February 7, 2025 – 9 Shevat 5785, Amsterdam
During a visit to Amsterdam a few days ago, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was asked how Israel should respond to criticism of its policies. His answer struck me:
“I hope to be feared by our enemies, respected by our friends. But love is for teddy bears.”
This statement touches on a historically rooted tension in political and philosophical theory: the relationship between fear and trust as tools of authority and cohesion. Classical Greek philosophers already argued that fear (phobos) and trust (pistis) are essentially mutually exclusive. Fear compels submission, while trust creates loyalty. This opposition is similarly analyzed in psychology as a fundamental tension in human relationships and social structures.
Fear and Trust in Jewish Tradition
This theme also resonates strongly within Judaism. In the Torah, the relationship between fear and trust appears in Parashat Beshalach. After the Jewish people crossed the Red Sea and were definitively freed from Egyptian slavery, the remnants of the Egyptian army washed up on the shore. The Torah describes (Exodus 14:31) how the people witnessed God’s power and, as a result, experienced both emunah (faith) and yirah (fear).
The traditional view in many philosophical and political theories is that fear and trust exclude each other. One trusts a leader when they are competent and benevolent, while one fears them when they are powerful and have the means to enforce their authority. However, the Torah presents a more complex picture: fear and trust can coexist and even complement each other. A society or organization based solely on fear lacks stability and lasting loyalty; a community that relies only on trust may lose its boundaries and structures.
The Human Role in the Creation of Miracles
A significant moment in the parasha illustrates this dynamic: during the journey through the desert, the people were protected by a divine cloud that kept enemies at bay. However, at the critical moment of the splitting of the Red Sea, this protection disappeared. The implicit message is clear: the ultimate miracle could not occur solely through supernatural intervention. It was up to the people to take the first step—only after they had the courage to move forward did G-d perform the miracle.
Bennett’s approach—seeking respect from some and fear from others—fits within a classical power strategy. However, the Torah offers a more nuanced perspective: true strength and durability emerge when fear and trust are in dynamic balance. Those who can find this balance hold the key to lasting cohesion—and perhaps even to the splitting of seas.
A Reflection on the Weekly Torah Reading – Parashat Beshalach (Exodus 13:17 – 17:16) by Rabbi Yanki Jacobs
