The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Nevi’im 499) describes the scene at the end of days: “When the King Moshiach will come, he will stand on the roof of the Beit Hamikdash and announce to the Jewish people: ‘Anavim, humble ones, your time of redemption has arrived.’”
Developing humility is not a simple task as it is challenged both by our successes as a community and nation and by our sense that in a threatening world, we must stand up proudly for ourselves. And yet, humility is a value that we clearly need to embrace—as individuals and as a nation—to hear the call of Moshiach. How do we build a sense of humility?
The Talmud (Sotah 5a) cites an argument between two sages, Rav Hunna and Rav Chisda. One suggests that God brings the crushed and the humble to be with Him on high, while the other proposes that God lowers Himself to be alongside the humble. The Talmud accepts the latter opinion based on Hashem’s choice of Sinai—the lowest of mountains—as the location for the giving of the Torah. Their debate revolves around two approaches to developing humility.
On the one hand, humility may be derived from the recognition of God’s greatness and our relative vulnerability. This is expressed as God bringing the humble to be with Him. Another form of humility draws from a broader aversion to self-centeredness and enhanced awareness of others. In that form, God comes to take His place with the humble. The Talmud concludes from the choice of Sinai that it is that broader humility and non-self-centeredness that is God’s preference.
This idea is present in every aspect of what we celebrate on Shavuot. Moshe merited revelation due to his awareness and action on behalf of other people, while Ruth—the mother of the future King Moshiach—came to God through her humble and selfless dedication to her mother-in-law, Naomi.
That quality of non-self-centeredness is one that we must celebrate and strengthen as we experience our successes and relate to our host environment. May we always see others and their needs and concerns, and in that way, merit to see God and hear the call, “Anavim, humble ones, your time of redemption has arrived.”
Rabbi Moshe Hauer is executive vice president of the Orthodox Union (OU), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization.
