The Secret of Humility and the Power of Melody

Lesson No. 24 | Lesson 1: Monday Morning, Parashas Pinchas, 12 Tammuz 5755, at the Yeshiva

An in-depth article explaining how the trait of lowliness and humility is the true key to kingship and spiritual dominion, through the teachings of the holy Arizal.

Queen Esther recognized that Mordechai the Jew possessed perfect humility. When a person acts with a settled mind and perfect humility, he attains the level of "according to the law of the kingdom." Mordechai the tzaddik (righteous one) was clothed in the very soul of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) himself, because Moshe literally clothes himself within the tzaddikim of the generation. The words that emerged from Mordechai's mouth were, in fact, the words of Moshe Rabbeinu.

The trait of humility is the Kesser (Crown, the highest of the Divine emanations). When a person is in a state of lowliness and humility, he immediately ascends to the Kesser, leaping over all the intermediate spiritual levels and Sefiros (Divine emanations). Whoever holds fast to the trait of lowliness—whatever he asks and requests is immediately granted to him.

True Kingship Grows from Lowliness

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov opens his magnum opus, Likutey Moharan (Torah 1), with this fundamental principle: Kingship is lowliness. Seemingly, everyone asks: Kingship is usually perceived as pride, authority, and control, so why is kingship specifically defined as lowliness? The answer is that only when you humble yourself will everything be given to you, and only then will you be able to truly rule.

The reason you do not rule over everything is precisely because you are tainted with pride. Because of pride, you have no dominion, no clear mind, and no power of speech. One who exists in true lowliness and absolute bittul (self-nullification) ultimately rules over all of nature, over the entire world, and over all the elements.

Moshe Rabbeinu attained his tremendous spiritual level because Hashem told him to humble himself. The rule is: Always humble yourself—and then you will touch the heavens. The entire essence of the tzaddikim is based solely on lowliness. The holy Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin zy"a (may his merit protect us) expounded on the verse:

"Come into the ark"

He explained that a person must enter into the teivah (a word that means both "ark" and "word") of prayer. King David says:

"Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His Name, make His deeds known among the nations. Sing to Him, make music to Him, speak of all His wonders."

If you do not see new miracles every single day, it means your spiritual work is lacking. If you haven't seen new miracles within twenty-four hours, it is a sign that you are merely immersed in eating and drinking.

Transforming Ashes into Beauty

To open the gates of Heaven, we need the power of transformation. Regarding the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), it is said:

"For with fire You consumed it, and with fire You will rebuild it in the future."

With that very same fire, with the very thing in which we stumble—everything can be transformed for the good. When will we merit this? When we accept lowliness upon ourselves. The greatness of a baal teshuvah (returnee to the faith) lies in his lowliness, in his awareness that he is not a tzaddik. The moment a person thinks he is already a tzaddik, he loses his spiritual level. But through lowliness, the efer (ashes) is transformed into pe'er (beauty).

In the book 'Shaar HaHakdamos' by the holy Arizal, a tremendous secret is revealed regarding the "Lower Waters." The Sages say that the Lower Waters weep and cry out:

"Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place."

The holy Arizal explains: They are not weeping at all; rather, they are singing! To us in this physical world, this supernal song sounds like weeping, because this song pounds in our minds like hammers. A person who is trapped in mochin d'katnus (constricted consciousness) is unable to contain the sheer intensity of this spiritual melody.

Why do the Lower Waters sing? Because it is impossible to ascend to any spiritual level in the world without song and melody. The Lower Waters yearn to ascend on high and attain the level of the Upper Waters. Their only way to rise from the lowest level is through song and praise. In contrast, the Upper Waters remain stationary in their place and do not possess the secret of ascension. It is specifically the Lower Waters, from their place of distance and lowliness, that discover the secret of melody and ascend endlessly.

The Difference Between Man and Beast: The Secret of Renewal

The rule is absolute: A person who does not sing and make melody will not be able to ascend to any spiritual level. He will remain exactly as he was born, akin to an animal. The Midrash expounds on the verse:

"When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born"

When an animal is born, its essence never changes. A calf is born a calf and remains a bull; a lamb is born a lamb and remains a ram. Nothing changes in their inner essence, aside from the addition of a few kilograms and centimeters.

But for a human being, every second and every millisecond must bring a new essence. The entire spiritual work of a person in his world is to transform his essence anew every single day. The 'Yid HaKadosh' (Holy Jew) of Peshischa would renew himself every day, and later every hour, and eventually every moment and second. It is impossible to ascend from level to level and change one's essence except through song.

Song as the Pinnacle of Submission and Self-Nullification

In the book 'Emek HaMelech', it is brought down that it is impossible to enter the gates of the Heavenly Chambers and the gates of the Divine Chariot except through songs and melodies. Before engaging in any spiritual endeavor, one must precede it with a melody so that a new gate will open in Torah study. The angels open the Heavenly gates only through the power of songs and praises.

The 'Emek HaMelech' asks: Why do people truly find it so difficult to sing? The answer is that singing contradicts pride. A person considers himself respectable; he is willing to sit with a book and delve deeply like a philosopher. But to sing? That seems to him mindless and insignificant. Yet the truth is that song is the ultimate pinnacle of submission and bittul (self-nullification).

Only one who is at the peak of submission is truly capable of singing. Song is the exact opposite of the physical body's reality and pride, and it is what grants life-force to all of creation—to the inanimate, the vegetative, the animal, and the human. The entire creation sings and makes melody before Hashem out of absolute bittul to the Infinite.

Part 2 of 4 — Lesson No. 24

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