Middot of the Month: Savlanut & Anavah
02/26/2020 10:22:37 AM
Judaism nurtures our purpose in life to make this world a better place (tikkun olam). The individual and lifelong work of cultivating character traits (tikkun middot) is central to the work of tikkun olam.
Middah of the month Adar (February 26 – March 25): Savlanut & Anavah
Anavah / Humility
The Jewish definition of a person who has humility is someone who takes up just the right amount of space. A humble person is one who has a healthy sense of self-esteem and is hospitable to others. Neither diminishing one’s own self-worth nor over valuing another’s.
Focus Phrase: No more than my space, no less than my place.
Practice: Choose one time each day to notice how much space you are taking. This can be at a meeting, at home, in the classroom, etc. Are you taking too much space, too little space, or just the right amount? Try out different settings to get a sense of how your anavah/humility is influenced by different circumstances.
Savlanut / Patience / Forebearance
Savlanut shares the same Hebrew root as the words for sivlot/burdens and sablan/porter. Patience can therefore be understood as the ability to bear a burden until the appropriate time for setting it aside. Often patience requires waiting or demonstrating self-control. We all experience frustrations in our lives which require forbearance. How do you feel when you have no control over waiting for someone or something? As with all midot, the first step is to notice the situation calling for patience. Could you use the wait time to count your blessings rather than get irritated? Notice when the choice presents itself. How do you wish to act? How do you wish to feel?
Focus Phrase 1: I will bear this burden until I find the right time and place to set it down.
Focus Phrase 2: Despite being insulted, I will not withhold my goodness from you.
Practice: Choose a fifteen minute period during the day, one when you know you often get frustrated. During this fifteen minute period, do whatever you can to bear uncomfortable feelings and keep your goodness flowing towards others.