I watched an interview with a VERY prominent leader in Israeli politics. He sadly made an absolute buffoon of himself. It was EMBARASSING.
How so? It was less an interview and more a monologue on [among other things] the greatness and tremendous accomplishments of himself [with a hat tip to his father, grandfather and Herzl. I will add that I enjoyed his very powerful arguments to a secular audience for the right of the Jewish people to live in Israel. Among other things - the Tanach. Sadly, there are many psukim in Tanach that he doesn't follow but that is besides the point].
It was like seeing the image of an immodestly dressed woman. A person who lacks spiritual sensitivity sees nothing wrong. A person who is gifted with and has a developed sense of spirituality feels very very uncomfortable when encountering such an image and immediately, instinctively looks away. It is painful to see. So too, a person without spiritual sensitivity walked away from the interview saying "What an IMPRESSIVE leader. So articulate, brilliant, brave, polished and accomplished." A person with spiritual sensitivity walks away thinking that if only he would realize the incredible גנות [disgrace] of the מדת הגאווה. The mark of a truly great person is first and foremost his humility. מאן דאיהו זעיר איהו רב. He who makes himself small is in fact big. ומאן דאיהו רב איהו זעיר - If you make yourself large then you are small.
Sad. For me - very sad. When one lacks Torah he is in danger of thinking that greatness is measured according to how much accolades and adulation he receives from the public. When one has Torah he realizes that the LESS people think of you the better. The great religious Zionist leader and idealogue R' Chanan Porat z"l was asked shortly before he died of cancer how he wants to be remembered. He responded by saying that who said that he should be remembered? Why should people remember him??
I am gratified that the greatest leader and prophet in our history was also the most humble man on the face of the earth.
So we will take this to a more positive place: Let's focus more on DOING good and NOT AT ALL on how others perceive us and not try to find favor in people's eyes. Paradoxically, that is a very good recipe for people to really like and appreciate you.
הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יְהֹוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
He has told you, O man, what is good and what Hashem require of you, only to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. [Michah 6-8]
