Fear (פחד)

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The Value of Vigilance

TANAKH

Constant vigilance and fear can be protective, while complacency and hard-heartedness can lead to misfortune. The book of Proverbs, part of the Hebrew Bible, offers wisdom on living a moral and righteous life, emphasizing the importance of fearing God and remaining cautious.

Happy is the man who is anxious always,
But he who hardens his heart falls into misfortune.

Proverbs 28:14

The Power of Fear

TALMUD

The physiological effects of fear can be so intense that they can cause sudden physical changes, such as menstrual bleeding. The Gemara in tractate Sotah discusses how sudden fear, as experienced by Queen Esther, can lead to immediate physiological reactions.

Abaye said: The woman is removed not due to a concern that she will die there but lest the fear of the water cause her to begin to menstruate, and it is prohibited for a menstruating woman to enter the Levite camp. The Gemara asks: Is this to say that fear causes muscular relaxation and menstrual bleeding? The Gemara responds: Yes, as it is written: “And the Queen was exceedingly pained” (Esther 4:4), and Rav says: This means that she began to menstruate…

Sotah 20b:12

The Dangers of Fear in the Home

REFERENCE

Causing excessive fear within one's household can lead to moral decay, violence, and the desecration of the Sabbath. Rav, a key figure in the Babylonian Talmud in tractate Moed Katan, teaches about the ethical consequences of instilling fear in one's home.

As badly as he hated boastfulness and vanity, Rav dis-liked people who caused excessive fear in their own household. He said: “Whoever causes excessive fear in his own house, drives people to laxity of morals, shedding of blood, and desecration of the Sabbath.”

The Jewish Spiritual Heroes, Volume III; The Amoraim of Babylon and the Babylonian Talmud, Rav; Abba Arecha 189

Fleeing from Divine Command

LITURGY

The story of Jonah highlights the human tendency to fear and flee from divine commands, and the inevitable divine intervention that follows. The Book of Jonah, read during the Yom Kippur Mincha service, emphasizes themes of repentance and divine mercy, aligning with the day's focus on atonement and self-reflection.

And the word of Adonoy came to Yonah, the son of Amittai, saying: Rise up and go to Ninveh, the great city, and call upon her; for their evil has come before Me.” And Yonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from before Adonoy, and he went to Yaffo and found a ship bound to Tarshish and he paid the fare and boarded it to go with them to Tarshish from before Adonoy. And Adonoy sent a strong wind out to sea and it became a mighty storm in the sea and the ship threatened to fall (break) apart. And the sailors were frightened…

Machzor Yom Kippur Ashkenaz Linear, Mincha, Torah Reading for Mincha Service 31

The Transformative Power of Fear in Repentance

HALAKHAH

Regular repentance motivated by fear of God can transform knowing sins into unknowing ones, but complete atonement requires deeper emotional and spiritual commitment. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, in his contemporary presentation of Jewish law, Peninei Halakhah, explores the multifaceted process of repentance during the Days of Awe, emphasizing the need for sincere regret, sorrow, and ethical behavior.

Regular repentance is motivated by fear – fear of being punished or fear of losing one’s reward, in this world or the next. This type of repentance transforms knowing sins into unknowing ones. However, in order to erase the impression left by unknowing sins, atonement must include regret, sorrow, and suffering in accordance with the severity of the sin. In the times of the Rishonim, many people would undertake fasts and ascetic practices to ensure complete atonement. The more a person studies Torah diligently, gives charity, and performs acts of kindness…

Peninei Halakhah, Days of Awe 6:10:3

The Downfall of the Spies

MUSAR

The fear of losing honor and position can lead to moral failings and catastrophic consequences. In his 18th-century ethical work, Mesillat Yesharim, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto explores the motivations behind the actions of the biblical spies and the dangers of pride and self-interest.

And according to our sages of blessed memory, what caused the spies to utter evil speech on the land leading to their death and the death of an entire generation. They feared that others will take over their position when they enter Israel thereby diminishing their honor, namely that they will no longer be chiefs over Israel (Zohar Bamidbar 158a).

Mesillat Yesharim 11:159

Mutual Fear in the Wilderness

COMMENTARY

The people of Jericho were equally fearful of the Israelites as the Israelites were of them, highlighting a mutual fear rather than a one-sided fear. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his series 'Covenant and Conversation,' explores the Israelites' fear during their journey in the wilderness, particularly in the context of the spies sent to Canaan in Numbers 13.

The people of Jericho were not giants. They were as fearful of the Israelites as the Israelites were of them. Nor was this something that was disclosed only later. The Israelites of Moses’ day had already sung in the Song at the Sea:

Covenant and Conversation; Numbers; The Wilderness Years, Sh'lach, Fear of Freedom 13

The Intimidation of Goliath

SECOND TEMPLE

The physical and psychological intimidation posed by Goliath instilled fear in Saul and the Israelite army, preventing them from engaging in battle for an extended period. Josephus, the 1st-century Jewish historian, recounts the famous biblical story of David and Goliath, highlighting the fear that paralyzed the Israelite army.

How The Philistines Made Another Expedition Against The Hebrews Under The Reign Of Saul; And How They Were Overcome By David's Slaying Goliath In Single Combat.
1. Now the Philistines gathered themselves together again no very long time afterward; and having gotten together a great army, they made war against the Israelites; and having seized a place between Shochoh and Azekah, they there pitched their camp. Saul also drew out his army to oppose them; and by pitching his own camp on a certain hill, he forced the Philistines to leave their former camp…

The Antiquities of the Jews 6:9:1

The Fear of the Twelve Spies

MIDRASH

The Israelites' fear and lack of faith in God led to their improper request for scouts, despite God's previous guidance and promises. This narrative from the early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, recounts the biblical episode of the Twelve Spies and its consequences.

When Israel approached the boundaries of Palestine, they appeared before Moses, saying: "We will send men before us, and they shall search out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come." This desire caused God to exclaim: "What! When you went through a land of deserts and of pits, you had no desire for scouts, but now that you are about to enter a land full of good things, now you wish to send out scouts. Not only was the desire in itself unseemly, but also the way in which they presented their request to Moses…

Legends of the Jews 3:4:87

The Weight of Words in Capital Cases

TALMUD

The Talmudic tractate Sanhedrin underscores the gravity of false testimony in capital cases, emphasizing the fear and moral responsibility it entails. Witnesses were intimidated upon their arrival, warned about the eternal consequences of their testimony. Unlike monetary cases, where compensation suffices, in matters of life and death, one's testimony can determine not only immediate justice but also eternal ramifications.

MISHNA: How does the court intimidate the witnesses in giving testimony for cases of capital law? They would bring the witnesses in and intimidate them by saying to them: Perhaps what you say in your testimony is based on conjecture, or perhaps it is based on a rumor, perhaps it is testimony based on hearsay, e.g., you heard a witness testify to this in a different court, or perhaps it is based on the statement of a trusted person…

Sanhedrin 37a:10-11

The Dangers of Excessive Fear

JEWISH THOUGHT

Excessive fear can weaken a person, depriving them of their strength and might. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, a prominent early 20th-century Jewish thinker, explores the detrimental effects of excessive fear on the human spirit.

There is a deficiency in fear from its external aspect, because it softens the heart too much. It deprives a person of the character of his might, and so in that respect he remains like a man without any strength.

Shemonah Kevatzim 1:178:1

The Psychological Impact of Fear

KABBALAH

Jacob's fear of Esau led him to act submissively, which influenced Esau's perception and behavior. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers a mystical interpretation of Jacob's encounter with Esau in the Torah portion Vayishlach.

But Jacob, we read, as soon as he saw him, “was greatly afraid and distressed”, and when he approached him he commenced bowing and kneeling before him, as it says: “and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother”. Esau then said to himself: “Had he really been so well equipped as he said, he would not have bowed before me”, and he again began to carry himself haughtily.

Zohar, Vayishlach 2:29

Moses' Fear and Self-Doubt

TANAKH

Even Moses, one of the greatest leaders in Jewish history, experienced fear and self-doubt when tasked with confronting Pharaoh and leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The book of Exodus recounts Moses' initial hesitation and feelings of inadequacy when God commands him to free the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?”

Exodus 3:11

A Life of Constant Fear

TANAKH

The Torah paints a stark picture of a life overshadowed by perpetual fear and uncertainty, where survival is never guaranteed. In Deuteronomy, Moses delivers a solemn warning about the pervasive fear and instability that will plague the Israelites, scattered across distant lands. They will serve foreign gods in unfamiliar surroundings, devoid of peace and stability, enduring a restless existence filled with dread day and night.

יהוה will scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, whom neither you nor your ancestors have experienced. Yet even among those nations you shall find no peace, nor shall your foot find a place to rest. יהוה will give you there an anguished heart and eyes that pine and a despondent spirit. The life you face shall be precarious; you shall be in terror, night and day, with no assurance of survival.

Deuteronomy 28:64-66

A Plea for Healing

COMMENTARY

The psalmist's profound fear of never recovering from illness and the plea to God for healing resonates deeply with anyone who has faced dire and hopeless situations. Psalm 6, traditionally attributed to King David, is a heartfelt plea for divine mercy and healing, often recited during times of personal distress or communal crisis.

For I am in great terror. More than just experiencing pain, the psalmist also fears that he will never recover from his illness, that he will die. He asks of God: And You, Lord, how long will You leave me in this dire and hopeless situation? When will I be healed?

Steinsaltz on Psalms 6:4

David's Fear in Gath

TANAKH

David's immediate fear upon realizing the threat posed by King Achish of Gath highlights the vulnerability and human emotions even of great leaders. In the biblical narrative of Samuel I, David's fear is palpable when he finds himself recognized and threatened in enemy territory.

These words worried David and he became very much afraid of King Achish of Gath.

I Samuel 21:13

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