BS''D
יתגבר כארי לעמוד בבוקר לעבודת בוראו שיהא הוא מעורר השחר
1:1 One should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning (1) for the service of his Creator, in order that he “wake up” (2) the morning.
1) Hur ofta får man be? Varför inte oftare?
(א) וְאֵל שַׁדַּי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, עַד כַּמָּה תְפִלּוֹת חַיָּב אָדָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, אֵין מִתְפַּלְּלִין יוֹתֵר מִשָּׁלֹש תְּפִלּוֹת שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ אֲבוֹת הָעוֹלָם. אַבְרָהָם תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּשְׁכֵם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם (בראשית יט, כז). וְאֵין עֲמִידָה אֶלָּא תְפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל (תהלים קו, ל). יִצְחָק תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ (בראשית כד, סג). וְאֵין שִׂיחָה אֶלָּא תְפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי יי יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ (תהלים קב, א). יַעֲקֹב תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם (בראשית כח, יא). וְאֵין פְּגִיעָה אֶלָּא תְפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַתָּה אַל תִּתְפַּלֵּל וְגוֹ' וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי (ירמיה ז, טז). וְאַף דָּנִיֵּאל כְּתִיב בֵּהּ, וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְיוֹמָא הוּא בָּרֵךְ עַל בִּרְכוֹהִי וְגוֹ' (דניאל ו, יא), וְלֹא פֵרַשׁ בְּאֵי זוֹ שָׁעָה. עָמַד דָּוִד וּפֵרַשׁ: עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם אָשִׂיחָה וְאֶהֱמֶה וַיִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי (תהלים נה, יח). לְפִיכָךְ אֵין אָדָם רַשַּׁאי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל יוֹתֵר מִשָּׁלֹש תְּפִלּוֹת בַּיּוֹם.
(ב) וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר, וּלְוַאי יִתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם וְהוֹלֵךְ כָּל הַיּוֹם. שָׁאַל אַנְטוֹנִינוֹס אֶת רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, מַהוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל שָׁעָה. אָמַר לוֹ: אָסוּר. אָמַר לוֹ: לָמָּה. אָמַר לוֹ: שֶׁלֹּא יִנְהַג קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ בַּגְּבוּרָה. לֹא קִבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ. מֶה עָשָׂה רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ. הִשְׁכִּים אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ: קִירִי בְּרָא. לְאַחַר שָׁעָה נִכְנַס אֶצְלוֹ אָמַר לוֹ: אִמְפְּרָטוֹר. וּלְאַחַר שָׁעָה אָמַר לוֹ: שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: מָה אַתָּה מְבַזֶּה בַמַּלְכוּת. אָמַר לוֹ: יִשְׁמְעוּ אָזְנֶיךָ מַה שֶּׁפִּיךָ אוֹמֵר. וּמָה, אַתָּה שֶׁאַתָּה בָשָׂר וָדָם, הַשּׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמְךָ בְּכָל שָׁעָה, אַתָּה אוֹמֵר מְבַזֶּה. מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אָדָם מַטְרִיחוֹ בְּכָל שָׁעָה.
(1)And God Almighty give you mercy before the man (Gen. 43:14). May it please our master to teach us the number of times a man must pray each day. Thus did our masters teach us: A man must not pray more than three times each day, as instituted by the patriarchs of the world. Abraham established the morning prayer, as it is said: And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord (Gen. 19:27). The word stood refers only to prayer, as is said: Then stood up Phinehas, and prayed (Ps. 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is said: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field (Gen. 24:63). The word meditation is used with reference to prayer, as it is said: A prayer of the afflicted when he fainteth, and poureth out his meditation for the Lord (Ps. 102:1). Jacob introduced the evening prayer, as it is said: And he lighted upon the place (Gen. 28:11). The word vayifgah (“lighted upon”) alludes to prayer, as is said: Therefore, pray not thou … neither make intercession (tifga) (Jer. 7:16). And it is written concerning Daniel: And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed (Dan. 6:11). However, in this verse, the time of prayer is not specified. It was David who came and set the time for prayer, by saying; Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain and moan, and He hath heard my voice (Ps. 55:18). Therefore a man may not pray more than three times a day.
(2) R. Yohanan declared: Would that men were permitted to spend the entire day at prayer. Antoninus asked our saintly Rabbi: “What if a man should pray every hour?” He replied: “That is forbidden.” “Why?” he queried. “So as not to act irreverently towards the Mighty One,” he responded. But Antoninus, however, would not accept this answer. What did our saintly Rabbi do? He arose early (the next day) and went to him and said: “O master, O ruler.” An hour later he visited him again, and said: “O emperor.” After another hour had passed, he called out: “Greetings, O king.” The king said to him: “Why do you ridicule the emperor?” And he replied: “Let your ears hear what your lips are saying. You are a mere mortal, and yet you say that the man who greets you every hour mocks you; how much more so, then, should the King of Kings, who is not a mere man, not be annoyed every hour.”
"The prayerbook does not take these differences between individuals or between the varying circumstances of the same person into account. The same morning, afternoon, and evening prayers are imposed upon the Jew every day of his life, the only variation being the additional prayers of Sabbath and holidays and the Ne'ilah service of Yom Kippur. The Jewish prayer - inasmuch as it is a distinctive religious institution, determined by religious considerations and a constitutive element of halakhic Judaism - is not intended to serve as an outlet for the feelings and thoughts of man. It is not the spontaneous outpouring of one's soul which necessarily varies with individuals, their moods and states of mind. /.../
The sole meaning of prayer as a religious institution is the service of God by the man who accepts the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. His acceptance becomes real through his assumption of the burden of Torah and Mitzvoth. Only the prayer which one prays as the observance of a Mitzvah is religiously significant. The spontaneous prayer ("when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before God") a man prays of his own accord is, of course, halakhically permissible, but, like the performance of any act which has not been prescribed, its religious value is limited. As a religious act it is even faulty, since he who prays to satisfy his needs sets himself up as an end, as though God were a means for promotion of his welfare. As in the case of any Mitzvah, prayer - especially prayer - is religiously significant only if it is preformed because it is a Mitzvah. Its religious value is minimal when it is preformed out of free inclination."
- Yeshayahu Leibowitz, "Of Prayer"
2) Iun Tfile?
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין עוֹמְדִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְלוּת, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂחוֹק, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שִׂיחָה, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה.
On the topic of proper preparation for prayer, the Sages taught: One may neither stand to pray from an atmosphere of sorrow nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of conversation, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of purposeless matters. Rather, one should approach prayer from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva.
"Is Iyyun Tefilah praise-worthy or to be avoided? From a thicket of what seem to be contradictions and confusion, one may glean two meanings of "intention" and two of Iyyun Tefilah. The great principle governing intention in prayer is: "He who prays must direct his heart to Heaven." The required intention is to serve God by observing the Mitzvah of prayer, not attention to the supplications or praises recited. /.../
Several of the greatest Amoraites testify that they were at times unable to concentrate on the content of their prayer. They regarded themselves as properly praying by virtue of their intention to observe the Mitzvah of prayer. The Tossafists make a careful distinction: "There are two kinds of Iyyun Tefilah - awaiting that one's request be granted [which is discreditable] and directing one's heart to Heaven [which is praiseworthy]." As summed up by Rabbi Solomon ben Adreth: "Not all intentions are identical.""
- Yeshayahu Leibowitz, "Of Prayer"
3) Nymodigheter?
"The various "occasional prayers" composed to lend a religious halo to personal or collective interests – "prayer for the welfare of the state," "a prayer for the parachutists," "a prayer for submarine crews" - are ludicrous and insipid. All these are either national-religious play-acting or expression of fears which have nothing to do with religious consciousness. By the nature of things as implanted in them by their Creator, if the girls assigned to folding the parachutes perform their work conscientiously and the parachutist follows his instructions carefully and skillfully, he will land safely. If not, the special prayer will be of no avail. "The foolishness of a man perverts his way, and his heart frets against God" (Prov. 19:3). To pray as one who has faith in God, not as one who worships an idol, one must recognize that "the regularity [implanted by God] of the world-order is constant," and that prayer is not the silly and impudent demand that God change the world's regularity for the benefit of the person praying, but is rather a token of man's cleaving to God by serving Him, no matter what occurs in his natural environment. In the words of the Psalmist, "I am continually with you, you hold my right hand... Whom have I in heaven but you and there is none that I desire on earth besides you... My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever" (Ps. 73)."
- Yeshayahu Leibowitz, "Of Prayer"
"The great contrast between prayer expressing consciousness of man's position before God and prayer as request of man's wants is highlighted in the prayers of the Days of Awe.[8] The mandatory portion voices man's apprehension of the glory of God's majesty, which leads to longing and hope that his great Name shall be magnified and sanctified in the world; all this without reference to a man's own concerns and troubles (see the prayers beginning "Now, therefore, impose Your awe," Reign over all the universe in Your glory," and especially "it is incumbent upon us to praise," which is the praise of thanks for Israel's privilege of worshiping God). The essence of the Yom Kippur experience is the consciousness of becoming purified before God and the awareness of the uniqueness of man's position before Him, even though man in himself is as nought. However, popular religiosity was unable to bear this sublimity of faith, and embellished this essential liturgy with prayers expressing man's anxiety about his fate, the fate of the people of Israel, and his relation to God, conceived as master over this fate. Most popular of all is the prayer U'netaneh Tokef. The concern with "who shall live and who shall die," "who will be impoverished and who enriched," and so on, is a general human concern that has no religious bearing. In this respect the man of faith does not differ from the infidel. Nevertheless, this prayer has been accepted as legitimate."
- Yeshayahu Leibowitz, "Of Prayer"
4) Två versioner av Shma?
מֵאֵימָתַי קוֹרִין אֶת שְׁמַע בָּעֲרָבִין
MISHNA: From when, that is, from what time, does one recite Shema in the evening?
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יי אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ בְּכָל֯־לְ֯בָבְ֒ךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁ֒ךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ: וְהָיוּ הַדְּ֒בָרִים הָאֵֽלֶּה אֲשֶׁר֯ אָ֯נֹכִי מְצַוְּ֒ךָ הַיּוֹם עַל֯־לְ֯בָבֶֽךָ: וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶֽיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּ֒ךָ בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּ֒ךָ בַדֶּֽרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּ֒ךָ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל֯־יָ֯דֶֽךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶֽיךָ: וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶֽךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
And you shall love Adonoy your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your possessions. And these words which I command you today, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them sharply to your children. And you shall discuss them when you sit in your house, and when you travel on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for totafos between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gateways.
וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹֽעַ תִּשְׁמְ֒עוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר֯ אָ֯נֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־יי אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל֯־לְ֯בַבְכֶם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁ֒כֶם: וְנָתַתִּי מְטַר֯־אַ֯רְצְ֒כֶם בְּעִתּוֹ֯ י֯וֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶֽךָ וְתִירשְׁ֒ךָ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ: וְנָתַתִּי עֵֽשֶׂב֯ בְּ֯שָׂדְ֒ךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּֽךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ: הִשָּׁמְ֒רוּ לָכֶם פֶּן֯־יִ֯פְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים֯ אֲ֯חֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם: וְחָרָה אַף־יי בָּכֶם וְעָצַר֯ אֶ֯ת־הַשָּׁמַֽיִם וְלֹּא֯־יִ֯הְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת֯־יְ֯בוּלָהּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּם֯ מְ֯הֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָֽרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר֯ יי נֹתֵן לָכֶם: וְשַׂמְתֶּם֯ אֶ֯ת־דְּבָרַי֯ אֵֽ֯לֶּה עַל֯־לְ֯בַבְכֶם וְעַל־נַפְשְׁ֒כֶם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם֯ אֹ֯תָם לְאוֹת עַל֯־יֶ֯דְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם: וְלִמַּדְתֶּם֯ אֹ֯תָם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּ֒ךָ בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּ֒ךָ בַדֶּֽרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּ֒ךָ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ: וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶֽךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ: לְמַֽעַן֯ יִ֯רְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יי לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַֽיִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
And it will be— if you vigilantly obey My commandments which I command you this day, to love Adonoy your God, and serve Him with your entire hearts and with your entire souls— that I will give rain for your land in its proper time, the early (autumn) rain and the late (spring) rain; and you will harvest your grain and your wine and your oil. And I will put grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware lest your hearts be swayed and you turn astray, and you worship alien gods and bow to them. And Adonoy’s fury will blaze among you, and He will close off the heavens and there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce; and you will perish swiftly from the good land which Adonoy gives you. Place these words of Mine upon your hearts and upon your souls,— and bind them for a sign upon your hands, and they shall be for totafos between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your sons, to speak them when you sit in your house, and when you travel on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gateways. In order that your days be prolonged, and the days of your children, upon the land which Adonoy swore to your fathers to give them [for as long] as the heavens are above the earth.
התורה באה לכונן תודעה של יראת יי ואהבתו3יראה דרך מעשים) מטרה זו שהערתי לך עליה היא מטרתם של כל מעשי התורה. כי על ידי כל אותם פרטים מעשיים, ועשייתם החוזרת ונשנית, יושג ליחידים הנעלים אימון עד שישיגו את השלמות האנושית, וכך יפחדו מיי יתעלה וייראו ויחרדו וידעו מי עמהם, ויעשו לאחר מכן מה שיש לעשות. הוא יתעלה ביאר שתכלית כל מעשי התורה היא השגת ההיפעלות הזאת, שכבר הוכחנו בפרק זה (פסקה 1) למי שיודע את האמיתוֹת, את אמיתוּת הצורך להשיג אותה – כוונתי לפחד ממנו יתעלה וליראה ממצוותו. הוא אמר: "אִם לֹא תִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת הַכְּתֻבִים בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה, לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא הַזֶּה אֵת יי אֱלֹקֶיךָ" (דברים כח,נח). התבונן כיצד אמר לך במפורש שהמטרה מ"כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת" היא תכלית אחת, שהיא "לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם" וכו'. מדבריו בפסוק זה: "אִם לֹא תִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת" תלמד שתכלית זו היא המושגת מן המעשים. הרי התברר שהיא מן המעשים, עשה ולא תעשה.
אהבה דרך דעות) אשר לדעות שהתורה לימדה אותנו, שהן השגת מציאותו יתעלה וייחודו – אותן דעות מלמדות אותנו את האהבה כמו שביארנו כמה פעמים (ג,כח2 ובהפניות שם; ג,נא28,13). ידוע לך הזירוז שזירזה התורה על האהבה: "[וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יי אֱלֹהֶיךָ] בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ" (דברים ו,ה).
4סיכום) כי שתי התכליות הללו, שהן האהבה והיראה, מושגות על ידי שני הדברים: האהבה מושגת על ידי דעות התורה הכוללות את השגת מציאותו יתעלה כפי שהוא, והיראה מושגת על ידי כל מעשי התורה, כמו שביארנו. הבן אפוא את הסיכום הזה.
אהבה דרך דעות) אשר לדעות שהתורה לימדה אותנו, שהן השגת מציאותו יתעלה וייחודו – אותן דעות מלמדות אותנו את האהבה כמו שביארנו כמה פעמים (ג,כח2 ובהפניות שם; ג,נא28,13). ידוע לך הזירוז שזירזה התורה על האהבה: "[וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יי אֱלֹהֶיךָ] בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ" (דברים ו,ה).
4סיכום) כי שתי התכליות הללו, שהן האהבה והיראה, מושגות על ידי שני הדברים: האהבה מושגת על ידי דעות התורה הכוללות את השגת מציאותו יתעלה כפי שהוא, והיראה מושגת על ידי כל מעשי התורה, כמו שביארנו. הבן אפוא את הסיכום הזה.
What I have here pointed out to you is the object of all our religious acts. For by [carrying out] all the details of the prescribed practices, and repeating them continually, some few pious men may attain human perfection. They will be filled with respect and reverence towards God; and bearing in mind who is with them, they will perform their duty. God declares in plain words that it is the object of all religious acts to produce in man fear of God and obedience to His word-the state of mind which we have demonstrated in this chapter for those who desire to know the truth, as being our duty to seek. Comp. “If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God” (Deut. 28:58). Consider how clearly it is stated here that the only object and aim of “all the words of this law” is to [make man] fear “the glorious and fearful name.” That this end is attained by certain acts we learn likewise from the phrase employed in this verse: “If thou wilt not observe to do . . . that thou mayest fear.” For this phrase clearly shows that fear of God is inculcated [into our hearts] when we act in accordance with the positive and the negative precepts. But the truths which the Law teaches us—the knowledge of God’s Existence and Unity—create in us love of God, as we have shown repeatedly. You know how frequently the Law exhorts us to love God. Comp. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5). The two objects, love and fear of God, are acquired by two different means. The love is the result of the truths taught in the Law, including the true knowledge of the Existence of God; whilst fear of God is produced by the practices prescribed in the Law. Note this explanation.
תַּנְיָא, הָיָה רַבִּי בְּנָאָה אוֹמֵר: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ — תּוֹרָתוֹ נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ סַם חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״רִפְאוּת תְּהִי לְשָׁרֶּךָ״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״. וְכׇל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ סַם הַמָּוֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי״, וְאֵין עֲרִיפָה אֶלָּא הֲרִיגָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעָרְפוּ שָׁם אֶת הָעֶגְלָה בַּנָּחַל״.
It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Bena’a would say: Anyone who engages in Torah for its own sake, his Torah study will be an elixir of life for him, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them who lay hold upon it” (Proverbs 3:18), and it says: “It shall be health to your navel” (Proverbs 3:8), and it says: “For whoever finds Me finds life” (Proverbs 8:35). And anyone who engages in Torah not for its own sake, e.g., for self-aggrandizement, his Torah will be an elixir of death for him, as it is stated: “My doctrine shall drop [ya’arof ] as the rain,” and arifa means nothing other than killing, as it is stated: “And they shall break the heifer’s neck [arefu] there in the valley” (Deuteronomy 21:4).
"We must pay strict attention to the wording: Maimonides does not say that a person ought to conduct himself in this manner, but rather that he should aspire to this way of conducting himself. He distinguishes between the end itself and the striving toward it. Maimonides is aware that the goal indicated in the first portion of the reading of Shema is "an exceedingly high and difficult achievement which only the very few attain after highly elaborate preparation"; "that not all persons apprehend the truth as did Abraham, and therefore the masses have been permitted- in order to confirm them in their faith - to perform the Mitzvoth out of hope for reward and to refrain from transgression for fear of the punishment... until one may apprehend and know the truth and the perfect way."[9] "Permitted" is the key word to understanding "if you will hearken." "What the Exalted One demands of us" is set forth in the first portion of Shema."
- Yeshayahu Leibowitz, "The Reading of Shema"