Question: My question is on the fear of G-d. I have always found this concept difficult to understand. For example I try to keep as many of the mitzvoth as I can because I want to and I am a follower of Judaism for the same reason not because of fear. I do not believe that G-d will destroy me if I do not follow a commandment. I believe in G-d and respect him, but I do not fear him. Is there a way to better understand this concept?
The Almighty is not out to get you. The fear you have described is not fear of G-d but fear of punishment, which is a very shallow way to serve Him. So you are right in not doing mitzvoth because He might ‘destroy’ you. G-d doesn’t want to destroy anybody, He loves you!
The fear of G-d that we strive for is the fear of disconnection from Him. Every time we act contrary to His will, we sever our spiritual connection which impedes the flow of Divine energy to us. That’s scary, indeed. In other words, we do not fear punishment; we fear the sin itself and its spiritual consequences. That is true fear of G-d.
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Question: What is word origin of the Hebrew term 'yibum'?
"If brothers reside together, and one of them dies childless, the dead man's wife shall not marry an outsider. Her husband's brother must come to her, taking her as his wife in a levirate marriage. The firstborn son whom she bears will then perpetuate the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be obliterated from Israel" -- Deuteronomy 25:5-6.
This relationship is called yibum and the one who perpetuates his brother’s memory is called the yavam. Yavam is an acronym for “yavo ben mimenu” – a child shall come from him.
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