Humility is a very important value in Judaism. Throughout the Talmud there are lessons regarding the importance being humble. In Tractate Sotah 5a the Talmud says, “regarding a person lacking humility, the Holy One (God) says, ‘He and I are not able to dwell together in this world’.” Meaning, that pride a lack of humility can lead to so much pride that person pushes off any feeling of having a Lord greater than them.
One of the many benefits of being humble that Judaism teaches is that it will keep you from sinning. One place we learn this from is the first Mishna in the third chapter of Pirkei Avot. The Mishna says:
Reflect on three things and you will avoid transgression: Know where you came from, where you are going, and before whom you will have to give an account and reckoning. “Where you came from” – from a putrid drop; “Where you are going” – to a place of dust, worms and maggots; “And before whom you will have to give an account and reckoning” – before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
One way to look at this Mishna is that when you realize that in the great scheme things you aren’t so great, this humbling reflection will motivate you to avoid sinning. The implication being that the lack of humility can make a person feel better than others or overly important, this can cause a feeling of entitlement. The feeling of entitlement can lead one to treat others poorly, or to feel entitled to get away with not living up to their religious responsibilities. There are countless other examples and lessons throughout the Jewish tradition which argue the value of humility and its positive impact on human behavior.
I would like to share with you a commentary I found in this week’s Parsha which teaches a similar lesson. The Torah in this week’s Parsha warns that if one were to gaze upon the holy vessels of the Tabernacle as they are being covered in preparation for travel, that person would die. Rabbi Moshe Hefez a 16th century Italian Rabbi comments on this section:
I believe that the text contains a warning against the temptation of high office and the cure – humility. Pride and the feeling of success come before a fall. True contentment and happiness can only be achieved by the feeling of reverence and humility. The sons of Kehath (Levites whose job it was to prepare the Tabernacle for travel and to carry it when traveling) were in danger of becoming victims of pride and vanity as a result of the privilege of carrying the ark which had been bestowed upon them. The Holy One, blessed be He, therefore withheld from them one important detail. They were not allowed to carry the ark until Aaron and his sons had covered the holy things, so that they should realize that they, too, were subordinated to someone higher than themselves. The prohibition of touching the holy things was designed to deflate their pride. They should not imagine they were in complete control and become over proud.
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