Aggadot from Hamivtar Rabbi Yitzchak Blau If you have comments or questions please feel free to e-mail Rabbi Blau at: nyz@netvision.net.il

A Talmudic Joke and the Nature of Humility

When R. Yohannan ben Zakkai died, the splendor of wisdom ceased. When Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, the honor of Torah ceased as did purity and abstinence. When R. Yishmael ben Pabi died, the splendor of the priesthood ceased. When Rebbe (R. Yehudah Hanassi) died, humility and fear of sin ceased. (Sotah 49a)

Rav Yosef said to the Tanna (the person who recites Tannatic sources): “ Do not teach the line about humility because there is [still] me.” (Sotah 49b)

The compilers of the Talmud certainly understood the humor in Rav Yosef’s statement when they placed it at the very end of the tractate. Indeed, the Talmud incorporates several jokes. At the same time, there some jokes contain real wisdom along with the humor. Perhaps Rav Yosef meant to teach us something important in addition to helping us chuckle. 

It is a commonplace that religion prizes humility as a significant character trait but the precise definition of humility proves more elusive. One view might identify humility with total self - abnegation. From this perspective, the truly humble person concludes that he or she has no traits worthy of admiration. R. Naftali Zevi Yehudah Berlin (known as Neziv) rejects this view in his Haamek Davar (Bemidbar 12:3). He argues that the humility and an awareness of personal accomplishments are not mutually exclusive. According to Neziv, a person expresses humility when he or she does not focus on receiving public honors or recognition. People aware of their achievements who do not demand to be honored at the shul dinner or care about which aliyah they receive reflect the humble paradigm. 

Neziv cites the statement from R. Yosef as support. R. Yosef and Rabbah were once both candidates to become Rosh Yeshiva in Pumbedeita (Horayot 14a). Even though the sages selected R. Yosef, he relinquished the title to Rabbah. During the more than two decades of Rabba’s tenure, R. Yosef refused to let the bloodletter make house calls to him as he did not want to receive any special honors that might detract from Rabbah’s authority. This works beautifully with Neziv’s vision of humility. R. 
Yosef recognized his positive traits and employed humor to indicate that such recognition is not a problem. However, he did not demand public acclaim and showed great humility when it came to the public honors of Pumbedeita.

As an educator, I find this idea quite powerful. Without denying the negative impact arrogance has on the religious personality, we should understand that powerful under confidence can also undermine a personality. The quickest way to fail in any endeavor is to decide immediately that one cannot possibly succeed. Many aspects of religious life, such as beseeching God in prayer and asking solid questions on a commentary, depend upon a certain sense of self worth. Neziv reminds us to not identify humility with self - abnegation. 

Perhaps R. Yosef intended one additional lesson. The following line of gemara has R. Nahman telling the Tanna not to include fear of sin in the list of traits that ceased because he is still around. I submit that R. Nahman and R. Yosef were not bragging 
but rather were concerned that a reader of the list found towards the end of Sotah might conclude that greatness in all respects comes to a close with the conclusion of the Taanaitic period. It is true that Judaism includes a concept of earlier generations having greater authority. However, if that concept leads us to conclude that we cannot aspire to more than benign ineptitude, we will find ourselves unable to meet the challenges of our day. As Alfred Tennyson wrote in Ulysses: 

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in the old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal-temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

May we appreciate our strengths as well as our shortcomings and yet not demand honor due to those strengths. 

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