While Standing (Six Feet Apart) on One Foot
April 1, 2020
Pirke Avot, the important sayings of our Sages said this some 1800 years ago: Rabbi Levitas a man of Yavneh said: be exceeding humble spirit, for the end of man is the worm.
Humility is the characteristic of a wise and good person. In times of crisis, humility cannot always be found. But the humble ones, the people who put themselves in the line of fire and stay there and yet want no personal recognition are found throughout the country. These are the people who truly care about others and are not angling to profit from others’ misery.
I came across one of those people who insists on remaining nameless.
On Twitter I somehow stumbled onto @LanceUSA70 who writes this:
“As many of you know, my comp(any) is making parts for ventilators and PPE. We now have 57K face shields sitting on our docks and just received notice that we cannot supply them directly to hospitals – they MUST go thru FEMA after a ‘negotiation period.’…That would mean late April or early May? PROUD OF US – our CEO literally said, ‘(Expletive) donate them to whatever hospitals can use them and donate them TODAY. No cost to whoever needs them.’
When he was asked what company he worked for and who his boss is he remained mute on this as his boss did not want any recognition. This is what the rabbis were talking about when they spoke about humility.
To our Sages, humility means doing right even if no one is watching. It is not wanting or needing the adulation of others. The one who is humble does not flaunt his/her humility. To be humble in this crisis is an act of rebellion. And now that the story is mainstreaming itself into the national media, perhaps others will be inspired by its simple act of anonymous charity. It is an act in the highest rung of Maimonidies ladder of charity – “To enable others to help themselves.” In this case, we can rephrase the top rung of the ladder, ‘To provide life saving material to allow others to help others.’ It was done for free asking nothing in return. But the CEO did get something in return: a shem tov, a good name, that will get no plaque, no parade, no press. If there was ever a reward from Heaven to the good and the charitable, whoever this man or woman is, deserves it.
Our Sages tell us to say little and do much. Here is an example of that and, in doing much, has changed the course of the trajectory of this pandemic and has saved God-knows-how-many lives. S/he has allowed others to continue writing in their book of life. I pray that God bless and continue to inspire him/her and people like him or her.
