HOLIER THAN THOU
If a person has what he needs, what factors can contribute to his dissatisfaction?
While traveling in the desert, Bnei Yisrael had their needs met in a miraculous fashion. They were able to gather manna from Heaven by merely strolling near their dwellings. It provided their nourishment and was satisfying to the palate. Nevertheless, people complained. The dissatisfaction reached a point that they cried, “Who will feed us meat?”[1] They longed for the days that they had been in Egypt, despite the fact that they had been slaves there. They even lamented, “Why did we leave from Egypt?”[2]
Rabble rousers were able to instigate the masses to level such complaints.[3] However, there was a surprising factor that made the people ripe for being influenced. “You have rejected Hashem Who is in your midst.”[4] Hashem declared, “Had I not planted My Shechinah, Divine Presence, within you, you would not have been arrogant to go into all of these matters.”[5]
It would be rightful to assume, that having the Shechinah in one’s midst would sanctify and elevate the individuals exposed to the Divine Presence. It would yield cherishing mitzvos and keeping distant from sin. Yet, it could have the exact opposite effect. If it leads to arrogance, the person will have a spiritual downfall.
Chovas Halevavos describes different levels of people in their service of Hashem. “Of the ninth degree are those who believe in the Torah and in reward (for its observance) and punishment (for its nonobservance) in both worlds. Their intent in serving G-d, is for His Name’s sake and in the way befitting Him alone, but they do not guard themselves against the things that are detrimental to this service. The damage creeps in and they do not know from where the trouble came. This is suggested in the verse: ‘Dead flies make the apothecary’s oil to ferment and send forth a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs the rarest wisdom and honor’.[6] Additionally, ‘One sinner can destroy much good.’[7]
“One of the pious once said to his disciples, ‘If you would be absolutely free of sins, I would fear for you on account of something worse than sins.’ They said to him: ‘What is worse than sins?’ He replied: ‘Arrogance and haughtiness,’ as it states, ‘An abomination unto Hashem is everyone that is proud in heart.’[8]”[9]
There are four people in our history that are described as free of sin:
Binyamin, the son of Yaakov
Amram, the father of Moshe
Yishai, the father of David
Kilav, the son of David
It is to the degree that it states regarding them that the only reason they passed away, was due to the decree of mortality that resulted from the sin of Adam, Chava and the snake, in the Garden of Eden.[10]
Having reached such great heights, one could not imagine concern for their spiritual standing. Yet, the greater someone is, even one who has scaled to such latitudes, needs to be concerned that his greatest asset, does not become his liability. That occurs if the person is afflicted with arrogance.[11]
Do we see connecting with holiness as a guarantee to achieving greatness? What precautions do we take to keep us on an upward trajectory?
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Hershel D. Becker
[1] Behaloscha 11:4
[2] Behaloscha 11:20
[3] Behaloscha 11:4
[4] Behaloscha 11:20
[5] Rashi ibid. Sifri
[6] Koheles 10:1
[7] Koheles 9:18
[8] Mishlei 16:5
[9] Chovas Halevavos Sha’ar Avodas HaElokim chapter 4
[10] Bava Basra 17
[11] Chidushei HaLev Behaloshcha 11:20 pp, 62-63