Turns out, even Abraham, our patriarch, felt that way.
Our story comes from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. In this passage, the verse "after these things" (Genesis 15:1) is used as a springboard for exploring the nature of fear, wisdom, and reward. It all hinges on that seemingly simple phrase, "Fear not, Abram" – al tira Avram.
Why did God need to tell Abraham not to fear? The implication, the rabbis suggest, is that he was afraid! But what was he afraid of? Bereshit Rabbah, drawing on Proverbs 14:16, frames it this way: “A wise man fears and turns from evil, but the fool becomes enraged and overconfident.” Abraham, in his wisdom, understood the enormity of the task before him, the weight of his covenant with God. He wasn’t being foolishly overconfident; he was grappling with the responsibility.
And this is where it gets really interesting. The text connects Abraham's fear to another verse from Proverbs (3:7): “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” What does it mean to be "wise in your own eyes"? According to this passage, it’s about getting caught up in your own limited perspective. In Abraham's case, it was worrying about whether he would have children, whether he would fulfill his part of the covenant. "Perhaps I will produce offspring, perhaps I will not produce offspring," he might have thought.
Instead, he was called to "fear the Lord" – to trust in something bigger than his own understanding. "Fear not, Abram," God says, precisely because Abraham is wise enough to understand the stakes.
Rabbi Avin, quoting Rabbi Ḥanina, then introduces another perspective, contrasting Abraham with Nimrod. Nimrod, known for his rebellion against God, "performs acts of falsehood," as Proverbs 11:18 says. His actions were based on deception and self-aggrandizement. Abraham, on the other hand, "sows righteousness" (Proverbs 11:18). The text connects this to Genesis 18:19, where God says of Abraham: “For I have known him, because he will command his children…and they will observe the way of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice.”
So, while Nimrod's actions are built on a foundation of lies, Abraham's are rooted in truth and justice. And that's where the reward comes in: “fear not, Abram…[your reward is very great].” The "true reward" mentioned in Proverbs 11:18 is not just material wealth or worldly success. It's the deep satisfaction of living a life aligned with God's will, of sowing righteousness and leaving a legacy of justice. Abraham's reward is the knowledge that he is part of something much larger than himself, a lineage that will carry on God's covenant for generations to come.
Ultimately, this passage from Bereshit Rabbah isn’t just about Abraham. It's about us. It's about acknowledging our fears, recognizing the limits of our own wisdom, and choosing to trust in something greater. It's about understanding that true reward comes not from arrogance or self-deception, but from living a life of righteousness and justice. What kind of legacy are we sowing?