In 1993, my father, the late Rabbi Howard S. Joseph, z"l, wrote an essay titled, Theological Humility. It spoke of the tension between one’s own views and the views of others, and the need to approach G-d with a deep awareness of our limitations. For a host of reasons, he chose not to publish the piece, and I will, of course, respect that decision. However, I believe it is an opportune time to share some of his ideas.
Theological Humility is the idea that human beings should be humble about what they claim to know about G-d. It is understanding that I truly believe in Hashem, but I also recognize that my understanding is limited.
Theological Humility goes in two directions. There is vertical humility in that we recognize how small we are in relation to Hashem. This awareness runs the risk of being debilitating - “why should I bother doing anything at all if my actions are so insignificant in relationship to G-d’s greatness?" My father argued to the contrary: Theological Humility should instill within us an ever-growing desire for more. Like Moshe who begged Hashem to show him His glory, every Jew must endlessly strive to increase their spirituality.
But Theological Humility is also horizontal. It reminds us that inasmuch as I have a pathway in the service of Hashem, there are other Jews who have a different path that may be legitimate as well. This form of Theological Humility is far harder to live with. If I firmly believe that what I am doing is the Will of Hashem, how can I accept the individual serving Hashem in a radically different and at times contradictory fashion to my form of avodat Hashem? Theological Humility reminds me that there are ‘70 faces to the Torah,’ ‘Twelve Tribes,’ and numerous valid pathways to connecting with our Father in heaven.
There is an old song that tells the story of Mashiach arriving in a Chassidish shtiebel. He gets up to announce that he has arrived, but they laugh at him because he is wearing a black hat. “There is no way a Litvak is Mashiach!" they exclaim. He then switches to a shtreimel and enters a Modern Orthodox shul where the same thing happens. He dons a knitted kippah and enters a more Heimish shul, only to be rejected once again. The song concludes with a dejected Mashiach commenting on how the Jewish People must not be ready for his arrival.
As I prepare for Shavuot, I will be thinking of my father, z"l, and what he taught me about Theological Humility:
In 5786, the opportunities for connecting to Hashem are boundless. Can we find within ourselves the humility needed to commit to new learning opportunities that ensure each day of our lives is an expression of our spiritual ascent?
In 5786, the winds of division are howling, polarization is everywhere. Can we find the humility needed to appreciate the viewpoints of our fellow Jews even when our views collide? Can we be curious about other forms of Torah learning and other pathways of avodat Hashem before dismissing them?
Allow me to conclude with the words of my father, z"l: “The truly humble avoid arrogance and leave room for other perspectives; they learn from others because they know they do not have the whole truth; and they leave room for G-d's mysterious majesty to express itself in the world in ever new and unexpected ways. The truly humble have enough self-esteem to believe that despite their inability to complete the task they are not free to desist from it; and they believe that G-d has confidence in their worthiness for the task."
May Hashem bless us all with this humility.
Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph is OU USA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer