Taking the King's crown
לא לנו ה' לא לנו כי לשמך תן כבוד
Not for our sake, Hashem, not for our sake, but for Your Name's sake give honor. (Tehillim 115:1)
My mouth recites these words, but to what extent am I speaking the truth in my heart? As much as I would like to deny it, am I not seeking kavod (honor) on a daily basis and defending against every affront to my kavod?
When will I realize that all the kavod in the world belongs to Hashem? When will I finally realize that when I insist on my kavod instead of remaining silent, I am thereby decreasing Hashem's kavod in the world.
7 Comments:
I think there's a difference between "seeking honor" and "defending one's dignity" and "wanting recognition for a job well done." If a Jew doesn't take pride in being a human being and in being a Jew, then he's casting the King's crown in the mud. You are the King's crown! (See end of LM-I, Lesson #6.) OB
Thanks so much! It was precisely that lesson in Likutey Moharan that inspired this posting. From what you wrote, I guess I need to take another look since I missed a crucial piece. I am only on my second time through going through Torah 6 (I usually go through each lesson four times).
I fail to understand what was lacking in A Simple Jews' post.
If one understands that he is blessed with his talents from G-d Himself and that his sole purpose and mission on Planet Earth is only to fulfill this to the greatest extent possible by using these to bring recognition to HaShem, why does he need to defend himself and why does he need people to thank him? He is working for G-d's honor, not his own. Unless someone is casting G-d's crown down, his job is to accept the humiliation as a cleansing tool that wipes him free of personal honor.
You need to be thanked for your job well done? Go ask great leaders or Moshe Rabeinu is anyone every thanked them! One's own dignity you say- your greatest dignity is to accept a blow for G-d! What could be greater!?!
1. When we Jews do praiseworthy things in this world, intelligent observers take note and credit it to G-d Whom we work for.
2. If our humility let us become everyone else's doormat, whould that be taken as a praise to G-d?
L'Man HaShem:
1. Moshe Rabbeinu was a king and king may not waive his honor. 2. The fact that MRA"H had to persuade Yehoshua to take the job BECAUSE the Israelites could be a pain also indicates that even great tzaddikim think about keeping their dignity in tact and are in rush to be insulted. 3. King Shaul did forgo his honor, and was taken to task for it. 4. Why did King Dovid cry so often that he was being insulted?
And if we look into Midrashim, we see that even MRA"H complained to Hashem that he was belittled by the Israelites (Why do they call me "ben Amram" and not by my name?).
We are not meant to be stones, denying our emotions or humanity. (Rabbeinu Yonah says this in Shaarei Teshuvah.)
The Rebbe and Psychiatrist R'Dr.Avraham Twersky said that basic human dignity comes from the spark of divine within and is not to be mistaken for kavod passul. Without the acknowledgement of our self worth we cannot serve Hashem and do his will in the world.
the shaar teshuva from chovos halevavos english translation, in the introduction says that submission and humility is the first step in the service of God. so don't be discouraged. this is a high level
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