Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10

Hook

This passage from Rambam's Mishneh Torah throws a fascinating curveball: it demands a love for God so intense it borders on obsession, yet simultaneously offers a pragmatic, almost counter-intuitive, pathway to get there. How can one be commanded to love God with an "exceeding love... as if he is lovesick," while also being told that performing mitzvot for reward eventually leads to that very ideal? It’s a paradox of divine service that challenges our assumptions about intention and spiritual growth.

Context

Maimonides (Rambam), writing in the 12th century, was a towering figure who sought to systematize Jewish law (Halakha) and philosophy. His Mishneh Torah is not just a legal code but a comprehensive exposition of Jewish thought, often infused with his Aristotelian philosophical framework. This specific chapter, on repentance and divine service, is deeply rooted in his broader understanding of human perfection. For Rambam, the ultimate human perfection is intellectual apprehension of God, and this intellectual knowledge is the foundation of true love for God. This passage, therefore, is not merely a moral exhortation but a philosophical blueprint for achieving spiritual excellence, outlining a clear hierarchy of motivations and a pedagogical strategy for ascent.

Text Snapshot

"A person should not say: 'I will fulfill the mitzvot... in order to receive all the blessings... or in order to merit the life of the world to come.'... It is not fitting to serve God in this manner... One who serves [God] out of love occupies himself in the Torah and the mitzvot... for no ulterior motive: not because of fear... nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true... Nevertheless, our Sages declared: A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come service that is intended for God's sake." (Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10:1-5, https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Repentance_10)

Close Reading

This dense passage lays out a profound and nuanced philosophy of divine service, moving from basic, instrumental motivations to the highest spiritual ideal, while also providing a practical pathway for everyone to embark on this journey.

Insight 1: The Hierarchical Structure of Motivation and Pedagogical Progression

The Rambam meticulously constructs a hierarchy of motivations for serving God, starting with the most basic and ascending to the most sublime. He begins by explicitly rejecting service motivated by "receiving all the blessings" or "meriting the life of the world to come," or conversely, avoiding "curses" or being "cut off from the life of the world to come" (Repentance 10:1). Such service, he states, is born "out of fear" and is characteristic of "common people, women, and minors." This isn't a dismissal of these individuals, but a recognition of a developmental stage. They are "trained to serve God out of fear until their knowledge increases and they serve out of love" (Repentance 10:2).

The pinnacle of this hierarchy is serving God "out of love," characterized by "no ulterior motive: not because of fear that evil will occur, nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true" (Repentance 10:2). This is the "very high level" of Abraham, whom God described as "he who loved Me" (Repentance 10:2). What's remarkable here is the Rambam's pedagogical strategy: he doesn't simply present the ideal; he acknowledges the human starting point and outlines a gradual process of maturation. This implies that spiritual growth is a journey, not an instantaneous leap, and that initial, less pure motivations can serve as necessary stepping stones. The "secret" (סוד) of pure love is revealed "bit by bit" as one's knowledge and wisdom grow, suggesting a continuous, evolving relationship with the divine.

Insight 2: The Key Term "שוגה בה תמיד" (Shogeh Bah Tamid) – Obsessive Love

The Rambam defines the "proper degree of love" for God in incredibly vivid and demanding terms: "That a person should love God with a very great and exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of God. Thus, he will always be obsessed with this love as if he is lovesick" (Repentance 10:3). The phrase "שוגה בה תמיד" (shogeh bah tamid) is critical here. Steinsaltz's commentary on this phrase clarifies its intensity: "שקוע בה כל הזמן" – "engrossed in it all the time" (Steinsaltz on Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10:3:2). The Seder Mishnah commentary further elaborates that "שוגה" implies "תעסקות במחשבתו לפחות שחושב תמיד בדבר ההוא, והוא התעסקות שיש בו ערבות ונעימות" – "engagement in his thoughts, at least, that he always thinks about that thing, and it is an engagement that has sweetness and pleasantness" (Seder Mishnah on Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10:3:1).

This isn't merely intellectual appreciation or occasional devotion; it's a state of constant, pervasive absorption. The Rambam even employs the metaphor of being "lovesick" (כאילו חולי האהבה), where one's "thoughts are never diverted from the love of that woman. He is always obsessed with her; when he sits down, when he gets up, when he eats and drinks" (Repentance 10:3). This comparison elevates divine love to the most intense human experience, suggesting that God should occupy one's consciousness with an even greater, unwavering focus. This level of love, he clarifies, is inextricably linked to knowledge: "One can only love God [as an outgrowth] of the knowledge with which he knows Him. The nature of one's love depends on the nature of one's knowledge!" (Repentance 10:10). Thus, the path to this obsessive love is through deep intellectual engagement and understanding of God's wisdom, as detailed in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah.

Insight 3: The Tension Between Ideal Intent and Pragmatic Pedagogy

The most striking tension in the passage lies between the rigorous ideal of selfless service and the pragmatic, even seemingly contradictory, advice offered for spiritual development. On one hand, the Rambam unequivocally states that "Anyone who occupies himself with the Torah in order to receive reward or in order to protect himself from retribution is considered as one who is not occupied for the God's sake" (Repentance 10:5). This sets an incredibly high bar for "lishmah" (for God's sake) service, demanding pure, unadulterated intention.

Yet, immediately following this, the Rambam introduces a crucial caveat: "Nevertheless, our Sages declared: A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come service that is intended for God's sake" (Repentance 10:5). This statement, attributed to "our Sages," provides a necessary bridge. It acknowledges that while the ideal is pure love, the reality of human nature often requires a more accessible starting point. It's a pedagogical concession, a recognition that instrumental motives can, surprisingly, lead to authentic, selfless devotion. This tension highlights Rambam's genius: he presents an uncompromising ideal while simultaneously offering a compassionate and realistic path for human beings to reach it, patiently guiding them from where they are to where they should be.

Two Angles

The Rambam's discourse on divine service can be viewed through two distinct, yet complementary, angles inherent in his own text, rather than a direct commentator vs. commentator debate. These angles represent the tension between the ultimate ideal and the practical journey.

Angle 1: The Absolute Ideal of Pure Love

This angle emphasizes the Rambam's uncompromising vision of serving God solely out of love, "for no ulterior motive: not because of fear... nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true" (Repentance 10:2). This is the "very high level" of Abraham, a state of profound devotion where the soul is "bound up in the love of God," described with the intensity of being "lovesick" (Repentance 10:3). From this perspective, any service, even Torah study, motivated by reward (including spiritual reward in the World to Come) is deemed "not for God's sake" (Repentance 10:5) and falls short of the commanded ideal of "Love God, your Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:5). This angle presents the aspirational summit, challenging individuals to transcend all self-interest in their divine relationship.

Angle 2: The Pragmatic, Gradual Path to Love

Contrasting with the absolute ideal, this angle highlights the Rambam's practical and compassionate pedagogical approach. He acknowledges that "common people, women, and minors" initially serve "out of fear" and for "reward" (Repentance 10:2, 10:6). Crucially, he states, "A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come service that is intended for God's sake" (Repentance 10:5). This is not a compromise of the ideal, but a recognition of human spiritual development. It offers a structured methodology, teaching individuals to start with accessible motivations, with the understanding that "as their knowledge grows and their wisdom increases, this secret should be revealed to them [slowly,] bit by bit" (Repentance 10:6). This angle provides a realistic, step-by-step guide for personal growth, ensuring that the sublime ideal remains attainable through consistent effort and learning, even if the initial motivations are imperfect.

Practice Implication

This passage profoundly shapes daily practice by transforming how we view our motivations and the spiritual journey itself. First, it encourages honest self-assessment: rather than simply performing mitzvot, we're challenged to introspect on why we're doing them. Am I learning Torah primarily for an intellectual reward, social status, or to simply check a box? Or am I genuinely seeking to deepen my relationship with God and understand His truth? This isn't about guilt, but about identifying our current spiritual "level" according to the Rambam's framework.

Second, it provides immense patience and encouragement for growth. For many, the idea of serving God "as if lovesick" seems impossibly distant. However, the Rambam assures us that starting with "not for God's sake" (lo lishmah) is not only acceptable but necessary for many, as it leads to "for God's sake" (lishmah). This empowers us to begin wherever we are, knowing that performing mitzvot, even for instrumental reasons, can cultivate the habits and knowledge that eventually blossom into pure love. This means teaching children about reward and punishment is not a failure, but a foundational step. For adults, it means continuing our learning and practice, understanding that each act, however imperfectly motivated, is a step on the path towards deeper connection and ultimately, the Rambam's ideal of obsessive, knowledge-driven love for God.

Chevruta Mini

1. The Rambam asserts that serving God for reward is "not fitting" and "not on the level of the prophets or of the wise," yet he permits (and even encourages) teaching "children, women, and most of the common people" to serve this way. How do we, as educators or individuals, balance the imperative to teach the highest ideal with the pragmatic need to motivate people at their current level? What are the potential tradeoffs in emphasizing reward too much, or not enough?
2. The Rambam connects "exceeding love" for God to "knowledge with which he knows Him" and the need to "seclude himself in order to understand and conceive wisdom." In our busy, modern lives, what practical steps can we take to cultivate the kind of deep, intellectual knowledge that the Rambam suggests is a prerequisite for this intense, obsessive love, given that "leaving all things in the world except for this" seems like an almost impossible task?

Takeaway

True love for God is an all-consuming, knowledge-driven obsession, yet the path to this ideal often begins with pragmatic, even self-interested, motivations, which gradually transform into pure devotion.