In chapter seven, verse 21, Moses tells the people not to be afraid as they enter the Land of Israel because God is b’kirbecha. This (compound) word is usually translated “in your midst” or “among you.” But another, equally valid translation could be “within you.” Do not be afraid because Adonai your God is within you.

Although this verse is nestled within a martial portion of the text, with instructions to conquer and destroy, the idea itself is important. What does it mean to have God within us, or among us, empowering and protecting us?

The idea that God is within us, that God is present in all creation, is central to Jewish Science. Rabbi Lichtenstein listed the Divine in humanity as one of the major emphases of Jewish Science. What Lichtenstein meant is that the Divine in us is the Source of all our virtues, goodness, love, joy, health, resilience, and peace. While our human minds are the source of our baser instincts and impulses: our drive to acquire wealth, to eat good food, have sex, and seek out shelter.

This dichotomy between the Divine and human minds within us is another way of expressing the Jewish doctrine of the yetzer ra and the yetzer tov. These are the inclinations towards badness and goodness respectively. Surprisingly, our sages taught us that both inclinations are necessary for our existence. A story is told in the Talmud that the sages attempted to eradicate the yetzer ra and they quickly realized life could not continue without it. Without the evil inclination, people would not marry or work, have children or build houses. Without the inclination towards acquisition, competition, lust and procreation, self-preservation, and so on, life ceases.

While the evil inclination is necessary for our existence, it cannot simply be given free reign. The good inclination, the Divine inner spark, must be strengthened and followed by choosing good over evil, by subordinating the evil inclination to the good and channeling our animalistic instincts towards good ends. Lust is confined within marriage and given sharp parameters; acquiring wealth is tempered by the commandments to give tzedakah and provide for the poor; gluttony is prevented by making every meal a sacred act of worship and gratitude; and so on. The Torah is our guide in how to subordinate our selfish impulses towards the good. This final farewell of Moses is attempting to tell us that the way toward the triumph of goodness consists of self-discipline. Or as Rabbi Lichtenstein and the Hasidic master would say, it is a guide in how to heal our souls.

We learn to walk in God’s ways, as 10:12 states, when we align ourselves with the Divine within, listening to the voice of God within us just as the Prophet Elijah did after the confrontation with the prophets of Baal. And when we do that, we choose life, health, love, joy, and peace for ourselves and our descendants. This is why it is so important to “circumcise the foreskin of [our] hearts,” as 10:16 states. Only by opening ourselves to hear God’s voice and walk in God’s ways can we have a fulfilled and meaningful life. And if we fail to align ourselves with the Divine within us, we will face the natural consequences in due time.

Nevertheless, Moses wants us to understand that God is merciful and loving. Despite the Israelites’ many sins in the desert, God kept the covenant with them. God did not abandon them, and indeed God promises to bless them beyond anything they deserve. When we learn to count our blessings and show gratitude for all that God has given us, we begin to align ourselves with God. And the more we choose to follow God, the more goodness we create in our lives and the lives of others. Throughout this parsha, Moses promises material prosperity to the Israelites if they will obey the commandments, but we are also taught that “Man does not live by bread alone” in 8:3. It is only by aligning ourselves with God that we can hope to receive and recognize the abundant blessings of God that are always with us.

Rabbi Lichtenstein taught that the best path toward God-consciousness and obedience to the commandments lay in prayer and meditation. By connecting with the Divine within us and around us, we are empowered and guided to be a blessing for all and to walk in God’s ways. By consistently opening our hearts to recognize God’s Presence, we naturally learn to do what is right and to shun what is evil.