Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Paragon Of Humility

In this weeks parsha it says that Moshe was the most humble of all men on earth - והאיש משה ענו
מאד  מכל אדם אשר על פני אדמה
How about this conundrum. Moshe WROTE this in the Torah. Moshe is OBLIGATED to believe it [as we all are]. So it emerges that Moshe must believe that he is the most humble man on earth. Is that a sign of humility??? That would seem arrogant, no? I am being introduced somewhere and the person introducing me says "THE GREAT TZADIK AND GAON, MARBITZ TORAH PAR EXCELLENCE, THE PILLAR OF OUR GENERATION HARAV..."  and I quickly catch him before he finishes and say "don't forget to mention my great humility".

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

This question is predicated upon a misunderstanding of the nature of humility. To be humble DOES NOT mean that one doesn't appreciate his talents and abilities. Moshe Rabbeinu was well aware that Hashem chose him to be the leader and redeemer of the Jewish People and greatest prophet ever. [It is one of the 13 principals of faith to believe that Moshe was the greatest of all prophets]. Hashem only chose him because of his greatness. Moshe understood this. To be humble means to appreciate that I am NOTHING without Hashem. Since it is all from Hashem, I attribute nothing to myself. I also don't see myself as better than others because EVERYBODY possesses qualities that I lack and everybody has performed deeds that I have not.

To be humble is to be honest. איך בין גאר נישט!! I am nothing. Really. One little tiny bullet and a person is GOOONNEEE. One little part of his body is in extreme pain and he is in the emergency room. A stroke and minutes later the world's greatest genius can no longer utter a sound or add two and two.

Moshe was humble and he knew it:).

Think about it.