“What are you going to give me if I listen?”

Sometimes, kids want prizes for their behavior or to be acknowledged for their help.

“Mommy, are you thirsty? Can I get you a drink of water?”

And sometimes, kids are not focused on themselves but on their parents. Anything that they can do to make a parent’s life easier makes them happy. Children have a natural love for their parent that makes such selfless love possible—to the extent that a child is even capable of giving up his life for a parent.

Every Jew inherited such a love of G‑d from the patriarchs. Meditating about the fact that G‑d is our loving father awakens this natural love, and gives us the ability to do His mitzvot not for any reward we might get, but because it’s what G‑d wants. This completely turns the tables from thinking about what we want to accomplish to focusing on what G‑d wants accomplished.

It may take some getting used to. A simple tool to get accustomed to this way of thinking is to frequently say out loud: “G‑d is my loving Father, and I would do anything to make Him happy.”

From our mouth to our heart, we can then serve G‑d for G‑d’s sake.

Tanya Bit: G‑d is “thirsty” for my mitzvot, and I do them out of love for Him.

(Inspired from Chapter 44 of Tanya)