The Song of Humility
Humility, as has been distilled from the Mussar tradition (a discipline of moral conduct and character development), refers to taking up just the right amount of space — not too little and not too much. In his book Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar, Alan Morinis cites and explains traditional sources on Mussar. He teaches us to maintain a balance between ourselves and the world around us, in which we strive to recognize how intricately we are interdependent on everything else.
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The Right Amount of Space
Early in my rabbinic career, I heard Alan Morinis — a teacher of Mussar, a system of Jewish character development — explain anavah, humility, not as meekness, but rather as “taking up the right amount of space.” Taking up too much space is arrogance, but taking up too little space is shrinking from our responsibilities and from the gifts we can offer. This notion of humility has profoundly influenced the way I approach leadership as a rabbi: How do I leave enough room for others in my congregation, while, at the same time, fully inhabit my role and responsibilities as a leader?
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In Search of the Humble Leader
Humility isn’t proclaimed; it is recognized. But, all too often, humility feels like an endangered trait. It is virtually a mantra, a ubiquitous call for leaders to be both powerful and humble. Despite the nearly oxymoronic nature of the phrase “humble leader,” we still believe that such humility is possible. And in the search for humble leaders — or for humility itself — one must wonder: Is humility an innate phenomenon that one carries all of one’s days? Or can it be taught and learned?
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Cultivating Humility in America
Humility requires that we see ourselves accurately, neither overestimating nor underestimating our worth. To be appropriately humble, we should not hold ourselves above others, but neither should we degrade ourselves. Often, humility requires that we emphasize our dignity and self-worth, especially when we have been degraded by others. It also requires us to challenge the forces that encourage us to consider ourselves superior to others.
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NiSh’ma: Anavah / Humility
We offer three takes on the first line of the “V’ahavta,” the line following the Sh’ma prayer. Our commentators reflect on God’s humility — the notion that God needs our love.
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Consider and Converse: A Guide to Humility
Use this guide to facilitate conversations that examine the importance of humility - “taking up the right amount of space” - in Jewish tradition.
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