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Why does Rosh Hashanah feel oppressive if we should serve God from love, not for reward? The shiur resolves this through Rashi (רש"י)'s apparent contradiction: we must expect God's response without demanding payment owed. True love requires knowing the beloved will reciprocate from caring, not obligation, transforming judgment day into celebration of divine relationship.
This Rosh Hashanah shiur to lawyers explores three fundamental questions about Jewish spiritual life. First, Rabbi Zweig addresses why Rosh Hashanah feels heavy and oppressive when Judaism should inspire love of God. Second, he examines the apparent contradiction between the holiday's focus on reward and punishment versus the Talmudic teaching that one should not serve God for reward. Third, he grapples with how reward can simultaneously be the foundational axiom of Judaism while being forbidden as a motivation for service. The resolution begins with a careful analysis of Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on loving God from Parshas Shema. Rashi defines love as serving without intention of wealth, position, or recognition, but concludes 'don't worry, all the rewards will come.' This seeming contradiction reveals a profound insight: serving someone while expecting no response is not love but self-destruction. Rabbi Zweig explains that idol worship (avodah zarah) literally means serving an 'estranged' god - one who doesn't respond to his worshippers.
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Parshas Shema, Rashi's commentary on loving God
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