Control to choose whether or not to do something.- Making menches: A periodic table
אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז) טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִיר.
Pirke Avot 4:1 Who is mighty? One who subdues their [evil] inclination, as it is said: “One that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and one that rules their spirit than one that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32).
The root of discipline in English is disciple, defined as "to lovingly teach or guide".
How do we understand the two ideas of Hebrew "Gevurah" related to "Gibur" (Hebrew word for Hero) and English discipline as we seek to define this middah?
(א) וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜יבוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן הוּא֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַהֲרֹֽן׃
(1) Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before the Adonai alien fire, which God had not enjoined upon them. (2) And fire came forth from Adonai and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of-a Adonai. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Adonai meant in saying: Through those near to Me I show Myself holy, And gain glory before all the people.” And Aaron was silent.
R. Morris Adler says the story of Nadab and Abihu is filled with symbolism. The "fire" that they brought, says Adler, "burned within them." It was the "fire of ambition," and their death was "the kind of death people bring upon themselves." Adler writes: "It was a fire of impulse and desire As they ministered at the altar, they were the victims of their own appetites and greed, whims and ambitions. No fire came on high to consume them, they were consumed by their own fierce and false ambitions." (A Torah Commentary for Our Times Harvey J. Fields)
What is the difference between power and will power? What do you think Nadav and Abihu's intent was?
דְּסָגֵינַן בִּשְׁלִימוּתָא כְּתִיב בַּן: ״תֻּמַּת יְשָׁרִים תַּנְחֵם״, הָנָךְ אִינָשֵׁי דְּסָגַן בַּעֲלִילוּתָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ: ״וְסֶלֶף בּוֹגְדִים יְשָׁדֵּם״.
He said to them who proceed wholeheartedly and with integrity, it is written: “The integrity of the upright will guide them” (Proverbs 11:3), whereas about those people who walk in deceit, it is written at the end of the same verse: “And the perverseness of the faithless will destroy them.” Shabbat 88b
“Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.”
– Dan Millman
I'm not afraid of storms for I'm learning how to sail my ship - Louisa May Alcott