Know! there are fallen fears. All the afflictions and stern judgments which a person experiences are entirely from the fallen fears. They have fallen into the thing of which he is terrified and by which he is afflicted.
These [fallen fears] correspond to “five dreads, the dread of the weak upon the mighty” (Shabbat 77b). Thus, although it is unnatural for the mighty to be afraid of the weak, it nevertheless happens because of the upper fear that has fallen and become enclothed in these things.
Now, one must elevate the fallen fears to their root, their place. And the place of fear is in the heart. As Rashi explains: Of that which is given over to the heart of man, it is said, “you shall fear” (Leviticus 19:14).
And the fear must be accompanied by daat (holy knowledge). For [of fear] without daat, it is said (Job 4:6), “Surely, your fear is your foolishness.” And the daat has to be in the heart. This is because a gentile also has daat, but it is without heart. However, the essential holy knowledge is when it is in the heart, as it is written (Deuteronomy 4:39), “Know it today and ponder it in your heart.” As in (ibid. 29:3), “He did not give you a heart to know”—precisely.
But when he combines the daat in the heart with fear, whose root and place is in the heart, then it says (Proverbs 2:5), “Then you will understand the fear of God, and the knowledge of the Lord will you find.”
Behold also that it is written (ibid. 29:4), “Through judgment, the king will establish the land.” That is, by means of judgment he secures and elevates the fear, which corresponds to land, as it is written (Psalms 76:9), “the land feared.”
Judgment is when a person evaluates and judges himself on each and every thing that he does, before they judge him Above. By virtue of his judging himself, he is spared from stern judgment Above. For when there is judgment below, there is no judgment Above (Devarim Rabbah 5:4).
Now, since there is no stern judgment on him, the fear has no need to fall and become enclothed below. And so he has no need to be afraid of anything. He has only upper fear, fear of His exaltedness. {All this has been explained at length in Lesson #15, “The Person who Wants to Experience a Taste of the Hidden Light.” Study there.}
דַּע, כִּי יֵשׁ יִרְאוֹת נְפוּלוֹת, וְכָל הַיִּסּוּרִין וְהַדִּינִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָאָדָם, כֻּלָּם הֵם מֵהַיִּרְאוֹת הַנְּפוּלוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לְתוֹךְ זֶה הַדָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּחֵד וְיֵשׁ לוֹ יִסּוּרִין מִמֶּנּוּ.
Know! there are fallen fears. All the afflictions and stern judgments which a person experiences are entirely from the fallen fears. They have fallen into the thing of which he is terrified and by which he is afflicted.
וְהֵם בְּחִינַת (שבת עז:): חָמֵשׁ אֵימוֹת, אֵימַת חַלָּשׁ עַל הַגִּבּוֹר, שֶׁאַף שֶׁהוּא נֶגֶד הַטֶּבַע, שֶׁהַגִּבּוֹר יִפְחַד מֵהַחַלָּשׁ, אַךְ שֶׁהוּא מֵחֲמַת הַיִּרְאָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁנָּפְלָה וְנִתְלַבְּשָׁה בְּאֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים.
These [fallen fears] correspond to “five dreads, the dread of the weak upon the mighty” (Shabbat 77b). Thus, although it is unnatural for the mighty to be afraid of the weak, it nevertheless happens because of the upper fear that has fallen and become enclothed in these things.
וְעַל כֵּן הֵם בְּמִסְפָּר חָמֵשׁ, כְּנֶגֶד חָמֵשׁ גְּבוּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵם חָמֵשׁ אוֹתִיוֹת מַנְצְפַ"ךְ כְּפוּלִים.
This is why they are five in number, paralleling the five severities, which are the five double-letters MNTZPKh.
וְצָרִיךְ לְהַעֲלוֹת הַיִּרְאוֹת הַנְּפוּלוֹת, לְשָׁרְשָׁם לִמְקוֹמָם. וּמְקוֹם הַיִּרְאָה הִיא בַּלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: דָּבָר הַמָּסוּר לְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ (קדושים יט).
Now, one must elevate the fallen fears to their root, their place. And the place of fear is in the heart. As Rashi explains: Of that which is given over to the heart of man, it is said, “you shall fear” (Leviticus 19:14).
וְהַיִּרְאָה צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת עִם דַּעַת, כִּי בְּלֹא דַּעַת נֶאֱמַר (איוב ד׳:ו׳): הֲלֹא יִרְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶךָ. וְהַדַּעַת צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בַּלֵּב, כִּי גַּם עַכּוּ"ם יֵשׁ לוֹ דַּעַת, אַךְ הוּא בְּלֹא לֵב. אַךְ עִקַּר הַדַּעַת – כְּשֶׁהוּא בַּלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ד׳:ל״ט): וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבוֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ; כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם כט): וְלֹא נָתַן לָכֶם לֵב לָדַעַת – דַּיְקָא.
And the fear must be accompanied by daat (holy knowledge). For [of fear] without daat, it is said (Job 4:6), “Surely, your fear is your foolishness.” And the daat has to be in the heart. This is because a gentile also has daat, but it is without heart. However, the essential holy knowledge is when it is in the heart, as it is written (Deuteronomy 4:39), “Know it today and ponder it in your heart.” As in (ibid. 29:3), “He did not give you a heart to know”—precisely.
וּכְשֶׁמְּחַבֵּר הַדַּעַת שֶׁבַּלֵּב, עִם הַיִּרְאָה שֶׁשָּׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹמָהּ בַּלֵּב, אֲזַי נֶאֱמַר (משלי ב׳:ה׳): אָז תָּבִין יִרְאַת ה' וְדַעַת אֱלֹקִים תִּמְצָא.
But when he combines the daat in the heart with fear, whose root and place is in the heart, then it says (Proverbs 2:5), “Then you will understand the fear of God, and the knowledge of the Lord will you find.”
וְהִנֵּה כְּתִיב (שם כט): מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אֶרֶץ; הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי מִשְׁפָּט מַעֲמִיד וּמַעֲלֶה הַיִּרְאָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת אֶרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים עו): אֶרֶץ יָרְאָה.
Behold also that it is written (ibid. 29:4), “Through judgment, the king will establish the land.” That is, by means of judgment he secures and elevates the fear, which corresponds to land, as it is written (Psalms 76:9), “the land feared.”
וּמִשְׁפָּט הוּא מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם שׁוֹפֵט וְדָן עַצְמוֹ עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה, טֶרֶם שֶׁיָּדִינוּ אוֹתוֹ לְמַעְלָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ שׁוֹפֵט אֶת עַצְמוֹ נִצּוֹל מִדִּין שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, כִּי כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּין לְמַטָּה אֵין דִּין לְמַעְלָה (מ"ר שופטים פ"ה).
Judgment is when a person evaluates and judges himself on each and every thing that he does, before they judge him Above. By virtue of his judging himself, he is spared from stern judgment Above. For when there is judgment below, there is no judgment Above (Devarim Rabbah 5:4).
וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאֵין עָלָיו דִּין אֵין צְרִיכָה הַיִּרְאָה לִפֹּל וּלְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ לְמַטָּה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לִירֹא מִשּׁוּם דָּבָר, וְאֵין לוֹ רַק יִרְאָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת: (עַיֵּן כָּל זֶה לְעֵיל בְּהַתּוֹרָה "מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִטְעֹם טַעַם אוֹר הַגָּנוּז" בְּסִימָן טו, שָׁם מְבֹאָר כָּל זֶה בַּאֲרִיכוּת.)
Now, since there is no stern judgment on him, the fear has no need to fall and become enclothed below. And so he has no need to be afraid of anything. He has only upper fear, fear of His exaltedness. {All this has been explained at length in Lesson #15, “The Person who Wants to Experience a Taste of the Hidden Light.” Study there.}