Humility Invites Divine Presence

When Avraham Avinu attempts to save סדום and עמורה, he says of himself, ואנוכי עפר ואפר, “I am dust and ashes.” I realize my insignificance compared to You, Hashem.

King David said that, אנוכי תולעת ולא איש, “I am a worm and not a man.” He would say this when he went off to war, as he, too, realized his own insignificance, and his victory in battle depended only on Hashem.

Moshe and Aharon didn’t understand why the nation lodged their complaints against them. They said, ואנחנו מה, “ And what are we?” They, too realized their own insignificance.

If Avraham, David, Moshe and Aharon spoke in this fashion, we are to learn the importance of ענווה, humility. These men were among the greatest Jews who ever lived, because of their humility.

Rabbi Twerski wrote that “humility invited the שכינה, the Divine Presence. Arrogance pushes it away.” One of the tricks of the יצר הרע is that it plays with our egos and tries to make us think more of ourselves than we really are. This is designed to confuse us and distance us from G-d. It gives us a sense of entitlement, which is a strong sign of egotism.

We must learn from our great sages to always remain humble and attribute all of our achievements to Hashem’s kindness. This will allow us to remain close to Him.