Quality #8:
“Through humility” (be-anavah)
Contemplation:
Humility is such an essential precondition for learning that it is difficult to even explain it. It is like trying to explain why air is necessary for breathing.
A proud person cannot learn, because it would involve allowing the possibility into his mind that he did not know all that there is to know about a subject. To learn something, you must declare yourself to be empty and ready to receive truth from an external source.
If we look at the qualities that made Moshe Rabbeinu uniquely fitted to be the quintessential ‘acquirer of the Torah’, we should take note that he was
“extremely humble, more than any human being on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).
We know also from the words of our Master that
“blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the Land” (Psalm 37:11, Matthew 5:5). Here are a few more verses that explain the benefits of humility:
“The fear of the L-RD is the training of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” (Proverbs 15:33)
“On the heels of humility and the fear of the L-RD are riches, and honour, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)
“But He giveth more grace. For which cause he saith, G-d resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to G-d; resist the Accuser, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to G-d, and He will draw nigh to you. … Humble yourselves in the sight of the L-rd, and He shall lift you up.” (James 4:6-8,10)
“…Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for G-d resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of G-d, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:5-7)
* * *
So how does one practice humility? What is the way to go about it? Is it necessary to downplay yourself, or to deplore your own character and achievements? If we think we are humble, does that mean we are not being humble at that moment?
If Moshe was directed by G-d to write that he was the humblest man on earth, then he knew that he was in fact the humblest man on earth. He also knew that G-d spoke of him as being on a different level than any other prophet: one with whom G-d spoke face to face. Yet still, he remained the humblest man. How?
Humility is not refusing to see your own qualities. Humility is knowing that those qualities were given to you as a gift from G-d, and that you have no reason to become puffed up just because you have been given them. No man ought to be proud of his hair or eye color, and neither should we think that our achievements or our characters are the result of our own innate superiority to other people. That does not mean that we cannot enjoy and take satisfaction from knowing that we have done well in His sight; we can also enjoy our hair or eye color. But we cannot lord it over others, or think that G-d owes us something, because we are such good people or have done such wonderful things. If we have done things it is because He has given us strength to do them.
“Beware that you forget not the L-RD your God, by not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command you this day: Lest… you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. Then you shall remember the L-RD your God: for it is He that gives you power to get wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:11-12, 17-18)
“Thus says the L-RD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the L-RD Who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the L-RD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
That is how Moshe could continue to be humble: he knew that if G-d had wanted to, He could have chosen someone else and made that person into the greatest prophet who ever lived. All the works which Moshe did were done by G-d through his hand. The only thing that Moshe himself contributed was to request that someone else should be given the job. His worry and concern was that he would not fulfill the task properly, that he would not live up to the potential that G-d put into him.
Even if none of us have the potential to be a Moshe, we still have the potential to be the most that we can be. G-d does not hold us accountable for failing to live up to a level of greatness we couldn’t reach; He holds us accountable for failing to live up to our own maximum potential, for failing to do our best, whatever that best may be.
R’ Zusha of Anipoli was known to have said, “In the Judgment to Come, I am not afraid that HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He) will say to me, ‘Why weren’t you a Moses?’ I am afraid that He will say to me, ‘Why weren’t you a Zusha?’”
He also was once asked, “If you could trade places with Abraham, would you?” “No,”, he replied. “If I did that, HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He) would still have one Abraham and one Zusha; so where would there be any benefit from the switch?” He knew that G-d had made Abraham into Abraham, just as G-d had made Zusha into Zusha. If G-d had made one a famous and wealthy patriarch and the other a poor rabbi in Eastern Europe, then that was what G-d wanted.
Let us all realize how completely we are dependent on G-d for who we are. Then we can finally understand that our own greatness or smallness doesn’t depend on us. It’s all His decision, made for His purposes and our own ultimate benefit. Let us then rejoice in the role He has given us, in being the great or small person He has made us to be. That is humility.
Quality #9:
“Through joy” (be-simchah)
Contemplation:
After realizing that our acquiring of Torah must be done with awe, fear and humility, is there any way for us to receive it with joy? What a question! Anyone who has seen the celebrations and dancings with Torah scrolls on the holiday of Simchas Torah has witnessed the exuberance with which we delight in the gift of the Torah. There are stories of rabbis and scholars who danced for joy when they found a solution to a puzzling passage in Torah. If the Torah is our very life, then studying it and immersing in it should always be done with joy and gratitude.
(Psalm 19:9) “The statutes of the L-RD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the L-RD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
(Psalm 119:14) “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.”
(Psalm 119:162) “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.”
And since the study of Torah is part of our service to G-d, such service should always be performed with a joyful heart:
(Psalm 100:2) “Serve the L-RD with gladness: come before His presence with singing.”
Even at times of public repentance, the proper attitude to have when receiving the Torah is one of joy:
(Nehemiah 8:2–12) “And Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein… from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the Torah. … And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people… and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the L-RD, the great G-d. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen… So they read in the book in the Torah of G-d distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
And Nehemiah… and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, ‘This day is holy unto the L-RD your G-d; mourn not, nor weep.’ For all the people were weeping, when they heard the words of the Torah. Then he said unto them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our L-rd: neither be ye sorrowful; for the joy of the L-RD is your strength.’
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.”
Today, take joy in what you learn. Don’t learn begrudgingly, as if you can’t really afford to spare the time for Torah study. Don’t learn with a heavy heart, as if the words are a condemnation for you or a reminder of how far you fall short. These words are your very life. If the words resonate with your heart, be glad that your heart has been transformed to be in tune with the Word of G-d. If the words convict you, rejoice that G-d has chosen to address His Word to you personally, to point out how you can best improve and grow in your service of Him. If the words say something that you never saw before… perhaps a dance is in order.
Quality #10:
“With purity” (be-taharah)
Contemplation:
Purity, or
taharah in Hebrew, is a difficult concept to pin down. It is related to words for ‘transparent’ and ‘unmixed’, painting a picture of a clear substance like glass or pure water, which is not mingled with any foreign particles that would stop the light from shining through it. Purity, then, is a state in which the Light of G-d is unimpeded as it enters us and shines through us. The opposite state would be ‘impeded’, ‘blocked up’, perhaps diluted or polluted with something that does not permit light to shine through. This is
tumah (impurity) in Hebrew.
As we know from studying the laws of
tumah and
taharah in Leviticus,
tumah is a state which prevents the one who has it from approaching the Sanctuary of G-d. In order to remove this impediment, purification is required. Physical
tumah is always associated with coming into contact with the realm of death in some way. Contact with death renders us symbolically ‘closed off’ to the Sanctuary, and purification is a way of countering that effect by painting a picture of new life, rebirth and resurrection (which is symbolized by immersion in a
mikveh).
The same principle which we see in the environs of the Temple can be applied to our study of Torah. In order to receive the Torah, we must be unimpeded, with nothing blocking its entrance into our hearts and minds. Just as dilution can make a liquid less clear, mental distractions and unrelated topics can prevent us from fully grasping what we are learning. To truly acquire the Torah we are studying, our thoughts must be undivided and focused on our learning. All extraneous thoughts must be pushed to the side.
Yet there is more to purity than simple mental concentration. Spiritual
tumah, coming from evil thoughts and desires in the heart of man, renders us incapable of being fully open to the Torah’s teachings. It makes us spiritually blind and deaf to part or all of what we are learning.
“The heart of this people has been made fat, and its ears made heavy, and its eyes closed; lest it should see with its eyes, and hear with its ears, and its heart should understand, and turn back and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10)
Spiritual impurity cannot coexist with spiritual insight. The only way to recover and be capable of receiving the Torah once again is for spiritual purification to take place:
“Many shall be purified, and made white, and refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Daniel 12:10)
We know from studying the laws of
tumah, and
taharah that all of mankind is subject at various times to forms of physical ‘impurity’. It is not completely avoidable, nor is it desirable to always avoid it. This means that another constant part of our lives (at least in the days when the Temple stands) is ‘purification’. Purity is not an original state which can only be preserved intact once, and if lost is irretrievable; it is a state to which we must return over and over again, so that we may once again approach the Sanctuary.
This lesson could be applied to the spiritual realm as well. Spiritual purification is a process with which we must be constantly familiar.
What is the sign of spiritual purification? Habits of repentance and righteousness:
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Differing weights, and differing measures, both of them are alike abomination to the L-RD. Even a child is known by his habits: whether his work be clean, and whether it be upright.” (Proverbs 20:9–11)
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
“Draw nigh to G-d, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.” (James 4:8)
“Seeing ye have purified your souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently…” (1 Peter 1:22)
Quality #11:
“Through ministering to sages” (be-shimush chachamim)
Contemplation:
This is a part of acquiring Torah which mostly goes unnoticed in non-Jewish circles. The prevalent idea of education is that you go to a place where someone hands you a set of facts, and once you have committed them to memory, you have learned. It would not occur to a university student, for example, that part of his education would consist of attending to his professor’s needs outside the classroom. At the most, a ‘teacher’s assistant’ helps with the presentation of the lesson; outside of that context, teacher and student are not expected to interact. Who would think that a personal relationship of service was an essential part of learning?
Now, we must clarify here: this text does not specify that ministering to one’s own rabbi or teacher is the way to acquire Torah. It says that ministering to sages – scholars, wise and learned men – is the way to acquire Torah. If the rule were limited to one’s own rabbi, it might have been thought that serving him was a way of humbling yourself and developing the proper attitude to receive what he teaches; but it does not say that. The principle is that you should minister to those who are learned and wise. This could be tending to someone who is old: the English word “wizened”, which is now used to refer to someone who has aged, literally means ‘someone who has been made wise’.
By spending time in the presence of the wise one, you learn much more than their mere words; you see how they go about their personal lives when no one else is around, how they interact with other people, what they prioritize and the manner in which they perform their tasks. How much could you learn from spending a week or a month on the farm with your grandfather or grandmother and watching them work? How much could you absorb from spending time with someone who grew up in the days before television and widespread electricity? And how much is there to learn from watching a sage who has learned and practiced Torah for decades go about his day?
“From all my teachers I gained insight: for Your testimonies are conversation for me. From wizened elders I derived understanding, because I have preserved the things You appointed.” (Psalm 119:99–100)
“With the ancient ones is wisdom; and in length of days is understanding.” (Job 12:12)
Quality #12:
“Through closeness to friends” (be-dibbuk chaverim)
OR
“Through meticulous examination of friends” (be-dik’duk chaverim)
Contemplation:
Today’s step is handed down to us with two variations: some copies say
“dibbuk chaverim” (closeness to friends) and some say
“dik’duk chaverim” (meticulous examination of friends). The two versions work together quite well: If you’re going to be very close to your friends, you must pick them carefully.
But
dik’duk chaverim could also mean “thorough examination (of a subject) along with friends”. A
chaver is not just an acquaintance; it is the accepted title for a study partner. Your
chaver is a fellow student, a matching pair to you, who meets with you regularly to go over Torah commentaries together, because it is dangerous to study alone. Too many people have strayed into bizarre and false theologies by living and reading alone and formulating their ideas without any outside input. Getting your friend’s perspective is essential in order to study a topic thoroughly and objectively, without being hampered or led astray by your own biases.
Even if the idea of
dik’duk is to meticulously examine your friends, this does not necessarily have to be about deciding whether to be friends with them or not. If they are your friends, and you seek to hold fast to them, then you must be aware of the smallest shifts in their moods or attitudes. If something is bothering them, don’t be the last to find out. Only by close observation can you be a help to your friend, and stick by him when he needs you.
So yes, choose your friends wisely, be sensitive to their needs, and form a partnership in which you rely on each other to find the truth of a matter. Then if you have found a friend and partner like that, stick close to that friend and never let go.
“A man [that wants] friends must make himself friendly: and there is one who loves who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
“Ointment and perfume gladden the heart: so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.” (Proverbs 27:9)
“And it came to pass… that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (I Samuel 18:1)