People who occupy high positions often become arrogant; both because of their power and because of the flattery feted to them by their subordinates. To counteract this tendency, as pointed out in A Code of Jewish Ethics, the Torah ordained that, upon assuming office, a king should write and carry around his own Torah, thereby reminding himself that he is God’s servant, and serves at God’s wish.
A humble person who achieves a position of prominence will utilize the standing to benefit others. An example would be to use whatever prominence and connections we have to make calls or write letters of recommendation to help others find employment or a better job.
Compare this positive and benevolent approach to that of a prominent person who is not accorded the respect that they take for granted, and shouts, “Do you know who I am?” Anyone who was ever privileged to meet an adam gadol would double-over in laughter imagining a gadol asking such a question.
This inane question of the pompous, “Do you know who I am?” brings two anecdotes to mind. The first concerns Berel Kasachkoff, a sharp-witted man that I was privileged to have met. At the time of the Russian Revolution Berel concluded that his freedom to live as a Jew mandated escaping the Soviet Union. This would be no small feat as the Russians had armed sentries all along the border.
The climate in Russia, just four months after the commencement of the revolution and thanks to the communist all-knowing dictatorship, was that every citizen feared his own neighbor. Red Army soldiers feared their own shadows. Berel contrived how to use this to his own advantage.
Although he did not have a single legitimate document, he marched straight to the guardhouse on the Russian border. The first guard ordered, “Halt!” but Berel did not slacken his pace. A second soldier aimed his rifle at Berel’s heart and demanded, “Papers!”
Berel looked at him unbelievingly. “What did you say?” he asked.
“Papers! Let me see your identification papers!”
“My papers? You want to see my papers? You mean to say you want to see my papers? Why, I should have you all shot! Don’t you know who I am?
For a moment there was silence. Berel’s eyes blazed with anger, fury, wrath and righteous indignation. By this time, he was fairly shouting. “Well,” he bellowed. “Do you know who I am?”
The soldiers looked at each other. Before they could answer, Berel snarled, “Let me see your papers!” And then screamed, “Now!”
Stunned by the ferocity of his voice and the authority of his manner, the soldiers began fumbling through their pockets.
Berel continued shouting. “I ought to have you shot, then drawn and quartered for good measure. The absolute insolence! The ultimate impudence! The outrageous audacity! And you call yourselves soldiers?!
“We didn’t know ‑”
“Silence!” Berel ordered. The guards meekly passed him their papers. He gave them a quick inspection, and then threw them on the ground. “Fools! Idiots! You can be sure that when I return from my official mission I will have your heads!” he roared. Then Berel spat in disgust at their feet, and proceeded to cross the Russian checkpoint into freedom.
As he entered Poland, he couldn’t resist a parting shot. When he estimated that he was beyond the range of their rifles, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Now do you know who I am?”
“N-n-no,” they shouted back.
“Berel Kasachkoff at your service!” He tipped his hat, gave the stunned guardsmen a brief but polite bow, and then ran for his life.