Daf Yomi, Marriage Counseling, Psychotherapy, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Torah and Psychology
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph describes the interesting dynamic of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. Though “Each and every day a Divine Voice emerges and says: The entire world is sustained in the merit of Ḥanina ben Dosa,” still, for him personally it is different. For Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa “a kav of carobs, i.e., a very small amount of inferior food, is sufficient to sustain him from one Shabbos eve to the next Shabbos eve.”
Ben Yehoyada notes that the text implies that it was sufficient for him. Meaning, he did not subjectively suffer for any lack — he felt sustained by his meager portions.
I believe this is not a coincidence. The conduit of this spiritual and physical flow from God is facilitated by making himself humble. This is not just an emotional humility, but a humility in totality. Because he needed little, his ego did not interfere and made space for the spiritual flow.
The more Godly a place or situation, the more it requires a diminishment of ego and self. The greatest prophet (Moshe, see Bamidbar 12:7-8) was also the most humble person (ibid 12:3).
This is related to the following aggadah (Megillah 31a):
“Wherever you find a reference in the Bible to the might of the Holy One, Blessed be He, you also find a reference to His humility adjacent to it. Evidence of this fact is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and stated a third time in the Writings. It is written in the Torah: ‘For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords’ (Deuteronomy 10:17), and it is written immediately afterward: ‘He executes the judgment of the fatherless and widow’ (Deuteronomy 10:18), displaying his humility in caring for even the weakest parts of society. It is repeated in the Prophets: ‘For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, Whose name is sacred’ (Isaiah 57:15), and it is written immediately afterward: ‘In the high and holy place I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones’ (Isaiah 57:15). It is stated a third time in the Writings, as it is written: ‘Extol Him Who rides upon the clouds, Whose name is the Lord’ (Psalms 68:5), and it is written immediately afterward: ‘A father of the fatherless, and a judge of widows’ (Psalms 68:6).”
The point is, these blessings of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa are not a reward for humility, but rather a consequence of humility. Humility makes space for God to manifest.
Now, why is that? Because humility is related to simplicity, and simplicity is ultimately about unity and perfection. A perfect wholeness is simple in the sense that it is not compound nor made of separate qualities; it is an entity whose existence and purpose and “actions” are all the same. This is why God is found in the humble, and to find God one must be humble.
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Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com