Note 1 — THE THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF OUR CREED. (continued 2)

It has been shown above that one of the principles of faith which we confess is our belief in the Divine origin of the Torah, and in the obligatory character of its precepts. When we pray to God to make us understand the Torah we are not content with the mere knowledge of the words of the Law; we also seek God’s assistance to enable us “to obey, to observe, and to perform” all that He has commanded us. Man’s nature is not the same in all individuals; one person finds special delight in the performance of this duty, another in the performance of that. Every one likes to devote his energies to that work for which he considers himself best qualified, and which promises to yield the best fruit. But this individual liking or aptitude must not mislead us into thinking that the Law is divided into important and unimportant precepts. So far as they represent the Will of the Almighty they are all alike, and equally demand our attention and our obedience. Thus the ‏קבלת עול שמים‎,1 our unconditional submission to the Will of the Almighty as our King, is followed in our Service by ‏קבלת עול מצות‎,1 the acknowledgment of the binding force of His precepts.