Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Kawikaan 25:6

A Midrashic approach (Tanchuma Vayikra 1-2): The words “He called to Moses,” teach you the meaning of Proverbs 25,6-7: “do not be boastful in the presence of a king, do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better to be told: ‘come up here,’ than to be shamed in the presence of the great.’” Even Moses did not ascend until he had been specifically asked to do so. Our verse also reflects the practical meaning of Proverbs 29,23: “a man’s pride will humiliate him, but the humble in spirit will retain honour.” Anyone who pursues an office because of the authority over others which this will give him, will find that the very authority he was so keen on will escape him. On the other hand, people who try to escape the burden of having authority over others will find that this very opportunity will pursue them. One of the best known examples in Jewish history of humble people who tried to avoid having to wear the mantle of authority was King Saul who “hid amongst the vessels” (Samuel I 10,22) in order not to have to become king. He could not be found until the High Priest consulted his breastplate asking G’d’s help to locate him. The meaning of “the authority runs after him” was proven when in verse 24 of the same chapter in Samuel, the prophet is quoted as asking the people: “have you seen the one whom G’d has chosen (as king)?” On the other hand, Avimelech, son of Gideon was so anxious to establish himself as ruler that his quest escaped him as we know from Judges 9,1: “Avimelech son of Jerubaal (Gideon) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and spoke to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family. He put this question to all the citizens of Shechem: ‘which is better for you, to be ruled by seventy men — all the sons of Jerubaal — or to be ruled by one man?” Some time later after he had murdered his brothers (verse 24) “G’d sent a spirit of discord between Avimelech and the citizens of Shechem, and they broke faith with Avimelech, etc.” Moses tried to escape the position of leadership of the Jewish people saying to G’d: “I am not a man of words, etc.” (Exodus 4,10). He even asked G’d to appoint another (Exodus 4,13). In the end, the position of authority pursued him as we see from our verse where the Torah reports that “G’d called to him.” When David (Psalms 8,6) describes man as “You (G’d) have made him little less than divine, and adorned him with glory and majesty,” he had in mind Moses to whom such adjectives could be applied. [Although generally, commentators use this verse to describe Adam before the fall, our author’s interpretation is more plausible as no one had ever seen Adam in his glory. Ed.]

Logic teaches that one cannot be considered a “slave” until one has a master. Neither can the term “master” have meaning unless this master owns a slave. The two terms are mutually exclusive, one not having any meaning without the other. Seeing man is a servant of his Creator and is obligated to serve Him as his Master, his service cannot be described as being carried out properly until after he has formally accepted his status (conditions implied in that relationship) as servant. These conditions include submissiveness and an appropriate degree of humility. He is not to carry himself as if he were someone of authority and was in control of matters as this would be an insult vis-a-vis the honour and dignity of his Master. This is why Solomon writes (Proverbs 25,6): ”do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence.” If such advice is good advice, how much more so is it good advice when applied to one’s posture vis-a-vis the King of Kings, the Lord! G’d’s “garment” is “grandeur,” as we know from Psalms 93,1 “the Lord is king, He is robed in grandeur.” Anyone daring to wear the king’s robes is guilty of treating him with contempt.
Due to such considerations the Torah commanded the Priest who performs even such a relatively simple task as removing the ashes from the Altar to wear the appropriate garments when performing this task as he is, after all, G’d’s representative on earth. By performing such menial tasks, especially when dressed in garments testifying to his elevated status as Priest he humbles himself before his Master in heaven.
We find that when Hillel the elder, was engaged in celebrating the libations of water on the festival of Sukkot, he danced and said: אם אני כאן הכל כאן, אם אין אני כאן מי כאן? [when translated literally and superficially this statement seems like the height of arrogance, i.e. someone saying: “if I am here everybody and everything is here; if I am not here who is here?” Ed.] Of course, this is not what Hillel, famous for being self-effacing meant. He used the word אני as a pronoun for G’d, saying: “if G’d is present everybody (who counts) is present; if G’d is not present who is present?” He meant that there is no worthwhile presence other than the presence of G’d (compare Sukkah 53).
Rabban Gamliel, (President of the Sanhedrin, Hillel’s grandson) and his colleagues would dance in the courtyard of the Holy Temple and disport themselves in what we would call an undignified manner, all in honour of heaven, i.e. showing G’d that the decorous behaviour normally expected of them when fulfilling their functions vis-a-vis the people over whom they presided was not meant to accent their own importance but only to lend weight to the importance of the office to which they had been appointed. This is why they had to demonstrate to G‘d (in the presence of the people) that they themselves felt totally submissive and unimportant when compared to Him.

ויאמר הנני, “He said: “I am at Your disposal.” G–d responded that though you showed your preparedness with the same word as your forefather Avraham when I called upon him, (to offer his son to Me as a sacrifice) this is not what I come to ask of you. We know from Proverbs 25,6: במקום גדולים אל תעמוד, “do not stand in the place of great men.” (do not aspire to be important actively or passively) Aaron was commanded to come close to holy sites, the altar, (Leviticus 9,7) Not so Moses. He had to shun a holy site. Neither was allowed to aspire to Royalty, as opposed to David. He acknowledged that G–d had brought him הלום, instead of as Moses: אל תקרב הלום. (Compare Samuel II 7,18 and Sh’mot Rabbah 2,6)