227. Motivations in Serving God

Teshuvah 10:3

A person should love God to such a degree that his soul becomes bound up in love of God. In a sense, he will become “lovesick” for God. Such a person’s thoughts never stray from the object of his love. A lovesick man thinks about his woman when he sits down, when he gets up, and when he eats and drinks. One should cultivate an even greater love for God than for another human, as per Deuteronomy 6:5, You shall love Hashem, your God, with all your heart, with all soul and with all your might.” King Solomon referred to this in Shir HaShirim 2:5 when he said, “I am lovesick.”

Teshuvah 10:4

The Sages said that one’s motivation in studying Torah should not be to become wealthy, to earn the title “rabbi,” or to be rewarded in the Next World. The Torah says to keep the mitzvos to love God (Deuteronomy 11:13). Everything we do should be motivated by this love.

The Sages also interpreted the verse “Desire His commandments greatly” (Psalms 112:1). Desire the mitzvos themselves and not their reward. Similarly, the Sages told their students not to be like servants who serve their master in order to receive a reward. Rather, since God is the Master, it is appropriate to serve Him out of love.