Trust Versus Fear

Moses was afraid…and Pharaoh sought to kill him. (Exodus 2:14–15)

Shouldn’t it be written the other way around? Because Pharaoh sought to kill him, therefore Moses was afraid.

But no. Only because Moses experienced fear was Pharaoh empowered to seek his blood. Were it not for his fear, no harm could ever have befallen him.

Banish any thought of fear that may be lurking in your mind. To dwell on such a thought even for a moment is to surrender yourself into the hands of your inner Pharaoh, that he may destroy you.

Replace such thoughts immediately with healthy thoughts, positive thoughts, thoughts that lift you up. Think good thoughts and your thoughts will allow good things to happen.

Trust is the inverse of fear. Hold on tightly with trust of steel and nothing in this world can harm you.

Likutei Sichot vol. 36, pp. 1-6.

Join the Discussion

Sort By:

NewestOldest

7 Comments

Avrum Jacob Ben Moshe Aryeh Massachusetts January 10, 2023

Catherine obviously meant Moses was a Patriarch, not a Matriarch. Reply

Ilana Mosquera Riera Florida January 9, 2023

In this difficult time we are all living in, it great to read this portion of the TORAH to make us stronger with every challenge we are facing.
Thank you for sharing this with us !!! Reply

James crain December 20, 2021

I really enjoyed this thank you Reply

Catherine Georgia January 6, 2021

I really like what you said "trust is the inverse of fear" it makes perfect sense. If we trust God there would be no room for fair. God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power. The first time Moses encountered God he had fear, and doubted himself. However when he allowed God to show his power and might, his fair was humbled and he became one of the most faithful matriarch in the bible. Reply

David Harold Chester Petach Tikva, Israel January 5, 2021

This is fine when one has complete faith in G-d, as did Moses. But these days we do not receive His words directly, and the faith that we still have is less strong.

That means that the response through fear cannot be so easily put aside. I tend to worry a lot due to my doubts that it will be all right in the end. But I know that this end will eventually be the grave and the bit of me that continues as my soul is so difficult to understand and communicate with, that I have serious doubts. So your solution to fear, that of trust, surely needs a better explanation. Reply

Anonymous January 5, 2021

in response to David Harold Chester:

B'H, Shalom, David. With all due respect, your soul is not a mere "bit." It is a part of our Creator which is (1) transported around in your body for convenience; (2) to be able to observe the Creator's Designs and Creations and be so awed/fearful of Him that you are moved (3) to do mitzvot; and, (4) for some various kinds of physical pleasure, work, study, etc. during this part of "life."
Also, if we think we know that our "end" is the grave where our bodies decompose, then that shows we are not yet understanding that our soul is who we really are and that our souls do not die. And it shows that we are not looking forward to the resurrection. Peace.
(I might have missed some other reasons we have physical bodies for a time.) Reply

David Shandorf January 4, 2021

Moses exemplifies the best of human qualities " Complete forgetfullmess of self " which is why he was mighty before everyone, Reply

More in this section

You may also be interested in...

Join the Discussion