חֲמִשָּׁה תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ. הוּא הָיָה מוֹנֶה שִׁבְחָן. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, בּוֹר סוּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְאַבֵּד טִפָּה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, אַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, חָסִיד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, יְרֵא חֵטְא. וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, מַעְיָן הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם, וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר מִשְּׁמוֹ, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס אַף עִמָּהֶם, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם: (אבות פרק ב משנה יא)
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples and they were these: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Yose, the priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Nethaneel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach. He [Rabbi Johanan] used to list their outstanding virtues: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop; Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah happy is the woman that gave birth to him; Rabbi Yose, the priest, is a pious man; Rabbi Simeon ben Nethaneel is one that fears sin, And Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach is like a spring that [ever] gathers force. He [Rabbi Yochanan] used to say: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus on the other scale, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: If all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus also with them, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach on the other scale, he would outweigh them all.
Did Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai only have five students? Also, why was it important to list their virtues?
The Radomsker Rebbe explained that these five excellent students faced a serious personal challenge. They were so humble that they might not realize the quality traits that they each possessed. Therefore their mentor felt it necessary to call attention to their greatness.
Humility should never blind people of their virtues and capabilities. If it does the results could be tragic.
The first Jewish king, Shaul HaMelech (King Saul) was an extremely humble man (as depicted in Samuel I Chapter 10 verses 21-22). But his misapplication of it brought his downfall. In his war against the Amalekites he submitted to the public will and didn’t exercise his authority as king. For that, the prophet Samuel rebuked him in the name of G-d saying, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel (Samuel I Chapter 15 verse 17).” The end of Samuel’s message to Saul was, “Because you rejected the LORD’s command, He has rejected you as king.”
Humility doesn’t mean that you see yourself as nothing. On the contrary, a person is obligated to recognize their strengths and talents and utilize them in the service of Hashem. Humility says that you recognize that everything you have comes from Hashem in order to serve Him and you don’t credit yourself for them. Aggrandizing yourself is abhorrent. Recognizing yourself is an obligation.
This concern for misplaced humility is found in this week’s parsha.
אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ׃
Those were the names of the men whom Moshe sent to scout the land; Moshe called [changed the name of] Hoshea son of Nun [to] Yehoshua (Joshua)(chapter 13, verse 16).
Why did Moshe change this man’s name? Targum Yonatan ben Uziel comments, ”When Moshe saw his humility, he called Hoshea bar Nun Yehoshua.”
What’s the connection? The answer is that Moshe was concerned about the negative attitude of the spies towards the land of Israel. Seeing how humble Hoshea was, Moshe was concerned that in his humility Hoshea might submit himself to the will of the other spies. Moshe therefore added the letter ”Yud” that represented the name of G-d to Hoshea’s name as a form of prayer. “May G-d save you from the evil counsel of the spies.”
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski cites the following comment about misplaced humility. “If a person is unaware of his defects, then he does not know what he must correct. However, it is far worse if he does not know his strengths, for then he cannot utilize the abilities he has to perfect himself.”
May Hashem gives us the clarity to recognize our capabilities and the ability to utilize them to the fullest.
Shabbat shalom!
Yitzchak