Going Wild for Hashem

From Emulating Our Creator by Rabbi Moshe Goldberger

Do the will of Hashem as if it were your will, so that He will do your will as if it were His will... (Pirkei Avos) 

What are your goals in life? What do you really want to accomplish, with Hashem’s help? Hashem “wants” to help you achieve your goals, as the verse states: “I am Hashem, your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Tehillim 81:11). This does not mean that you can expect Hashem to fulfill all of your requests the way you envision them if you live the life of a Torah Jew.

These concepts are guideposts: If you accustom yourself to learning Torah and performing mitzvos, your desire will approach that of Hashem’s. Your desire for more gashmiyus (material possessions) will be replaced with a desire for more ruchniyus (spirituality). In addition, you will understand how all of your material pursuits can be used to serve Hashem.

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The more we enjoy the Torah and mitzvos, the more we will desire to serve Hashem

It all depends on the path you choose: On the path one desires to go, he will be led. This also depends on how much enthusiasm you invest in your plans and actions. A thought, by itself, does not constitute a “desire”; one must work on his goals in order to succeed.

We can also encourage ourselves to express our enthusiasm and delight in many aspects of life. Hashem’s world is full of wonderful things and splendid opportunities. A person’s potential can remain locked within if he does not get excited and enthused. Rabbi Avigdor Miller would explain that the words Hallel and Hallelu-ah comes from the word hollel, which means “wild with excitement.”

​Get accustomed to “going wild” with enthusiasm and idealism for Hashem’s We should never lose our zest for life. “Serve Hashem with joy” (Tehillim 100:2) is one of the greatest mitzvos. It is considered a constant mitzvah because it is a component of the mitzvah “to love Hashem with your whole heart” (Devarim 6:5) [Mesilas 98 Yesharim, ch. 19]. "Rejoice, you righteous, in Hashem and give thanks to remember His holiness" (Tehillim 97:12).

How can one rejoice in Hashem? By rejoicing in all the things that Hashem is doing for him. This joy will then be transferred to our Torah and mitzvah observance. The more we enjoy the Torah and mitzvos, the more we will desire to serve Hashem.