Machshava:

Chassidut 

Collections: Rabbi Weinberger: Bilvavi II

Description

Three stages to reaching yirah (fear): 1) to know intellectually that our purpose is to come closer to Hashem; 2) translating our intellectual knowledge into consistently intensifying ratzon (will); and 3) a clear awareness that sinning contradicts our ratzon for closeness to Hashem. We hardly feel that sins prevent closeness to Hashem. Life is overcoming the absurdity that we can be close to Hashem and also do averas (sins). What can we do to strengthen our ratzon? Harder to be a Jew when you are rich than when you are poor.