As a people we have accepted upon ourselves the Scriptural nature of reciting praises to Hashem upon rising. Following the washing of our hands we praise Hashem as the fashioner of human intellect.
In Perkei Avot Ben Zoma ask the question: "Who is wise?". Tehillim 111:10 reminds us that the Beginning of Wisdom is Yirat Hashem'. Yirat in English is commonly translated as 'fear' if this is so, we find that Chazal had scriptural measurements and bases on which to understand 'fear'; lets explore for a moment these Talmudic types of fear:
Pachad:
This type of 'fear' is rooted in the imagination and often stems from dwelling on worst-case scenarios or anxieties about the future. It can manifest as fear of rejection, stepping outside of comfort zones, or a general sense of threat.
Yirah:
This type of fear is more about a sense of reverence, awe, and respect for the divine. It can be associated with feeling a calling, being on sacred ground, or experiencing inner inspiration. Some interpretations see Yirah as a fear that overcomes us when we are confronted with something larger than ourselves, with a sense of awe and wonder.
Yirat Ha'Onesh (Fear of Punishment):
This type of 'fear' is often described as negative, stemming from a desire to avoid repercussions for wrong actions.
Yirat Ha'Rom'me'mut (Fear of Hashem's Greatness):
This type of 'fear' is seen as healthy and involves recognizing Hashem's greatness and wanting to do what is right, not only for the sake of avoiding punishment, but also for the sake of our own well-being and the well-being of others.
Again, Ben Zoma in Perkei Avot asked the question: "Who is wise?" Tehillim responds that the beginning of wisdom is Fear/Yirat (of) Hashem. Based on the understanding of the Talmudic types of 'fears', how do we personally, or collectively respond to the question of Ben Zoma? When we rise each morning and recite 'Asher Yatzar eth Ha'Adam B'Chokhmah' how do we personally respond to the words that each and every Human is fashioned in wisdom?
It is important to note that on a Scriptural level one cannot have Knowledge (Da'at) without wisdom (Chokhmah) first. This is why Tehillim says that the Beginning is known as Chokhmah, then Binah and Da'at. See Perkei Avot 3.
How to have Yirat Hashem
Yirat Hashem is not an easy task and one should not assume that they are aware of it simply because they live within the Eruv or because the give Tzedakah and promote social justice. Yirat Hashem having a constant consciousness of the sacredness of Hashems activeness in all things. Yirat Hashem is having a deep respect for the Kabbalistic nature of receiving and experiencing life and the things that make it possible as we say in 'Adon Olam' and 'Nishmat kol Hai'.
May this learning give us a healthy outlook on Yirat Hashem allowing us to rise in confidence to do more Mitzvot each day and take opportunities throughout the day to display real Yirat Hashem.
Shavua Tov!