Va’eschanan 6:5 · unit 4

TT #56 · 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…

Chabad.org — 6:5

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to the reconciliation of “ve’ahavta” with “es Hashem Elohekha tira” — act from both love and fear (Sifre / parallel).

Sefaria — Sifre Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳… וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, הָא כֵּיצַד? עֲשֵׂה מֵאַהֲבָה וַעֲשֵׂה מִיִּרְאָה — עֲשֵׂה מֵאַהֲבָה, שֶׁאִם בָּאתָ לִשְׂנוֹא דַּע שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹהֵב וְאֵין אוֹהֵב שׂוֹנֵא.

English: “You shall love Hashem…” and elsewhere it says “Hashem your God you shall fear” — how so? Act from love and act from fear. Act from love — so that if you come to hate, know that you love, and one who loves does not hate.

On the daf / in context: Love and fear are not alternatives; both are required and each guards the other.

Type of Learning

Reconciliation of parallel verses — love and fear as complementary obligations.

What Is Learned

One must serve from both love and fear; love prevents hatred, fear prevents complacency.