Vayigash: Bi Adoni – Humility is the Bridge

In my quest for truth in life, I came across many logical equations that all lead to oneness. Meaning that no matter in which direction I searched, or from which source I chose my inspiration, it always led me to the same conclusion. At first I wondered if I am subconsciously manipulating all conversations to go in that direction, but after a while it became apparent that there is actually only one truth that exists in this world.

I used to think that a banker will always find their personal relevance as a banker in every conversation; say he speaks to an old man, his mind would calculate all retirement options and financial planning while the old man recites stories from fifty years ago. And when a doctor speaks to a woman who just wants to be listened to about her hard day, he would think of all medical terminologies and solutions that can help people with anxiety and blood pressure problems.

It is true that each individual in their respective field will see the world through their personal lens, but that doesn’t negate the fact that there is only one truth that they are all tapped into. In Yiddish there is a saying, “Yeder Meint Zech, In Ich Mein Mech! – Everyone cares for themselves, and I care for myself!” We will all be driven by different experiences and the personality it shaped. Much like the person who has trouble trusting others will find that this worry will follow them around when they are looking at prices in the grocery store or when the gardener asks for a drink on a hot day, they are always wondering what others are plotting against them. We are all stuck in cycles of our mindsets that make us unique to our detriment and to our benefit.

The uniqueness of every person’s individuality is special because what kind of world would it be if we all walked in lockstep without dissent or opposing opinions. The world of people requires the input of many in order to move forward, and it is those with the most logical and convincing arguments that make the sale and gain the ability to lead. Then again, without practicing humility we wouldn’t be capable of accepting the opinion of others.

Now that we touch upon humility, we must look at it from two sides. One, from the side of the leader, and two, from the side of the receiver. The leaders may get their way in the world since they can articulate themselves properly and persuade others to accept their opinion, but if they have not an ounce of humility in themselves and hold themselves higher and above the rest of the peasants, it will only be a short while before they are dethroned from their high and mighty position. On the other hand, the people following the leader’s advice must know that their acceptance needs to be from a humble place of agreement and not from a lack of confidence and the inability to form their own choices. Humility must be practiced on both ends, otherwise the world cannot function. We need leaders and followers, directors and personnel, for society to function, otherwise each will be for themselves and you can kiss families, communities, and countries goodbye.

So you see that although, be it that each person has their personal touch to life, we all function on a higher truth that keeps us all flowing like a serene river. E. Pluribus Unum. It turns out that all people find themselves in different fields of wisdom but all wisdoms are united under one umbrella. They are all interconnected with a oneness that will bring the world as a whole to an ultimate goal. Be it the lone tree in an unknown forest, the loneliest creature hundreds of feet beneath the surface, or the person sitting next to you on the train, each doing their own thing but keeping the whole intact with their simple existence.

This truth is called Hashem. In unreligious circles they will define this point of oneness as the “Center of Peace,” a singularity that all in the world strive for, peace. Even the enemy pursues peace, no matter if they will cause the opposite to the opposing side, their ultimate goal is to one day sit back and relax. We all chase that moment of peace in our lives and wish to hold onto that feeling for as long as we can, and hope for it to last forever. Many have experienced this level of peace for mere moments while some have only come to it through unworthy means, but as it turns out there has yet been anyone who has lived this from their moment of birth to their death.

There is always a dissenting view or an opposition to our progress which must be dealt with in order to move forward. Nothing good has ever come with the snap of a finger, and even if dreams seem real, once we start working towards fulfilling them we end up bumping into forks in the road and unforeseen issues. It is the nature of the world that perfection is not what we think it is, rather it is the attitude we have towards our choices. The peace we wish to live with all throughout our lives must be amended in our minds to one where we accept the bumps and hitches that will inevitably arise. It is the humility within us that must become strong in order to fully live within the truth of Hashem in the universe.

Vayigash Eilav Yehuda! And Yehuda approaches Yosef! These are two opposing viewpoints of the world facing off with each other. Yehuda being the mind while Yosef being the heart. The mind forces logic to the world and clearly articulates its position; if understood then good, and if not it will be made to be understood by all means. The heart chooses to accept or not to accept; if it does then good, but if it doesn’t you will be talking to a wall. This is the struggle between the leader of the leaders and the leader of the followers.

Yehoshua Bin Nun, a descendant of Yosef, the student of Moshe the Levi, was the leader of the nation. King David, a descendant of Yehuda, the student of Shmuel the Levi, was also the leader of the nation. Yerevan Ben Navat, a descendant from Yosef, was the leader of the ten tribes. Rechavam Ben Shlomo, a descendant of Yehuda, was the leader of Yehuda and Binyamin. Their style of leadership, albeit different, was still a path toward the future for their followers. But what do Yehoshua and David have in common? Their exceptional humility, while the connection between Yeravam and Rechavam was their lack of it.

The singularity that brought Yehuda and Yosef together was the fact that they shared the same father and they both cared deeply for him. It was for the sake of true peace that humility had to play a role here so that both sides can be winners so that redemption can finally come about.

Yehuda says: “Bi Adoni, I ask of you my lord,” this took a tremendous amount of willpower from the leader, Yehuda, to show. Yosef who had every reason to be broken and upset could’ve hardened his heart and stood there like a brick wall and let it all fall on empty ears, but allowed his heart to see through it all for the sake of peace. It was now time for the ultimate revelation, once both sides were willing to meet for the same cause, their humility forged a common pathway to reunite the family and bring forth a future for the entire nation until today. This is how it worked by Yehuda and Yosef, this is how it works in society, and this is how it works within our own hearts and minds. Humility = Truth = Hashem!

Shabbat Shalom

David Lemmer

LemmerHypnoterapy.com