The Tzaddik's Humility
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Noach
נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדרתיו
Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation
Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation
The Pasuk describes Noach as being a Tzaddik, perfect “in his generation”. Some of the sages interpret this in a negative light, saying that “if he lived in the generation of Avraham, he would not have been considered as anything significant.”
The way of true Tzaddikim is that even when they have attained spiritual greatness in their service of Hashem, they remain completely humble and do not see themselves as being anything significant or special in their own eyes.
This path of humility was paved by Avraham and he bequeathed it to his descendants.
When Davening to spare the city of Sodom, even though he had the privilege and standing to be able to speak to Hashem “face to face”, he declared that “I am but dust and ashes”.
This is the inner meaning of the blessing that Avraham’s descendants would be like the stars of the heavens and the sand of the sea. Even though they would attain lofty heights like the stars of the heavens, in their own eyes, they would see themselves like the sand of the sea.
The Pasuk praises Noach as being a genuine Tzaddik and perfect man. His only shortcoming was that he was aware of his spiritual greatness and felt proud about it.
This is what our sages are referring to in their interpretation of the verse. Had Noach lived in the generation of Avraham, he would have learned from his ways of humility. In doing so, he would still have been a Tzaddik, but “he would not have been considered as anything significant” in his own eyes.
The way of true Tzaddikim is that even when they have attained spiritual greatness in their service of Hashem, they remain completely humble and do not see themselves as being anything significant or special in their own eyes.
This path of humility was paved by Avraham and he bequeathed it to his descendants.
When Davening to spare the city of Sodom, even though he had the privilege and standing to be able to speak to Hashem “face to face”, he declared that “I am but dust and ashes”.
This is the inner meaning of the blessing that Avraham’s descendants would be like the stars of the heavens and the sand of the sea. Even though they would attain lofty heights like the stars of the heavens, in their own eyes, they would see themselves like the sand of the sea.
The Pasuk praises Noach as being a genuine Tzaddik and perfect man. His only shortcoming was that he was aware of his spiritual greatness and felt proud about it.
This is what our sages are referring to in their interpretation of the verse. Had Noach lived in the generation of Avraham, he would have learned from his ways of humility. In doing so, he would still have been a Tzaddik, but “he would not have been considered as anything significant” in his own eyes.