1. Fear of God. ‏יראת השם‎—The true knowledge of God, of His Wisdom and Greatness, as visible in His works, leads us to fear God; that is, to fear doing anything that might displease Him and make us unworthy of His love. It is not a fear that terrifies us and drives us away from His presence; on the contrary, it draws us nearer to Him, and causes us to try to become more and more worthy of His love. “And now, O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God?” (Deut. x. 12). “If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this name which is to be honoured and revered, the Lord thy God; then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful” (Deut. xxviii. 58). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. i. 7). “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord” (Ps. cxi. 10). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Prov. viii. 13). “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days” (Prov. x. 27). “Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccles. xii. 13). “He who possesses learning but is without fear of God, resembles a treasurer who has the key for the inner door, but not for the outer one” (Babyl. Talm. Sabb. 31b). “Everything is in the hand of God except the fear of God” (Babyl. Talm. Ber. 33b). [32] 2. Love of God. ‏אהבת השם‎—The true fear of God is associated with the love of God. The latter means the constant longing for communion with Him, feeling happy and joyful when with Him, but unhappy and miserable when without Him. Love of God creates in us an anxiety to do everything in our power that might please the Almighty. He who is filled with love of God is ‏חסיד‎, pious; he does not rest content with doing what he is commanded, but anxiously seeks the opportunity of fulfilling a Divine command; he is ‏רודף אחר המצות‎, “eager in the pursuit of Mitsvoth.” The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, but love of God is the aim and end of all our religious thinking and striving. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. vi. 5). “The Lord preserveth all those who love him (Ps. cxlv. 20). “Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy; in thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. xvi. 11). “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Ps. xlii. 2). “Blessed are they who dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee” (Ps. lxxxiv. 5). “The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee” (Isa. xxvi. 8). “I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. iii. 18).