This week’s parsha we start the fourth book of the Torah, Bamidbar. The word “bamidbar” means desert and this is where we received the Torah and lived the first forty years as a nation. The Midrash points out that the Jewish nation began in the desert to teach us to be like a desert. A desert is extremely empty and modest. A Jewish person should also be extremely modest. This is actually one of the most important character traits a person can have. Our greatest leader was Moshe, who was the master of modesty, and our most prized possession, the Torah, was given to us on Mount Sinai, the most modest mountain of all.

I have heard from my Rav a few times a commentary on a Mishna found in Pirkei Avos (3:1). It states that the end of person’s life is to be put in the ground with the worms. Why does the mishna need to mention worms? It is because there is a great lesson we can learn from the worm. Of all of the animals that exist in the world, the worm probably has one of the most important jobs, if not the most important. As we know, all plants need water to be able to grow. Luckily, we have rain that G-d sends to water the plants, but there is one problem. When the rain hits the solid ground, it cannot go through the ground to get the plant’s roots unless there are holes in the ground. This is the worm’s job. The worm constantly digs holes in the ground so the rain water can go through an underground irrigation system to feed all of the plants. Therefore, if the worm did not exist, it could be fatal. The plants would not grow which would ultimately result in the death of all living creatures. The amazing thing is: what sound does a worm make? We know dogs bark and cows moo, what does a worm say? The answer is that the worm does not say anything. It does an extremely significant job, but does not say anything! This is why the Mishna mentions the worm: this is a lesson we all must constantly remember.

We can see this from others besides the worm also and that is our Gedolim (great rabbis). Read the stories of what the greatest men and women of Klal Yisroel have done and you will clearly see that it would have been impossible for us to survive without them. And how did our Gedolim respond: did they scream out “Look at what I did!” Did they look for the standing ovations? No. Many of the stories of the Gedolim are known only because their students watched every step they take. The Gedolim did not show off their great acts; they did them privately.

Next week is Shavuos, the day we accept the Torah. When we accept the Torah we must remember that to be a great Torah scholar, we must be modest. We must learn from the lessons taught to us by the worm and our Gedolim.

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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