Q&A: Why does the Rabbi keep the commandments?
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Why does the Rabbi keep the commandments?
Question
Hello Rabbi.
I’ve read a lot on the site and learned a great deal.
I wanted to ask: according to your approach, why does the Rabbi keep the commandments?
Even in the stories where the reward and the World to Come were “taken away” from the great rabbis, they still had a desire to cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He. I’d be glad to know what motivates the Rabbi.
Thank you.
Answer
On the psychological level, I don’t know. On the value level: to do the truth because it is true (Maimonides, chapter 10 of the Laws of Repentance). Presumably this is also beneficial in some way; otherwise He would not have commanded it. See the fifth notebook.