Welcome to Daily Bitachon and our Sha'ar HaBechinah series, where we are discussing the various emotional and intellectual gifts God gave us that deserve our appreciation. One of the great benefits the Chovot HaLevavot highlights is Bushah (Shame), which he says is yiched bo ha'adam —unique to man alone. Animals do not experience shame. As the seforim explain, only human beings possess da'as hada'as —the ability to be self-aware. Animals can feel fear, anger, or joy, but those are survival reactions to external stimuli. To feel embarrassment, you must be self-reflective; you must recognize an "ideal self" and realize you aren't living up to it. Why did God give us this feeling of "not living up to ourselves"? Because shame is a powerful motivator to do the right thing. He explains that without it, we would lose many of our social virtues. People might not invite guests, as hosting is difficult and expensive; it is often the social pressure—the shame of being seen as stingy—that keeps the door open. People might not fulfill their promises; the primary force keeping a person to their word when it's inconvenient is the shame of being known as a liar. We wouldn't satisfy favors or perform acts of kindness. In fact, he says many matters of the Torah are only fulfilled because of shame: devarim rabim midivrei Torah osim ba'avur haboshet . He goes even further, noting that many people might not even respect their parents if not for Bushah —the feeling that sending them away "doesn't look right." It keeps us from holding onto lost objects and holds us back from sinning. It is a wondrous gift. But here is the real "wonder of wonders": while man is given a natural shame before his peers, he does not have a natural, instinctive shame before his Creator who is watching at all times. Usually, a trait is either "on" or "off," but God created a split in this specific area. Why? Because if we were naturally ashamed to sin before God, we would have no freedom of choice. Without choice, there is no reward. Rav Yitzchak Blazer, in Ohr Yisrael , makes the same point regarding fear: we are naturally afraid of germs, cars, or heights, but we aren't naturally afraid of God. We have to work to reach that level of realization. This is why, on his deathbed, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai blessed his students that they should "fear Heaven as much as you fear a human being." When they asked if that was all, he replied, "If only you could reach that level!" We are always concerned if a person is looking, but not always if God is looking. The Chofetz Chaim once illustrated this with a wagon driver who wanted to let his horse graze in a private field. He asked the Chofetz Chaim to keep watch and holler if anyone was looking. The Chofetz Chaim immediately yelled, "Someone is watching!" The driver panicked and drove off, not realizing the Chofetz Chaim was pointing toward Heaven. The Steipler Gaon, in Chayei Olam , points out that our entire existence is a series of these "coexisting opposites." We remember and we forget. We are calm and we are confused. We can be arrogant or humble. He lists over 35 areas of this duality—70 different traits and talents working together simultaneously. All of them were programmed into us for our benefit: to serve Hashem, to navigate our daily needs, or to provide us with the tests necessary for our growth. It is, truly, a wonder of wonders.