Fear before Belief?
In this week’s Torah reading, as the Torah describes the splitting of the Yam Suf (Red Sea), the Torah says that the Jews became fearful of God and had emunah (faith) in Him. During this experience, the Jews were saved from the Egyptians who were pursuing them, while the Egyptians drowned. The Torah stresses that this brought the Jews to a new level of fear of God and emunah. However, the sequence seems to be backwards. Why does the verse first say that they feared God and then that they believed in Him as well? It would seem to be reversed. One must first believe in God’s existence in order to fear Him.
True Acknowledgement of God
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe (Alei Shur Vol. 1 chapter 20) explains the concept the verse is alluding to as follows: Indeed, one cannot possibly have fear of something which he doesn’t believe exists. However, mere intellectual acknowledgement of God’s existence is only the first step. In order to really fulfill the obligation to believe and acknowledge God’s existence, one must live with this concept as a reality in life. As long as one conducts himself without a feeling that he is under the sovereignty of God, he is not truly comprehending God’s existence. True acknowledgement of God is only accomplished when one lives with the reality that he is under the authority of God.
Fear Strengthens Emunah
How does one incorporate this concept into his life? This is accomplished with a sense of fear of God. When one develops an understanding that there is a Boss who will hold him accountable for every aspect of his behavior, and he will be severely punished for every misconduct, he gains true comprehension of God’s existence. The feelings of fear generate a sense of God’s authority, which turns God’s existence into a reality in our lives. In fact, the Rambam (Sefer Hamitzvot, Aseh 4) lists this as a commandment; to acknowledge the sovereignty of God with fear, by fearing consequences for our actions and ensuring we don’t live a care-free life.
This is why the Torah says first that the Jews feared God, and then that they had Emunah. When the Jews witnessed the tremendous judgement the Egyptians received, the way they were punished in the Red Sea for their wickedness, they became instilled with fear of God. The great fear which was generated by this experience, brought the people to a new level of Emunah – a true sense of God’s existence in their lives.
The Common Gap Between Belief and Reality
Most people in the world believe in God. But to how many of us is this an actual reality, not just an abstract concept? From the way most people live their lives, it is obvious that God’s actual existence is very far from people’s minds. If people lived with a sense of accountability to God in all their actions, the world would look very different. As Jews, we have a special responsibility to make Emunah a reality in our lives. We have to work on comprehending the fact that we have a Boss who is scrutinizing our moves, and has great retribution waiting for those who defy His authority. We are not just a bunch of volunteers “helping” God by following the Torah out of the goodness of our hearts. We have to develop a fear of consequences, and a real sense of responsibility for our conduct. It is only with this that we can gain true Emunah.
A Life-Threatening Encounter with a Pauper
Some time after the Beit Haleivi was appointed to be the rabbi of Brisk, people mentioned to him that they don’t feel he is suitable to judge monetary disputes because he lacks appreciation for the value of money. The Beit Haleivi was surprised by this observation, and asked what prompted such a conclusion. They told him that at a recent wedding between two wealthy families, as was customary, they gave him an envelope of money for officiating. At the ceremony, a poor person approached the Beit Haleivi to solicit a donation, and the people witnessed how he handed over the envelope he just received, which contained a substantial sum of money, to the pauper, without even checking to see how much money he was giving away.
When the Beit Haleivi heard this, he said, “I certainly understand the value of money. But imagine if a hooligan would approach with a loaded weapon pointed, demanding the money, would anyone think to stop and count the money first? Since I am obligated by the Torah to give charity to a poor person who asks for help, when I am approached by a poor person, I feel as if I am being threatened with a gun!”
Embracing Fear of Judgment for a Meaningful Life
This idea may not be popular, but we need to get real with ourselves at some point in life. In this world, we are employees of God with strict orders and a firm accountability – it’s not a free-for-all. If we want to be true to ourselves, and honestly live our lives with the awareness of God, we must remind ourselves of the fact that we will face judgment for our behavior, and be conscious of the weight of our responsibility.
By Rabbi Yitzchok Aryeh Strimber torah4every1@gmail.com
