How to Overcome Fear and Anxiety Through Spiritual Wisdom

If you’ve ever felt afraid to face an authority figure, to speak in public, get married, move houses, board a plane, enter an elevator, change jobs, or say goodbye forever to a loved one, take a look at a short and ancient will passed down some 300 years ago to little Yisrael (the Baal Shem Tov), who was just five years old, from his father on his deathbed. These were his words: “My son, do not fear anyone or anything in the world, only fear G-d alone. Love every Jew with all your heart and all the fire of your soul- no matter who they are or what they’re like.”

In this concise instruction, the aging father gave his only son the ultimate formula for a balanced life- by properly using two soul traits that seem opposite at first glance, yet in depth perfectly complete one another: awe and love.

Little Yisrael, orphaned of both father and mother, grew up sheltered under the wings of the Divine Presence, illuminated by this will. He wandered alone through dark forests among lions, bears, and other threats, whispering prayers with lips aflame and a heart filled with awe. All his fears were reserved solely for G-d; his heart was free from fear of the external world. He grew and excelled in serving G-d, until he became a source of inspiration to an entire generation through his reverence and his boundless love for every Jew. Of him it was said: “The holy Baal Shem Tov was surrounded from every direction, and yet he was unafraid, because his awe of Heaven canceled all lower fears.”

How does this apply to us? Can we truly live by this will in the modern era, when our lives are filled with pressure and threats, terror attacks, natural disasters, serious illnesses, economic uncertainty, family strife, and more? How can we possibly not be afraid in a world filled with such anxiety?

Let’s take a journey into the inner chambers of the soul and discover, through the guidance of the tzaddikim in our sacred texts, how to free ourselves from this fallen fear- the yetzer hara itself- until our awe returns to its root and our heart is filled with love and a yearning to connect with the Jewish people and with G-d. 

“Know that there are fallen fears, and all the suffering and harsh judgments a person experiences stem from those fallen fears- fears that have become attached to whatever it is the person dreads [...] These fears must be elevated back to their root, for the place of true awe is in the heart [...] when a person judges and evaluates themselves sincerely before G-d judges them from above. And when one judges themselves down here, no judgment is required from above.”  (Likutei Moharan I, 154)

Rabbi Natan teaches us that the emotion of fear is one of G-d's ways of speaking to us as a signal that we’ve veered off the path. If you lied to your spouse, hurt your child, or offended your neighbor, the fear you're experiencing is not inherently bad. We’re not expected to live carelessly without reverence. When that anxiety is about terrorists, wild animals,calls from the bank or your boss, it becomes a false signal, a flashing red light that something is spiritually off. In Chassidic language, this is called “fallen fear”- a sign that we’re distant from G-d.

Every day, you must bring yourself to trial before G-d. Speak to Him and tell Him where you’ve been false, disconnected, or fake.

Only after you acknowledge your lowliness, your distance from G-d, feel sincere regret, face your shame with honesty, and resolve to change, will the light of truth begin to shine in your heart. Then you’ll merit to feel a pure closeness to G-d and an unbounded love for every Jew, whoever they are, however they are.