„One must seek counsel against faintheartedness... for an evil fear is…”
„One must seek counsel against faintheartedness... for an evil fear is born, which casts a weakening of resolve upon a person, and brings into him a certain dread that prevents him from fighting against all the corruptions within his soul and within human society.”From Shemonah Kevatzim, I, 319
When we are afraid, we weaken the system that protects us. Rav Kook speaks here of an evil fear, and of course alongside it there is also a good fear, which prevents us from doing dangerous things. What is an evil fear? A fear that casts a weakening of resolve and does not advance us—one that brings us only the negative side without any positive direction, and is harmful. In these days, when a plague rolls through the streets, there is a vaccine whose power has already been tested for thousands of years: a positive outlook, even in hard moments.
Let us guard ourselves from the plague, and guard ourselves from the depression that weakens our strength and is liable to allow evil to do harm.
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From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.