The Talmud teaches that a Torah scholar should possess 1/8th of 1/8th of haughtiness (Sotah 5a).
The Gaon of Vilna explained that this is hinting at the 8th verse in the 8th portion of the Torah. This week’s parsha, VaYishlach, it the 8th portion of Genesis. The eight verse is 32:11 which begins, “I am unworthy of all the acts of kindness…”. While a Torah scholar must possess a certain amount of “arrogance” in order to defend the honor of the Torah – it must be a very small amount and s/he must feel unworthy of it.
