Parashiyot Nitzavim-Vayeilekh 5783

“OK, Mr. President[1],” you might have replied – had FDR asked you to review his speech – “Let’s assume you’re right. But how exactly do we avoid the emotion of fear?”

In Parashat Vayeilekh, the second half of this week’s double Torah portion (Nitzavim-Vayeilekh), Moses tells the people that they shall soon cross over the Jordan without him, and take possession of the Land from its inhabitants in battle. He instructs them as follows:

“Be strong and courageous
Do not fear them or be in dread of them.
For it is indeed your G-d who marches with you, and will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6)

Then Moses calls Joshua and, before all the people, says to him:

“Be strong and courageous…
G-d will be with you and will not fail or forsake you.
Fear not and do not be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)

Later, G-d charges Joshua:

“Be strong and courageous:
for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them on oath,
and I will be with you.” (Deut. 31:23)

The Book of Joshua soon commences with G-d delivering the same message to Joshua:

“Be strong and courageous for you shall apportion to this people the land…
You must be very strong and courageous to observe faithfully all the Teaching that my servant Moses enjoined on you…
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified or afraid.
For G-d, your G-d, is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9)

By my count, the injunction “Do not fear” occurs some twenty-one times throughout the Five Books of Moses.[2] The first such “Do not fear” occurs when G-d says: “Fear not, Abram.” (Gen. 15:1).

How can G-d command us not to fear?

In The Tanya (1797), the seminal writings of R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad Hassidus, we read: “The mind, by virtue of its inherent nature, is master over the … heart” (Likkutei Amarim, Ch. 17).
This means that our thoughts can control our emotions.

But how can we control our thoughts? After all, thoughts just arise, don’t they? (Often at the most inopportune times — like during prayer!)  And thoughts themselves may lead to fear.

According to the philosopher J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986), “Is not fear the product of thought? … Fear of what might happen, fear of losing, not gaining, fear of loneliness, fear of not being loved, fear of darkness, fear of small things and of great things, is that not the product of thought which projects what might happen?”

Here is the key: We are not our thoughts. We are the observer of our thoughts.

We can choose which thoughts to follow and which ones to allow to drift by — like clouds on the sky of our mind. We can view our thoughts as if they are those “You May Also Like” ads on web pages. Yes, we see them; but we don’t have to click on them.

And if an unwanted thought persists, we can make an appointment with that thought for later. “I’m busy right now. If you are still important, come back at 7 pm and we’ll talk.” (Thoughts are notoriously bad at keeping appointments.)

Moreover, rather than only being reactive, we can be proactive in our thinking by initiating positive thoughts.[3] Indeed, in all but one of the twenty-one occurrences where someone is told “Fear not”, they are given a positive thought – – and it’s always the same: “G-d is with you.”

“Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you.” (Gen. 15:1).

“Hagar, fear not. For G-d has heard the cry of the youth.” (Gen. 21:17)

“I am the G-d of your ancestors. Fear not to go down to Egypt for I will make you a great nation there.” (G-d to Jacob; Gen. 46:3)

“And Moses said to the People: Fear not; stand and see the salvation that G-d will make for you today.” (At the Splitting of the Sea; Exod. 14:13)

“G-d said the Moses: ‘Fear not, for into your hand I have given him and all his nation.’” (Before the battle with Og, King of Bashan; Num. 21:34)

What about that twenty-first case?  Perhaps it is the exception that proves the rule.

As Rachel’s labor grows very difficult, the midwife tells her, “Have no fear,” But she does not state that G-d is with her. All she offers is, “Because you are having another boy.” (Gen. 35:17). In the Torah, simply being told not to fear is not enough; we need to know that G-d is with us. Sadly, “Rachel breathed her last.” (Gen. 35:18)

There is one fear – and only one fear – that we are told should occupy our thoughts. This fear is commanded many times in the Torah, including in this week’s Torah portion.

Immediately after Moses tells Joshua “G-d will be with you…fear not” (Gen. 31:8),

Moses instructs the Levites to read the Torah aloud before all Israel every seventh year. The reason? So that, “they may hear and learn to fear your G-d” (Deut. 31:12)

Consider how this fear should arise: We are instructed to “hear and learn to fear.” This is not the typical way that one experiences fear.

In his Inaugural Address, President Roosevelt described fear as “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes.” The fear that we should have for G-d is a very different kind of fear. It is a fear borne out of our conscious efforts to contemplate G-d through learning G-d’s Torah. It may be called “fear,” but it is far from unreasoning and unjustified.

In the Jewish calendar, we are now deep into the month of Elul leading up to Rosh Hashanah. At the conclusion of each of our morning and evening prayers this month we have been reciting Psalm 27.

Beset by enemies both within and without, David refuses to yield to fear, knowing that G-d is with him:

“Of David.
G-d is my light and my help;
whom should I fear?
G-d is the stronghold of my life,
whom should I dread?
…
Should an army besiege me,
my heart would have no fear;
should war beset me,
still would I be confident.”

And he concludes by teaching us how to dispel our fears:

“Look to G-d;
be strong and of good courage!
O look to G-d!” (Ps. 27)

As we enter the Yamim Nora’im – literally the “Days of Fear” –

May you be strong and courageous,
And not fear,
Secure in the knowledge
that G-d is with you.

Shabbat Shalom.

[1] Technically still Mr. President-Elect, for those of you who read footnotes.
[2] Gen. 15:1; 21:17; 26:24; 35:17; 43:23; 46:3; 50:19; 50:21; Exod. 14:13; 20:20; Num. 14:9; 21:34; Deut. 1:21; 1:29; 3:2; 3;22; 7:18; 20:1; 20:3; 31:6; 31:8.
[3] This is not to say that we should be Pollyannas and avoid all difficult thoughts. It’s just that we should control the time and place where we address such matters, and maybe control the attitude we bring to its consideration.
_______________
Rabbi Greg Schindler received semikha in 2009 (5769). While at AJR, he was honored to serve as President of the Student Association. He is a community rabbi in Westport, CT where he conducts classes in Talmud and Tanakh. He has led Children’s High Holiday services for over 20 years. Each year, he writes and directs a new Yom Kippur comedic play based on the Book of Jonah , including “Jonah-gan’s Island”. “Batmensch”, “SpongeJonah SquarePants”, “Horton Hears an Oy” and more.