Yirah: Awestruck
Exploring the mussar soul trait of yirah | reverence, awe, fear … aka awestruck
Hebrew is a very high-context language, which is why translators, who always have an agenda, too often translate this gorgeous word simply as “fear.” That’s right, pretty much everywhere in the Torah, whole Tanakh and other scriptures you see “fear” in English – the Hebrew is yirah (יראה). It really means “awe that induces a sense of wonder/amazement so overwhelming that we are a bit afraid” — like standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. In short, being “awestruck.” (thanks to my husband for that last bit and “awestruck”).
The beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD, And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10
translation from Sefaria.org
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