In this video, I’m sharing my favorite teaching about fear, which comes from the late Rabbi Alan Lew. This simple, little-known idea about fear has been life-changing for me, and for the women and men I work with.
As discussed in the video, Rabbi Alan Lew explains that in biblical Hebrew, there are several different words for fear.
Pachad is “projected or imagined fear,” the “fear whose objects are imagined.” That, in contemporary terms, is what we might think of as overreactive, irrational, lizard brain fear: the fear of horrible rejection that will destroy us or the fear that we will simply combust if we step out of our comfort zones.
There is a second Hebrew word for fear, yirah. Rabbi Lew describes yirah as “the fear that overcomes us when we suddenly find ourselves in possession of considerably more energy than we are used to, inhabiting a larger space than we are used to inhabiting. It is also the feeling we feel when we are on sacred ground.
If you’ve felt a calling in your heart, or uncovered an authentic dream for your life, or felt a mysterious sense of inner inspiration around a project or idea, you recognize this description.
We often conflate or confuse the two types of fear, and simply call what we are experiencing “fear.” But we can discern them more closely, and in doing so, more effectively manage fear so it doesn’t get in our way.
Next time you are in a moment that brings fear:
1. Ask yourself: what part of this fear is pachad? Write down the imagined outcomes you fear, the lizard brain fears. Remind yourself that they are just imagined, and that pachad-type fears are irrational.
2. Savor yirah. Ask yourself: what part of this fear is yirah? You’ll know yirah because it has a tinge of exhilaration and awe -while pachad has a sense of threat and panic. Lean into – and look for – the callings and leaps that bring yirah.
Thanks Tara!
This is a tremendous revelation!
[…] Still there is something there lurking in the shadows and today I got a name for it while reading Tara Sophia Mohr. She referenced a video of Rabbi Alan Lew; I didn’t watch it as I prefer to read. […]
This is amazing. This is powerful. These words that I read aloud to my husband had his head nodding in agreement, even as I struggled and slid a bit with my own body discomfort and ageist demons.
A realization that as I point at the sadness of women who deal with their age using botox and surgery and hair dye. My own fear slithers around behind me and whacks me when I look in a mirror.
Thanks for this revelation that this is not me hurting me but about others fear of me absorbed.
Great writing!
Tara – this is a beautiful video and perfect description for the fear we feel when we are near our soul’s calling or our true work. I love the Hebrew names for these two types of fear. Most of us spend time “future tripping” — imagining fear. This is where we most suffer from those thoughts and fears. Thank you for these beautiful video teachings.
ah..sigh of relief…how beautiful …somehow knowing that fear can be holy and that it is okay to allow it and embrace that holiness…and live it fearlessly and lovingly…thank you Tara for sharing this deep wisdom.
Once again, clarity and simplicity on an important topic. Bravo!
[…] in possession of considerably more energy than we are used to. We discuss this video from Tara Sophia Mohr describing the […]
[…] in possession of considerably more energy than we are used to. We discuss the video below from Tara Sophia Mohr describing the […]
I listened to you speaking with Chantal (Grace & Fire) about this topic — fabulous information, thank you so much for sharing this! Which of Rabbi Lew’s books speaks to this? Thank you! Blessings!
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Tara, this is beautiful. As I listened to you talk about yirah, I felt expansive and got the “truth tingles.” I’m stepping into playing bigger right now–and recognizing I’m on holy ground. I will carry this teaching in my heart when my mind needs a reminder. Thank you! Katie
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