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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- BAMIDBAR
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

It would be thoroughly impossible to have at any time, said enough about the importance of a person having humility and being unassuming. No less than the Av HaN’vi’im (father of prophets) Moshe Rabbeinu, is exemplified through his humility: 
“And the man Moshe was very humble, more than any other men which were upon the face of the earth.” (Bamidbar 12:3)

The Mishna in Avos 4-4 stresses humility very strongly: 
“Rabbi L’vitas, a man of Yavneh, would say, ‘Very very exceedingly, be of low spirit. For, the expectation of mortal man is the worm…..’”

Among the uncountable and inestimable lessons taught in this week’s Sidra, there is of course, a very striking message concerning humility, immediately as the Sidra opens: 
“And HaShem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt, saying.” (Bamidbar 1:1)

The Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 1-7, has this to say about the concept of a Midbar (wilderness): 
“Anyone who does not relinquish ownership of himself like a Midbar, cannot acquire wisdom and Torah. And, so it is said, ‘In the wilderness of Sinai.’”

As a Midbar is Hefker (without ownership and open to all), so too must a man consider himself un-owned even by himself, all ownership belonging to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. In such circumstances, where a man accepts that even his own wisdom does not belong to him, we witness a very high elevation of the attribute of humility. In the text Mai’Ain Bais HaSho’Aiva by Rav Shimon Schwab of blessed memory (1908- 1993), we find a very fulfilling further explanation of this comparison of humility to a Midbar.

Rav Shimon began by saying that as long as a person lives for the “I”, the “I” serves only as a buffer between him and between his Borai (Creator). Nonetheless, only when a person considers himself without self ownership, like a Midbar, does the buffer between him and HaKadosh Baruch Hu vanish. It then becomes possible to merit in wisdom and the comprehension of the Torah, which is the ultimate knowledge.

Now, regarding this concept of ownerless wisdom of the Torah, Rav Shimon began with the Mishna in Avos 2-8: 
“…..If you have learned much Torah, do not claim credit for yourself, because you were created for this purpose (of learning Torah).”

A very dramatic example of humility then, is the Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) who considers the Torah wisdom he accomplished, not even to belong to him, as a Midbar. Most importantly, continued Rav Shimon, even if one has made scholarly Chidushim, new insights previously unnoticed in Torah, he should not mind at all, if when those Chidushim are repeated before audiences, they are repeated not in his own name. His wisdom after all, is not considered by him to be his.

And, all who do not consider that their wisdom belongs even to them, will be merited to receive even more wisdom from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. 

Continuing with this theme of humility from the Sidra, Rav Shimon posed some very interesting questions on these two following P’sukim (verses): 
“And with you (Moshe), there shall be a man of every tribe; every one chief of the house of his fathers. And these are the names of the men who shall stand with you…..” (Bamidbar 1:4-5)

At this point, the Torah lists these men of each tribe, as if to introduce them to us for the first time. But, this is very difficult to understand. These men are being listed here ‘On the first day of the second month (Iyar), in the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt.’ But, a month prior (first day of the month Nissan), the Torah listed these exact same men, who were the N’si’im (chieftains of their tribes), and who gave gifts to the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Why, posed Rav Shimon, does the Torah present these men again, as if they were new to us? 

Another diffulty is inherent here, taught Rav Shimon. When these men were first mentioned in Nissan, at the dedication of the Mishkan, they were referred to as N’si’im: 
“That the N’si’im of Yisroel, chiefs of the house of their fathers, who were the N’si’im of the tribes, and who were over them who were counted, offered.” (Bamidbar 7:2)

Yet, now in Iyar, as we have already seen, they are referred to as men: 
“And these are the names of the men who shall stand with you…..” (Bamidbar 1:4-5)

In essence, if these were the same men, asked Rav Shimon, should the Passuk not have instead stated, “And these are the names of the N’si’im who shall stand with you…..”?

Not only this, posed Rav Shimon, if we look at the Passuk which directly follows the listing of these men in our Sidra, we find that they suddenly transform back into N’si’im: 
“These were the renowned of the congregation, N’si’im of the tribes of their fathers, chiefs of thousands in Yisroel.” (ibid. 1:16) 

And, if this were not sufficient, in the very next Passuk, these N’si’im transfer back into men again: 
“And Moshe and Aharon took these men who were pointed out by their names.” (ibid. 1:17)

Rav Shimon responded that through this constant change in classification, HaKadosh Baruch Hu reminded these individuals that every time they were referred to as N’si’im in the Torah, they were also referred to as men directly after. Even though they were very honorable N’si’im among their nation, they had to consider their greatness as ownerless, as a Midbar, even to themselves. 

And, concluded Rav Shimon, because these individuals threw away from themselves any greatness or honor, they were worthy to be ‘Chiefs of thousands in Yisroel.’

At its open, Sefer (book) Bamidbar immediately encloses us within the empty desolation of a Midbar, in which the Torah itself was given. As a Midbar, into which anyone and everyone may tread, so too is the wisdom of man not really his, but rather, granted to him from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, for others to share. As the Midbar is unassuming, so too must we develop that most beautiful of all attributes, humility.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.

NCYI's Weekly Divrei Torah Bulletin is sponsored by
the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation -
Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio

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