Shir HaShirim-Pleasure to Love-Besht

The Baal Shem Tov taught: When you fall in love with an earthly pleasure, consider that the power of love was granted to you for the purpose of loving God, not for unworthy things. Then you will find it easy to serve God with the love awakened in your heart.

We read, “How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, for delights (Song of Songs 7:7)!” Without the feeling of love, stimulated by pleasures, it is difficult to feel true love of God. (Midrash R’Besh Tov, page 8)

Haggadah: Dayeinu: God satisfied our needs in the desert for forty years,” as distinct from the Manna, because He was allowing us to experience pleasure, specifically the pleasure of His love for us, so that we could feel true love for God.

iPray-iLove-Shema: Blessing Before Shema: This blessing, both in the morning and evening describes Gods great and eternal love for us, so that we experience His love before reciting theShema that asks us to Love God.