A primary focus in this week's parashah is yiras Shamayim. The Mishnah teaches, ואי דברים בשלשה הסתכל עבירה לידי בא אתה , "Reflect upon three things and you won't come to sin..." (Avos 3:1). The Rav of Biksad zt'l explained that דברים שלשה is a hint to the third parashah of sefer דברים, which is parashas Eikev. דברים בשלשה הסתכל, study parashas עבירה לידי בא אתה ואי ,עקב, and you won't sin, because this parashah stresses the importance of yiras Shamayim.
I heard that just as reading parashas haMan on Tuesday parashas Beshalach (parashas Beshalach discusses the manna) is a segulah for parnassah, so too, reading parashas haYirah (printed in siddurim next to parashas haMan) on Tuesday before parashas Eikev is a segulah for yiras Shamayim. Parashas haYirah begins with the following words: ליראה אם כי מעמך דורש אלקינו 'ה מה ישראל ועתה
How does one attain yiras Shamayim? The Or HaChaim (10:12) says that when a person appreciates the impact of his deeds – how the building and the destruction of this world, and all higher worlds, are in his hands, he will fear Hashem and be cautious with everything he does.
Another primary counsel for yiras Shamayim is to pray for it. The Rebbe of Kotzk explained: שמים בידי הכל, all one's requests are up to Heaven to decide whether or not to grant them. שמים מיראת חוץ, the exception is when one davens for yiras Shamayim. When one prays for wealth or any other material matter, Heaven may decide that it isn't good for him and not give it to him. But when one prays for yiras Shamayim, it is certainly good for him; therefore, Heaven will grant it to him.
Reb Elimelech Ashkenazi zt'l said that once, on a weekday, he heard Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt'l say birchas hashachar. When the Rav came to the words, ועון עבירה לידי ולא חטא לידי לא תביאנו אל, he cried, and he pleaded to be saved from sin, like a child begging his father.
It states (10:12) 'ה את ליראה אם כי מעמך שואל אלקיך 'ה מה ישראל ועתה, "Now, O Yisrael, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you? Only to fear Hashem..." The word שואל also means to borrow. Notice that the pasuk states מעמך שואל (asks from what's with you), and it doesn’t state ממך שואל (asks from you). This indicates that yiras Shamayim is with us; all we must do is bring it out. We shouldn't consider yiras Shamayim as an unattainable quest because yiras Shamayim is within the fabric and makeup of every Yid; we just have to bring it out.
The Beis Aharon zt'l explains, ליראיו מחסור אין כי קדושיו 'ה את יראו, fear Hashem, because ליראיו מחסור אין, those who fear Hashem don't lack anything at all — not spiritual nor material.
'ה את, "Now Yisrael, what does Hashem request from you? Only to fear Hashem..." (10:12). The Gemara derives from this that בידי הכל שמים מיראת חוץ שמים , everything is in Hashem's hands except for yiras Shamayim. Hashem does everything, but fear of Heaven is each individual's obligation to acquire on his own.
