Finding Greatness in Being Small

I hear this all the time. Maybe I think this all the time. “If I don’t do it; it won’t get done.”

And she’s right. It probably won’t. But really, we don’t know because she doesn’t give him a chance, she doesn’t give her a chance, to wait and see if maybe, just maybe they will do it. Maybe, just maybe they will do it and do it right. Could her stepping back enable them to grow? Could her becoming small really be a sign of her own greatness?

She stares at that thing that needs doing or fixing and verbally she relinquishes, but in her heart, it still gnaws at her. She can’t let go. It’s a pity. It makes her small.

Because really, who is she kidding? Why does she put all this heavy weight upon her shoulders? Why does she think she has control? Is it arrogance? I don’t think so. No, I think that it is more a problem of insecurity and fear. Fear on letting go.

Fear of facing a reality that some things will never be fixed. Some things will never be done nor completed.

She knows that if she does it herself, it will be done better. It’s true; it’s a fact. She is quicker and more efficient. She’s has more information and more skills.

The problem is not that she can’t. Well actually maybe she can. Afterall, she was created with a lot of strength, a lot of might. But she shouldn’t. No, she shouldn’t because her doing is a lack of faith in that “what supposed to get done, will be done and what doesn’t, won’t.”

Yes, she is human. Human with limitations because we are body and soul. The infinite, divinely connected soul housed in a finite limited body. It’s not a weakness, just a humbling reality.

We return to the fact that even if she could do it better or even if she doesn’t do it and therefore it won’t get done, she is best to relinquish, not just in her words, but in her heart. Yes, she has to let go.

Why?

For relationships. For growth. For greatness and humility. For connections of the soul housed in a humbling body. For the fact that there is actually something a bit selfish, unhealthy about wanting to do it all. About thinking that you have to do it. About thinking that it is your sole responsibility to do it all. Because it’s not.

It came about on the next day that Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. When Moses' father in law saw what he was doing to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit by yourself, while all the people stand before you from morning till evening?"… Moses' father in law said to him, "The thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out both you and these people who are with you for the matter is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will advise you, and may the Lord be with you. [You] represent the people before God, and you shall bring the matters to God… But you shall choose out of the entire nation men of substance, God fearers, men of truth, who hate monetary gain, and you shall appoint over them [Israel] leaders over thousands, leaders over hundreds, leaders over fifties, and leaders over tens. And they shall judge the people at all times, and it shall be that any major matter they shall bring to you, and they themselves shall judge every minor matter, thereby making it easier for you, and they shall bear [the burden] with you. If you do this thing, and the Lord commands you, you will be able to survive, and also, all this people will come upon their place in peace." Moses obeyed his father in law, and he did all that he said (Shemot 18:13-24)

And so here we see Moshe Rebbeinu, Moshe our Teacher, the humblest man of them all. And the greatest leader, heeded the words of his father in law and took a step down making himself small for…relationships, for humility, for humanness, for greatness.

The teacher is the best example of them all.

May we find our greatness in backing down and knowing when we have to make ourselves small.

With blessings, Shabbat Shalom,

Elana