The Secret of True Heroism: The Inner Meaning of the Trait of Boldness

Class No. 13 | * 22 Iyar 5755 (Continued from No. 12)

The Mishnah calls upon us to be 'bold as a leopard and strong as a lion', but the 'Beis Yosef' warns against using the trait of boldness, even for the sake of Heaven. Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

A person must be light as an eagle, not allowing the eye to look, and then the heart will not covet. Our body is currently in the kelipah (husk of impurity), it is the body of a snake, and all the kelipos immediately deceive a person. Therefore, one must be "swift as a deer." Run to the Beis Midrash! When you wake up in the morning, run and fly. When you run, no negative force will dare approach you. The Mishnah in Tractate Avos says, "Be swift as a deer" – this is a halacha (Jewish law). Always run, be light on your feet.

The Mighty Heroes of the Past

The Midrash in Yalkut Shimoni tells of Asael, who would run upon the tips of ears of grain. He was as light on his feet as one of the deer in the field. The holy Arizal explains in Shaar HaGilgulim that Asael received the main parts of his soul from Yishai, who died only because of the counsel of the snake (the original sin) and without any personal sin. Therefore, he had such an ohr makif (surrounding spiritual light) that allowed him to fly in the air; the tip of an ear of grain was enough for him to gain momentum without breaking the stalks.

Similarly, we read in the Haftarah of Tisha B'Av:

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might."

What heroes there were in the past! Avner ben Ner was a completely righteous man (tzaddik gamur), and he would say: "Just give me a point of leverage, a strong rock to hold onto that will not be uprooted, and I will shake and move the entire Earth."

The Danger in the Trait of Boldness

A person must be "swift as a deer and strong as a lion." But this strength is not a mere figure of speech – it is strength in the heart. The "Beis Yosef" warns us that it is forbidden to use the trait of azus (boldness or audacity). Even though it is written, "Be bold as a leopard," which means that if others want to stop you from Hisbodedus (personal prayer), from waking up for Chatzos (midnight lament), or from praying Vatikin (at sunrise) – you must be bold and not be ashamed before those who mock you. Nevertheless, the trait of boldness in and of itself is very despicable.

Therefore, the Beis Yosef emphasizes immediately afterward, "he should strengthen himself like a lion." Because if a person becomes accustomed to using boldness, even for holy purposes, he will ultimately acquire this trait in his soul. He will start shouting at people who are far from Judaism, and eventually, he will also shout at his wife and children at home. The Beis Yosef rules explicitly regarding the trait of boldness:

"And it is not proper to use it at all, even for the service of Hashem, may He be blessed."

Today, we are forbidden to shout at anyone, not even at secular people. We must speak to everyone gently. If you had an effect – you had an effect. If you did not have an effect – you will have an effect tomorrow, you will have an effect in Heaven at the root of his soul. Today you will shout at a secular person, and afterward, you will shout at home at your wife and your children, and you will acquire a bad trait in your soul. A person in our generation is so close to the borderline of sin that every small habit or slight movement already agitates him.

True Boldness: He Neither Stood Nor Stirred

If so, how do we fulfill "Be bold as a leopard"? The Beis Yosef explains the words of the Tur: The intention is that you should not be ashamed before those who mock you, but not that you should speak words of audacity to them and humiliate them.

True boldness is to remain silent when you are humiliated. As it is written regarding Mordechai the Jew facing Haman:

"He neither stood nor stirred before him."

When people shout at you, you do not need to shout back. You need to be strong, neither to stand nor to stir. This is the true meaning of holy audacity – that you should have the boldness of face not to be ashamed of them, but not to answer them. Therefore, we must distance ourselves from the trait of boldness, speak gently, and know that true action is accomplished out of tranquility and inwardness.

Part 3 of 4 — Class No. 13

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