That’s the feeling swirling around in this passage from the Midrash of Philo, an ancient commentary attributed to Philo of Alexandria, as it grapples with the moment someone encounters the Divine. It's not a simple, straightforward explanation, but a multi-layered exploration of what such an encounter means.
The text starts by talking about keeping oneself "free from stain." What does that even mean? Well, according to this midrash, it’s all about our senses. It suggests that our senses, the "outward sense," are the very origin, the source of our passions. And if those passions aren’t kept in check, they can lead us astray. When someone "falls on his face," it's not just a literal tumble. It's a symbolic act, showing that he’s letting go of those sensory-driven temptations and dedicating himself to "all good works." He's pushing those "offences caused by the outward senses" to the bottom, where they belong. He's getting his priorities straight.
But there’s more to it than just resisting temptation.
The midrash offers a second layer: sheer awe. Think about it: encountering the living God! The text tells us that the individual "was so struck by the manifest appearance of the living God that he was scarcely able to behold him through fear." It's an overwhelming experience, a moment of such intense reverence that all one can do is fall to the ground in adoration. Who wouldn’t be overwhelmed in that situation?
And finally, a third layer of understanding. This falling to the ground isn't just about fear or resisting temptation. It's about recognizing Truth. It's about contrasting the unwavering constancy of God with the ever-changing, often disappointing, nature of the created world. The midrash says, the individual "fell to the ground on account of the revelation thus made to him, at the form of his appearance by the living God who exists alone, whom he knew and regarded as truth opposed to created nature."
Think of it this way: God is constant, eternal, unshakeable. The world, on the other hand, is in a constant state of flux, always shifting and changing, ultimately returning to the earth from which it came. To fall to the ground, then, is to acknowledge this fundamental difference, to recognize the ultimate reality of God in contrast to the fleeting nature of the world around us. It is an acknowledgement of truth, and an act of humility.
So, next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, whether by beauty, by awe, or even by difficulty, maybe there’s a lesson here. Maybe it's a chance to re-evaluate what truly matters, to ground yourself in something constant and true, and to let go of the fleeting distractions that keep us from connecting with the Divine.