וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to fear the LORD your God, to walk only in His paths, to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul,
דדריש ר' חנינא בר פפא אותו מלאך הממונה על ההריון לילה שמו ונוטל טפה ומעמידה לפני הקב"ה ואומר לפניו רבש"ע טפה זו מה תהא עליה גבור או חלש חכם או טיפש עשיר או עני ואילו רשע או צדיק לא קאמר כדר' חנינא דא"ר חנינא הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים שנאמר (דברים י, יב) ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה וגו'
As Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa interpreted that verse in the following manner: That angel that is appointed over conception is called: Night. And that angel takes the drop from which a person will be formed and presents it before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and says before Him: Master of the Universe, what will be of this drop? Will the person fashioned from it be mighty or weak? Will he be clever or stupid? Will he be wealthy or poor? The Gemara notes: But this angel does not say: Will he be wicked or righteous? This is in accordance with a statement of Rabbi Ḥanina, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: Everything is in the hand of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven, as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 10:12).
לֹא כֵן בְּדַרְכֵי הַמּוּסָר, אֲשֶׁר הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בָּהּ הַחִפּוּשׂ בְּכָל דַּרְכֵי וּמַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם, לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִנְּטִיַּת הָרָצוֹן, וּמֵהַיֵּצֶר הַמַּפְרִיעַ וּמוֹנֵעַ כָּל דָּבָר טוֹב וּמְעֻלֶּה, הַהֶכְרֵחִי וּמְחֻיָּב לְהַשָּׂגַת הַיִּרְאָה, וְלֹא תָקוּם הַמּוּסָר וְהַהַנְהָגָה טוֹבָה בְּלֹא תַּחְבּוּלוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, לֶאֱסֹר כְּלֵי הַמֹּחַ לָזֶה עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רֹשֶׁם חָזָק בַּלֵּב לָתֵת עֹז וְתַעֲצוּמוֹת לַאֲבָרִים הַחִיצוֹנִים: לְהוֹצִיא לַפֹּעַל הָעִנְיַן הַמְעֻלֶּה, בַּל יַעַצְרוּהוּ תַּאֲוַת הַגּוּפָנִיּוּת הַפְּחוּתָה, הַקִּנְאָה וְהַכָּבוֹד הַבְּזוּיִים. וּבְכָל זֶה עַצְלוּת הָאָדָם רַבָּה בָּזֶה, לְמַעֲמָסָה תִּהְיֶה לוֹ אִם יִפְנֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ זְמָן קָצָר לָזֶה. עַד אֲשֶׁר גַּם לְבִטּוּל הַזְּמָן יֵחָשֵׁב לוֹ:
מיראת שמים
The 3 types of fear of Heaven
However, we must first introduce that there are two types of fear which are effectively three types. The first type is very easy to attain, there being nothing easier. The second is difficult, while the second part of the second type, is more difficult than everything. Its perfection is likewise, a very great form of perfection. The first type is fear of punishment, and the second is fear of G-d's exaltedness (Yirat Haromemut), of which Fear of Sin is the second part therein. We will now explain their matters and differences.
Why is it called Yirat Shemi'im - the fear of Heaven? and not the fear of God?
1. Reverence
2. שמים = many שמ There's - the consequence of what happens is there (and from there it comes back to us)
Let no man say: "Behold, I perform the precepts of the Torah, and engage myself in its wisdom so that I will receive all the blessings described therein, or so that I will merit the life in the World to Come; and I will separate myself from the transgressions against which the Torah gave warning so that I will escape the curses described therein, or so that I will suffer excision from the life in the World to Come". It is improper to serve the Lord in such way, for whosoever serves the Lord in such way, he is a worshiper because of fear, which is neither the degree of the prophets nor the degree of the sages. And the Lord should not be worshiped that way, save only by ignorant men and infants who are trained to worship because of fear, until their knowledge increases when they will worship because of love.
בְּלִי דַּעַת וּבְלִי תְּבוּנָה, נַכִּיר, שֶׁהָאֱמוּנָה הַמְרַחֶפֶת בָּנוּ, שֶׁהָאֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט הוּא, לָתֵת לְאִישׁ כִּפְרִי מַעֲלָלוֹ, (אִם רַע וּמַר דַּרְכּוֹ יִוָּסֵר בָּעֳנָשִׁים רָעִים, אִם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא עוֹלָם הַנִּצְחִי, בַּל יֵדַע אֱנוֹשׁ עֶרְכָּהּ, עַד כַּמָּה תִּגְדַּל לְמַעְלָה רֹאשׁ בְּאֵיכוּת וּבְכַמּוּת. וְאִם זַךְ וְאִם יָשָׁר פָּעֳלוֹ, לְעֻמָּתוֹ בָּרוּךְ יֹאמַר, בְּתַעֲנוּגִים נִשָּׂאִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּבְיוֹתֵר בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, בְּעֵדֶן נִפְלָא לְמַעְלָה הַרְבֵּה מִשֵּׂכֶל וְהֶרְגֵּשׁ אֱנוֹשִׁי), הִיא רֵאשִׁית מִצְעָדֵנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ:
Without much insight or thinking, we recognize that the faith within us - that God judges each people - to give to each person according to his deeds. - This is the first step to take in serving God.
The second type of fear is fear of G-d's exaltedness (Yirat Haromemut). It means that a person distances and refrains from sin because of G-d's great honor, blessed be His Name. For how could his heart of flesh and blood, lowly and petty, allow or dare do something against the will of the Creator, blessed and exalted be His Name?!
