[Avodah] humility

[Michael Makovi]

>  Except that anavah isn't worthlessness. Anavah should motivate, not
>  raise questions of "What could /I/ accomplish?" Yir'ah too is a
>  motivator, not quaking in one's boots in fear of acting lest one
>  deserve punishment.

>> Dr. Benjamin Carson

>  This is anavah as the notion of realizing that one is a critical part
>  of Hashem's plan, and that everything he has and is capable of is
>  because Hashem gave him the tools to perform that part. Lekakh
>  notzarta. Im la'eis kazos higat lamalkhus. (As per blog entry
>  <http://tinyurl.com/2w83ha> referenced in my earlier post.) It's an
>  awareness of the gap between the potential HQBH gave me and what I've
>  accomplished with it so far.
>
>  Notice how your example doesn't match your definition "to recognize
>  one's own pettiness and worthlessness".
>
>  Yes, yir'ah shows the gap between He who made what could be, and I,
>  who made what I am. So the two are inextricably linked. But I would
>  not say that's true in the manner you described.
>
>  SheTir'u baTov!
>  -micha

Everything you say is b'vadai. You've merely reinvented "What is man
that you have regard for him? And yet, you've made him little less
than the angels".

When I said worthless, I meant in relation to HKBH, in the vast scheme
of things, in the cosmic scale, or whatever you want to call him.

And yet, despite what ought to be worthlessness of a measly individual
human, somehow G-d has regard for him and commands him to do his
little part.

Man is little, and YET, despite this, G-d has regard for him.

Mikha'el Makovi