Who is a hero?
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה נִבְרְאוּ מֵעֵין דּוּגְמָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וְכוּלָּן לָקוּ בָּהֶן. שִׁמְשׁוֹן בְּכֹחוֹ, שָׁאוּל בְּצַוָּארוֹ, אַבְשָׁלוֹם בִּשְׂעָרוֹ, צִדְקִיָּה בְּעֵינָיו, אָסָא בְּרַגְלָיו.
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: Five individuals were created with a characteristic that is akin to a representation of the One on High, and they were all stricken by that characteristic. Samson was glorified in his strength, Saul in his neck, Absalom in his hair, Zedekiah in his eyes, and Asa in his feet.
What does it take to be a hero?
What are the heroic characteristics?
The dangers of power
יֵשׁ גְּבוּרָה נַעֲשֵׂית טוֹבָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ, וְרָעָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ. טוֹבָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ זֹה גְּבוּרַת דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי בֵּן לְיִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן וְגִבּוֹר חַיִל וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָה (ש״א טז, יח). וּכְתִיב בּוֹ: הִכָּה שָׁאוּל בַּאֲלָפָיו וְדָוִד בְּרִבְבֹתָיו (ש״א יח, ז). וּכְתִיב: וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה אֹהֵב אֶת דָּוִד (ש״א יח, טז). רָעָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ, זֹה גְּבוּרַת גָּלְיָת שֶׁחֵרֵף וְגִדֵּף וְאָמַר בְּרוּ לָכֶם אִישׁ (ש״א יז, ח). לַסּוֹף, וַיִּרְאוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי מֵת גִּבּוֹרָם וַיָּנֻסוּ (ש״א יז, נא), שֶׁמֵּת בְּאֶבֶן הַקָּלַע.
There is strength that is beneficial to its possessor and strength that is harmful to its possessor. Strength that is beneficial was possessed by David, for it is said: Behold, I have a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is skillful in playing and a mighty man of valor (I Sam. 16:18). It is also written: Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands (ibid. 18:7); and: All Israel and Judah loved David (ibid., v. 6). The strength of Goliath was harmful to its possessor, for he profaned and blasphemed against God. Goliath called: Choose a man for you (ibid. 17:8), but in the end, When the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, they fled (ibid., v. 51). He had been slain with a (single) stone hurled from a sling.
Can somebody be a hero even if the person uses their power in a wrong way?
Self-control
ט֤וֹב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבּ֑וֹר וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּח֗וֹ מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃
Better to be forbearing than mighty,
To have self-control than to conquer a city.
To have self-control than to conquer a city.
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֤ל חָכָם֙ בְּחׇכְמָת֔וֹ וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל הַגִּבּ֖וֹר בִּגְבֽוּרָת֑וֹ אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל עָשִׁ֖יר בְּעׇשְׁרֽוֹ׃
Thus said GOD:
Let not the wise glory in their wisdom;
Let not the strong glory in their strength;
Let not the rich glory in their riches.
Let not the wise glory in their wisdom;
Let not the strong glory in their strength;
Let not the rich glory in their riches.
What is a hero's primary task?
Is a hero still a human being? Why (not)?