Lechteich Mussar Podcast
Join us as we explore the depth of bitachon, as explained in the timeless sefer Shaar HaBitachon.
Lechteich Mussar Podcast
Beis HaLevi #37 - The Honor Granted to True Talmidei Chachamim
"In his timeless essay on Anavah (humility), the Beis HaLevi, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, delves into the essence of this foundational trait and how it enhances our relationship with Hashem, with others and with ourselves. What does true humility look like? And how can we cultivate this vital quality in our own lives?" -ArtScroll Beis HaLevi on Anavah
Okay, everybody, welcome back to the Lech Teich Moshe podcast. We continue with the Beis Alevi Ananova, perek Yudbe's chapter 12. And to remove from upon himself the cloak of haughtiness and the crown of pride that does not fit him, even those people whom the public joins to honor him, since the honor is not a personal entitlement, but the honor of Torah is not a personal entitlement, but the honor of Torah. The Torah obligates them not to seek excessive honor for personal benefit. So it's talking about great people who have achieved things and they're worthy of COVID. But now we're giving a perspective for those people that they shouldn't say I'm a big Rosh Hashiva, I'm a big Rav, I'm a whatever it may be philanthropist, lawyer, doctor, and I deserve all the covet and everyone should be in awe of my greatness, of my wisdom, my different kichis, my talents, my charisma, whatever it is it says even such a person. You should realize that all it is is rak ha-teru ha-kdoshah, it's in the honor of the Torah. So we're talking about, more specifically, about a person who's a big tamachocham, a b'lyashev, a b'chayim. These were the perfect examples of people that they were the highest level, they were the shpitz, they made it to the top. But there was no, there's not one ounce any sort of gaiva. If you ever walked into Rechayim, if you ever walked into Rilashiv or Baal Nemeshtayim, these were people that lived the most pashlus, the most on Navah. They would sit on broken benches and they would be didn't want to see people, they didn't want to be busy, they just wanted to be absorbed in the Torah. This is what L'chayrah, the base level of, basically means that these people reached the level of clarity they realized it wasn't them at all. It was all the ebish there and any kovod that they did get. They would walk into a room and everyone would be singing Yom Ha'im Melech and standing up and singing and dancing. But it was very clear when he saw Reb Chaim, when he saw his reaction he looked at himself as if he was nothing and it was all Kavod HaTerah just for the Torah. But he was able to completely isolate, separate himself from the Kavod HaTerah and for that he was Mechabed and that he allowed for people to sing and dance and clap, but for himself, not any Shemetz, not any mashu, a sniff even of identifying with that Kavod, of thinking it belongs to him.
Speaker 1:Where is it derived that a judge should not step over the heads of the holy people. How do we know that they should be anavim tu? They should be humble, shenem ravalei, taleh b'maylis amezbechi, so as to not ascend my altar on steps. Samoch leh ve'elim ishpatim. And it's juxtaposed, it's written next to and these are the judgments.
Speaker 1:So we see that when a person is a judge, a person is in a position of gedula, of gevura, of greatness, of tai, whatever it is, don't step on the people. Be a mansh, be a achna, a person who walks with humility, a person who walks with a sense of there's a greater power, not me and anyone who is giving me a round of applause and dancing and singing. It's for a cover of Torah. How do we know that? An older person who is ready for a cover, we know. How do we know that? An older person who is ready for Kavod, we know. How do we know that he shouldn't demand people to honor him and to impose people to stand up for him, because it says in the Torah and you shall fear God, even a Zokin has to have Yerushalayim, anyone who elevates himself because of his knowledge of the words of the Torah.
Speaker 1:He became a big tamachacham. He sat and learned for many years and now, ah, he's this great tamachacham. You know how do we know that he should not, and he's punished for elevating himself through that Torah, the Mishnah of it, says. But what is, what are we learning over here in Ovestar of Nosson, that we do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do.
Speaker 1:Do you have a big tamachacham? You have a veldt poisek, a veldt tamachacham, biggest magad shir or sheshiva. But if he takes kovod for himself, what's he compared to? He's tantamount to a carcass thrown on the road, which every passerby holds his nose because of the stench and distances himself from it and continues on his way. As it says, if you have been debased, it is for elevating yourself.
Speaker 1:Certainly for a person who is not a tamachacham, he makes himself as if he's a tamachacham, all the more so. How disgusting and repulsive it is for such a person to demand an exact covet for himself. V'mesach es b'avavassar omer v'yehud ha'marav kol ha'mizgah be'talash ha'tam ha'chacham ve'in ha'tam ha'chacham im achniz in oisoi v'mechitzos he'chal kodesh baruch hu, a person who fakes it and he's not royal for the Torah, for the crown of the K of HaKadosh Baruch Hu in the world to come. Chisiv hachon geber. Yohir v'layin ve'. Chisiv hasim el. Nevei k'ochecha. You have again a smichas between the two times where it says nevei k'ochecha. One is talking about the arrogant person and the other one is talking about the nevei k'ochecha, the holy abode. When he's not Roy Lekach, when he is undeserving of it and he tries to tap in and to impose Qavr on other people, such a person will not be admitted into the Mechitzis, into the holy abode of the Rabbani. Shalom Rahman O'Litzlan.