Fear

Fear—the First Commandment

Introduction of The Book of Zohar

189) “In the beginning God created.” This is the first Mitzva (commandment). This Mitzva is called “fear of the Creator,” called Resheet (beginning), as it is written, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear of the Creator is the beginning of knowledge because this fear is called “beginning.” And this is the gate that leads to faith. And the whole world exists on this Mitzva...

190) Fear is interpreted by three discernments, two of which have no proper root, and one is the root of fear. There is a man who fears the Creator so that his children may live and not die, or fears bodily punishment or punishment through money, hence he always fears Him. It follows that the fear he fears the Creator is not placed as the root because his own benefit is the root, and the fear is a result of it.

And there is a person who fears the Creator because he is afraid of a punishment in that world, and the punishment of Hell. These two fears—the fear of punishment in this world and in the next world—are not the essence of the fear and its root.

191) The real fear is when one fears one’s Master because He is great and ruling, the essence and the root of all the worlds, and all else is nothing compared to Him.

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation; Whom Shall I Fear?

BaMidbar [In the Desert]

39) “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Since Adam gazed in the upper light and the Creator shone upon him, he fears neither upper ones nor lower ones, as it is written, “But upon thee the Lord will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.” “The Lord is the stronghold of my life.” When the Creator holds a person, he does not fear all the litigants in the world.