B'haalotkha

 “I prefer a sinner who knows he a sinner to a righteous man who knows he’s righteous.”  Hasidic

 

“Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.”   Numbers 12:3

It is said that Moses is the most humble of all people.  Early on he forfeited his protected status as prince of Egypt when he saw a taskmaster torturing a Jew.  Not long after, God came to Moses and asked him to be his emissary to the Pharaoh.  He steadfastly refused until God ordered him back to the court in Egypt.  In numerous 


encounters afterward, Moses' authority is challenged by relatives and 


his people.  There is a single episode where Moses' silence in the face 



of a verbal assault from his brother in sister that God actually comes to 


rise to the deense of the silent leader.  The Lord says to Aaron and 


Miriam, ''In my entire house, he (Moses) is the trusted one. Mouth to 


mouth do I speak to him, in a clear vision and not in riddles, at the 


image of God does he gaze. Why did you not fear to speak against My 


servant Moses?'' (Numbers 12:7-8)


In each instance, the respectful leader takes into account the feelings of 


his accusers instead of attacking them in retaliation.


 

Pinchas of Koretz said, ''Every sin requires some action or object. Vanity requires nothing. A person may be lying under blankets and think, 'How great I am.'''


Haughtiness does not allow for personal growth.  It stops us from 


working on our shortcomings .  Why would we grow if we already 


know all that needs to ne known?  Haughtiness also does not permit others to flower.  Thick roots leaves little room for others to grow.

 

From the life of Moses we learn a lesson of incalculable worth.  


Humility is a great attribute.

 
 
 

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