Rabbi Bachya ibn Pakuda, Duties of the Heart, Gates of Humility
כִּי הַעֲנָוָה הִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ לְכָל מִדָּה טוֹבָה, וְאֵינָה מִתְקַיֶּמֶת מִדָּה טוֹבָה מִבִּלְעֲדֶיהָ
For humility is the root of every good trait, and no good trait can exist without it.
Silvano Arieti, Creativity
An attitude of humility of willingness to make even the smallest contributions and to accept a life of commitment and dedication must be part of the potentially creative person’s way of life.
Talmud Sanhedrin 37a
כָּל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ קִיֵּם עוֹלָם מָלֵא וְכָל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא לְפִיכָךְ נִבְרָא אָדָם יְחִידִי לְלַמֶּדְךָ, כָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִן הָעוֹלָם, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִן הָעוֹלָם, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ קִיֵּם עוֹלָם מָלֵא וְלָמָּה נִבְרָא אָדָם יְחִידִי שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד חַיָּב לוֹמַר, בִּשְׁבִילִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם
Anyone who sustains one soul from Israel, the verse ascribes him credit as if he had sustained an entire world. And anyone who destroys one soul from Israel, the verse ascribes him blame as if he had destroyed an entire world. Therefore, Adam was created alone, to teach you that anyone who destroys one soul from the world, the verse ascribes him blame as if he had destroyed an entire world. And anyone who sustains one soul from the world, the verse ascribes him credit as if he had sustained an entire world. Therefore, each and every person is obligated to say: 'For my sake, the world was created.'
Genesis 18:27
וַיַּעַן אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר: הִנֵּה נָא הוֹאַלְתִּי לְדַבֵּר אֶל אֲדֹנָי, וְאָנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר
Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim, vol 2, 249-50
It was said of Reb Simcha Bunem, a 18th century Hasidic rebbe, that he carried two slips of paper, one in each pocket. One was inscribed with the saying from the Talmud: Bishvili nivra ha-olam, “for my sake the world was created.” On the other he wrote a phrase from our father Avraham in the Torah: V’anokhi afar v’efer,” “I am but dust and ashes.” He would take out and read each slip of paper as necessary for the moment.
Deuteronomy 29:9-14
9. אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ 10. טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ׃ 11. לְעׇבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃ 12. לְמַ֣עַן הָקִֽים־אֹתְךָ֩ הַיּ֨וֹם ׀ ל֜וֹ לְעָ֗ם וְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לָ֑ךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃ 13. וְלֹ֥א אִתְּכֶ֖ם לְבַדְּכֶ֑ם אָנֹכִ֗י כֹּרֵת֙ אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־הָאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ 14. כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם׃
You stand this day, all of you, before your God יהוה —your tribal heads, your elders, and your officials, every householder in Israel, your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to waterdrawer— to enter into the covenant of your God יהוה, which your God יהוה is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions; in order to establish you this day as God’s people and in order to be your God, as promised you and as sworn to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone,
Midrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 3
אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: לֹא אֶתְכֶם לְבַדְּכֶם אֲנִי מַחֲיֵב בַּבְּרִית הַזֹּאת, אֶלָּא עִם כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָעוֹמְדִים וְדֹרֵי דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁלְפָנִים עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁעֲמָדוּ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם בְּהַר סִינַי.
The Holy Blessed One said to Israel: I am not establishing this covenant with you alone, but with all the generations that are standing here with us today and with all the generations that will come after you, all of whom stood at Sinai.
Talmud Shabbat 146a, excerpts
שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה פָּסְקָה זוּהֲמָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל… עֲמַיֵּי הַכּוּתִים מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵינָן תַּחַת כְּנַפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁזּוּהֲמָתָן לֹא פָּסְקָה. אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה פָּסְקָה זוּהֲמָתָן. וְגֵרִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ בְּרַגְלֵי הַר סִינַי, נִמְשְׁכוּ עִם הֵמָּה.
For at the time that the Torah was given, the impurity of the Israelites ceased… The nations of the world did not experience the cessation of impurity. But at the time of the giving of the Torah, the impurity of Israel ceased. And converts, who stood at Mount Sinai, were drawn along with them (and thus their impurity also ceased).
Zohar, Part 2, 93b
כָּל נְשָׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל מַיְּשִׁיבִין מִתּוֹךְ תּוֹרָה וְאֶחָד הָיָה, וְכֻלָּם הָיוּ עַל הַר סִינַי.
All the souls of Israel were present within the Torah, and they all stood at Mount Sinai.
Alan Morinis, Everyday Holiness, page 49
Humility is occupying a rightful space, neither too much nor too little. It is not an extreme of self-abasement, but rather knowing one’s proper place and living accordingly. It is limiting oneself to an appropriate space while leaving room for others to do the same.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
11. כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃ 12. לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ 13. וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ 14. כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃
Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) – Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just)
(Died 1746)
A person should know their worth and use their talents and resources to serve God. But they must always remember that these gifts are not due to their own greatness, but rather to the kindness of God. False humility, where a person denies their worth, is also detrimental, as it can lead to neglect of their duties.
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler – Michtav Me'Eliyahu (Strive for Truth)
(Died 1953)
Humility is recognizing that one's talents are gifts from God, but also realizing that these gifts obligate a person to use them to help others and serve the community. Denying one's capabilities is not true humility; it is shirking responsibility.
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook – Orot HaKodesh
(Died 1935)
Humility should never cause one to retreat from their mission in the world. It is a spiritual awareness of one's place in relation to the divine, not a withdrawal from one's own strength. Humility and greatness go hand in hand when a person uses their greatness to uplift others.
Marienne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles, pp. 190-191
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.