The Virtue of Humility

The Virtue of Humility

In this week’s parsha Tetzaveh, we learn about the details of the building of the tabernacle and also about the korban tamid (daily sacrifices).

The people of Israel were redeemed from slavery with miraculous signs and wonders, they were led through the desert with more miracles, received the ten commandments, and then they were commanded to build a tabernacle.

Why is so much explanation given to the building of the tabernacle? Some of our commentators explain that up until now, the people were more passive in the redemption process. However, in order to become a nation, they needed to make the relationship with G-d a mutual one, meaning they needed to take an active role and recognize G-d.

The relationship had to be an active, two-way relationship.

So why the tabernacle? It is considered a place where “G-d will dwell among them,” where they can cultivate a close relationship and deeper understanding of G-d.

So why mention the Korban Tamid?

At the end of this week’s portion, it says “and they shall know.”

The Ibn Ezra explains that Am Yisrael should remember that G-d took them out of Egypt and freed them from slavery.

Giving a daily sacrifice –morning and evening– can encourage the people to remember and acknowledge their freedom and who redeemed them.

Sometimes we forget what someone did for us after time has passed.

Maybe it’s pride, lack of humility, or just lack of awareness.

Recognizing influences outside of ourselves is called humility

Mindfulness practice can help us cultivate humility.

Humility requires self-awareness.

Humble people have an accurate picture of themselves—both their faults and their gifts.

Mindfulness fosters our self-awareness by giving us permission to stop and notice our thoughts and emotions without judgment.

Self-awareness can make us less self-focused and more focused on those around us—a characteristic of humble people.

Thinking outside of ourselves can help us be conscious of those who have helped us.

Being conscious of what you have can help you to develop a sharper awareness of those who have contributed to making you what you are.

Sometimes we appreciate someone’s words or actions but fail to communicate this to them – we assume they know.

If you develop the habit of showing appreciation in your everyday life to those around you, then it becomes more natural, and this helps foster humility.

Who would you like to show appreciation to?

Feeling Safe

It's important to pay attention. It makes us aware of what we're doing. It helps people around us feel listened to.

When someone isn’t paying attention, people could get hurt and we won't feel safe.

For example, driving. If you're not paying attention while driving, you could injure yourself and others. Consider, therefore, practicing mindful driving: avoid any distractions (YOUR PHONE!), scan the road for surprises, and be ready to react.

Studies have shown that when a driver’s mind is focused on something other than driving—a daydream, a worry, a text, a video, or a phone conversation—the driver’s brain may not react to what the eyes detect on the road ahead.

What does it mean to behave mindlessly?

Mindlessness is what some call being on “autopilot.” When our brain is on autopilot, we are more likely to engage in risky behavior because we are less attentive.

Mindfulness is the opposite: When you are mindful, you are living in the present moment and paying more attention to what you are doing. A person who is situationally aware is attentive to their environment and their relationships.

The Torah is a book of laws. There are many reasons for these laws, but one of them is to keep order and keep us safe. This week we read Mishpatim, or Laws. We have commandments dealing with civil legislation, property laws, damages, and moral offenses. Society cannot exist without these laws; society cannot be moral without these laws.

Mindfulness can help us maintain a sense of order within ourselves, which can hopefully spread to the people around us.

The impact can be great.

Many of us are involved in changing the world, which is obviously important, but we often forget about how powerful and important it is to change ourselves.

We all have inner tensions that we too often ignore. When these tensions are ignored, they may influence the world around us.

For example, if we are holding on too tightly to our emotions, it may affect our relationships: the way we communicate, and the way we interact with the world.

Mindfulness can help us regulate our emotions, which in turn can help us feel more in control, safe, and secure – all of which radiates to those around us.

Take The Leap! Navigating Stress With Mindfulness

Leap of ​faith​: To believe in something or someone based on faith rather than evidence; an attempt to achieve something that has an uncertain outcome.

The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard used the expression leap of faith ​as a metaphor for religious belief in God.

He argued that God was spiritual rather than physical and was completely separate from the material world of man. G-d could not be understood through logic alone but must have faith to understand G-d.

When Moses led the Israelites to the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, the Egyptian army ​gave chase,​ after Pharaoh regretted letting them go.

They were frightened, looking at the world through slaves’ eyes. Their master’s chariots and soldiers were right behind them. Pharaoh sent 6,000 chariots after Am Yisrael!

The commentator Ibn Ezra mentions that after all those years of humiliation and servitude,” their minds became depressed and servile.”

Moses reassured the people and told them that G-d is with them and they will never see the Egyptians again.

Some of the people had faith and prayed to G-d, and some were uncertain and complained to Moses. ​The Israelites then walked right into the sea. ​

While our leaps of faith are probably less dramatic than the Exodus from Egypt, we ​may​ feel uncertain in our decision making

Recently a friend of mine told me about wanting to make a job change and feeling uncertain about it.

His wife told him to “take a leap of faith. If you fail, at least you will have tried. If you don’t do it, you’ll always wonder what would have happened if you tried.”

By opening ourselves up to new experiences, we ​can potentially​ ​benefit​ and grow. This sometimes requires a leap of faith.

Mindfulness practice can help us be more open to new experiences, but unlike a leap of faith​, ​mindful based stress reduction IS evidence-based.

MBSR is backed by a wealth of research that shows how effective it is.

Mindfulness is an effective treatment for psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression (Khoury, 2013), and it is beneficial in managing chronic pain conditions (Anheyer, 2017).

It has also reduced mortality by 41% in cardiac rehabilitation patients, (Linden, 1996).

Out of 71 analyses and systematic reviews on the PubMed database, 56 showed a positive effect on symptom management, mental health, or quality of life.

If you would like to be more open ​to​ and accepting ​of​ life's experiences, navigate the uncertainty around us, and manage daily challenges and stress, I invite you to learn mindfulness meditation.

I offer live courses in Jerusalem, online courses, and individual sessions. For more information:

https://www.mindfulnesswithsusie.com/about-the-mindfulness-course-with-susie

HEBREW

https://www.mindfulnesswithsusie.com/he/mindfulness-course-with-susie-lp