Page 71 - MOADIM

Why did Hashem give Bnei Yisrael the Torah in an atmosphere of fear?
The Torah is our bride. A groom does not frighten his bride into marrying
him.
Hashem wanted to bequeath to us the concept of fear of Heaven. Until
now, Bnei Yisrael were accustomed to fearing the Egyptians. Now, by
accepting the Torah, they would learn to fear Hashem.
The sound of the shofar straightens out man’s heart. The shofar was
sounded at Matan Torah in order to cause Bnei Yisrael to accept upon
themselves fear of Heaven. Another purpose was to inform them that until
now, the world was governed by the Attribute of Mercy. It is only through
the power of the Torah that the world endures. Receiving the Torah in a
state of fear encouraged the people to make sure to guard it under all
circumstances.

“When you go out to war against your enemies.” This is the war with the
yetzer hara. Man is constantly struggling against this mighty enemy. It is
his job to conquer it. The command, “Judges and officers you shall place
in all your cities” adjures us to place guards over the various parts of our
bodies in order to steer clear of sin. In the way man wishes to go, he is
led.
There are two types of teshuvah – out of love and out of fear. It is
preferable to do teshuvah out of love. One who repents out of love always
looks for ways to bring pleasure to Hashem. One who repents out of fear,
on the other hand, is stirred to repent only when he is shocked into it, as
on the Yamim Nora’im.
One who wishes to constantly connect to Hashem must fight the force of
forgetfulness. He should maintain, throughout the entire year, the

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