The Power of Humility

(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃

(9) This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—

(א) אלה תולדת נח נח איש צדיק. הוֹאִיל וְהִזְכִּירוֹ סִפֵּר בְּשִׁבְחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה (משלי י').

Rashi on Genesis 6:9

(1) אלה תולדת נח נח איש צדיק THESE ARE THE PROGENY OF NOAH: NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN — Since the text mentions him it sings his praise, in accordance with what is said, (Proverbs 10:7) “The mention of the righteous shall be for a blessing.”

PTP: Writing the praises of a Tzaddik can be a role model for everyone else; to teach us how to live and how to act in our day to day lives!

בראשית ז׳:א׳

(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכׇל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃

Genesis 7:1

(1) Then יהוה said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.

רש"י על בראשית ז׳:א׳

(א) ראיתי צדיק. וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר צַדִּיק תָּמִים, מִכָּאן שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מִקְצַת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו (ב"ר):

Rashi on Genesis 7:1

(1) ראיתי צדיק [THEE] HAVE I SEEN RIGHTEOUS — It does not say “righteous and wholehearted” (as it does at the beginning of the Sedrah); hence we may infer that only a part of a man’s good qualities should be enumerated in his presence (since here God is speaking to Noah and calls him only “righteous”), but that in his absence the whole of his good qualities may be told (since when the Torah speaks about him in the earlier passage it calls him “righteous and wholehearted”) (Eruvin 18b).

PTP: Why do you think that it is important to not say all the praises of a Tzaddik in front of them?

משלי כ״ב:ד׳

(ד) עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָב֣וֹד וְחַיִּֽים׃

Proverbs 22:4

(4) The effect of humility is fear of the LORD, Wealth, honor, and life.

מגילה ל״א א:י״ב

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא גְּבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא עִנְוְותָנוּתוֹ.

Megillah 31a:12

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Wherever you find a reference in the Bible to the might of the Holy One, Blessed be He, you also find a reference to His humility adjacent to it.

PTP: These sources show us the power of humility. It can create wealth, honor, and life and it is so valued by Hashem that every mention of Hashem has with it a mention of humility.

במדבר י״א:כ״ו

(כו) וַיִּשָּׁאֲר֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֣ים ׀ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֡ה שֵׁ֣ם הָאֶחָ֣ד ׀ אֶלְדָּ֡ד וְשֵׁם֩ הַשֵּׁנִ֨י מֵידָ֜ד וַתָּ֧נַח עֲלֵהֶ֣ם הָר֗וּחַ וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ בַּכְּתֻבִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָצְא֖וּ הָאֹ֑הֱלָה וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

Numbers 11:26

(26) Two of the participants, one named Eldad and the other Medad, had remained in camp; yet the spirit rested upon them—they were among those recorded, but they had not gone out to the Tent—and they spoke in ecstasy*spoke in ecstasy Others “prophesied.” in the camp.

Rashi comments on this passuk and says that Eldad and Medad remained in the camp because they did not believe they were worthy of the shechinah. Chabbad house publications adds onto the commentary and says that it was specifically because of their humility that Hashem rewarded them with Nevuah

רמב"ן על במדבר י״ב:ג׳:א׳

(א) וטעם והאיש משה ענו מאד להגיד כי השם קנא לו בעבור ענותנותו...

Ramban on Numbers 12:3:1

(1) NOW THE MAN MOSES WAS VERY MEEK. This [is stated] to tell us that G-d Himself was zealous for Moses’ sake on account of his [great] humility...

Hashem recognizes the strength of Moshe's humility and stands up for Moshe when he is to humble to do so himself. This teaches us that being humble is not being weak and in those moments where humility prevents you from defending yourself, Hashem will recognize your efforts and steps in to help and stand up for you!

Talia Braun