How to Love Hashem
In the latter part of Parashas Va’Eschanan, we learn the parashah of Shema and ahavas Hashem, as well as the pasuk מצוך אנכי אשר האלה הדברים והיו לבבך על היום, and these words that I command you today shall be upon your heart. Here, we learn incredible words from the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh as he explains the connection between the pasuk that commands us to love Hashem and the second pasuk that exhorts us to place Hashem’s words upon our hearts:
“Through this pasuk of הדברים היוו , the Torah wants to teach us the way that a person can come to love Hashem [thus fulfilling the command of ואהבת]... for love is not something a person can force himself to feel; rather, it is in dependent on the feeling of the heart. And as long as the heart does not experience something that will activate love, it will not love, no matter what type of force one tries to employ.
Therefore comes the eitzah from Hashem with the commandment of לבבך על האלה הדברים והיו. When a person constantly places these words upon his heart, this will give birth to a tremendous spiritual desire and yearning, and his heart will run to the love of Hashem in everything that He has commanded him.
Mind Over Matter
In these words of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, we see the incredible concept of הלב על שליט מח, the mind dominates the heart. Through our plac-
