Chapter 25 (Part 1)

There’s only one way to acquire the sort of deeply affecting and stunning emotion that is the fear of G-d, and that is by taking these bold truths to heart, as Ramchal depicts them: first, “that G-d's Presence is found everywhere”, and second, “that He involves Himself in everything, great and small”. That’s to say that G-d Almighty’s will and being infuses each and person, place, and thing at every moment, and that He interacts with everything and everyone irrespective of their station.

In fact, “nothing is hidden from Him, either because it’s vast or insignificant. (indeed,) regardless of whether something is great or small, scant or imposing, G-d constantly sees and understands it” and busies Himself with it.

After all, didn’t the prophet report that, "The whole world is full of His Glory" (Isaiah 6:3); didn’t G-d Himself say, "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" (Jeremiah 23:24); didn’t the psalmist effulge, "Who is like G-d our G-d, who dwells on high, who lowers Himself to look upon the heavens and the earth?" (Psalms 113:5-6) as well as, "Though G-d is high up, He nonetheless notices the lowly"(Psalms 138:6)?

Given, then, that “the Holy One involves Himself in everything, and that He sees and hears everything, you can be sure that all (your) actions make an impression” up above, so it would be wise to always have that in mind and to act accordingly.

Ramchal goes on from there to then suggest that, “when it (in fact) becomes clear to you that wherever you are, you’re standing before the Divine Presence, you’ll (indeed) arrive at the fear and dread of stumbling in actions that would not be fitting before G-d's profound Glory” as you’ll be infused with the fear of Him and of sinning against Him.

Text Copyright © 2010 by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah.org Rabbi Feldman's new book, Bachya Ibn Pakuda's The Duties of the Heart, is now available! Order Now