About AWE

Hebrew Name

יִרְאָה

English Name

AWE

Phonetic Spelling

YEER-AH

What does AWE mean?

Yirah, Hebrew for “awe,” is most commonly used in the synonymous phrases yirat Hashem and yirat shamayim, meaning “awe of God.”

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֗רְתִּי רַ֚ק אֵין־יִרְאַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַהֲרָג֖וּנִי עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אִשְׁתִּֽי׃
“I thought,” said Avraham, “surely there is no fear of Hashem in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
vai-YO-mer a-vra-HAM, KEE a-MAR-tee RAK AYN yir-AT e-lo-HEEM ba-ma-KOM ha-ZEH, va-ha-ra-GU-nee al d'-VAR ish-TEE
Genesis 20:11

רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חׇכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהֹוָ֗ה שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכׇל־עֹֽשֵׂיהֶ֑ם תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Hashem; all who practice it gain sound understanding. Praise of Him is everlasting.
RE-shit kho-KH-ma yir-AT a-do-NAI, SAY-khel TOV l'-KOL o-SE-hem, te-hi-LA-to o-ME-det la-AD.
Psalms 111:10

Description about AWE

Yirah, Hebrew for “awe,” is most commonly used in the synonymous phrases yirat Hashem and yirat shamayim, meaning “awe of God.” Awe is the foundation of serving God and connotes a powerful feeling of God’s presence in one’s life. The word yirah is connected to the Hebrew word lirot, “to see.” As we open our eyes and look at the world around us, we bear witness to God’s majesty in nature as well as His involvement in all of the great events and mundane aspects of our world. When we open our eyes to truly see, we are inspired with awe, and ultimately love, for God. Awe of God is essential to being a good person and also forms the basis of building a good society. That is why the Bible often adds the phrase “and you shall have awe of your God” after many commandments, for it is awe that leads one to follow God’s righteous ways. This also explains why Abraham lied to Abimelech about Sarah being his sister, as he said, “surely there is no awe of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife” (Genesis 20:11). The sages teach that without awe, one cannot acquire wisdom. In the words of King David, “The beginning of wisdom is awe of God” (Psalms 111:10). Wisdom without awe of God is soulless knowledge. Only when one’s understanding is rooted in awe of God does knowledge take on a higher purpose and lead a person to a more holy life.

Attribute of AWE

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