Overcoming Fear
Sermon, November 9, 2007
Rabbi Bruce Kadden

At one time or another each of us has experienced fear:  the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, the fear of failure or even of success.  Fear in many situations is normal, and we can deal with it most of the time.  But fear can also become overwhelming, and can paralyze us. 

In our Torah portion this week, Toledot, we see the effects of fear.  Because of a famine in the land, Isaac leaves his home and goes to Gerar, a town between Gaza and Beersheva.  When the Philistines who live there ask about his wife, he repeats the same mistake his father made twice, and says that she is his sister, afraid that if he told them she was his wife they would kill him.  Isaac is afraid to tell the truth, afraid of what might happen.  Yet, when Abimelech sees then being intimate with one another and realizes their relationship, he admonishes Isaac for lying, which could have brought punishment upon the people, had they approached her.

Isaac prospers in his new home, which makes the Philistines jealous, so they stop up the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug to provide water.  Abimelech then sends Isaac away to a nearby wadi, where he digs his own wells, but each time the people challenge Isaac, claiming that the water is rightfully theirs.  Finally, he moves far enough away so that his final well does not cause animosity.

After all of these difficulties God appears to Isaac and says:  “I am the God of your father Abraham; have no fear, for I am with you.”  These are very important words, words which reassure Isaac that despite the challenges that he faces, God will be with him.

Like Isaac, we all face a variety of fears, some real, others imagined.  Living with fear is a part of life, but in recent years it has been increasingly difficult for many.  September 11 brought the threat of terrorism to our doorstep and with it greater fear:  fear of flying, fear of terror attack, fear of foreigners. 

Terrorists want us to be afraid.  Their victories come not just in successful acts of terrorism, but in the fear that ensues and in the changed behavior that results.  They know that if we are truly scared, then they have already won half the battle.

But our enemies are not the only ones that benefit from our fears.  Some politicians exploit these fears, enacting legislation that greatly expands government power for surveillance, threatens civil rights and in some cases may even violate constitutional rights.  And certain organizations also attempt to exploit our fears, pointing to increased anti-Semitism and terrorism in their efforts to increase support. 

But acting out of fear, whether in passing legislation or supporting an organization, is not the best basis for making important decisions.  For fear often distorts our thinking and judgment.  We do things when we are afraid that we would not normally do.

A number of years ago, Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, told a story of how fear got the best of him at a peace summit in Salinas.  Because he was a somewhat unruly child, his parents sent him to be raised by his grandparents.  When he was a teenager, they lived in South Africa, about 18 miles from the nearest town.  Once, when his grandfather was speaking in town, Arun dropped him off and was to pick him up at 5 p.m.  He then went about doing some errands, which included leaving their car to be fixed at a local garage.

When the afternoon free, he went to see a double feature of John Wayne movies and lost track of time.  The movies were over at 5:30 and Arun quickly went to get his car and the pick up his grandfather, who was quite worried.

He asked Arun why he was late.  Fearful of this grandfather’s reaction if he told him the truth, Arun said that the garage was late finishing the car, not realizing that his worried grandfather had called there.

His grandfather responded by saying, “What have I done wrong that you would like to me about this.  I can’t ride in a car with you!”  And with that, his grandfather got out of the car and walked the 18 miles back to their home.  Arum, not wanting to leave his grandfather, followed slowly all the way.

Arun let fear get the best of him and learned an important lesson about what can happen when we do so.  Children are often afraid of their parents’ response when they have done something wrong, but most parents would much rather have their children tell them the truth than to lie to them and then find out later.

This evening is the 69^th anniversary of Kristalnacht, the night of broken glass, which brought widespread death and destruction to the Jewish community of Germany.  More than any other event, Kristalnacht is often identified as the beginning of the Holocaust, not just because of the widespread attacks on Jews, but because when Hitler realized that the world’s response, although initially strong, very quickly faded, he no doubt concluded that he could get away with anything with regard to the Jews.  And Kristalnacht also sent an important message to Germans, most of whom feared the consequences of helping their Jewish friends and neighbors. 

Of course, not all non-Jews acted thusly.  Studies of righteous gentiles, Christians who helped save the lives of Jews during the Holocaust, have shown that many of them were not afraid, though they were doing things that certainly risked their lives.  What allowed these people to risk their lives, not allowing fear to prevent them from doing what they knew was right?

Many of the rescuers had a strong and abiding faith in God, and trust that no matter what happened, everything would be fine.  What enabled many of these heroes to act, when so many others stood by and did nothing, was a deep trust in God.  They took to heart the words that God addresses to Isaac in this week’s Torah portion:  “Fear not, but I am with you.”

Over the years, I have dealt with many people who were facing death.  Those who had the easier time coming to terms with death, those who were not afraid to die, were those who had a deep, abiding trust that God was with them.  Even though many of these people were not certain what might lie ahead after death, their faith allowed them to face their death with a sense of peace.

Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav, one of the early Hasidic leaders, taught, “All the world is a very narrow bridge, and the most important thing is not to be afraid.”  Let us take to heart the words of Rabbi Nahman, refusing to give in to fear, but instead, living our lives with the faith that God is indeed with us.

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