Valentines Day- Love and Fear of GD

Have you ever been to Israel, and witnessed the Nachman Breslov Chassidim/guys screaming for Gd, like they are on fire, flying so high?

Some people might think its from unnatural substances, and it could be, but at the same time, it is very possible that its actually them, naturally, after a lot of work on their LOVE for GD, improving and inspiring themselves constantly.

When i was in seminary, the year after highschool when i was learning more Torah and secrets if the Torah, in an incredible environment, thats what i felt like.

I felt like my soul was actually flying, on fire, for Gd, my love for HIM was so intense, personal and PASSIONATE.

I was a Breslov in a Chabad body, and in a Chabad seminary. But in Tzfat.

Every Shabbat i went to pray at the Breslov shul/yeshivah and my soul felt like it would fly right out of my body.

I was on a Gd and Chassidus- Secrets of the Torah high.

Thats when Gd gave me the idea to start The Passionate Jew.

I felt that intense love for Gd and wanted others to feel it as well, so i started writing, and made a blog.

In seminary i learnt that theres 2 ways to love Gd truly.

One way is from love, and the other way is from fear or awe or respect.

Love is great, but when people hear that we have to love Gd with fear, it can sometimes push people away… why would i want to fear Gd?

Thats what i felt.

But after learning about it and realizing that to fear Gd, it means that you are scared to hurt your relationship WITH HIM, everything made sense.

Realizing that to really love Gd you need the balance, was eye opening and it changed my view of Gd and my relationship WITH HIM drastically.

When you love someone, like really love someone, you dont want to hurt your relationship with them in any way.

You constantly want to improve your relationship and show eachother that you love eachother. But what is love?

Love is having this intense feeling of LOVE, which is respect, and not wanting to do anything that makes them in pain, upset, hurt, love is wanting to be with eachother, constantly improving your relationship.

Real love is turning that passion and fire into something practical.

Yes, we love Gd and have that fire for HIM, but are we doing what HE wants? Are we trying to make HIM happy, and trying to improve our relationship constantly? Are we learning Torah- which the Secrets of the Torah say is like kissing Hashem, and doing Mitzvot- the commandments which is like hugging HIM?

Or are we not doing any?

Do we know HOW MUCH Gd loves us?

Do we get that just by being alive, Gd is showing us HIS incredible intense love for us?

And when Gd lets us get the things we want, its HIM showing us that HE constantly wants to improve and grow this special relationship WITH us?

Its not just a one sided relationship.

We are both contributed to it, us by learning Torah and doing Mitzvot,

And Gd letting us be alive every second that we are.

When Gd shows us REVEALED goodness and kindness, its HIM showing us HIS love, but did you know that when Gd shows us UNREVEALED goodness and kindness, its HIM wanting to see if we still are invested in this relationship, if we still love HIM, have faith and trust in HIM and our incredible, beautiful, personal relationship.

Like a bird with wings,

One wing is love of Gd and one wing is fear of Gd,

And if we dont have one of them, we are not able to fly, we are not able to carry out our mission, and love Gd correctly.

Sometimes my fear of GD gets a little low, and i feel imbalanced, its usually when i travel Gds world, and i feel overly infatuated with HIM, HIS creations, and HIS whole entire world. But when i come back down from that high, my love and fear both get rebalanced, and i feel like i can continue to serve Gd with my whole body, my head and my heart, with my head in the lead.

So Breslov, is the fireeeee, the heart and Chabad is the head and knows how to be practical and down to earth.

Both together is the best balance, using our head, and heart together, but our heads knowing when to bring the hearts wishes into action.

Our head knows how to take the intense love of Gd and bring it down into practical activities.

Our hearts actually do want our heads in the lead, cause it understands that its the only way its wants and desires will be fulfilled.

And one without the other would be like a bird with one wing.

Maybe thats why i feel so balanced…

Cause i connect with Breslov, but i was born in a Chabad family so my foundation is Chabad.

When i travel Gds world im a Breslover, on fire with so much intense love, and when im in one stable place, im Chabad, taking that fire and grounding it, making it into something practical with boundaries.

With love- The Passionate Jew aka The Grounded Hippie aka The Chabad Breslover.