Burning Arrogance
Dear Friends, In this week's parasha the Torah opens with a commandment regarding the Olah sacrifice. It is stated: "This is the law of the elevation offering-: It is the elevation offering on the flame, on the Altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it" The Hida (Rabbi Haim David Azulai 1700's) homiletically interprets this verse as a warning against arrogance, which is alluded to by the elevation-offering. Every trait, according to R' Haim Vital, is rooted in one of the four basic elements wind, fire, water, and earth. The trait of arrogance is rooted in the element of fire. Just as fire or heat rises to the top so too arrogance leads a person to feel that he is elevated above others. However, the outcome of arrogance is that it consumes a person in the same way fire consumes wood. This idea is conveyed in the Torah in which it is stated that the Olah offering is consumed by the flame.We also see this idea of in the law of burning Hamets. The Torah commands us to burn all Hamets that is in our possession. The Kabalists explain that Hamets is connected to the evil inclination of arrogance. Just s Hamets is distinguished from Matsa by its trait of rising, so too arrogance is characterized by a person's feeling of rising. The Torah's instruction to burn the Hamets is alludes to the fact that the inner arrogance must be burnt as well.
A Life Lesson
It is easy to become arrogant when a person becomes successful in their career or because one has a lot of wealth. However, one should remember that there's nothing to be arrogant about. I once read a very effective way to see the futility of man; everything that comes into our bodies, whether it smells good or looks delicious, leaves our bodies smelling and looking horrible. If you realize the significance of this truth you will realize that there's nothing to be arrogant about.
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