Happiness is intimately connected with humility. True humility is recognizing your G-d given talents and unique abilities, and expressing them for the benefit of others. Only one who is truly humble, will be truly happy.
It was Yom Kippur eve, the congregation was silent and expectant, when suddenly the Rabbi got up from his place and walked to the front of the synagogue. There, in front of the open ark, he stretched out his arms heavenward and exclaimed, “G-d! I am unworthy of leading this holy congregation; I am nothing in Your eyes!” The president, impressed by the rabbi’s display of devotion, approached the platform and likewise called out, “G-d! I am but a lowly human being, I am worth nothing in Your eyes!” One of the congregants, a poor laborer, slowly approached the podium and following the rabbi and the president’s example cried, “G-d! I am a miserable sinner; I am nothing in Your eyes!”
The president turned to the rabbi and whispered, “Now look who’s calling himself a nothing!”
Rav Yosef, a great Talmudic scholar, stated “Don’t say ‘humility is gone,’ for I am here.” How’s that for a humble statement?
Humility is often mistaken as feeling unworthy and undeserving. Those feelings are not honorable! On the contrary, such an attitude will lead one to insecurity, the root of arrogance. An insecure person constantly needs others approval and needs to convince themselves and others of their value.
A humble person is someone who is fully aware of their strengths and their weaknesses but recognizes that they come from G-d and not due to themselves. A humble person feels safe within their identity and is therefore able to make room for others. A humble person is able to tolerate different opinions and is able to achieve without the need for publicity.
That is why the Torah defines Moses as “more humble than any man on the face of the earth.” Moses was fully aware of his position in history as the greatest prophet of the Jewish people, as the leader who redeemed them from slavery and received the Torah on Mount Sinai. At the same time though, he did not think of himself as greater than the next and considered himself equal to the next person.
Exercising humility means acknowledging our qualities and accomplishments while recognizing that any other person, given the same abilities and opportunities, could have accomplished much more! The reason that you were awarded these unique gifts is in order to help others – try it, you’ll see that this will bring you true happiness.