Standing Before God in Joy and Fear

Upon encountering the divine presence, humans experience the tension between terror and ecstasy. Medieval Jewish philosopher, Joseph Albo addresses such a dialectic of fear and joy in one’s quest to achieve true happiness. He identifies the essence of the performance of a commandment as fear of God. While he also affirms that divine service must be inspired with joy if it is to be complete, he acknowledges the challenge of reconciling fear with joy. Albo conceives of the trembling which one suffers when inspired with fear of God as the toil which one exerts in pursuit of a valuable goal. Despite the arduous effort, one rejoices when reflecting upon the purpose of the fear, namely, submission to God and His service. Albo illustrates such joy through biblical interpretation and articulates the severe punishment recounted in the Bible for not serving God joyfully. At the establishment of His nation, all members were invited to appear before God and commit themselves to His covenant. Recognition of the awe and joy that accompany such responsibility is integral to the experience of standing before God and the achievement of true felicity.