Rabbi Dr. Amir Mashiach was Shaliach in Chicago 1999-2002, is currently a lecturer at Ariel University and Rabbi of the “Heichal Gavriel” community in Petah Tikva
In the parasha we read about the mitzvah of fearing God: “And you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.” The concept of fear has taken on such meanings that those who fear God experience anxiety and paralysis, to the point of avoiding involvement and disconnecting from material life, from society in Israel, and from the repair of the world.
Rav Kook spoke at length about fear of Heaven and did not spare criticism of the mistakes in the meaning of the concept.
“The idleness that sometimes follows fear of Heaven comes from a lack of clarity in knowing the difference between good and evil in the qualities of the soul… it weakens, in those lacking clarity, the totality of the forces — both the spiritual force, namely intellectual essence… and the material force, which is the stirring of life, desire for work, and energetic action. The correct understanding must always restore to those who fear God this great loss of theirs: to know that fear of God in its purity must necessarily strengthen power in general and bring forth into action every hidden potential within the soul to understand and do good” (Midot HaRa’ayah, “Yirah,” 9).
Fear of God strengthens life — both spiritual and material — and calls for enriching life and the entire world. A fear that leads to paralysis is a tragic mistake in the understanding and application of the mitzvah.
In his view, “The concept of fear of God adds might and courage to the soul of the person who understands it in its purity; it makes life full of meaning and great aspirations,” whereas among “the simple-minded it stands as a symbol of panic, causing weakness, despair, and helplessness.” Rav Kook claims that “this influence is very bad, and when it spreads, it causes rebellion against the entire yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, among young people who have tasted the flavor of strong life, who rightly seek life without dread and terror, but rather full of courage, confidence, and strength” (ibid., 3).
For him, a life of fear includes everything, and so he called, with critique and force: “We have dealt much with the spiritual,” yet “we have forgotten the sanctity of the body… we have abandoned practical life… and the connection with tangible physical reality, because of fallen fear [!]” (Orot HaTechiyah, 33). Fear according to the Torah of life includes all of life — both spiritual and material.
From this he argued that connection to holiness is not limited to religious rituals alone(!):
“That God can be conceived only through religion — this has cast the world into the depths of degradation. God must be known from all of life, from all existence, and naturally He will be known in all of life and in all existence. Religion is an assisting means to prepare deeds, traits, feelings, and the orders of external and internal society, in a fitting way that prepares life and existence to know God… ‘Religion’ is the proper name for this among every nation and tongue — but not so in Israel. The Torah of life is not merely religion; our Torah of life is the revelation of God, revealed through it together as all of existence. The Torah and existence, being united, reveal God in life… God is revealed from everything, from the sacred and from the profane” (Kovetz MiKetav Yad Kadsho, vol. 2, Pinkas HaDapim Aleph, 20).
True fear of God, according to the Torah of Israel, is not religious anxiety, but all-encompassing action — sacred and secular. “In all your ways know Him,” to repair the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty.
May we merit action and fear of God.
For comments: a.mashiach@gmail.com
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