Va’eschanan 6:5 · unit 2

TT #33 · Parashas Va’eschanan · Passuk 6:5

The Complete Passuk

וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

You shall love Hashem your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

Chabad.org — 6:5

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to the baraisa that “ve’ahavta” means one must make the Name of Heaven beloved through one’s conduct (Yoma 86a / Sifre).

Sefaria — Yoma 86a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תָּנָא: וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ — שֶׁיְּהֵא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְאַהֵב עַל יָדְךָ, שֶׁיְּהֵא קוֹרֵא וְשׁוֹנֶה וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, וִיהֵא מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בֶּאֱמוּנָה וְדִבּוּרוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת.

English: It was taught: “You shall love Hashem your God” — that the Name of Heaven should become beloved through you: that one should read and study and serve Torah scholars, and that his business dealings should be faithful and his speech gentle with people.

On the daf / in context: Love of God is expressed not only inwardly but by living in a way that causes others to love the Name.

Type of Learning

Expansive reading of “ve’ahavta” as making the Divine Name beloved through conduct.

What Is Learned

One fulfills “ve’ahavta” by living so that the Name of Heaven becomes beloved in the eyes of others through one’s Torah, honesty, and gentle speech.