The quality of fear itself fears God. In that case, it too has fear. Moreover, this fear also fears God. In that case, it too has fear. And so one fear is encompassed in another, higher and higher until the Infinite One.
2
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תנחומא ד' א שה"ש רבה סדר א' ירושלמי שבת פ"א וע"ש בפני משה): מַה שֶּׁעָשְׂתָה עֲנָוָה עָקֵב לְסִלּוּתָא, עָשְׂתָה חָכְמָה עֲטָרָה עַל רֹאשָׁהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֵקֶב עֲנָוָה יִרְאַת ה', רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה'.
This is as our Sages teach (Yerushalmi, Shabbat 1:3): That which humility made a heel for her sandal, wisdom made a crown for her head. As it is stated, “The heel of humility is the fear of God” (Proverbs 22:4) ; “The head of wisdom is the fear of God” (Psalms 111:10).
Hence, the “heel of humility” is fear, and likewise the “head of wisdom” is also fear. We find therefore that there is fear higher than fear, because fear itself also has fear—and so on, higher and higher until the Infinite One, as above.
מִדַּת הַיִּרְאָה בְּעַצְמָהּ הִיא יְרֵאָה מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאִם כֵּן יֵשׁ לָהּ גַּם כֵּן יִרְאָה. וְזֹאת הַיִּרְאָה הִיא גַּם־כֵּן יְרֵאָה מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאִם כֵּן יֵשׁ לָהּ גַּם־כֵּן יִרְאָה. וְכֵן נִכְלָל יִרְאָה אַחַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה עַד אֵין סוֹף.
The quality of fear itself fears God. In that case, it too has fear. Moreover, this fear also fears God. In that case, it too has fear. And so one fear is encompassed in another, higher and higher until the Infinite One.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תנחומא ד' א שה"ש רבה סדר א' ירושלמי שבת פ"א וע"ש בפני משה): מַה שֶּׁעָשְׂתָה עֲנָוָה עָקֵב לְסִלּוּתָא, עָשְׂתָה חָכְמָה עֲטָרָה עַל רֹאשָׁהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֵקֶב עֲנָוָה יִרְאַת ה', רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה'.
This is as our Sages teach (Yerushalmi, Shabbat 1:3): That which humility made a heel for her sandal, wisdom made a crown for her head. As it is stated, “The heel of humility is the fear of God” (Proverbs 22:4) ; “The head of wisdom is the fear of God” (Psalms 111:10).
נִמְצָא שֶׁעֲקֵב הָעֲנָוָה הִיא יִרְאָה, וְכֵן רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה הִיא גַּם־כֵּן יִרְאָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִרְאָה לְמַעְלָה מִיִּרְאָה, כִּי הַיִּרְאָה בְּעַצְמָהּ יֵשׁ לָהּ גַּם כֵּן יִרְאָה, וְכֵן לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה עַד אֵין סוֹף כַּנַּ"ל.
Hence, the “heel of humility” is fear, and likewise the “head of wisdom” is also fear. We find therefore that there is fear higher than fear, because fear itself also has fear—and so on, higher and higher until the Infinite One, as above.