„Awe, when not refined properly, makes a person into a rag, a coward,…”
„Awe, when not refined properly, makes a person into a rag, a coward, wretched in his own eyes, and consequently storm-tossed t...”From Shemonah Kevatzim, I, 368
When a person fears in an exaggerated way, he harms himself. Even if the fear is fear of the Holy One, a person can paralyze himself from acting in this world, and about this Rav Kook warns us.
A person must build within himself psychological tools in order to contain the forces that exist in this world. Constant flight will not help a person but will harm him gravely.
Constant flight from confrontations does not remove them but causes them to arrive in other ways; therefore the way to cope properly is not only fear and concealment, but uprooting the evil from the root, focusing on the good, and also trust in God - which is the opposite of the rag-like awe.
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Have a pleasant day.
In memory of Dafna bat Gavriel
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.