Generally it would be hard to derive a halachic position from fiction since it is the nature of story telling to skip over the tedious details that make up most of our lives and instead focus on particularly engaging, heroic sized events or actions, problems, and relatively immediate solutions and the like, in a moment close knit with all of the substantial details conveniently included. Like cherry picking on the basketball court, the conditions are set up for a solution and, honestly, that is a part of great writing. In reality, life actuates slowly with innumerable dynamics at play and nearly infinite variables manifesting their influences, and the results of our decisions can scarcely be measured against what we left behind. There is no resolution like the kind story writing affords. We are simply bound by halacha and emunah, bitachon, for clarity.

In Parshas Shemini, 10:3, the possuk states, just after Aharon’s two sons were consumed with their incorrect offerings, “And Moshe said to Aharon: He spoke this, G-d, saying, “By those close to Me am I sanctified and before the face of all my people I will be honored (glorified). And Aharon was silent.”

Here, Moshe is rebuking his brother, Aharon who had just witnessed his sons consumed by Divine fire and made a lesson for all of Israel, but rather than cry out or complain, he was silent. Because of this silence, Aharon merited to receive directly from G-d a parsha  of the Torah and Ch”Z”L state, as this author learned out from Rabbi Mordecai Miller, z’t’k’l, that this teaches us, one who is silent before their teacher’s rebuke or instruction merits to become a decisor of law for Israel, a posek.

By Moshe, the possuk in BaMidbar, 12:3, states, “The man, Moshe, was incredibly humble, from among all of the humans dwelling on the Earth.” He stood apart from every other person in his humility.

In the Mishnah of Pirke Avos, 1:12, the Ch”Z”L state, be as a “student” of Aharon, love shalom, PURSUE shalom, loving people and bringing them closer to Torah, which is instruction, light, and ultimately, life.

The world is defined by halacha, and as with all other matters, there is a general, practical application, which is halacha l’maaseh, and a specific application which is how a matter, within normative halacha, is defined, including the words we use.

Often, we are not “humbled,” when caught suddenly in err, rather, we are rebuked, having spoken generally and incorrectly regarding a particular halacha, though no need for an actual halacha l’maaseh was warranted anyway, instead we had indulged in speculative reasoning full of over ripe confidence and unbridled waxing of opinions over matters measured to most exacting degrees through often dire environments by our greatest masters. In the Chovos HaLevovos, the holy author states that the generations of the Mishna and Gemara did not speculate over halacha but instead spent the majority of their time pursuing the refinement of their characters and only convened to poskin when questions unknown at the time came forth. They would then decide, following the majority view, in order to return to the quiet introspection Torahdic meditation offers.

We confuse rebuke with humility, failing to realize humility is the character trait that would keep a person from voicing an opinion on a halachic matter, or any matter really, without the proper source and permission granted through transmission. Accepting the rebuke and learning may become or increase humility, as it is an act of pursuing shalom (not resorting to defensiveness, contrarian characteristics) and, as it says in Brachos 64a, “Torah scholars increase Shalom in this world.”  Therefore we can see, through the relationship of Moshe and Aharon, how humility, silence, and shalom lead to each other, and ultimately, to a state of halachic clarity which allows the individual to make new decisions on the law or uncover novel interpretations from the verses, words, and letters, all of which strengthen the forces of redemption.

It is good to have a chavrusa and a reliable teacher, influences whom demonstrate the seven characteristics of the Mishna in Avos, 5:7, to ensure an accurate transmission of our Torah heritage. Ironically, today, many people have teachers, or rabbaim they go to for pastoral advice when a thorough halachic understanding of the world enables one to know their own derech, their own path, which is why we call it the “halacha,” the way. Firmly girded in this knowing strengthens resolve and faith and enables the growth our souls seeks out, as the psalmist states in Tehillim, 19:8, “HaShem’s Torah is perfect, the soul’s setting. HaShem’s testimony is ever faithful, endowing the empty simpleton with wisdom.”

Success with your learning and keep humble, for humility crafts the vessel necessary to be receptive, to be m’kabel.