אות - ריז

It is written, “You shall know this day and consider it in your heart that God is the Lord” (Deuteronomy 4:39) . Some philosophers try to use this verse to prove that one must know God philosophically. The Rebbe said that this is absolutely false and there is a reference which states that this interpretation was first used by the Karaites. 322 A breakaway sect of Judaism founded in the ninth century, which adheres only to the word of the Written Torah and rejects the Oral Torah as law. The truth is that the only way to know God is through faith. This is the only path to knowledge and perception of God’s true greatness. Thus, it is written, “And I will betroth you to me with faith, and you shall know God” (Hosea 2:22) .

In Likutey Halakhot , there is also a long discussion explaining clearly that true knowledge of God comes only through faith ( Likutey Halakhot , Giluach 3:8 ff ) .

Many verses tell us to know God. It is written, “You shall know this day and consider it in your heart that God is the Lord” (Deuteronomy 4:39) . It is also written, “Know the God of your father” (I Chronicles 28:9) . There is also, “Know that God is the Lord” (Psalms 100:3) . None of these verses have anything to do with philosophy. Their lesson is that we should constantly know that God is there and not forget Him for an instant (cf. Sefer HaChinukh 25) .

Great kings remind their subjects constantly to know that they have a ruler. This is especially true of their soldiers. They are continuously trained to know who is their lord and king. His fear must be on their faces (Exodus 20:17) in order that they serve him completely.

A king’s subjects are constantly told, “Know that you have a lord and master.” They are not told to philosophize about it, but to keep it in mind and not forget it. They are told to always think of the king and not do anything against his will.

The same is true of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are told, “Know the God of your father! Know and do not forget! Know this day and consider it in your heart that God is the Lord! Know that God is the Lord!”

We must be reminded of this many times. We might know that “God is the Lord,” but a host of worldly temptations and distractions are at work to make us forget this. Most people hardly ever think about God.

The Torah therefore reminds us, “Know that God is the Lord! Know the God of your father! Take this into your heart and mind, until it is tightly bound up there every instant!” Therefore, it is written, “You shall know this day and consider it in your heart that God is the Lord.” The main perfection of knowledge is binding your mind to your heart (see “ His Wisdom ” #39) . Then you know “in your heart that God is the Lord.” When this enters your heart, you will certainly gain a deep awe of God and will not sin.

We cannot write further about this, since every person’s knowledge of God must enter the gates of his own heart (see “ His Wisdom ” #1) . The more these are open, the more he will understand our words.

There are no biblical verses that teach us to know God through human speculation built on confused sophistry. Heaven forbid! The only way to know God is the way taught by our holy forefathers, who struggled all their lives for Him. They divested themselves of all worldly matters, totally subjugating every desire and emotion. Above all, they achieved total mastery of their sexual drives and so released themselves from the bondage of the root of evil. Consequently, they were able to perfect their intellect and truly recognize their Creator. This is the heritage they bequeathed to us.

It is our duty to accept this heritage with joy. Therefore, we say in our prayers, “Happy are we! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our lot! How beautiful is our heritage !” 323 Morning prayers, LeOlam Yehei Adam ("Man should always be God-fearing"), found in Tanna DeVei Eliyahu Rabbah 21. The main lesson of these verses is that we take this holy knowledge into our minds, bring it into our hearts and bind it there constantly, in order that His fear will be on our faces so that we sin not (Exodus 20:17) .