דברים, פרק י׳, פסוק ט״ז

Achieving true spiritual connection requires a profound internal transformation, demanding the active removal of emotional and mental barriers. The primary approach among commentators is that the human heart is naturally covered by a spiritual blockage that prevents it from fully feeling and understanding. Removing this barrier takes two main forms. The first is intellectual: clearing away foolishness, errors, and false beliefs so the mind can be receptive to truth and God's commandments [רמב״ן, ספורנו, רבנו בחיי, נתינה לגר, הטור הארוך, רלב״ג]. The second is moral, requiring a person to distance themselves from coarse physical desires and negative character traits [אבן עזרא, אבי עזר].

This spiritual obstruction is deeply ingrained. Some identify it directly with the evil inclination, which clings to a person as tightly as flesh [תורה תמימה]. The root of this blockage traces all the way back to the sin of the First Man, meaning that even the most righteous individuals harbor at least a small trace of this spiritual barrier [שפתי כהן]. Because of this universal condition, every person, regardless of their spiritual standing, has a duty to peel back at least a fraction of this covering to recognize their true purpose in serving God [העמק דבר].

Alongside opening the heart, there is a vital need to abandon the stubbornness that keeps a person from walking the proper path [ספורנו, ביאור שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר]. This serves as a warning not to repeat the tragic mistakes of earlier generations. The ancestors absorbed the practices of the Egyptians, clung to superstitions like the worship of angels and celestial bodies, and stubbornly persisted in their destructive ways, most notably during the sin of the Golden Calf [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. Conversely, another approach suggests this warning against stubbornness is aimed specifically at people of high spiritual and intellectual standing. It cautions them not to rely solely on their own human logic to understand God's laws, a flaw that led to the rebellion of Korach and his followers [העמק דבר].

When these internal blockages of foolishness and stubbornness are finally removed, a person reaches a crystal-clear recognition of God's greatness. With an open heart, it becomes evident that God is the supreme ruler over all spiritual forces and the heavens. This clarity brings a profound understanding of His absolute justice. God takes no bribes—not even the good deeds of a righteous person seeking to buy forgiveness for a sin—and He administers flawless, impartial justice for the weak, the orphan, and the widow [רמב״ן, רלב״ג, צרור המור].