Mishlei: Creating A Sense of Security Part Three
“You will not fear sudden terror, nor the total destruction of the wicked when it comes. For God will be your security, and He will guard your feet from entrapment (Proverbs 3:25-26).”
“Pachad,” or fear, refers to a terror that comes from nowhere, such as the recent tsunami in Japan; it includes the fear of the unknown and unexpected. “The total destruction of the wicked,” is terrifying to observe, but, it will not be unexpected.
These two types of fear describe internal and external fear that correspond to Torah and personal attributes; Midot.
A person may stumble in sin because he lacks awareness, or, although aware, is overpowered by his Evil Inclination. “For God will be your security,” even when you lack awareness. “He will guard your feet from entrapment,” meaning from being overpowered by your Yetzer haRah.
This, in turn, corresponds to what we explained in Part Two: “Such study accomplishes this in two ways: first through the reading of the Torah, and secondly, through its comprehension.” The reading of Torah leads to, “For God will be your security,” and its comprehension, to, “He will guard your feet from entrapment.”
We also said, in Part One, that: “Once we have mastered viewing the world as an expression of Torah, and only then, will we know how to “safeguard the wise counsel and design.” Viewing the world as an expression of Torah, leads to, “For God will be your security.” Knowing how to safeguard the wise counsel and design, brings, “He will guard your feet from entrapment.”
We strive for two levels in our Torah study; both on multiple levels. The first is awareness. The second is for the Torah to influence and nurture our inner essence and spiritual development.
Awareness includes knowing Torah, and being able to see the Wisdom of Torah in all of creation. We strive for the latter as a way of maintaining our awareness of God and His Torah in everything we do. We understand that we must protect that awareness by applying it to everything we see and do. The person who achieves this level of awareness will not be surprised by Pachad, sudden terrors or spiritual challenges. The person will begin to sense that God is his security.
One who focuses his attention on developing that awareness will begin to comprehend the Torah’s wisdom so that it will nurture his inner essence, his Midot. He will develop sufficient natural strength to withstand his Evil Inclination, and he will know that, “He will guard your feet from entrapment.”
It is not enough to look backward to find the awareness and influence; one must approach his Torah study with the intention to achieve both.
Awareness: “Our Father, our King, for the sake of Your great Name, and for the sake of our forefathers…may You be equally gracious to us and teach us (Second Blessing of Morning Shemah).”
Nurturance: “Our Father, merciful Father, Who acts mercifully, have mercy upon us, instill understanding in our hearts to understand and elucidate, to listen, learn, teach, safeguard, perform, and fulfill all the words of Your Torah’s teaching with love.”
Awareness: “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah.
Nurturance: “Attach our hearts to Your commandments.”
“For God will be your security.” “So that we may not feel inner shame nor be humiliated.”
“He will guard your feet from entrapment.” “Nor stumble for all eternity.”