is what Hashem says that this is the message of you did not withhold your son from me. Let me ask you the following question. Why did Hashem not say I see how much you love me the ahava that you have? Why did Hashem say Hashem? Now by the way just just to see that this term and this idea how important it is that it appears in the way that Hashem defines the moment that this is a moment of hashem. This is a moment of the year at Hashem and this becomes the model our model for all time right [clears throat] the of what it means to fear Hashem. So I ask you that question which is a question that I asked myself as I read this as I was thinking about this. Why did Hashem say I see that you are now what do you say? Yeah. First on the gate had the next part is with take your son then it's love and this is the third level go from toem >> okay >> which she actually translated into the and now this is the first time we really have that you've explained in terms of awe and I That's on a higher level uh than a you go from one. >> Okay, good. So that's a question. What's what's considered to be the highest level? We might think of a as the highest level to love, you know, to love Hashem. Interesting. That's not what Hashem says. Hashem does not say, "I see the love that you have for me. I see the yera that you have for me." So I'll just suggest the following. By the way, it's a something that I don't know if there's a definitive answer, but when when Rabbi Salvich talks about the Aeda, the lesson of the Aeda, what Rabbi Salvich emphasizes is what we see is the surrender of Abraham to the will of God. And although it's something that is irrational, it's something that he does not understand, although it's something that he sees illogical, that he's willing to surrender to the will of Hashem. And that's I think that is highlighted in the word yera. Yera is where we do not necessarily understand it. But a combination of fear of Hashem and the awesomeness of Hashem that we can't possibly understand Hashem that we can't grasp the mind of Hashem that we are willing to surrender to the will of God. And that I think is represented in the idea of yera more so than ahava that yer represents and using that word that rabbi salvich likes to use the surrender surrendering your will to the greater will to the will of hashem. So that I think is a very important idea of what ya is and we bring that into our life and we bring that into ouric life that for salvation becomes a very important part of what it means to be a hakic Jew because June no matter what that sense of surrender you know you you left your house already now you remember you're a mile away and I I I don't think I benched so do you now turn the car around and go back and bench >> no okay So rose alik says the Jew is going to do that. The Jew has is going to surrender to the although I'm on my way and uh it's not easy to do that. The says that I need to bench and ideally to bench where I where I ate I'm going to turn the car around. Is that a ya? It's a combination. It's a combination, but ultimately that sense of ya, the yashem that I'm doing it as as as a surrender to to the ultimate will of hashem, >> to the fear that I have. By the way, a little bit, we'll get to that in a moment. A little bit of fear of punishment is okay. A little bit of fear that if I don't do the right thing that there are repercussions for that. I'm not sure if that's And then there's a sense of awe. The awe of Hashem. Okay. So that by the way that's the term that Hashem uses to define the moment define the moment is the moment of Yel. And by the way what does what does Abraham and here is like the icing on the cake when Abraham now wants to name this place and this is just Apostle Glad. What does Abraham say? I want this place to be known for all time. Right? This place Haramar Shalim the significance of this place. What does what does Abram say? Abraham Hashem that Hashem sees again there are different ways of of translating actually what this means according to reverse there's a note below that Hashem sees in this place meaning Hashem sees everything Hashem is aware of everything and it will be said today that I will be seen in this place in other words that God sees everything and I come to this place and God is aware of all of my actions. God is aware of what I do. God is aware of what I think. So fascinating. This is the emphasis that Abraham brings to the place as well. He doesn't call it a place of love. He calls calls it a place of yan. Yeah. Let's take a couple of comments. Yeah. >> I've always felt that was mistransated. It should be hashem is the place where hashem is is feared not seen. Ah, so I I from what I and the little right it could be it could be fear as well. It seems like the mafarim do not say that it that it means fear but it refers to seeing. By the way, if you look at the way that hers has it below, but the name Hashem God sees is related to Moria. It's also reminiscent of Elohim, God will seek out. The name indicates instruction. here met moria a bequit to desent God always sees whenever and wherever we fail to see the deficiency is ours and we must subordinate our judgment to his so here he's also this idea that's the way that rehers is reading it again we could look at you know more mafarim and and uh and uh you know try to understand exactly this terminology but this is one this is one derk this derk of raers and rafersh understands The word to me mean that Hashem sees in this place. He sees all of our actions which really represents the idea of of year that sense of fear. Yes. >> Is exactly what it is. There are people who will not do things. Um people are >> good. Good. Good. Good. >> It's like like you have let's say a guy as an example. He'll he'll go to go to hang in three times David. >> Correct. >> But he doesn't but nobody sees when he steals. >> Correct. Correct. Seeing that Hashem sees you. >> Exactly. Right. >> Nobody else sees you. If you I always say if if this person had a shay, he would not steal because he would know that God sees him. >> Okay. Excellent. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's exactly right. In other words, the idea and that's what I'm what I'm emphasizing or the way that I understand it as well is y or that hashem sees is um relates the relates the idea of fear and that a person will act in a certain way knowing that hashem watches all I was listening to a shir on uh on listening to a shir on y on fear I don't know it's rabbis sort of make the following I guess humorous a humorous line he said if you really want to know if somebody is fearful of god a uh you could check their bathroom if they rip toilet paper for Shabbat. Now, why? Because nobody knows what's going on in the bathroom, right? Nobody sees what you're going to do and only you know if you're going to use the rip toilet paper or if you're going to rip toilet paper on Shabbat. So, kind of like kind of capturing that idea that um that is Hashem sees and do you live with that sense of Hashem seeing all of your actions? Okay, one other point that I want to make and that is what becomes the name of the place where we are sitting today and that is your shalim. So the midrash says where does the name yalim come from? You can look at the midrash but I'll just share it with you. The Mid says it's a combination of two names. That Shame called it Shalem. That when Shame was became the king of this place where we're sitting right now, the son of Noah, he called it Shalem. And then Ara comes along and calls it Yera. And Hashem said, "Well, what should I call it? Shall I call it Shalem or should I call it Yera?" So, what does Hashem say? Let's compromise, right? Let's let's make Shalom a place of compromise, right? We really we we could use that lesson, [clears throat] right? Let's compromise. Let's bring it all together. But the name of your shalim is a shalem, >> which is really fascinating. In other words, not shalim. It's a shalem. This is a place of awe of God. We're in the city of of awe. We're in the city of fear of God, of the presence of God is in this place. And that really is represented symbolized with the term y of yatashem. Okay. I want to share with you two source, two places in Davening, two places and maybe this we can kind of bring this to our Davening as well where we really where we talk about the importance of of of yera of fear of awe of God and the first is the first example that I want to share with you is the schma is reciting the schma is katma that that's a moment of of I would say categorize in the yera in the category of now why do I say that? Because the gamarra says that one of the things that we need to think about when we say the line of the isol that's what the says by the way some point out that the word shma if you read it backwards is mal shim which interesting going in that direction what's accepting upon yourself the yoke of heaven now by the way does anybody know what a yoke is and I don't mean an egg yolk I mean a yoke So you got to Google. You're right. You got to Google this to look at. We don't really have Anybody have yolks at home? Anybody have a yoke? I don't. We don't really have yolks anymore. But I think they use that term of the Garo because people worked with yolks. Everybody knew what a yolk was. >> That's right. When you have your ox when you have your ox in. So what do you do? You place this. It's I think it was usually like a a wooden kind of utensil. I don't know the right word for it. >> Tool. >> Tool. You would put it around the neck of the animal. You had this large animal, a very strong animal, and you put it around the neck and that was the way in which you would then you would do your work with the animal. The the animal is able to plow the field with a yoke around this massive >> mass. You would guide the animal. That's right. I don't It didn't hurt the animal, but it held the animal. It held the animal in place. So, by the way, just thinking about those words and and the the Garra says, "Have in mind." Well, what does that mean? Have in mind? It means that we are to feel that we are that we are being restrained by that. We're bringing all of our strength but with a yoke around us that there are gu there there are guidelines very and there strict guidelines of what that means and to be disciplined and to use all of our strength to be oid hashem to be in the service of God >> under the >> that's by the way and we say what's that >> under the control of >> under the control of that's right under the control of God very nice under the control of God and that we and the work the aboda that we need to do every day it should the holy holy avod, but it's an avod with with restraint. It's a voda that we put all of our in that place. Now, by the way, we say this every single day as we make our way to the as we introduce the and we describe the and what this means exactly is a very mysterious line. And it means that the angels are accepting upon themselves one from the other that as they are about to accept God's you know kinship they are also accepting and we are to do the same. Now, by the way, the what is it? What does the word schma itself mean when we say schma? So, we say listen. So, very interesting. There was a book that was written and I just I'll share with you just uh a few lines from from this work. Anybody know Rabbi Norman Lamb? >> Rabbi Rabbi Norman Lamb. So, he was the president of Yeshiva University. He was the president when I was at Yeshiva University. He signed my smika. We had a meet. I think he brought in like four students at a time that we had to sit in front of uh Rabbi Norman Lamb and he would ask us a little bit about our learning and and that was like the last the last stage the last thing that we had to do before we received our to meet with Rabbi Lamb and his signature is >> what's that talk about fear that's right so he wrote so he wrote a book which I would say is not that he wrote a number of books that are popular this one for whatever reason a lot of people do not know that he wrote a book on the schma He wrote a 200page book just analyzing the Schma. It's called the Schma by Rabbi Norman Lamb. Spirituality and law in Judaism. Beautiful safer beautiful book on the Schma. And he talks about just the meaning of what what does the word Schma mean? That very first word that we say Schma Israel. So he quotes from Rajigon. So we go back a thousand years to the time of the Gonim Rajigon. And I'm reading from the work of Rabbi Norman Lamb who headed the Babylonian Academy of Surah about a millennium ago. and whose fame rests upon his multiple accomplishments as a talmudist philosopher, linguist, and translator as well as an educator, community leader also holds that there are two meanings to the word schma. We're in the middle of page three that the word schma itself has two meanings, both correct and necessary. The first is familiar to us from the Talmudic discussion above. Schma is synonymous with da Schma means to know or to understand. Schma Israel according to the rajon know Israel that's what it means to know Schma means to know something right know that there is one God there's a God of the Jewish people one God or it means understand this meaning is implicit as well in the rabbitic interpretation of biblical expression right is used inhma what does it meanma the recitation that follows the word schma is not a wrote recital a kind of ritualistic incantation but must be rooted in comprehension Meaning as we're about to say the schma means that I know I'm making a statement that I know that there's one God. I believe in God. I know I know that there's one God in the world. That's what the word schma means. That's one meaning of the word schma. And then this is the part that I want to share with you. Rabbi Normalam says saj's second sense of the word. What does the word schma mean? >> Accept. >> It means accept. It means cabel. The word schma does not mean hear. It means that I accept. like a word to I ask you to do something and I say I hear that meaning not just that I hear but I accept upon myself implying faith commitment and obedience as in the Tamudic expression for the shahabalat malut shamay the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven. The recitation is not a disembodied intellectual declaration, a mere academic exercise, but must represent a profound spiritual existential commitment to the content and implications of the first verse of the Schma that is where sum not only to listen but to listen to. So the the word schma itself according to as you say the word schma you are saying I accept upon myself that's what the word schma I accept upon myself God and the mitzvah the obligations that god now asks of me in the in the paragraphs of the schma. So I would say this is an example is that a moment of a that's a moment of I see that more in the in the domain of y to be mikabel to accept upon myself the all the yoke of and yes if I'm a mile from my house and I forgot to bench what do I do >> bench in the car [laughter] >> what do I do I feel that all in do I feel that old do I feel that yoke that obligation or do I feel that sense of fear of God that God controls that that God and what >> you look up at the ceiling God you understand. >> Okay. [laughter] >> That's the by the way that No, thank you for saying that. That's the problem with if we're just Ahava Jews cuz a Jew means what? God loves me and he understands that I don't really need to turn my car around and he he's you know he's a loving God and I'm a child of Hashem and do I really need to go out of my way and do that >> if we're just Ahava and by the way it's interesting I grew up more the conservative my father love Shalom was a conservative rabbi I was around the conservative movement the reform movement you don't hear a lot of yerat hashem in in those in those >> in that movement that's Not they talk a lot about love of God and ethics and morality but a sense of obligation of commandedness of yoke of heaven not very popular. So [laughter] so the the cook and everybody says what it means to be a Jew is to live with that every moment as well. We live with ava as well. We're not saying there is an ava. There's ava and there's yera. Every moment ava and yera. I want to share with you one other one other very important source which we find in Davin that talks about Hashem and I'm not sure if everyone we have women here I'm not sure if everyone here Davins's marv at the end of when you conclude Shabas the marav at the end of chabas so as we come to the conclusion of shabas we have the regular marav but we add one one extra part which is the tanu which is a havdala within marav we have the formal abdullah we have the candle the spices and the wine but we first havedalah that's in the marav itself I think all the men are certainly familiar with this women may be less so so we add the following we pray for the coming week and we say the coming week should be a week that's filled with shalom with peace we should not sin we should not we should be cleansed we should be clean of any sin. And we end that's the last line. That's how we go into the week. We just saidd. That's the abdullah of of how we end how we end chabas and we enter the week. What's the word that we end that we bring the week in with >> year which is really fascinating. We bring in the week with the word year. And we should be we should be we should cling to and by the way I'm not sure the answer to this why why that why is that the word that we use to bring in the week why not the coming week we should have we should be filled with love for you Hashem in the coming week but we end shabas and we say the coming week we should be filled with we should be clinging to to yeah what do what do you say >> yeah the beginning >> follows the European for Europe. This is >> Okay, good. So, you want to connect it in some way to the that theme of Okay. Could could be. Yeah, could be. Yes. What do you think? >> I think because Chabas you have your Shamayan because you are enveloped in in the kaduca >> and then when you go into your week and your business week >> then you may lose that concept of that. >> Okay. Good. I was thinking along I was thinking along the same lines as you're leaving Shabas and you're about to enter the week into the mundane week into the business week into the work week and to all of the challenges of the week all the influences. So what what what's needed to get through the week? Like what what do we need spiritually to overcome all of the all of our trials of the coming week? Year is needed that ultimately what's needed is Yera. Now I wanted to share with you something which is really fascinating in this line or in this prayer in this we say it should be a week that's I think I underlined that for you >> what does it mean and by the way I dab in this for 50 years of my life a little bit more than that um and I never really knew what that ter it's not like a not a not a typical term what does it mean What's >> is it like a >> like a lack of >> what? >> What is what is it? >> To save money >> to save. >> Ah, okay. Good. So, why would by the way? Here we are. We're all struggling. We have a very learned group here and we're all struggling with this word. Why would Kazal choose a word? I mean just find a nice word that's that's a simpler term for not you could you could say again like you have what is my feeling is that they wanted to use that word and why because that appears in the story of the and the it says many what does it mean in that context you did not withhold your son from me. You did not withhold. That's what the word means. By the way, if you look at the translation here, they say I'm cleansed of all iniquity. This is from the Quran. I think they're wrong. I think that's just incorrect. That's not what the word does not mean. It means that you should with >> withhold. >> Help me, Hashem, to withhold from sin. >> That's what it means. Withhold, right? Help to right. help that I and that's the word that's used in the where says so when we read this and as learned Jews so that comes to mind right away in other words that word that brings us to that puk and uh if we were you know if we if we had that vikus right away we would say that we would we would feel that and as we're ending shabas we're thinking about a we're thinking about aa and the ability to overcome the trials and the uh and influences of the coming week. Yes, please. >> Could you just go back to what Dr. Von said about I said I want to go back to what Dr. Marcus said about you know being seen. I think it's so important to connect ah and fear yes to seen. >> Can you do it a little bit more than because there it has to be because it's the same route. >> No, it's not. No, >> but I I I think I mean they're they're all connected. In other words, the sense of fearing God is being is is seeing is being aware of God's that that that of God's presence and of being in awe of God is is knowing that God sees us. In other words, those are those are all interrelated. The idea of fear >> that we have >> yes >> and you're you have the two senses that are >> very nice >> important in terms of the way we conduct our lives and see ourselves acting during the week. So here it says it uses the Europe that we have to actually see every action that we do and be the correct one in terms of having our all >> okay good excellent one more comment I just want to get to the last yes >> being aware especially in today's societ being aware yes >> of of the balance between >> nice >> and to bring it into the actual home and parenting style >> because either one without the balance of the other >> very nice >> squeak >> well I was thinking about that in terms of parenting that parenting is also that in other words it's a and we grow up with a certain fear of our parents um fear of punishment again as as children but then then that turns into an awe right that becomes a great appreciation right who our parents and what they what they've given us so with Hashem also okay let's I just want to get to the last hold on yeah quick word yeah >> the next >> yes that's true >> so >> that's true so you have the combination you're right it is I was thinking about that as well on the one it's right as we enter the but then we go into the two two both are both need to work hand in hand. There's a love of God God and there's also the awe and fear of God as well. Okay, last two sources that I want to share with you. Last two sources and um this is this this s very interesting source um about creating the schma. Look at what the look at what the gamarra says. There's a gamarra in braos destav and it says Whoever reads the is page four next to the gimmel this is the the source from the gar itself if you read the schma and you're careful to read every letter every word properly carefully we cool off gehenn for such a person [laughter] gehenn is cooled off for such a person now I share this Gamarra with you. number one that we should be aware that we that there's such a thing as gehenn right the gamarra says that there is such a place called gehenn that's part of the I would say that first level of fear right there is repercussions to our actions right there are repercussions to our actions we're I think when we think about yadin think about rashi yam kipper right this idea of year is very much a part of it but but that's a part of part of our life and should be a part of our life on a regular on a daily basis. So that is just talking about gehenn. But what does this mean? Kind of like cooling what what what does that mean? Cooling off gehenn who's careful to read every letter and every word of the schma properly that it's a the experience of gehenn will be will be an easier experience. So I want to read to you the following. This is from Rkuk. Ravkuk has a commentary on this gamarra and he says the following creation and we're going to read let's read the first four lines from the writings of Rkook this is from hisma when we think about kayachma the foundation of kayachma is what is kayachma this is what we just spoke about the last last 50 minutes or so that the basis of kachma is that we're accepting upon oursel the yoke of heaven in general the mitzvot and also So the obligation that we have a mitzvah that's what crema is that we accept upon ourselves that there is a god in this world the kingdom of god and that we have an obligation of mitzvot however you have to look at the details as well you have to be very particular other words it's not enough just to believe in a general sense that there's a God in the world and there are mitzvot but there are very particular details to what it means to be a person of wholeness to be a person who is um who follows the Torah is observing the Torah he says that's represented by a person who's very careful with every letter that they say inma and that is a is a that teaches. He doesn't just believe in the general categories of faith in he recognizes that every detail of the Torah, every detail of the mitzvah is also essential, right? That every every detail is essential to the Torah. So what does Rafuk say here? says when it comes to creation it represents accepting all in a general sense but a person who's very very careful about every word of every of of enunciating every letter what that shows is that a person is very careful with all the duk mitzvah with the particulars with all the details with the minutiae of the law so a person who does that so when they go after 120 years on this earth and they go to the next world. If they have to go to Geanam, if they have to have some experience in gem, it's going to be a very light experience. It's going to be a very easy experience because what do they show during their lifetime? What do they exhibit in their lifetime? That they cared for every single detail of the Torah. And it could be that they didn't keep everything 100% and they're going to need a little bit. By the way, Rafuk, as he goes on in this piece, says it's not about punishment in gem, but it's a rectification. It's a purification. when you go to gehenn and that person who was careful in in reading the schma which really represents a person who was careful in general they're going to need very little time it's going to be a very easy experience you know as I was reading this I was thinking about as a as a mushel for me going to the dentist that I would say is like a is a gem experience and there are different ways of going to a dentist right you can go to a dentist and I've had experience with a dentist say can you book for this young man or they don't say young man an hour and a half for his next visit So, oh yeah, is right and he's going to have another visit after that as well. So, you know, that's going to be a long and torturous experience or sometimes the dental dentist will say he can come in, you know, next time it'll be very quick. We don't have to, you know, we don't have to numb him at all. So, this is the way the RV cook is this is the way the RV cook is speaking about or the way that he understands his Gamarra that a person who's medic in otto the letters of the Torah, what does that represent? What does that symbolize? The person in general was very careful with all dict mitzvot. He was careful with all details. It could be that there is an area that we were not so careful about. And it could be yes that we're going to experience a little bit of we're going to have to clean clean things out a little bit, right? We're going to have to do a little bit of a little bit of work on the nishama before that person goes to gan. Okay, one last I see just timewise. I want to just get get to the last source. One other very important P in the Torah that talks about Yah that talks about the importance of having fear of God and Moshe says and this is as he's about to leave the world this is his last his last message his last Russia to the Jewish people the entire book of Dvarim is his last his long Russia that he gives to the Jewish people this is period and Puk yud very well-known Pukai Israel and Now Jewish people, this is Mosherenu standing in front of all of Am Israel and he says at this moment what does God ask of you? He says all he asks of you is that's all that Hashem asks of a Jewem. Now by the way what's the obvious question which the Gar and Migill is going to ask? Moshe says, "All I ask of you very simply, the only thing that I ask is just have fear of Hashem." What's the question? >> It's why. >> Okay, good. What's involved? The Gomorrah asked another question. What do you mean? All that I ask very simply, right? It's so simple. Just have is that really so simple? Is it simple to live a life of Hashem? That's the Gumar's question. That's the Gamarilla. Look at what the Gamar says. Is that to say that having fear of Hashem is a simple thing? Is it simple to do that? It's simple to turn the car around and to go back and B. It's not an easy thing. And to live every day, every moment of your life with a sense of hashem, of that awe and fear of God. Is that really a simple thing to do? How did Mosenu say this is all that I this is all that God wants from you is you're ate. So the gamarra gives a strange answer. The gamarra says in yes it really is a very simple thing to have fear of god but it says in legab mohenu mils zut ratiu. It says for mosherenu it was a simple thing to do. >> It was simple for Mosherenu to have fear of God. But that still begs the question well what do you mean so it was simple for him to do? But he he said this is what I want every Jew to do. But that's the Gabbor's answer. The Gibbar says it was simple for Mosherenu to have Yera. By the way, it was it probably was simple. He was on harina. He was speaking to God every day. For him to have a sense of fear and it was simple for him to do. So the Torahima says the following. The explanation the Torah gives is because Mosher was such a humble person. He thought truthfully he's he thought it it would be simple for he was such a humble person Mosher Rabenu that the humility that he felt I mean sorry the fear of God that he felt he thought that everybody could easily attain that as well out of his humility so he said everybody can do this right everybody can have fear of hashem that's all that god asks of you just as I have fear of hashem you can have it as well and again he saw out of his humility he saw that that was such a that's how the turim reads that line he thought that everybody could do it and I'll end with the following one other explanation and this I heard from Rabbi JJ Shhater if that's a uh a name he's at yes university and he read this he says and I think this is more of a more of aidic interpretation Mosherenu means for those that are leg means if you're in the presence of Mosherenu if that is your teacher if that's a person that you look up to that's a person that you have a relationship with so you can also learnab Mosher Rabenu. If you are in the presence of Mosher Rabenu to be a student of Mosher Rabenu to learn from him then you also can learn. And one of the lessons in talking about somebody asked about a lesson how to do this. So it is a good question. How do we how do we increase right? How do we how do we bring a greater sense of in our lives? One of the ways of doing that is to be in the presence of people who have great yatashem, people of great righteousness, men and women of great righteousness, and to be leg to be in their presence to learn from them, to spend time in their presence, and to see what it means to live a life where a person lives with that with that sense of godliness, that fear of God, that awe of God, to live with that on a on a continual basis, that mitzvah to me, that mitzvah that we that we are to fulfill every moment of our life. And I think that's true by the way for finding people in our lives, right? Individuals, live people, but it's also true of people that we study as well to study. And I think like in I was thinking about Labavage, Abu Labish, they don't have the Rebi today, but they live very much with the the Rebi being alive. I mean, I'm saying in a good sense of living with that with that sense with the way that they read what the learning his Torah and and and his messages and they live with that in that sense and for me when I read RV cook and hopefully for for you as well as we're studying RV cook to read RV cook and to to learn about who he was and the way that that he conducted himself and his writings is a is an inspiration of being the presence of a person of great yatashem a person who felt the just the a sense of that Great awesome again Rafuk says that we move from fear to feeling the awe of God of yatamu to feel the awesomeness of God and with that awesomeness to feel the avat. Let's just close here. I'll take the questions but just as a sheer just because I see we're we're we're just please. Yes.