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

Lesson 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 (azus), even for the sake of Heaven. Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

A person must be swift as an eagle, not allowing the eye to look, and then the heart will not covet. Our body is currently situated within the kelipah (spiritual impurity); it is the body of a snake, and all the kelipos immediately deceive a person. Therefore, one must be "fleet 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 fleet as a deer"—this is halachah (Jewish law). Always run, be light on your feet.

The Mighty Heroes of the Past

The Midrash in Yalkut Shimoni relates that Asahel would run upon the tops of the 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 Asahel received the main parts of his soul from Yishai, who died [only] due to the counsel of the snake (the original sin) and without any personal sin. Therefore, he possessed such an Ohr Makif (surrounding spiritual light) that enabled him to fly in the air; the top 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, nor the strong man boast of his strength."

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 "fleet 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/brazenness). Even though it is written, "Be bold as a leopard," which means that if others try to deter you from Hisbodedus (personal prayer), from waking up for Chatzos (midnight prayer), or from praying Vatikin (at sunrise)—you must be bold and not be ashamed before those who mock you. Nevertheless, the trait of azus in and of itself is highly despicable.

Therefore, the Beis Yosef emphasizes immediately afterward, "he should strengthen himself like a lion." Because if a person becomes accustomed to using azus, 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 explicitly rules regarding the trait of azus:

"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 Jews. We must speak to everyone gently. If you had an effect—you had an effect. If you didn't have an effect—you will have an effect tomorrow; you will have an effect in Heaven at the root of his soul. Today you 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 situated so close to the boundary 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 brazenness to them and degrade them.

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

"He neither stood nor stirred before him."

When they shout at you, you do not need to shout back. You need to be strong, neither standing nor stirring. This is the true meaning of exhibiting holy boldness—that you should have the audacity not to be ashamed of them, but not to answer them. Therefore, we must distance ourselves from the trait of brazenness, speak gently, and know that true action is accomplished through tranquility and inwardness.

Part 3 of 4 — Lesson No. 13

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