Deuteronomy 7:17-18: If thou shalt say in thine heart, “These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?” Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shall remember what the Lord did unto Pharaoh and all of Egypt.

 

When twelve spies confronted giants in the promised land only two remembered the words of God in Deuteronomy 7:18 and recalled how God brought Pharaoh and Egypt down to size.  When Israel faced one of the descendants of these giants hundreds of years later they ran in fear. Only one little shepherd boy recalled the command of Deuteronomy 7:18.  Thousands of years later when some Hebrew teacher confronted the metaphor of these giants he decided to be like the ten spies and the army of Israel and not remember Deuteronomy 7:18 by saying in his heart, “These situations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?”

 

This morning as I was reading Deuteronomy 7:18 suddenly the word yare’ (afraid) jumps out of my Hebrew Bible screaming in terror and runs to a corner.  I run up Yare’ (afraid) and ask: “Something wrong?” With a voice strained with fear he replies: “Nope!  Ahhhh look out!!!!” and runs for my Looking Glass hanging from my Daleth. I take in right behind him and jump with him right through the Glass.  Yare’(afraid) and I find ourselves on a narrow bridge with no hand rails and a deep canyon below. It is dark and I can sense shadows on both sides of us and all around the bridge, they are shadows of the Chet (doubt). Standing in front of us and behind us on the bridge are two giants known as Chatah  (sin – Chet, Teth, Hei).  I look at all the Chets (doubts) surrounding us and they are whispering words such as worry, fretting, unknown, heaviness, oppression, and uncertainty.

 

I look at Yare’ (Yod, Resh, Aleph) and I see the Resh in Yare’s (afraid) fixated on the Chatahs (sin) and he is white with terror.   I recall how the sages used to say that the shadow of the Resh is a fixation on sin. I look at Yod, the first letter in Yare’ (afraid) and Yod is floating in the air.  I think how the ancients would say that the Yod is the only letter that does not touch the ground, it floats in the air and its shadow represents having no foundation.  I then look at the last letter in Yare’ (afraid) which is the shadow of the  Aleph who is whispering its shadow’s meaning of nothingness, no hope, no sense in trying, and no rescue. Chatah reaches out and touches Yare’ (afraid) and Yare’(afraid) becomes paralyzed with fear.

 

I find myself beginning to echo the words of the shadow of Aleph in Yare’ (afraid), “There is no hope, it is useless to go on.” All of a sudden I feel something moving in my shirt pocket.  I look in my pocket and in the form of a pocket protector I see the word zacar (remember).  “What you doing here?” I ask.  Zacar replies: “When Yare’ (afraid) took off running I came after him.  I am Yare’s (afraid) protector.” I think for a moment and then I recall. “Yes, I remember you.  You were in that same verse with Yare’ (afraid), you are Zacar (remembrance).”  “Yes, said the Zayin in Zacar (remembrance) and I am the first letter of that word, I am here to protect you.” I looked at Zayin and remembered how the sage taught that Zayin was shaped like a sword, ready to do battle.

 

Zacar said, “I am remembrance, I am here to remind you of I John 4:18 “Perfect love cast out all fear.” Through the blood of Jesus you have access to that perfect love which will cast out all fear.  Remember how God delivered you from your giants in the past? Some were even worse than this giant. You must Zacar (remember), and then think on these and let it increase your faith.”

 

As I reflected on how God slew my giants in the past, Zayin leaped from pocket into my hand and grows four feet into a powerful sword.  Zayin then yelled, “Forward, slay you malefactor (Chatah).” I whimper to Zayin, “But, I have not strength.”   Zayin simply says: “No problem, the next letter in Zacar (remember) is Kap, listen he is whispering something in your ear.” Thinking about this I remember how the Kap is a container that is filled with something that is helpful. “What is Kap filled with?”  I ask Zayin.  Zayin replies: “He is filled with memories.” “Oh, but that is not enough” I tell Zayin wringing my hands, “I need something else, I need more.”  “What you need,” declares Zayin, “Is the last letter to Zacar (remember) and that is the Resh.”  “Where is he?”  I asked trembling. “Over by the shadow of the Resh in Yare’ (afraid), see he has removed his shadowed and replaced him with himself (peace and rest). Now in the center of Yare’ (afraid) there lies peace and rest.

 

Suddenly Resh jumps on my shoulder and whispers in my ear: “I am repentance, you must repent for yielding to Yare’ (fear) if you want to get out of this mess.”  “Yes, yes,” I cry, “I do repent.” Suddenly I look at my Resh who has jumped back into the center of Yare’ (afraid) and he begins to glow and turn into a bright light overpowering the shadows of the Yod and Aleph on either side of him in Yare’(afraid). I remember reading where Resh not only represents repentance, peace and rest, but Resh also represents the Holy Spirit as well.  With the strength of the Resh and the Holy Spirit I can put power behind the Zayin (sword) and slay all the shadows of Chet (doubt). Yare’ (afraid) suddenly turns into a bright light and the Yod’s shadow disappears and becomes its true representation Spirituality and the shadow of the Aleph flees as it is replaced by its original representation, which is God, The Divine LightYare‘ (afraid) now takes on its alternative meaning which as Yara’ becomes a reverence for God.   With Yara’ (reverence for God) and Zacar (remembrance) I recall all the giants I have faced in the past and how God delivered me from those giants.  With memory renewing my faith, I pick up my Zayin (sword) and slaughter all the shadows of the Chet (doubt).

 

Having destroyed all the shadows of the Chets (doubt)and sending the Chatahs (sin) into the canyon, Zacar (remembrance), Yara’ (reverence for God) and I return through the looking Glass.  I look at Yara’.  Little did I realize that Yare’ can be the fear of the giants that I face, but with the help of my new friend, Zacar (remembrance), I can turn Yare’ (fear) into Yara (reverence for God) and conqueror all the giants that I face.

 

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