Rabbi Kaplan explains: as we approach the Messianic Era we need to live the Torah Lifestyle above the “Kindergarten Level”.
Comment by the editor: It should be obvious from many verses from the Tanakh that it is much better to serve Hashem out of fear than not serving at all. However, Rabbi Kaplan provides reasons why one should not remain at the level of fear alone.
Just as proof that the concept of serving Hashem out of fear exists, I will quote Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan’s translation to Deuteronomy 28 verses 58 and 59:
58 If you are not careful to keep all the words of this Torah, as written in
this book, so as to fear this glorious, awesome name of God your Lord,
59 then God will strike you and your descendants with unimaginable plagues.
The punishments will be terrible and relentless,* and the diseases will be
malignant and unyielding.