Awakening of Divine Awe
Awe of God · Salvation · Divine Revelation · Fear of Heaven
וייראו העם את ה' כו'.
“And the people feared the Lord, etc.”
The Sefat Emet teaches that this fear is not mere fright, but a spiritual awakening that arises when the Divine becomes revealed to a person.
הוא מעלה גדולה וסימן של אמת.
“This is a great spiritual level and a sign of truth.”
Authentic awe is itself evidence of genuine encounter with holiness; it signals that one has touched something real.
אשר ע"י הישועה והתגלות להאדם יבוא על ידי זה ליראה כמ"ש בספרים הקדושים ענין חיבור יראה ונורא:
“For through salvation and Divine revelation to a person, he thereby comes to awe, as the holy books explain regarding the joining of ‘awe’ and ‘awesome.’”
The Sefat Emet explains that redemption opens the heart to perceive God’s Presence, and this perception naturally leads to a deep, sacred awe described by the sages as the union of reverence and Divine awesomeness.
Summary: The revelation experienced in salvation generates authentic awe, serving as a true marker of spiritual encounter, in line with teachings on the fusion of reverence and Divine majesty.