Q&A: Between Fear and Pure Commitment
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Between Fear and Pure Commitment
Question
In the Rabbi’s lesson about observing commandments, he gave as examples the story of Rabbi Levi of Berdichev with the man who was fixing his wagon while praying, and the one who got up at night from bed for the evening prayer. Examples of people who do it out of commitment, and only out of commitment. And it raised a question for me: why not frame it in terms of fear? All the above examples could be fear of God—that if I do not fulfill His commandments, I will be punished. And is there really any genuine indication that I am acting out of commitment?
Answer
If fear were the issue here, then I assume the very last thing you would do would be to go out and fix your wagon before Him with all its gear on your head and opposite your heart.