He further discoursed as follows. ‘It is written: “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God” (Deut. 10, 20), and also, “and thou shalt fear thy God (m’elohekho, lit. from thy God)” (Lev. 19, 14). Why in the latter passage is it written, “from thy God” and not simply “thy God”, as in the former passage? The preposition “from”, however, points to the place which is attached to the “brain” and surrounds it. That spot is the central fire that surrounds the innermost fire.
For there are three varieties of fire in that connection. The first is the fire that receives fire with joy, the two meeting each other in love and joy; the second is that of which it is written, “and there was brightness (nogah) to the fire” (Ezek. 1, 13); it is the inmost fire which is joyful at the presence of the other fire. Then comes the third fire which surrounds that brightness, and wherein resides the terror of Severity for the punishment of the wicked.
Indeed, there is also a teaching that speaks of four varieties of fire-four that are in essence one. However, it is in the aforementioned fire that the terror of Severity resides. Hence “thou shalt fear (that which comes) from thy God”, meaning: “Thy fear shall start from, or be inspired by, His punishment.”
Furthermore, we should combine fear with love, fear on one side and love on the other. We have to fear on account of the punishment that proceeds from the one side for the transgression of the precepts of the Torah-for once this is begun, the side that inflicts it never relaxes until the transgressor is exterminated from this world and from the world to come. Man has thus to fear that fire which is the seat of fear.
That fire spreads out into another fire outside, belonging to another object of fear, in regard to which it is written, “ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites” (Judges 6, 10). But the aforementioned fire belongs to the holy side, and is the one that surrounds that brightness (nogah) mentioned before. The other and extraneous fire at times joins this fire, and at other times moves away from it. When it does join, it turns into darkness so as to darken and shut out the light of the other fires.
After fear comes love. This is esoterically expressed by saying: “After fear has hovered over a man’s head there awakens love, which belongs to the right side.” For he who worships out of love attaches himself to a very sublime region and to the holiness of the “World-to-be”, by reason of love ascending to the “right side” for its attachment and adornment.
Think not, however, that worship coming from the side of fear is no worship at all. In truth it is worship highly to be prized. It does not ascend, however, so as to join the highest part of the supernal sphere. This is reserved for worship inspired by love, and he who worships in a spirit of love is the man destined for the future world. Happy is the portion of such a one in that he exercises dominion over the region of fear, love being the sole power dominating fear in virtue of its belonging to the recondite influence of the right.
It is further essential in the performance of our worship to avow the unity of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to avow the oneness of the upper and lower members and grades, and to combine them all in the spot to which they fittingly converge. This is the recondite significance of the declaration: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6, 4).
פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא (ר"ב ע"ב) דְּאָמַרְתּוּן בִּצְלוֹתָא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, כְּתִיב (דברים י׳:כ׳) אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא אוֹתוֹ תַעֲבוֹד. וּכְתִיב, (ויקרא י״ט:י״ד) וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלהֶיךָ. הַאי קְרָא אִית לְמֵימַר הָכִי, וְיָרֵאתָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּגִין דְּהָא כְּתִיב אֶת יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ תִּירָא, מַהוּ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ. אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ, מֵּאֱלהֶיךָ וַדַּאי, מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְחַבָּר וְסָחֲרָא לְמוֹחָא דִּלְגוֹ, וְדָא אִיהוּ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ, דְּחִילוּ דָּא לְמִדְחַל לֵיהּ, דְּהָא תַּמָּן שַׁרְיָיא דִּינָא, וְאִיהוּ דִּינָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאִיב מִגּוֹ דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּהַאי אֲתָר.
He further discoursed as follows. ‘It is written: “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God” (Deut. 10, 20), and also, “and thou shalt fear thy God (m’elohekho, lit. from thy God)” (Lev. 19, 14). Why in the latter passage is it written, “from thy God” and not simply “thy God”, as in the former passage? The preposition “from”, however, points to the place which is attached to the “brain” and surrounds it. That spot is the central fire that surrounds the innermost fire.
(אית אשא ואית אשא) תְּלַת גְּוָונֵי אֶשָּׁא הָכָא. אֶשָּׁא קַדְמָאָה, אִיהוּ אֶשָּׁא דְּקַבִּיל אֶשָּׁא בְּחֵידוּ, וְחַדָּאן דָּא בְּדָא בִּרְחִימוּ. אֶשָּׁא תִּנְיָינָא, אִיהוּ אֶשָּׁא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (יחזקאל א׳:י״ג) וְנֹגַהּ לָאֵשׁ דְּאִתְחָזֵי בֵּיהּ נֹגַהּ. וְדָא אִיהוּ אֶשָּׁא, דְּקַיְּימָא גּוֹ אֶשָּׁא פְּנִימָאָה בְּחֵידוּ, כְּמָה (ר"ג ע"ב) דְּאִתְּמַר. אֶשָּׁא תְּלִיתָאָה, אִיהוּ אֶשָּׁא (דלבר) דְּסַחֲרָא לְהַהוּא נֹגַהּ. וּבְהַאי אֶשָּׁא שַׁארִי דְּחִילוּ דְּדִינָא, לְאַלְקָאָה חַיָּיבַיָּא.
For there are three varieties of fire in that connection. The first is the fire that receives fire with joy, the two meeting each other in love and joy; the second is that of which it is written, “and there was brightness (nogah) to the fire” (Ezek. 1, 13); it is the inmost fire which is joyful at the presence of the other fire. Then comes the third fire which surrounds that brightness, and wherein resides the terror of Severity for the punishment of the wicked.
וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּתָנֵינָן, דְּאַרְבָּעָה גְּוָונִי אֶשָּׁא נִינְהוּ, וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע דְּאִינּוּן חַד. אֲבָל הָכָא בְּהַהוּא אֶשָּׁא דְּקָאָמְרָן, שַׁאֲרִי דְּחִילוּ דְּדִינָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלהֶיךָ, מֵהַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ.
Indeed, there is also a teaching that speaks of four varieties of fire-four that are in essence one. However, it is in the aforementioned fire that the terror of Severity resides. Hence “thou shalt fear (that which comes) from thy God”, meaning: “Thy fear shall start from, or be inspired by, His punishment.”
וּבְהַהוּא יִרְאָה בָּעֵי לְשַׁוָּואָה רְעוּתֵיהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ כַּחֲדָא, לְמִדְחַל בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, וּלְמִרְחַם בְּהַאי סִטְרָא. וּבְאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּקָאָמְרָן, וְהַהוּא דְּחִילוּ לֶהוֵי לְמִדְחַל מֵעוֹנְשָׁא. דְּמַאן דְּעָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְעַנָּשׁ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּכַד שַׁארִי הַהוּא סִטְרָא לְאַלְקָאָה, לָא שָׁכִיךְ עַד דְּשָׁצֵי לֵיהּ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וּמֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי לְמִדְחַל מֵהַאי אֶשָּׁא, דִּדְחִילוּ שַׁרְיָיא בֵּיהּ.
Furthermore, we should combine fear with love, fear on one side and love on the other. We have to fear on account of the punishment that proceeds from the one side for the transgression of the precepts of the Torah-for once this is begun, the side that inflicts it never relaxes until the transgressor is exterminated from this world and from the world to come. Man has thus to fear that fire which is the seat of fear.
וּמִנֵּיהּ אִתְפָּשַׁט אֶשָּׁא לְבַר דְּדַחֲלָא אַחֲרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (שופטים ו׳:י׳) לֹא תִּירָאוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, דְּאָסִיר לְמִדְחַל מִנֵּיהּ. וְהַאי אֶשָּׁא דִּדְחִילוּ דְּקָאָמְרָן, אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ וְאִשְׁתָּתַּף בִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּסָחֲרָא לְהַהוּא נֹגַהּ דְּקָאָמְרָן. וְהַהִיא אֶשָּׁא אַחֲרָא דִּלְבַר, אִיהוּ דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּהַאי לְזִמְנִין. וּלְזִמְנִין אִתְעַבָּר מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִתְחֲבָּר בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וְכַד גָּרִים דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּהַאי, כְּדֵין הוּא אֶשָּׁא דְּחָשׁוּךְ, וְאַחְשִׁיךְ וְכַסֵּי נְהִירוּ דְּאִלֵּין אַחֲרָנִין. וְסִימָנִיךְ (יחזקאל א׳:ד׳) וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת, וְלָא דְּקַיְּימָא תָּדִיר, וְהָא אִתְּמַר
That fire spreads out into another fire outside, belonging to another object of fear, in regard to which it is written, “ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites” (Judges 6, 10). But the aforementioned fire belongs to the holy side, and is the one that surrounds that brightness (nogah) mentioned before. The other and extraneous fire at times joins this fire, and at other times moves away from it. When it does join, it turns into darkness so as to darken and shut out the light of the other fires.
לְבָתַר אַהֲבָה, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ דְּאַהֲבָה שַׁרְיָיא לְבָתַר יִרְאָה. וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁארִי יִרְאָה עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, אִתְּעַר לְבָתַר אַהֲבָה, דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא. דְּמַאן דְּפָלַח מִגּוֹ אַהֲבָה, אִתְדַּבָּק בַּאֲתָר עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְדַּבָּק בִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּגִין דְּהָא סָלִיק לְאִתְעַטְּרָא וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בִּסְטַר יְמִינָא.
After fear comes love. This is esoterically expressed by saying: “After fear has hovered over a man’s head there awakens love, which belongs to the right side.” For he who worships out of love attaches himself to a very sublime region and to the holiness of the “World-to-be”, by reason of love ascending to the “right side” for its attachment and adornment.
וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּיִרְאָה לָאו אִיהוּ פּוּלְחָנָא. פּוּלְחָנָא יַקִּירָא אִיהוּ, אֲבָל לָא סָלִיק לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא לְעֵילָּא. וְכַד פָּלַח מֵאַהֲבָה, סָלִיק וְאִתְעַטָּר לְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְדַּבָּק בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְדָא אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִזְדָּמָן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהָא שַׁלִיט עַל אֲתָר דְּיִרְאָה, דְּהָא לֵית מַאן דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל דַּרְגָּא דְּיִרְאָה, אֶלָּא אַהֲבָה, רָזָא דִּימִינָא.
Think not, however, that worship coming from the side of fear is no worship at all. In truth it is worship highly to be prized. It does not ascend, however, so as to join the highest part of the supernal sphere. This is reserved for worship inspired by love, and he who worships in a spirit of love is the man destined for the future world. Happy is the portion of such a one in that he exercises dominion over the region of fear, love being the sole power dominating fear in virtue of its belonging to the recondite influence of the right.
רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְיַיחֲדָא שַׁיְיפִין וְדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, לְאַכְלְלָא כֻּלְּהוּ, וּלְאַעְלָאָה בַּאֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא. וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ו׳:ד׳) שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ' אֱלהֵינוּ יְיָ' אֶחָד.
It is further essential in the performance of our worship to avow the unity of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to avow the oneness of the upper and lower members and grades, and to combine them all in the spot to which they fittingly converge. This is the recondite significance of the declaration: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6, 4).