Humility – Page 17 – Peninim on the Torah

ויקח משה את אשתו ואת בניו... וישב ארצה מצרים... ויהי בדרך במלון ויפגשהו ד'

Moshe took his wife and his sons… and returned to the land of Egypt… it was on the way, in the lodging, that Hashem encountered him. (4:20,24)

Seven days elapsed while Hashem maintained His dialogue with Moshe Rabbeinu, attempting to convince him to go to Egypt to serve as the first leader of Klal Yisrael. Moshe demurred for various reasons; his unparalleled humility and consummate respect for his brother, Aharon HaKohen, were his primary reasons. Ultimately, Hashem said, “Either you lead them out, or they will remain forever slaves to Pharaoh.” Moshe relented and agreed to go. The Torah relates that Moshe fetched his wife and sons and set out for Egypt. Along the way, they stopped to rest at an inn. It was at this inn…

Home -> 5773 -> Shemini

ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו את העם וירא כבוד ד' אל כל העם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5773

Moshe and Aharon came to the Ohel Moed, and they went out and blessed the people – and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people. (9:23)

Rashi describes what occurred behind the scenes which necessitated the entry of Moshe Rabbeinu into the Ohel Moed together with Aharon HaKohen. When Aharon saw that all of the offerings had been brought and all of the service in the Mishkan had been performed, he was greatly concerned. The Shechinah had not descended to Klal Yisrael. In his great humility, Aharon blamed himself: “I know that Hashem has become angry with me, and it is because of me that the Shechinah has not descended to the nation.” Aharon approached his brother and said, “Moshe, thus you have done to me;…

Home -> 5773 -> Korach

ויחר למשה מאד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5773

This distressed Moshe greatly. (16:15)

Moshe Rabbeinu had just experienced the nadir of chutzpah: Korach and his rebels had openly defied his authority. When Klal Yisrael’s leader, the individual who had led the nation out of bondage, asked them to appear before him with their grievances, they flatly refused. That was, however, not all. They read off a list of concocted complaints which were blatantly false. Talk about chutzpah. They referred to Egypt, the country that had enslaved them for over two centuries as, “the land of milk and honey.” Egypt – not Eretz Yisrael! They laced into Moshe for the sin of the meraglim,…

Home -> 5773 -> Eikev

ואתפוש בשני הלוחות מעל שתי ידי ואשברם לעיניכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5773

I took hold of both of the Tablets, and I cast them from my hands, and I broke them before your eyes. (9:17)

A powerful lesson can be derived from this pasuk, which describes Moshe Rabbeinu’s act of shattering of the Luchos not simply as a negative act or an act of weakness, but rather, as a forceful, compelling, even positive act. Horav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zl, comments that, were it not for the Torah’s unembellished description, one might harbor the thought that Moshe was so overcome with shock in seeing the Golden Calf that he dropped the Luchos. Perhaps another scenario would be that they were too heavy. Moshe’s strength came from the People. Their merit infused him. Once they fell off their…

Home -> 5773 -> Beha'alosecha

והאיש משה ענו מאד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5773

Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

Humility is built upon a person’s assessment of himself. It has nothing to do with his being able to speak up or take a stand on behalf of what is right. A humble person is well aware of his personal ability and successes in life. He just feels that he could have done so much more. As far as his ability is concerned, he considers himself lacking in achievement. With his G-d-given talents, he should have been that much greater. As a result of this self-assessment, one carries himself in a manner incongruous with that of a person who is…

Home -> 5753 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5753

“Have I conceived this entire nation?” (11:12)

The Sforno explains Moshe’s statement in the following manner. A father can guide his sons even when their opinions differ. This is due to the sons’ perception that their father love’s them. Therefore, the sons attribute positive motivations to the fathers’ leadership. Klal Yisrael, however, did not trust Moshe. They were suspicious of his behavior. This lack of trust undermined Moshe’s attempts to effectively lead Bnei Yisrael. In his unparalled humility, Moshe reinforced his perception of his shortcomings and inability to evoke Klal Yisrael’s trust. The Sforno offers an invaluable lesson in education, which is applicable both to the home…

Home -> 5753 -> Shemini

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5753

“Any earthenware utensil into whose interior one of them will fall everything within it shall become contaminated and you shall break it.” (11:33)

An earthenware vessel can contract impurity only through internal ritually unclean contact. Horav E. Munk, z.l,. cites Rav Mendel Mi’kotzk who distinguishes between a metallic vessel, whose intrinsic value is based upon the metal from which it is made, and an earthenware vessel, whose value is based upon what it contains. This is the reason that an earthenware vessel is contaminated only from the inside and cannot be purified by immersion in a mikveh, as a metallic vessel can. Consequently, an earthenware vessel which has become tamei, ritually contaminated, must be broken. The vessel is like a man formed from…

Home -> 5751 -> Noach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5751

And they said, come let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

is revealed the true essence and attitude of the tower builders. When one becomes aware of one’s ego can it lead to two contrasting reactions: humility or pride. When one becomes obsessed with his paltriness, he may be stimulated to turn his efforts towards serving humanity, or he can rebel against an inexorable destiny, to break out of his physical limitations by revolting against Hashem. The people of Bavel chose pride. They were overwhelmed with an obsessive ego, therefore they refused to admit that an individual’s worth is measured solely by his contribution to society. Their tower, which was useless,…

Home -> 5751 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5751

“And what are we that you complain against us.” (16:7)

Rava said, greater is that which is said regarding Moshe and Aharon, than that which is said regarding Avrohom. In Avrahom’s case it says, “I am mere dust and ashes,” while Moshe and Aharon said, “What are we?” (Chulin 89) The Talmud refers to the level of humility reached by Moshe and Aharon as opposed to Avrohom. Avrohom felt that he had some value, that of dust and ashes, while Moshe and Aharon viewed themselves as having no worth at all. Rabbi Meir Shapiro Zt”‘l explains the differences between these great leaders in relation to whom they were speaking rather…

Home -> 5751 -> Shemini

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5751

“And Moshe said to Aharon this is that which Hashem spoke saying “Through them who are close to Me I will become sanctified.” (10:3)

Rashi explains: Moshe said to Aharon – my brother, I have known that the House would be sanctified by those beloved by Hashem and I thought it would either be by myself or you – now I see that they are greater than you or I. Moshe’s statement regarding Hashem’s choice for sanctifying His Name does not seem consistent with the characterization of Moshe as “and the man Moshe was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth.” (Bamidbar 12:3) How could one who has mastered his personality to the extent that he serves…

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ויקח משה את אשתו ואת בניו... וישב ארצה מצרים... ויהי בדרך במלון ויפגשהו ד'

Moshe took his wife and his sons… and returned to the land of Egypt… it was on the way, in the lodging, that Hashem encountered him. (4:20,24)

ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו את העם וירא כבוד ד' אל כל העם

Moshe and Aharon came to the Ohel Moed, and they went out and blessed the people – and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people. (9:23)

ויחר למשה מאד

This distressed Moshe greatly. (16:15)

ואתפוש בשני הלוחות מעל שתי ידי ואשברם לעיניכם

I took hold of both of the Tablets, and I cast them from my hands, and I broke them before your eyes. (9:17)

והאיש משה ענו מאד

Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

“Have I conceived this entire nation?” (11:12)

“Any earthenware utensil into whose interior one of them will fall everything within it shall become contaminated and you shall break it.” (11:33)

And they said, come let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

“And what are we that you complain against us.” (16:7)

“And Moshe said to Aharon this is that which Hashem spoke saying “Through them who are close to Me I will become sanctified.” (10:3)

YEARS

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