דברים, פרק ל׳, פסוק ו׳

A profound process of spiritual transformation stands at the center of the divine promise, pointing to a time when the relationship between humanity and the Creator will reach absolute perfection. This promise focuses on a complete purification of the human heart, leading to a pure and natural love of God. The removal of the heart's barrier is not a physical act, but a deeply spiritual one [אבן עזרא]. It represents the stripping away of material desires, evil thoughts, the negative inclination, and the errors that cloud the mind and obscure the truth [רמב״ן, ספורנו, רבנו בחיי, נתינה לגר, ביאור שטיינזלץ, שפתי כהן]. The essential meaning of this process is the complete casting away of these spiritual obstacles [נתינה לגר].

The primary approach among commentators is based on the principle that those who come to purify themselves receive heavenly assistance. While a person is required to initiate the process of repentance on their own, completely breaking the evil inclination is an impossibly heavy task for flesh and blood. Therefore, God promises to intervene, assist, and finalize the purification of the heart [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, צרור המור, ביאור יש"ר, בכור שור]. This divine action brings about the greatest and most complete return to God, as it completely uproots the very attraction and desire to do evil from its source [אור החיים].

For many commentators, this promise points toward the Messianic era. Throughout history, humanity has been given full free will to choose between good and evil, allowing for a system of reward and punishment. However, in the future, God will completely eliminate the evil inclination. Choosing good and loving God will become an innate trait, and humanity will return to the pure, unblemished state of the first man before the original sin [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש"ר]. The awareness of God and closeness to Him will become as natural and vital as breathing. People will no longer view serving God as an obligation or a form of submission, but rather as the very meaning of their existence [רש"ר הירש, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This era of redemption will only unfold after all the souls stored in God's treasury have been brought down into the world [צרור המור, צאינה וראינה]. It will be accompanied by open miracles that will ultimately bring the nations of the world to recognize God [רלב״ג, צאינה וראינה]. Furthermore, this spiritual elevation will not be limited to a single generation; it will become a permanent reality for all future generations [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם].

The ultimate goal of this transformation is the attainment of true life, which carries multiple layers of meaning. It does not merely refer to physical survival, because loving God solely in exchange for material reward is a form of self-love rather than a genuine love for the Creator [העמק דבר]. Instead, it signifies winning an eternal, spiritual, and true existence in the World to Come, where there is no death [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה, רלב״ג, ביאור יש"ר, שפתי כהן]. Within this world, it translates to achieving the soul's ultimate vitality and the perfect delight that stems from clinging to God and fulfilling His commandments [העמק דבר, חתם סופר]. At the same time, this divine intervention serves a basic existential need: if God did not remove the urge to sin, the Israelites would inevitably fall back into wrongdoing and fail to endure, making this spiritual purification absolutely necessary for their continued existence [מלבי״ם].