Rav Amital:
The basic level of the fear of God is a similar feeling. We nullify ourselves in the face of His great exaltedness as our Creator and as our Father, because of whose abundant love we are called His sons, and upon whose loving-kindness we rely in every step that we take. Thus, there arises within us a feeling of absolute commitment to God, to obey Him and accept His commands as self-evident, and to do whatever finds favor in His eyes.
Obviously, this feeling requires constant nurturing, and it is our obligation to take steps to intensify this feeling of commitment. It must be emphasized, however, that we are not dealing here merely with a decision to accept commitment, for our goal is that this sense of commitment be transformed into a natural feeling that is constantly with us, this being the fear of God. The more deeply we experience this feeling, the closer we will come to loving and fearing Him.
The Alter of Slobodka:
The Torah is not describing life that is restricted or petty, a life of crude and cheap desires that run about in man's heart and confine him in narrow and suffocating straits. A Torah life is illuminated by God's light; it opens up wide expanses before man, broadening his heart and soul. His eyes will see all the worlds, and his thoughts will encompass eternity. A life of Torah is so pure and pleasant that it does not contain even the slightest unpleasantness – spiritual or material.
From JEWISH VALUES IN A CHANGING WORLD
http://www.vbm-torah.org/values.html
By Harav Yehuda Amital
LECTURE #1b: The Fear of God in Our Time Part 2 of 2
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