He who is small and he who is great

Synopsis

The inner meaning of Sarah's age, as cited in the Torah, relates to the importance of approaching life with reverence and humility - for The Creator delights in those who transcend pride and self-interest, raising them in stature, whereas He diminishes those who inflate themselves with self-importance and vanity. Greatness in the world above is attained by behaving with humility and selflessness here in the physical realm.

Relevance

When people succumb to the demands of their ego, preoccupying themselves with affairs in the material world, they receive immediate, but short-lived gratification and rewards. Their self-love deepens and their hearts harden. In contrast, spiritual accomplishments do not gratify the ego. For this reason, humility and selflessness are more difficult to kindle, though their rewards are far greater and long-lasting. Kabbalah teaches that the eternal World to Come is not somewhere in the future, but is readily attainable here and now, according to our degree of spiritual transformation. A reading of this section helps us to resist pride and arrogance by raising our awareness of their consequences in the physical and spiritual realms.

Head Hundred Year Yeshivah

21. Tosefta (Addendum). Happy is he who makes less of himself in this world. How great and high he is in the eternal world. The head of the Yeshivah spoke to that effect, saying that whoever is small IN THIS WORLD is great IN THE ETERNAL WORLD. He who is great IN THIS WORLD is small IN THE ETERNAL WORLD, as it is written, "And Sarah's life was a hundred year..." A hundred, which is a large number, is followed by the word "year," FOR IT IS LESSENED TO A YEAR. Seven, WHICH IS A SMALL NUMBER, was greatly increased, for it is followed by the word "years." Come and behold: The Holy One, blessed be He, only makes greater the person who lessens himself. He diminishes only the person who makes himself great. Happy is he who diminishes himself in this world. How great he is above in the eternal world. End of Tosefta (Addendum).

21. (תּוֹסֶפְתָּא) זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ, מַאן דְּאַזְעֵיר גַּרְמֵיהּ, בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, כַּמָּה אִיהוּ רַב וְעִלָּאָה, בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא. וְהָכֵי פָּתַח רַב מְתִיבְתָּא, מַאן דְּאִיהוּ זְעֵיר, אִיהוּ רַב. מַאן דְּאִיהוּ רַב, אִיהוּ זְעֵיר. דִּכְתִיב וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה וגו'. מֵאָה, דְּאִיהוּ חוּשְׁבַּן רַב, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ שָׁנָה, זְעִירוּ דִשְׁנִין, חַד, אַזְעֵיר לֵיהּ. שֶׁבַע דְּאִיהוּ חוּשְׁבַּן זָעֵיר, אַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ וְרַבֵּי לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב שָׁנִים. תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּלָא רַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא לִדְאְעֵיר, וְלָא אַזְעֵיר, אֶלָּא לִדְרַבֵּי, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ, מַאן דְּאַזְעֵיר גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, כַּמָּה אִיהו רַב בְּעִלּוּיָא. לְהַהוּא עַלְמָא (עַד כָּאן).

22. מַאן דְּפָסַק יִתְפַּסַק. מַאן דְּקָצַר, יִתְקַצַּר. מַאן דְּקָצַר, יִתְאָרַךְ. ר"ל, מַאן דְּפָסַק מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַל מִלִּין בְּטֵלִין, יִתְפַּסְקוּן חַיּוֹהִי מֵהַאי עַלְמָא, וְדִינֵיהּ קָיְימָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. מַאן דְּקָצַר אָמֵן, וְלָא מַאֲרִיךְ גּוֹ נַיְיחָא, יִתְקַצַּר מֵחַיִּין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. מַאן דַּאֲמַר אֶחָד, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְחָטְפָא אָלֶ"ף, וּלְקַצֵּר קְרִיאָה דִילֵיהּ, וְלָא יְעַכֵּב בְּהַאי אוֹת כְּלָל, וּמַאן דְּיַעֲבֵיד דָּא יִתְאָרְכוּן חַיָּיו.