This however, is not the true aspect of sheep, as the purpose of this humility is as a means—for the study of Torah—and not an end to itself.
The true spiritual significance of sheep is when one’s humility is not aimed towards another goal, but is the ultimate objective, in and of itself.
The aspect of sheep indicates that one serves the Almighty in a way in which he transcends his personal identity and serves the Holy One, blessed be He—not for individual gain, but for G-d Himself.
This idea is demonstrated when a person leaves their Torah study and goes out into the world to make it a dwelling place for the Almighty.
Doing so, he leaves his self-identity, and steps down a level to involve himself with the world around him. He does this not for his own greatness, but because he submits to G-d’s will of turning the world into His G-dly abode.
It is when a person leaves Torah to serve G-d in worldly things that a Jew is called a sheep—as it is at that point when his humility, as an end to itself, comes to the fore.
The word for sheep in Hebrew is “tzon,” which is etymologically related to the word “la-tzeit,” meaning, to go out. This is expressive of the above idea: leaving the confines of the spiritual and involving oneself with the physical world in order to transform it.
It is in this state where a Jew connects to G-d in the deepest of ways, as he is utterly and completely humbled. This is where he leaves his identity and is truly serving G-d for G-d’s sake.
