We are now quoting from the Bet Halevi on his essay on Ga’avah/arrogance. He says, “From all this, we see that one who is arrogant rebels against the Kingdom of God.”
So, we have two counterforces, God's kingdom and man's arrogance. This is a heavy statement- Rav Wolbe says in the name of Rav Dessler that the definition of arrogance is, ‘I want to sit on God's throne.’
I want to control the world. I don't want God to control the world. I'm in charge.
The Bet Halevi goes on to explain that Ga’avah is the clothing of a free man, of a boss. How can a servant stand in front of his boss, with his boss watching and supervising him, seeing his lackings, and still be arrogant? It’s as if he's saying, “You're not my boss.” That's what goes on when we are arrogant, because our Boss is God. He's watching us. He sees what we're doing. We know we're not up to par, and yet we act like the boss instead of a servant.
These words of the Bet Halevi actually echo the famous words of the Ramban, in his letter to his son, where he says, “And now my son, you should know and see that anyone who is arrogant over people is rebelling against the kingdom of God. Why? Because he is priding himself in the clothing of the kingdom of God, as the pasuk says, in Tehilim 93,1
ה׳ מָלָךְ֮ גֵּא֢וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ
God is King and He wears arrogance.
What does that mean? God is arrogant. We say in Az Yashir that God is arrogant Ki Ga’oh Ga’ah/ arrogant above those that are arrogant.
That doesn't sound like a complimentary term to refer to God with. God is arrogant? How can we use such words? But the commentaries explain that arrogance is only bad because arrogance means I'm taking credit for what I did. That's not good for a human being, who can't take credit for what he did, because he didn't do it. God did it. So arrogance is not good for a human being. But for God? That's fine. God can take credit. He really did it.
I like to use the mashal of a child learning how to play baseball for the first time. His father and his uncle are teaching him how to play. His uncle stands on the pitcher’s mound and pitches him an easy pitch. The child holds the bat, while the father holds the child's hands and the bat. When the easy pitch comes in, the father swings and hits a home run.
The child throws the bat on the ground and starts beating his chest about how great he is. That's pretty foolish though, because the kid had nothing to do with it. It was an easy pitch, and his father really hit the ball. He made him feel good. Very nice parenting, but don't let it get to your head.
That's what happens when a person becomes arrogant. He's taking credit for something that he didn't do. And as the Rambam continues, “What should cause man's heart to become arrogant? Your wealth? God's the one that makes people poor and makes them wealthy. Your honor? God's in charge of honor as well. Therefore, how can you take credit?
Your wisdom? Are you proud of your wisdom? The pasuk says God could take away man's wisdom. The smartest of men make mistakes and say things they shouldn't say and do things they shouldn't do. And therefore, he says, everyone's equal in front of God. There's no room for arrogance.
In God's wrath, He humbles the arrogant and in God's will, He uplifts the humble.
And therefore, he says, humble yourself, and God will lift you up.
That's our lesson today on Ga’avah. Have a wonderful day.