- Sections
- Ein Ayah
56
Ein Ayah: A person’s whole world can be perceived within his midst. In general in the world, we find powers that can be divided into good and bad. The bad is also supposed to exist, just that it should be subservient to the good.
So too, in the way a person stands before others, his body contains all his essence. He should know that there are strengths within him whose expansion is not a positive thing, but rather their minimization is proper. If he does minimize them, then he will be built in his full glory, [and when many act in this way], society as a whole will be complete as well.
The matter works in the following way. When one realizes his own shortcomings, he can notice that his friend has the good attribute that he is missing. He can then perfect himself by linking up with that person.
When a person realizes that within his whole persona there are elements that are lacking and should be minimized, it causes him to lessen his posture somewhat, preventing him from standing totally erect in a boastful manner that "stabs" his counterpart. When one’s blindness due to haughtiness is full-blown, he loses his world. This is because he loses his chance at an effective social life and clinging to the community in a way that the community can develop. The development can only happen when each person realizes that there are talents in which he is lacking and can look to his friend to acquire them.
Although the issue of not looking to others for help is a real problem, it is more solvable for those who are active in society. Because they take part in important actions in the public realm, they are likely to eventually come to realize that they are lacking, and their haughtiness can come under control. Women are more passive within society, and they do not usually get as involved in its activities, especially in the intellectual and moral realms, as men do. Because "all the honor of the princess is inwards" (Tehillim 45:14), she does not have an external outlet that can show her how blind one needs to be to be conceited. This can allow bad characteristic to be entrenched.
When the mothers of Israel are lacking in these matters, then the children come out with serious moral shortcomings in these regards, and the sons’ exposure to the world will not enable them to overcome the problems. This closes the window that draws people closer to the light of elevated divine perfection. Only when one recognizes his lacking does he thirst to become complete by clinging to the divine light, which in turn enables him to operate properly within society. When things do not go right, the downward spiral can be horrible. It brings a lack of unity due to terrible haughtiness, in which everyone thinks that he is complete without receiving anything from his friend. This starts with the daughters of Israel who walk in an overly erect manner.

influencing Our Families, Cities & the World
Ein Aya Shabbat 5,14
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Shvat 5783

Bringing Benefit to a Talmid Chacham
Various Rabbis | 5769

Being Accustomed to Light
Various Rabbis | Sivan 2 5775

The Benefits of Torah and of Eating
Various Rabbis | 5770

The Laws of Torah Study
Part 3
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5761

The Halachot of Pidyon Haben
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5769

Preparing Food on Yom Tov
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff

The Laws of Torah Study
Part 3
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5761
Daf Yomi Makkot Daf 24
R' Eli Stefansky | 4 Iyar 5785

Ask the Rabbi: Scratching Improperly Parked Cars
Rabbi Daniel Mann | Iyar 5785
Daf Yomi Makkot Daf 20
R' Eli Stefansky | 30 Nisan 5785
