“For Hashem your G-d is a consuming fire” (9:3)

“Between coldness and heresy stands an extremely thin wall. It is written: ‘For G-d your G-d is a consuming fire’ – G-dliness is a blazing flame. Torah study and prayer require a flaming heart, so that ‘all my bones should proclaim’ (Tehillim 35:10) the words of G-d.”

– Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch

Rav Nechemia of Dubrovna said:

“I once saw a Russian soldier being whipped. His crime? While standing watch on a winter night, his feet had frozen in their boots. ‘Had you remembered the oath you took to serve the czar,’ his commander berated him, ‘the memory would have kept you warm.’ ”

“For 25 years,” explained Reb Nechemia, “this incident inspired my service of the Almighty.”

 

Source: The “Once Upon a Chasid” e-mail sent by Chabad.org. Please note: This is very much like the original, but I changed it slightly and also, most of it was quoting someone else, so I didn’t change the quotes.

Good Shabbos!