Kaisipang Hudyo sa Mga Kawikaan 24:7: Akeidat Yitzchak

The "fear" described in our Parshah is not only permissible, but leads to "love." To illustrate the meaning of G'ds request, let us employ a parable. A person was asked to scale a skyscraper whose doors were all locked at the bottom, and which appeared impossible to enter. When the person reacted with resignation, throwing up his hands in despair, it was pointed out to him that the request had not been accompanied by a time limit, nor had it specified the means of entry to be used or the manner in which the skyscraper had to be climbed. By using an extension ladder, the task could be accomplished one section at a time, without undue hardship for the climber. This is exactly what the Torah means (Deut 30,12-13) "She is not in Heaven, not too difficult for you to achieve, but close by, attainable." It can be accomplished gradually, step by step. If G'd had asked us for angel like, immediate and total achievement, it would indeed have been difficult; but as it is, we are not asked to perform any task that we are not equipped to handle. The ladder that the Torah provides for climbing the skyscraper has several rungs. The "fear," without which no further ascent is possible. Even if one performs the mitzvot only because of fear of punishment, one is no worse than small children learning obedience. However, even this has ethical merit since it will lead to performance based on loftier motivations. Horiot 10, teaches "doing the right thing for the wrong reason, will eventually lead to doing the right thing for the right reason."