The trilogy by ArtScroll is finally complete.

Excerpting: “The Beis Halevi on Anavah” by Rabbi David Sutton. Mesorah Publications Ltd. 2025. 216 pages. ISBN-10: 1422642925.

(Courtesy of Artscroll) Nearly a century after the passing of the legendary Beis HaLevi, three powerful essays—on bitachon (trust in Hashem), ahavas Yisrael (love of fellow Jews), and anavah (humility)—were finally brought to light. Though penned by one of the greatest Torah luminaries of the 19th century, these writings remained unpublished during his lifetime. They followed a long and winding journey passed down through generations, until they were first published in 1985, almost 100 years after the death of its author.

Why did Beis HaLevi choose to focus on these three topics, and how are they connected? Moreover, why was this manuscript revealed at this specific moment in history?

The common thread among the three essays is that each discusses a concept offering both a great opportunity to fulfill a positive commandment, if acted upon, as well as a significant risk of sin, if ignored. The Beis HaLevi explains that lacking in any one of these traits not only stunts a person’s growth, but can lead to further missteps. And when these traits are embraced, they become a fountain of blessing and merit.

Finally, the Beis HaLevi stresses that all the above topics are issues of the heart.

Still, we may wonder: Why did Hashgachah cause these teachings to come to light now? The answer is: Bitachon, ahavas Yisrael and anavah are essential for bringing close the Geulah. Rav Yaakov Hillel shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom, explains that these essays were hidden until our generation, the final generation, in order to help us prepare for the Geulah.

Throughout the sefer, the Beis HaLevi teaches that humility is not merely a trait that shapes our interactions with others—it has profound implications that reach far beyond interpersonal relationships.

The Beis HaLevi quotes the Gemara in Taanis (7a), which states that the words of Torah are compared to water because just as water leaves a higher level and goes down to a lower level, so too the words of Torah are retained only by one who is humble.

How is this to be understood?

In Daas Chochmah U’Mussar (Vol. II, p. 53) Rav Yerucham Levovitz has an essay titled Kedushas HaTorah, in which he quotes a story from the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 81:2):

Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi (the redactor of the Mishnah; also known as Rabbeinu HaKadosh or Rebbi) was once passing the town of Simonia. The residents came out to greet him and made a request. “Rebbi, please provide us with a person who can teach us both Tanach and Mishnah, and can also judge our disputes.” Rebbi recommended Rabbi Levi bar Sisi.

When Rabbi Levi arrived in Simonia, the townspeople constructed a large platform for him and seated him upon it so he could address them. But then, suddenly, he couldn’t remember his learning and was unable to teach them anything.

They asked him three questions on the laws of chalitzah, but he couldn’t answer any of them. The townspeople hoped that even if Rabbi Levi couldn’t answer questions about chalitzah, he was still an expert in Aggadah, in the mussar aspects of the Torah rather than Talmudic law. They asked him a question on a pasuk, and again, he wasn’t able to answer.

Rabbi Levi woke up early the next morning and returned to Rebbi, hoping that Rebbi would relieve him of his post.

Rebbi asked him, “How’s your new position treating you?”

Rabbi Levi answered, “Please, don’t even bring it up. Don’t remind me of my troubles.”

“Why? What happened?”

“They asked me questions, and I was unable to answer any of them.”

“What questions did they ask you?” Rebbi inquired.

Rabbi Levi repeated the three questions and provided all the answers. Then he repeated the question from the Aggadah and provided that answer, as well.

Rebbi asked him, “So, why didn’t you answer the people in the city like you just answered me?”

Rabbi Levi explained, “They made a large platform for me and seated me upon it. I became conceited and the words of the Torah eluded me.”

Why did this happen?

Rav Yerucham expounds: Because of the little bit of arrogance he felt, he began to forget his learning. We don’t find this in any other realm. Torah is compared to water. Just like water flows downward, the Torah flows downward, to one whose spirit is lowly, i.e., an unassuming person (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:19). Therefore, a person has to make himself fit for the Torah. A drop of arrogance, a drop of conceit… and it leaves.

Secular professors have no problem standing on the highest of platforms, their hearts filled with all kinds of abominations and foul middos. It doesn’t bother them at all.

Why not?

Because only Torah is min haShamayim, from Heaven. Only Torah is holy.

That’s why we need the ultimate refinement, the refinement of humility.

Recently, three Gedolim blessed this trilogy of the Beis HaLevi on bitachon, ahavas Yisrael and anavah: (In chronological order of signatures) Rav Dovid Cohen, the Rosh Yeshivah of Chevron; Rav Berel Povarsky, the Rosh Yeshivah of Ponevezh; and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the Rosh Yeshivah of Slobodka.

They blessed the author, Rabbi David Sutton, for his fine work, and also blessed Rabbi Mordechai Shraga Neuman (a.k.a. Mutchy), who initiated the publication of the sefer and, with the help of Hashem, steadfastly oversaw the work through to its completion. They described the essays as new vessels filled with aged wine, the wine of Torah. They described the words of the Beis HaLevi as cherished by all of Israel, who thirst for every drop that comes from his quill. They stressed that although the Beis HaLevi requires no formal approbation, it is laudable that the sefer was translated into the common tongue and everyone can understand it in their own language.

The Gedolim add that they did their due diligence before signing this letter and state that they heard from trustworthy English-speaking Torah scholars who read the works and attested that they are a successful representation of the words of the Beis HaLevi.

The excerpt in this article is reprinted from “The Beis Halevi on Anavah by Rabbi David Sutton” with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.