Walk Humbly

The Haftarah for Parshat Balak is from the Book of Micha. There is a similar Pasuk there to the one in Devarim which asks what Hashem wants from us.

In Devarim, the emphasis is on יראת שמים, fear of G-d, and the general observance of all of the Mitzvot.

The parallel Pasuk in Micha says that Hashem asks of us, כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלוקיך, that we are to do justice and love acts of kindness, and walk humbly with Hashem.

It is interesting to note that this idea of צניעות, modesty or walking humbly with G-d is rarely mentioned in Scriptures. The Torah does emphasize humility in terms of ענוה, but צניעות, meaning modesty, is more of a rarity.

Oddly enough, Jimmy Carter, who was not the greatest friend of Israel, used this very Pasuk in his inaugural address. He set the bar pretty high when he began as president and failed. We must set the bar high as Jews and succeed, and truly “walk humbly with Hashem.”