The Secret of Humility and the Power of the 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 sovereignty and spiritual control. Through the teachings of the Ari...
Queen Esther recognized that Mordechai the Jew possessed perfect humility. When a person acts with a settled mind and perfect humility, he attains the aspect of "according to the law of the kingdom." Mordechai the tzaddik was clothed in the very soul of Moshe Rabbeinu himself, because Moshe literally clothes himself in the tzaddikim of the generation. The words that came out of Mordechai's mouth were actually the words of Moshe Rabbeinu.
The trait of humility is the Kesser (Crown). When a person is in a state of lowliness and humility, he immediately ascends to the Kesser and leaps over all the levels and Sefiros (Divine emanations). Whoever holds onto the trait of lowliness, whatever he asks and requests is immediately given to him.
True Sovereignty Grows from Lowliness
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov opens his book Likutey Moharan (Torah 1) with this foundation: sovereignty is lowliness. Seemingly, everyone asks: sovereignty is perceived as pride, authority, and control, so why is sovereignty specifically lowliness? The answer is that only when you humble yourself will everything be given to you, and you will be able to truly rule.
The reason you do not rule over everything is specifically because you are tainted with pride. Because of pride, you have no control, you have no mind, and you have no speech. Whoever is in a state of true lowliness and absolute nullification ultimately rules over all of nature, over the entire world, and over all the elements.
Moshe Rabbeinu merited his immense spiritual level because Hashem, may He be blessed, told him to humble himself. The rule is: always humble yourself—and then you will touch the sky. The entire essence of the tzaddikim is based solely on lowliness. The holy Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin zy"a expounded on the verse:
"Come into the ark (teivah)"
That a person must enter into the teivah (which also means "word") of prayer. King David says:
"Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the nations, sing to Him, make music to Him, speak of all His wonders."
If you do not see new miracles every day, then your spiritual work is lacking. If you have not seen new miracles within twenty-four hours, it is a sign that you are only immersed in eating and drinking.
Turning Ashes into Beauty
In order to open the gates of Heaven, we need the power of transformation. Regarding the destruction of the Holy Temple, it is said:
"For with fire You consumed it, and with fire You will rebuild it."
With that very same fire, with the exact same thing in which we fail—everything can be transformed for the good. When will we merit this? When we take lowliness upon ourselves. The greatness of a baal teshuvah (penitent) lies in his lowliness, in his knowledge 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 ashes (efer) are transformed into beauty (pe'er).
In the book Shaar HaHakdamot by the holy Arizal, a tremendous secret is brought down regarding the "Lower Waters." The Sages say that the Lower Waters cry and shout:
"Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place."
The holy Arizal explains: They are not crying at all; rather, they are singing! For us in this world, this supernal song sounds like weeping, because this song pounds in our minds like hammers. A person who is immersed in mochin d'katnus (constricted consciousness) is unable to contain the intensity of the spiritual melody.
Why do the Lower Waters sing? Because it is impossible to ascend to any spiritual level in the world without a song and a melody. The Lower Waters yearn to ascend upward and attain the level of the Upper Waters. Their only way to ascend from the lowest level is through song and melodies. In contrast, the Upper Waters stand 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 reveal the secret of the 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 play music will not be able to ascend to any spiritual level. He will remain exactly as he was born, in the category of 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, other than the addition of a few kilograms and centimeters.
But for a human being, every second and every millisecond must be a new essence. A person's entire spiritual work in this 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 transform one's essence except through song.
Song as the Pinnacle of Submission and Nullification
The sefer Emek HaMelech states that it is impossible to enter the gates of the Heavenly Halls 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 in Torah study will open. The angels open the gates solely through the power of songs and praises.
The Emek HaMelech asks: Why do people actually find it difficult to sing? The answer is that singing contradicts arrogance. A person considers himself dignified; he is willing to sit with a book and delve deeply like a philosopher, but to sing? That seems mindless and insignificant to him. But the truth is that song is the pinnacle of submission and nullification (bittul).
Only someone who is at the peak of submission is truly capable of singing. Song is the exact opposite of the physical reality of the body and arrogance, 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 plays music before Hashem, blessed be He, out of absolute nullification to the Infinite.
Part 2 of 4 — Lesson No. 24
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