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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by B Rose
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We read the Posuk every day in the Shema, "You shall love Hashem, Your G-d, With all your heart" (6:5)
Chazal tell us that "all your heart" means with both your Good and Evil inclinations. Why is it necessary to tell us to serve Hashem with our Good inclination? The good inclination by its very nature moves us to do only good things!
Rav Moshe Feinstein tells us the answer is very simple, he says: When people follow the dictates of what their own thinking tells us is "good" they often do bad things. For example a person might give charity to institutions that he thinks are good but actually he is supporting activity which is not only not good but can sometimes even be bad. One must seek a wise person on how and to whom he should give. Similarly the midah of Racheim (mercy) can be yield bad results. Many merciful people in western countries have mercy on murderers and after half of a life sentence they are set free when they can go again and kill. Every Good trait has the potential for bad. Therefore we have to be reminded and warned to love Hashem with our Good Inclination by seeking Direction from a Torah Scholar and not to do the opposite by misplaced reliance on our emotions chas v'sholom.
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