3. The slave loves him due to his great and exalted character, and reveres him for his inherent nobility - not out of hope [for benefit] nor out of fear [of punishment].
Analogously is the love of G-d by us. 1. Either we love Him due to his abundant kindness on us, and continuous goodness to us. Thus we will love Him out of hope for more future benefit.
2. Or we love Him due to His ignoring of our sins (to give us time to repent), forgiving our transgressions, in spite of our abundantly rebelling against Him and transgressing His commandments.
3. For some, their love of G-d is due to reverence of G-d Himself - His glory, His greatness and His exaltedness - this is the pure love of G-d, blessed be He.
The prophet (Moshe), peace be unto him, has already exhorted us in this [latter way] in saying: "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5).
His intent in saying "And you shall love the L-ord, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your might", is to correspond to the different types of people, with their different mindsets with respect to their giving of themselves versus not giving of themselves of their bodies, money, and honor. Because some of them are prepared to give of themselves their body and money, but not of their honor, which they withhold. Others, are prepared to give of themselves their money and honor, but not their body. Others, still are prepared to give their body and honor, but not their money, as our sages said: "If it says 'with all your soul', why should it also say, 'with all your might (means)' and if it says 'with all your might', why should it also say 'with all your soul'? (Answer) Should there be a man whose life is dearer than his money, for him it says; 'with all your soul'; and should there be a man whose money is dearer than his life, for him it says, 'with all your might (means)'" (Talmud Berachot 61b).
One can also render the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to be referring to the three ways in which people love each other. This can be seen in the three types of friends.
3. One who volunteers towards doing the will of the one he loves with his money, body, and life, as the wise man said: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Shir HaShirim 8:7), and it is written about Yehonatan and David: "for he loved him as he loved his own soul" (Shmuel 20:17), and "wonderful was your love to me, passing the love of women" (Shmuel II 1:26).
Therefore, the prophet exhorted us in the love of the Creator, that it should include one's life, body, and money, that a man should volunteer all of these out of love of the Creator, and not be sparing in any of them in the fulfillment of the Creator's will. So our Sages said: "'with all your hearts' means with your two inclinations, the good inclination and [resisting] the evil inclination. 'With all your soul' means even if we have to give up our life. 'With all your means', means with all your money" (Talmud Berachot 54a). They also said: "Do His will as if it were your will that He may do your will as if it was His will. Nullify your will before His will that He may nullify the will of others before your will" (Avos 2:4).
One can also explain the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to be referring to cleaving to the love of G-d inwardly, and to exhibit it outwardly, until the genuineness of the believer's love will be recognizable inwardly and outwardly, privately and publicly, in a way that it will be manifested uniformly and in the proper way, in the same amount and in the same level, as David said: "my heart and my flesh cry out for the living G-d" (Tehilim 84:3).
One can also explain the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to mean that all of your love for anything besides Him and all of your efforts on behalf of someone besides Him be for His sake - to not associate love of someone else with the love of G-d, and if you love someone else, that it be in a way that He would be pleased with, so that this love is a branch of your love for Him. Therefore, he said "with all", with each of them (love G-d), as I explained in Gate 3 chapter 5 of this book regarding the intellectual urge.
אֲבָל עַל כַּמָּה פָּנִים תִּהְיֶה הָאַהֲבָה בֵּאלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹמַר בִּתְשׁוּבַת הַשְּׁאֵלָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי אַהֲבַת הָעֶבֶד בַּאֲדוֹנָיו תִּהְיֶה לְאֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה פָּנִים.
In how many ways is the love of G-d? I will answer this question as follows. The love of a slave for his master is in one of 3 ways:
אֶחָד מֵהֶם אַהֲבָתוֹ אוֹתוֹ בַּעֲבוּר הֲטָבָתוֹ לוֹ וְחַסְדּוֹ עָלָיו.
1. The slave loves him because the master benefits him and shows kindness to him.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי אַהֲבָתוֹ אוֹתוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵר עַל פְּשָׁעָיו וְרֹב מְחִילָתוֹ לוֹ וְכַפָּרָתוֹ לַעֲוֹנֹתָיו.
2. The slave loves him because the master frequently overlooks his transgressions, abundantly forgives him, and atones for his sins.
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי אַהֲבָתוֹ אוֹתוֹ בַּעֲבוּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ וְרוֹמְמוּתוֹ וּמוֹרָאוֹ לְעֶצֶם כְּבוֹדוֹ לֹא לְתוֹחֶלֶת וְלֹא לְפַחַד,
3. The slave loves him due to his great and exalted character, and reveres him for his inherent nobility - not out of hope [for benefit] nor out of fear [of punishment].
וְעַל הַהַקָּשָׁה הַזֹּאת תִּהְיֶה הָאַהֲבָה מִמֶּנּוּ בֵּאלֹהִים לְרֹב חַסְדּוֹ עָלֵינוּ וְהַתְמָדַת טוֹבָתוֹ לָנוּ וְתִדְבַּק נַפְשֵׁנוּ בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ לְתִקְוַת גְּמוּלוֹ.
Analogously is the love of G-d by us.
1. Either we love Him due to his abundant kindness on us, and continuous goodness to us. Thus we will love Him out of hope for more future benefit.
וְיֵשׁ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אַהֲבָתֵנוּ בֵּאלֹהִים לְהַסְתִּירוֹ עֲוֹנֵינוּ וְעָבְרוּ עַל פְּשָׁעֵינוּ עִם גֹּדֶל מִרְיֵנוּ אוֹתוֹ וְעָבְרֵנוּ עַל מִצְוֹתָיו.
2. Or we love Him due to His ignoring of our sins (to give us time to repent), forgiving our transgressions, in spite of our abundantly rebelling against Him and transgressing His commandments.
וְיֵשׁ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אַהֲבָתֵנוּ בּוֹ לְעַצְמוֹ וְלִכְבוֹדוֹ לְגַדְּלוֹ וּלְרוֹמְמוּ וְזֹאת הִיא הָאַהֲבָה הַזַּכָּה בֵּאלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ.
3. For some, their love of G-d is due to reverence of G-d Himself - His glory, His greatness and His exaltedness - this is the pure love of G-d, blessed be He.
וּכְבָר זָרְזֵנוּ הַנָּבִיא ע״ה בָּזֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ שָׁם (וְאָ)הַבְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳.
The prophet (Moshe), peace be unto him, has already exhorted us in this [latter way] in saying: "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5).
וְרָצָה בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ לְעֻמַּת מִדּוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְהִתְחַלְּפוּת דֵּעוֹתָם בִּנְדִיבוּתָם וְכִילוּתָם בְּגוּפָם וּבְמָמוֹנָם וּבִכְבוֹדָם. כִּי מֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב בְּגוּפוֹ וּבְמָמוֹנוֹ וְחָס עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ. וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב בְּמָמוֹנוֹ וּכְבוֹדוֹ וְחָס עַל גּוּפוֹ. וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב בְּגוּפוֹ וּכְבוֹדוֹ וְחָס עַל מָמוֹנוֹ וכמ״ש חֲזַ״ל אִם נֶאֱמַר בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ אִם יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁגּוּפוֹ חָבִיב עָלָיו מִמָּמוֹנוֹ לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וְאִם יֵשׁ לָךְ אָדָם שֶׁמָּמוֹנוֹ חָבִיב עָלָיו מִגּוּפוֹ לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
His intent in saying "And you shall love the L-ord, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your might", is to correspond to the different types of people, with their different mindsets with respect to their giving of themselves versus not giving of themselves of their bodies, money, and honor. Because some of them are prepared to give of themselves their body and money, but not of their honor, which they withhold. Others, are prepared to give of themselves their money and honor, but not their body. Others, still are prepared to give their body and honor, but not their money, as our sages said: "If it says 'with all your soul', why should it also say, 'with all your might (means)' and if it says 'with all your might', why should it also say 'with all your soul'? (Answer) Should there be a man whose life is dearer than his money, for him it says; 'with all your soul'; and should there be a man whose money is dearer than his life, for him it says, 'with all your might (means)'" (Talmud Berachot 61b).
וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ לְעֻמַּת הִתְחַלְּפוּת אַהֲבַת בְּנֵי אָדָם קְצָתָם בִּקְצָתָם וְהוּא שֶׁהָאוֹהֲבִים שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינִים.
One can also render the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to be referring to the three ways in which people love each other. This can be seen in the three types of friends.
מֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב לִרְצוֹן אֲהוּבוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ בִּלְבַד.
1. One who volunteers towards doing the will of the one he loves with his money only.
וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב לִרְצוֹן אֲהוּבוֹ בְּגוּפוֹ וּבְמָמוֹנוֹ.
2. One who volunteers towards doing the will of the one he loves with his body (by physically helping) or with his money.
וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב לִרְצוֹן אֲהוּבוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ וְגוּפוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ כמ״ש הֶחָכָם (שיר השירים ח) אִם יִתֵּן אִישׁ אֶת כָּל הוֹן בֵּיתוֹ בָּאַהֲבָה בּוֹז יָבוּזוּ לוֹ וְאָמַר בִּיהוֹנָתָן וְדָוִד (שמואל א כ׳:י״ז) כִּי אַהֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ אֲהֵבוֹ וְאָמַר (ש״ב א) נִפְלְאַתָה אַהֲבָתְךָ לִי מֵאַהֲבַת נָשִׁים.
3. One who volunteers towards doing the will of the one he loves with his money, body, and life, as the wise man said: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Shir HaShirim 8:7), and it is written about Yehonatan and David: "for he loved him as he loved his own soul" (Shmuel 20:17), and "wonderful was your love to me, passing the love of women" (Shmuel II 1:26).
וְזֵרֵז הַנָּבִיא ע״ה בְּאַהֲבַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה כּוֹלֶלֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַגּוּף וְהַמָּמוֹן לְהִתְנַדֵּב הָאָדָם בְּכָל זֶה בְּאַהֲבַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה וְאַל יִהְיֶה כִּילַי בְּדָבָר מֵהֶם אֵצֶל רְצוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים יִתְבָּרַךְ, כמ״ש רז״ל בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ בְּיֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר הָרָע וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וַאֲפִלּוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ בְּכָל מָמוֹנְךָ וְאָמְרוּ עֲשֵׂה רְצוֹנוֹ כִּרְצוֹנְךָ כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנְךָ כִרְצוֹנוֹ בַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל רְצוֹן אֲחֵרִים מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנְךָ.
Therefore, the prophet exhorted us in the love of the Creator, that it should include one's life, body, and money, that a man should volunteer all of these out of love of the Creator, and not be sparing in any of them in the fulfillment of the Creator's will. So our Sages said: "'with all your hearts' means with your two inclinations, the good inclination and [resisting] the evil inclination. 'With all your soul' means even if we have to give up our life. 'With all your means', means with all your money" (Talmud Berachot 54a). They also said: "Do His will as if it were your will that He may do your will as if it was His will. Nullify your will before His will that He may nullify the will of others before your will" (Avos 2:4).
וי״ל שֶׁיִּרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ לִדָּבֵק בְּאַהֲבַת הָאֱלֹהִים בַּסֵּתֶר וּלְהַרְאוֹתָהּ בַּגָּלוּי עַד שֶׁתִּתְבָּרֵר מִן הַמַּאֲמִין אֲמִתַּת אַהֲבָתוֹ לֵאלֹהִים בְּסִתְרוֹ וּבִגְלוּיוֹ וּבְמַצְפּוּן עִנְיָנוֹ וְנִרְאֵהוּ עַל הַשָּׁוֶה וְהַנָּכוֹן עַל שֶׁקֶל אֶחָד וְעֵרֶךְ אֶחָד כמ״ש דָּוִד ע״ה (תהלים פ״ד) לִבִּי וּבְשָׂרִי יְרַנְּנוּ אֶל אֵל חָי.
One can also explain the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to be referring to cleaving to the love of G-d inwardly, and to exhibit it outwardly, until the genuineness of the believer's love will be recognizable inwardly and outwardly, privately and publicly, in a way that it will be manifested uniformly and in the proper way, in the same amount and in the same level, as David said: "my heart and my flesh cry out for the living G-d" (Tehilim 84:3).
וי״ל שֶׁיִּרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לִהְיוֹת כָּל אַהֲבָתְךָ וְהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתְךָ בְּזוּלָתוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ וְאַל תְּשַׁתֵּף עִם אַהֲבָתוֹ אַהֲבַת זוּלָתוֹ וְאִם תֶּאֱהַב זוּלָתוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּמָה שֶׁיִּרְצֵהוּ מִמְּךָ כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה סְעִיף מֵאַהֲבָתְךָ בּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר זָכַרְתִּי בְּבֵאוּר הַהֶעָרָה הַשִּׂכְלִית בַּשַּׁעַר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי מִן הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה:
One can also explain the intent of "And you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5) to mean that all of your love for anything besides Him and all of your efforts on behalf of someone besides Him be for His sake - to not associate love of someone else with the love of G-d, and if you love someone else, that it be in a way that He would be pleased with, so that this love is a branch of your love for Him. Therefore, he said "with all", with each of them (love G-d), as I explained in Gate 3 chapter 5 of this book regarding the intellectual urge.