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א וּבָזֶה יוּבַן מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב: ״כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד, בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ״.

1With the above in mind, one can understand the Scriptural text, “For this thing is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so you can fulfill it.”¹

בדְּלִכְאוֹרָה, הוּא – ״בִּלְבָבְךָ״ – נֶגֶד הַחוּשׁ שֶׁלָּנוּ [וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא נִצְחִית], שֶׁאֵין קָרוֹב מְאֹד הַדָּבָר לְהַפֵּךְ לִבּוֹ מִתַּאֲווֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְאַהֲבַת ה׳ בֶּאֱמֶת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּגְּמָרָא: ״אָטוּ יִרְאָה מִילְּתָא זוּטַרְתִּי הִיא״? וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אַהֲבָה. וְגַם אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה דְּ״צַדִּיקִים – דַּוְקָא – לִבָּם בִּרְשׁוּתָם״.

2At first glance, [the statement, “For this thing is very near to you…] in your heart” seems to be contrary to our experience [yet the Torah is eternal²].³ For it is not a “very near thing” to change one’s heart from mundane desires to a sincere love of G–d. Indeed, it is stated in the Gemara, “Is fear [of Heaven] a small thing?”⁴ How much more so—love. Moreover, the Rabbis also said, that only tzaddikim have control over their hearts.⁵

גאֶלָּא, דְּ״לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ״ – רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר, הָאַהֲבָה הַמְּבִיאָה לִידֵי עֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוֹת בִּלְבָד, שֶׁהִיא ״רְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא״ שֶׁבְּתַעֲלוּמוֹת לֵב, גַּם כִּי אֵינָהּ בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ כְּרִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ, וְדָבָר זֶה ״קָרוֹב מְאֹד״ וְנָקֵל לְכָל אָדָם אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לוֹ מוֹחַ בְּקָדְקֳדוֹ, כִּי מוֹחוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְיָכוֹל לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בּוֹ כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפּוֹץ, וּכְשֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן בּוֹ בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, מִמֵּילָא יוֹלִיד, בְּמוֹחוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים – הָאַהֲבָה לַה׳ לְדָבְקָה בוֹ בְּקִיּוּם מִצְוֹתָיו וְתוֹרָתוֹ.

3But the words “so you can fulfill it” refer to a love which merely leads to the performance of the commandments, this being the hidden desire of the heart (רעותא דלבא), even if it does not glow openly like flaming coals. This thing is very near, and it is easy for any person who has brains in his head, for his brain is under his control, and he is able to concentrate it on anything he wishes. If, then, he will contemplate with it on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, he will inevitably generate in his mind, at least, the love of G–d to cleave to Him through the performance of His commandments and Torah.

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org