(א) הָאֵל הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה מִצְוָה לְאָהֳבוֹ וּלְיִרְאָה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו ה) "וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ". וְנֶאֱמַר (דברים ו יג) "אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא":
(1) It is mandatory to love and fear this Glorified and Awe-inspiring God, for it is said: "You shall love God" (Deut. 6,5); and as it is said: "God you shall fear." (Ibid. 6, 13).
(12) And now, O Israel, what does God demand of you? Only this: to fear God your God, to walk only in God's paths, to love God, and to serve God your God with all your heart and soul.
(ב) כי אם ליראה וגו'. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ מִכַּאן הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם (ברכות ל"ג):
(2) TO FEAR— Our Rabbis derived from this that everything is in the hands of God except the fear of God (Berakhot 33b).
(5) You shall love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Sotah 31a
What difference is there between one who performs mitzvot out of love and one who performs mitzvot out of fear? The Gemara answers: There is that which is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Greater is the one who performs mitzvot out of love than the one who performs mitzvot out of fear, as with regard to this one who acts out of fear, her merits endure for one thousand generations, and with regard to that one who serves God out of love, her merits endure for two thousand generations.
It happened that there were these two students who were sitting before Rava, and one said to him: It was read to me in my dream: “How abundant is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You” (Psalms 31:20). And one said to Rava: It was read to me in my dream: “So shall all those who take refuge in You rejoice; they will forever shout for joy, and You will shelter them; let them also who love Your name exult in You” (Psalms 5:12). Rava said to them: You are both completely righteous Sages. One Sage, the second dreamer, serves God out of love, and one Sage, the first dreamer, serves God out of fear. Each Sage’s dream corresponded to his manner of serving God.
Inner mindfulness: how does one attain it? Any prayer for which one is not fully mindful is not considered prayer. And if one prays without mindfulness, one must go back and pray [again, this time] with mindfulness. One who is confused or inwardly agitated is forbidden from praying until he settles himself; thus, one who has come in from traveling and is tired or unsettled is forbidden from praying until she settles herself. The sages used to say that she ought to wait for three days until she has rested and her emotions have cooled, and only afterward may she pray.
כי המכון גם כן ב'שיר' - להפעל הנפש בדברים ההם ולא יפעלו הנפשות רק לקולות ולניגונים הערבים ועם כלי השיר גם כן כמו שהיה הענין ב'מקדש' תמיד.
The object of singing is to produce certain emotions; this object can only be attained by pleasing sounds and melodies accompanied by music, as was always the case in the Temple.
אבל 'שמן המשחה' יש בו שתי תועלות להיטיב ריח מה שימשח בו ולהאמין גדולת הדבר הנמשח וקדושתו והיותו נבדל לטובה משאר מינו - אדם יהיה או בגד או כלי - הכל שב ל'יראת המקדש' שהיא סיבה ל'יראת יי' - מפני התחדש ההפעלות בנפש האדם בעת שיכנס אליו וירכו הלבבות הקשים ויכנעו. אשר התחכם האלוה כל זה ההתחכמות ב'עצות מרחוק' לרככם ולהכניעם בעת שיבואו אל הבית כדי שיקבלו מצוות האלוה המישירות וייראוהו
The anointing oil (Exod. 30:22-33) served a double purpose: to give the anointed object a good odour, and to produce the impression that it was something great, holy, and distinguished, and better than other objects of the same species; it made no difference whether that object was a human being, a garment, or a vessel. All this aimed at producing due respect towards the Sanctuary, and indirectly fear of God. When a person enters the Temple, certain emotions are produced in her; and obstinate hearts are softened and humbled. These plans and indirect means were devised by the Law, to soften and humble a person's heart at entering the holy place, in order that she might entrust herself to the sure guidance of God's commandments.