Everyone knows the midrash that the reason why Mount Sinai was chosen as the place of the giving of the Torah was because of its humbleness. It wasn't the tallest or greenest mountain, yet that was the very reason why it was chosen. The lesson is that one must be humble in order to acquire Torah. That's why it is Moshe, the greatest ענו, who gives us the Torah. If humility and humbleness are key ingredients to acquiring Torah, why give it on a mountain at all, give the Torah on flat land or better yet, in a valley? The Alter Rebbe explains that just as much as humility is a necessary trait in learning torah, so too one must understand that they are worth something in order to learn. Knowledge of capability and talent isn't contradictory to humility; it is a prerequisite as described here.
It seems in the past the focus of mashpiem was on the 'smallest mountain' aspect, but now they focus on the 'you must be a mountain' aspect.
I think that the chovos halevavos says a similar idea in shaar hahachnaa, and bases it on the verse vayigbah libo bidarchei hashem. I think the that yaavetz in hakdama to his siddur talks about this as well. Also humbleness isn't a word it's humility. and you say humbleness and humility are key ingredients to acquiring torah. What is the difference between humbleness and humility and how have we seen here that both are required?
ReplyDeleteHumbleness is a quality of being modest or unpretentious. Your humbleness is what keeps you from bragging about all the places you've traveled and the many languages you speak. True humbleness is characterized by humility and a certain quietness or reserve. (Google.)
ReplyDeletethough admittedly not standardized English
Difference between humility and humbleness
Humble is an adjective, so it is used to describe someone, whereas humility is a noun. They both basically mean the same thing. Someone who is humble is not arrogant or overly proud. ... "Humility" is the noun form of the same word basically meaning "a modest view of one's own importance."(Google)
I just meant it a synonym and its double language for emphasis/fanciness
both humbleness and humility are nouns.
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