ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃
내 백성이 나를 청종하며 이스라엘이 내 도 행하기를 원하노라
Derashot HaRan
And this is the intent of (Deuteronomy 5:26): "Would that they had this heart in them to fear Me…" It is not stated that they should fear punishment or love reward, but that they should implant His fear in their hearts and fulfill His mitzvoth, this being the end of man. It is written: "Would that they…," for even though the Holy One Blessed be He is not benefited not harmed by our deeds, still He desires that we be righteous, as our sages state (Avodah Zarah 5a): "Im you walk in My statutes…" (Leviticus 26:3) — Im is a term of imploration," as in (Psalms 81:14): "Im [would that] My people listened to Me…" And this is the desired end in the creation of the world.