The Torah states: “You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem.” Fascinatingly, the midrash says that from the words, “You shall be holy,” it could have been thought that Bnei Yisrael could actually reach the lofty level of holiness commensurate to Hashem’s holiness; thus, the words, “for holy am I,” come to teach that Hashem’s holiness is above our holiness. Similarly, the Torah (Devarim 28:13) states, “You shall be only above,” and the midrash likewise says that it could have been thought that Bnei Yisrael can reach the supreme level of eminence much like Hashem’s; thus, the word “only” comes to place a limit, indicating that Hashem’s greatness is above our greatness (Vayikra Rabbah 24:9).
Some ideas and notions are so out of the realm of reality that one would never have thought of them in the first place, even as a mere possibility. This midrash seems to indicate that our potential spans to such a large extent that it could have been thought that we can become as great and holy as Hashem;can such a possibility even be raised and thought of?!
Says Rav Henach Leibowitz, the very fact that it could have been thought that Bnei Yisrael could reach the level of sanctity like Hashem’s, shows the enormous, innate strengths and abilities that we indeed possess (“Chiddushei Halev,” Vayikra). For—as Rav Chaim Shmulevitz explains—while Chazal knew much more than us of the greatness and holiness of Hashem, they also, perceived of the strengths and abilities of Jews and how great we can become (“Sichot Mussar”). Hence, it could have been thought that we can become even as great and holy as Hashem.
Rav Shmulevitz clarifies that even though the pasuk states “only”—expressing a limitation, yet, that word doesn’t come to limit a person’s abilities and potential, but rather simply to show Hashem’s supremacy over our massive potential and abilities (ibid). Our potential for greatness and holiness is thus, perhaps, unlimited; it’s just that Hashem’s greatness and holiness will simply always be above ours.
Regarding the enormous potential that we possess, Rav Leibowitz points to a midrash which says that when Hashem created Adam HaRishon, the ministering angels erred with regard to Adam and sought to declare before him, “holy” (for—as Rashi explains—since Adam was created in the image of Hashem, the angels thought that Adam was the Divine Presence). The midrash gives a parable of a king and a prefect who were together in a carriage, and the people of the province through which the king was traveling, wished to declare before the king, “Master,” but they did not know which one was he (Bereishit Rabbah 8:10).
How is it possible for angels to make such a mistake to think Adam was Hashem?! Says Rav Leibowitz, it’s therefore implicit from this midrash that Adam—before he sinned—was on such a lofty level of holiness to the point that the angels couldn’t tell the difference between him and Hashem, and hence, they wanted to declare before him, “holy.” Rav Leibowitz clarifies that even after Adam sinned and fell from his original, towering level of greatness,, the Alter of Slabodka says that despite this, we still possess an innate ability to become so great and thus return to that former level of outstanding greatness that Adam was on before he sinned.
The Gemara (Yoma 35) says, a poor person, a wealthy person and a wicked person come to judgment. To the poor person they say, “Why did you not engage in Torah study?” If he says, “I was poor and was preoccupied with my sustenance,” they say to him, “Were you any poorer than Hillel?” (Hillel lived in dire poverty, and still engaged in Torah study.) To the wealthy person they say, “Why did you not engage in Torah study?” If he says, “I was wealthy and was preoccupied with my possessions,” they say to him, “Were you any wealthier than R’ Elazar [ben Charsom]?” (R’ Elazar, although fabulously wealthy, still engaged in Torah study.) To the wicked person they say, “Why did you not engage in Torah study?” If he says, “I was handsome and entangled with my yetzer [hara],” we say to him, “Were you any more handsome than Yosef?” The Gemara concludes by saying: “Hillel obligates the poor people, R’ Elazar ben Charsom obligates the wealthy people, Yosef obligates the wicked people.”
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel asks: How can these three individuals obligate other people? After all, these three were exceptionally righteous people and were on a greater spiritual level than everyone else! Who can even reach their ankles?! Says Rav Wachtfogel, the answer is simple. If we see that these three were able to attain the level of spirituality they reached, this is proof that it’s within a person’s ability to reach such levels as well (and we perhaps see from here that this holds true despite very difficult challenges one may face).
The pasuk says, “And now, Israel, what does Hashem, your God, ask of you, but merely to fear Hashem, your God.” The Gemara (Berachot 33) asks: Is Yirat Shamayim (fear of God) a small matter (as the pasuk seems to imply)? The Gemara answers that for Moshe (who was relating this pasuk to Bnei Yisrael) it was indeed a small matter.
The Gemara’s answer seems to imply that while Yirat Shamayim was a small matter for Moshe, however, for other people—such as the rest of Bnei Yisrael (who are the audience)—it is a difficult matter. So if this pasuk is being told to Bnei Yisrael for whom it is a difficult matter, why is it being related to them that it’s a small matter?
Based on the above, Rav Wachtfogel seems to explain this Gemara in a similar fashion: Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t born as “Moshe Rabbeinu”; he had to toil for many years to reach the greatness he achieved. Thus, Yirat Shamayim wasn’t always an easy matter in Moshe’s eyes, but only due to years of effort he invested to attain it did he then perceive it as an easy matter. Hence, much like Moshe was able to attain it and it thus eventually became an easy matter, so too—with the proper amount of diligence and effort—it’s within our potential and ability as well to reach such a level of Yirat Shamayim like Moshe Rabbeinu, to the point that the attainment of Yirat Shamayim no longer seems difficult, but instead, an easy matter in our eyes (“Noam HaMussar,” Tetzaveh).
Our extraordinary abilities and vast potential of what we can achieve and become may not necessarily be so apparent, but it’s nevertheless within our makeup. As Rav Leib Bakst seems to say, in truth, when man was created, he was endowed with tremendous abilities; and although after he sinned they are no longer apparent to us, nevertheless, they still exist within us. Even the strengths and abilities which we are able to see and perceive in another person would still be an inadequate assessment of his potential, for that is only revealing of a minimal amount of the depth of potential that resides hidden within that person (“Kol Aryeh,” Vayakhel-Pikudei).
And perhaps everyone, even those very distant from Hashem and Torah, carry within them such hidden, yet enormous, abilities and potential to achieve greatness and holiness. The Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 5:2) says that “Every single person is fit to become a tzaddik like Moshe Rabbeinu.” By stating “every single person,” Rambam is perhaps teaching us that even the person who is currently far from spirituality and righteousness still maintains this vast potential and is gifted with tremendous strengths and abilities to persevere, rise above the challenges and become so great and holy, ultimately achieving a level of righteousness of even Moshe Rabbeinu.
Binyamin is a graduate of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, and Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
