(במדבר יב,ג) האדמההאיש משה ענו מאד מכל האדם אשר על פני ו
Sotah 49b: THE DECLINE AFTER THE CHURBAN
Mishnah: After Rebbe died, humility and fear of sin ceased.
Rav Yosef: Do not teach that humility ceased. I am around!
How do we understand Moshe? On one hand, since the Torah stated it, Moshe must believe he is the most humble man in the world. On the other hand, Moshe must believe that he is greater than all the other prophets that have existed.
We have a similar question regarding Rav Yosef in the Gemara. How does Rav Yosef state that humility did not cease since he is a prime example of humility? This “self-serving” statement appears to be a contradiction to the concept of humility.
Maharsha: The concept of humility is not that a person has to believe that one is less important than other people. Rather the basic concept of humility is to conduct oneself in meekness before HaShem. Even if one does a lot of Torah and Mitzvos, one still needs to be humbled by how much more could be done, and how if others were provided the same opportunities they would have done more than he has done.
Mesilas Yesharim: The concept of humility exists in one’s thoughts. One must always contemplate the truth that one is not worthy of honor, since one needs to be aware of all of one’s failings. One needs to be in a state of self-awareness to consider oneself as less than other people.
Chovas haLevavos: The basic concept of humility is to conduct oneself meekly and recognize the exaltedness of HaShem. However, he explicitly states that one must recognize one’s spiritual advancements.
Netziv: He disagrees with the Mesilas Yesharim. Humility is not a matter of meekness of the heart (or thoughts). Rather, humility is reflected in the manner one conducts himself with other people.
Meiri: Humbleness and meekness of spirit are two different attributes. The concept of humility is reflected in how one recognizes the Greatness of HaShem. Whereas, meekness of spirit is reflected in one’s conduct of bitul towards others.
Sar Sholom of Belz: If one is very humble, but also thinks of others as being insignificant this is not true humility. Moshe thought of himself as being small, but others were great.
Medrash Rabbah (Zos haBracha): While Moshe was on the earth (still living in a body), it was necessary for him to lessen himself and remain humble. After his death and ascension to Heaven, (and no longer on the earth), then Moshe could recognize his true value.
Tosefes Beracha: According to the Gemara (Berachos 34b) regarding the matters of bowing during the Amidah (commonly called “Shmoneh Esreh”), a regular person bows four times (at the beginning and end of “Avos” and “Hodaah”); the Cohen Gadol bows at the end of each blessing; and the King bows at the beginning and end of each blessing. Thus, as one is greater in stature, the more one needs lower oneself. Moshe exhibited the maximum humility since he was on the highest level of prophecy as mentioned by the Torah.
Baal Shem Tov: Although Moshe was fully aware of his being an “ish”, an accomplished person of stature, nevertheless he was the most-humble person on each. Thinking of oneself as worthless is not true humility. Rather, a humble person is one who would even ride in the fanciest coach but be unmoved by this experience.
Tiferes Shlomo (Radomsk): Because others were totally involved in earthly pursuits, Moshe was humble. He felt as if he was not successful in persuading all of mankind to pursue holiness.
Kedushas Zion (Bobov): Moshe was humble because he attributed his greatness to the merit of all mankind.
Ohr Sameiach: Near the end of his very lengthy comments on the famous words of the Rambam dealing with the question of predetermination, reward and punishment, and free choice, he writes that since Moshe ascended to the heavens and was privy to see a glimpse of HaShem's sanctity that no one else ever saw, he clearly saw the connection between the spiritual and the physical. All his future actions had the added impetus of knowing as an eyewitness the results of complying or ch"v not complying with HaShem's wishes. Whenever a mitzvah came his way Moshe had no test. His belief in HaShem was not a test, as he had actually entered heaven. Moshe was therefore not as great as any other ben Yisrael in this aspect. Everyone else believed in HaShem without seeing, did mitzvos, and refrained from doing negative precepts with the strength of belief only.
Chasam Sofer: How did Rebbe exhibit humility? After all Rebbe was a leader and was rich and consorted with other such people. Rebbe in his heart knew that he was less than all others around himself and not fitting to act as a ruler. However, HaShem provided the ability and opportunity for him to be the ruler. Thus, Rebbe acted as a leader not because of desire to be humble but acted humble simply to fulfill the command of HaShem.
Radak: He writes in the name of his father, Rabbi Yosef, that the word "ISHon," the pupil of the eye, is sourced from the word ISH. The addition of the letters Vov-Nun indicate a diminutive of the basic word. An example he gives is that the word “Shabbos” is the basic Shabbos, while “Shabboson” (with the Vov-Nun addition) refers to the small Shabbos, the addition called Tosfos Shabbos. The reason the pupil of the eye is called "ISHon" is because when you look into someone's pupils you will see yourself, an ISH, greatly diminished. When you come in contact with someone else you should view yourself as the small one, as is demonstrated by your size in the pupil of the other person's eyes, while you should view the other person as greater than you. Perhaps this concept is alluded to in the words of our verse. We find the word ONoV spelled lacking the letter Yud between the Nun and the Vov. This leaves us with Ayin-Nun-Vov. Our verse says that Moshe the ISH was very humble, as he saw in everyone else's eye, Ayin, (AYIN is "eye" in Loshon Hakodesh) Nun- Vov, the addition to ISH, turning it into ISHON, that makes a person diminutive, humble.
Lubavitcher Rebbe: If the necessary method to receive the Torah was nullification and humility, why was the Torah given on a (low) mountain and not in a valley (or at least a plain)? Har Sinai (the lowest mountain) expresses the essence of all Mitzvos which combines the opposites of humility while enabling strength when needed. Further, Rav Yosef expresses this same combination. On one side Rav Yosef was the model of humility (as cited in the Gemara). On the other side, Rav Yosef (Sotah 5a) says HaShem lowered the Shechinah to Har Sinai and did not lift up Har Sinai to express that one must lower oneself. Nevertheless, the lesson was that a person does not totally negate one’s abilities. Rabbi Yosef (whom the Talmud calls “Sinai”) says he is humble; true humility means being aware of one’s own qualities and using strength when needed, yet in total self-negation.
