The Torah tells us that Moses, our great leader, was the humblest man on Earth. Now, that’s a big claim, isn’t it?
According to the ancient texts, Moses’ humility wasn't a one-off thing. It was deeply ingrained in his very being. The Legends of the Jews notes that among mortals, even compared to the Patriarchs, no one was meeker than Moses. Only the angels surpassed him. Think about that for a moment. Angels, beings of pure spirit, constantly deferring to one another in praise of God, each saying, "You go first, you are worthier than I."
And God, ever mindful of His servants, always sought to uphold Moses' honor. There's a fascinating story about this. Remember when Aaron and Miriam questioned Moses' leadership? It's a delicate moment, and God steps in with a dramatic intervention.
Imagine this: Aaron is with his wife, Miriam with her husband, when suddenly, a Divine call rings out. But here's the kicker: it's a single voice, yet it calls out all three of their names simultaneously: "Aaron!" "Moses!" and "Miriam!" Can you imagine the awe? The sheer power of that moment? The Legends of the Jews points out this miracle could only be performed by God's voice alone.
The call went to Moses, in part, so the people wouldn’t mistakenly believe Aaron and Miriam were chosen to replace him. He was ready to heed God's words immediately. But Aaron and Miriam? Well, they were caught unprepared. According to the tale, they were in a state of tumah (טומאה), ritual impurity. So, upon hearing God's call, they cried out, "Water, water!" They needed to purify themselves before appearing before God. They left their tents and followed the voice until God appeared in a pillar of cloud - a sign of divine presence also associated with Samuel.
Now, you might be wondering, why didn't this pillar of cloud appear in the Mishkan (משכן), the Tabernacle, where it usually rested when God revealed Himself to Moses? The Legends of the Jews suggests several reasons. First, God didn't want to give the impression He was stripping Moses of his dignity and giving it to his siblings. So, He didn't appear to them in the holy place.
Second, and this is particularly interesting, God wanted to spare Aaron the potential shame of being rebuked in front of his brother. Moses, being the wise and humble leader he was, didn't follow his siblings; he awaited God's word in the sanctuary.
But there's a third reason, a beautiful piece of wisdom found within the Midrash Rabbah: "Never praise a man to his face." God wanted to praise Moses before Aaron and Miriam, so He chose to do it in his absence. Isn’t that a powerful lesson? Humility isn't just about how we see ourselves; it's also about how we treat others and how we allow them to shine. It's about knowing when to step back, when to listen, and when to offer praise where it's truly due, even if the person isn’t there to hear it directly. It seems even the Divine follows this principle.
So, the next time you're striving to be a better leader, a better friend, a better person, remember Moses. Remember his humility, and remember that true greatness often lies in the quiet strength of character.