The Torah’s first four sefarim describe the importance of faith in Hashem and observance of His mitzvot. In Sefer Devarim, Moshe Rabbeinu adds a personal dimension: the need to develop feelings for Hashem and maintain mindfulness of our relationship with Him.
After Moshe facilitated Hashem’s open miracles during Yetziat Mitzraim, the Exodus, and their forty-year sojourn in the desert, the Jews were about to enter into Eretz Yisrael — a land and a reality where Hashem would hide His Hand and presence. What kind of relationship would the Jews have with Hashem in this new reality?
To answer this question, Moshe Rabbeinu emphasized the importance of developing and sustaining a meaningful relationship with Hashem — one that includes emotions and captures our consciousness.
Feelings
Following Moshe’s lead, the Rambam details these feelings as part of his presentation of the Torah’s foundational principles. He first describes the mitzvah to believe in Hashem as the force behind the world’s existence. He then adds the need to fear and love Him.
Based on multiple verses, pesukim, in Sefer Devarim, the Rambam teaches that recognition of Hashem’s existence, His role in driving the world, and even reliance upon Him are insufficient. We need to appreciate Him in a way that inspires awe and love.
In his Moreh Nevuchim, the Rambam adds that achieving these feelings is the central goal of mitzvah observance and Torah study. Our observance of Hashem’s commandments reinforces our recognition of and awe toward Him; our Torah study inspires love by helping us appreciate Him through His wisdom.
D'veikut/G-d Consciousness
These feelings for and our general consciousness of Hashem must be at the forefront of our minds. The Ramban derives this from another Sefer Devarim staple — the mitzvah of d’veikut baHashem, a term which translates as “sticking” to Hashem. How do we “stick” to Hashem, who is both non-physical and beyond our reach in this world?
Obviously, we cannot physically connect or even draw physically closer to Hashem.
The Ramban explains that we achieve d’veikut by focusing our minds on Hashem throughout the day — even while involved in worldly matters and mundane conversation with others. We live in a world where Hashem hides His presence, and we engage in activities not inherently connected to His service. This makes maintaining awareness of His presence and our relationship with Him challenging. We need to make a conscious effort to keep our mental focus on Hashem.
Though the Rambam understands the mitzvah of d’veikut differently, he entirely agrees with the great importance of d’veikut and its centrality to avodat Hashem. After devoting his Moreh Nevuchim to understanding the nature of G-d, the Rambam concludes with the importance of sustaining consciousness of His existence. He explains that the ultimate avodah is not comprehending Hashem but focusing upon Him. The whole reason we work to understand Hashem’s existence is to know what to focus our minds upon.
The Rambam adds that our bilateral relationship with Hashem hinges upon this focus. When we focus on His existence, we are connected to Him, and He is connected to us; when we do not, we are disconnected from Him, so He disconnects from us.
Facilitating Kedushah
The Ramchal agrees with the Ramban’s understanding of the mitzvah and includes it in the Mesilat Yesharim’s chapter about kedushah because he sees d’veikut as part of how we achieve holiness. Kedushah means living a spiritual-focused life. We live in a physical world, but aim to emphasize the spiritual. Constantly focusing on Hashem, even while involved in mundane activities, maintains our spiritual identity and thus cultivates holiness.
The Way We Walk Before G-d
Taking his lead from the Rambam, Ramban, and Ramchal, the Rema opens his commentary to the Shulchan Aruch by focusing on the centrality of G-d-consciousness. He describes imagining oneself in the presence of G-d as the klal gadol (great principle) of the Torah and the level of the tzaddikim who walk before G-d.
Because we do not always identify what we see in our world as being created and driven by Hashem, we don’t view ourselves as walking before Him. The Rema instructs us to endeavor to always see Hashem opposite us — in everything we encounter. When we do so, we spend our lives walking before Him.
The Reminders
Objects
Because G-d consciousness is central to the Torah, it commands us to create and interact with objects that remind us of Him.
The first are the tzitzit. The Torah mentions that tzitzit remind us of mitzvot, but they also remind us of Hashem, the One who commands us to fulfill them. They do so through the techeilet string, which reminds us of the heavens and Hashem’s heavenly throne. Wearing and seeing the techeilet string on our clothing throughout the day should remind us of the One we walk before.
The Rambam saw the mezuzah in a similar way. He explains that the mezuzah reminds us of Hashem’s presence and centrality in the world each time we leave and return home. In the course of the day, we can get distracted by things the world considers significant. The mezuzah reminds us of Hashem and what really matters — living our lives properly by following His directives.
While discussing this idea, the Rambam quotes a statement of Chazal that mentions tefillin together with tzitzit and mezuzah. Tefillin also remind us of Hashem’s presence by evoking the strong arm He used to redeem us from Egypt — an example of His constant involvement in our world. Chazal teach us that Hashem also wears tefillin. His tefillin describe His special relationship with us, just as our’s describe our commitment to Him. This makes tefillin a true ot, a sign and reminder of our relationship with Hashem.
Actions
At the end of his Moreh Nevuchim, the Rambam speaks about another type of reminder — our actions.
The Rambam explains that the “whole purpose” of reading the Torah, praying, and performing other mitzvot is to focus us on Hashem. Proper observance of these mitzvot helps us sustain our G-d-consciousness.
The Rambam suggests a step-by-step method of how to strengthen this consciousness. The first step is clearing our minds when we read Kriyat Shema and pray. Once we get used to this, we should work on focusing our minds every time we read or hear the Torah. The next step is to focus our thoughts during any type of Torah learning and when we recite berachot (times when we address Hashem). Finally, we should focus on Hashem whenever performing a mitzvah or Torah-related activity. A person on this level focuses on Hashem’s existence for a large portion of each day and is on his way to consistent or even constant G-d-consciousness.
In Sefer Devarim, Moshe emphasizes the importance of fear, love, and closeness to Hashem over twenty times. He aimed to ensure that our relationship with Hashem extends beyond just belief in Him.
In the thousands of years since, four other great Moshes (Rambam, Ramban, Ramchal, and Rema) elaborated on the importance of Moshe Rabbeinu’s teachings and how to achieve them. May their words inspire us to seek and sustain a complete, deep, and meaningful relationship with Hashem.
Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.
His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com.