#1067
Courage and Humility
Humility makes it easier to have courage. Humility frees you from worrying about how others perceive you. You have less of a need to make a good impression on people, so you are more open to learn new things. You don't mind if people see you as imperfect, or that you are not as skilled or talented as you would like to be.
An arrogant or conceited person always needs to appear to be perfect, to be highly skilled and talented. This creates tension and anxiety. The truly humble person is calmer and more relaxed.
(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")
22 Kislev
Hear, O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem the One and Only (Deuteronomy 6:4).
When reciting the declaration of the unity of God, we are required to commit ourselves to this belief, that in the event we were coerced to deny Him, we would surrender our lives rather than do so. This concept is called mesiras nefesh, and in addition to our belief in God, there are only two other instances where we are to choose martyrdom rather than transgression: murder and adultery.
While the thought of surrendering one's life is frightening, it has unfortunately characterized much of Jewish history. However, since the urge for survival is innate and most intense and generally overrides all other considerations, how can so many Jews have risen to the challenge of mesiras nefesh?
The answer is quite simple. Just think of what life would be like if nothing was worth dying for: no ideals, no principles, no loyalty, no sacredness, no ultimate value. Under duress, everything would go. Could thinking people who pride themselves in living on a plane of life higher than that of brute beasts see any value in this kind of life?
There are things that are dearer than life that give life its great value.
Today I shall ...
... try to appreciate the full value of life, and realize that there are absolute values that make life precious.
See more books by Rabbi Abraham Twerski at Artscroll.com
Humility makes it easier to have courage. Humility frees you from worrying about how others perceive you. You have less of a need to make a good impression on people, so you are more open to learn new things. You don't mind if people see you as imperfect, or that you are not as skilled or talented as you would like to be.
An arrogant or conceited person always needs to appear to be perfect, to be highly skilled and talented. This creates tension and anxiety. The truly humble person is calmer and more relaxed.
(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")
22 Kislev
In
1622, in an effort to attract enterprising merchants with disposable
capital, King Christian IV of Denmark wrote a formal letter to the
Amsterdam Jewish council, inviting Jews of Portuguese descent to settle
in Denmark. King Christian promised religious freedom for the Jews -- an
attractive safe haven as the Thirty Year War raged in central Europe.
In
1622, in an effort to attract enterprising merchants with disposable
capital, King Christian IV of Denmark wrote a formal letter to the
Amsterdam Jewish council, inviting Jews of Portuguese descent to settle
in Denmark. King Christian promised religious freedom for the Jews -- an
attractive safe haven as the Thirty Year War raged in central Europe.
22 Kislev
Hear, O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem the One and Only (Deuteronomy 6:4).
When reciting the declaration of the unity of God, we are required to commit ourselves to this belief, that in the event we were coerced to deny Him, we would surrender our lives rather than do so. This concept is called mesiras nefesh, and in addition to our belief in God, there are only two other instances where we are to choose martyrdom rather than transgression: murder and adultery.
While the thought of surrendering one's life is frightening, it has unfortunately characterized much of Jewish history. However, since the urge for survival is innate and most intense and generally overrides all other considerations, how can so many Jews have risen to the challenge of mesiras nefesh?
The answer is quite simple. Just think of what life would be like if nothing was worth dying for: no ideals, no principles, no loyalty, no sacredness, no ultimate value. Under duress, everything would go. Could thinking people who pride themselves in living on a plane of life higher than that of brute beasts see any value in this kind of life?
There are things that are dearer than life that give life its great value.
Today I shall ...
... try to appreciate the full value of life, and realize that there are absolute values that make life precious.
See more books by Rabbi Abraham Twerski at Artscroll.com
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