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Misc 7 "I am unworthy from all the kindness and the truth which you have done for your servant...." Explains the Chozeh of Lublin, "Even that which I am small in my own eyes, is a present from Hashem." Others explain, "I appreciate my own unworthiness due to all the kindness which I have extended to others." This verse is the eighth verse of the Parsha, which is the eighth parsha in the book of Bereshis. This may be a reference to the statement in the Gemorra that a scholar is permitted an eighth of an eighth measure of arrogance. So much and no more, after that bit we must continue by saying "I am unworthy..." I heard in the name of the Chofetz Chaim that he was upset that so many scholars were poor mathematicians. They do not realise that an eighth of an eighth is less than one. R' Meir of Kobrin was warm and welcoming to all. If others were hurting him he would suffer in silence and never respond in kind. Once his Chasidim asked, "Rebbe, the Rabbis tell us that every Talmid Chacham who does not take revenge and retribution is not a true Talmid Chacham, so why do you act the way you do?" Answered R' Meir, "The reason is simple, When I come to next world and am judged for persecuting someone unjustly, what should I say? - That I'm a Talmid Chocham! What if they disagree? If on the other hand I do not take revenge in this world and they wish to judge me for not having done so, I could always protest, I did not know I was truly a Talmid Chocham. R' Noach of Kobrin would say, "Why is a human referred to as a 'small world'? Because if he regards himself as small, he is a world. If he regards himself as the world, he is small. R. Simcha Bunim of Pshischa would say, "When a humble person removes pride from his heart, the resulting space is filled with love for Hashem |
