Squeak, If someone is fortunate to start life on a relatively higher level than most (e.g. being born to a frum family), is that anything to take credit for?
No, but again, if we are defining superiority as taking credit, I don’t think someone who has been growing for a long lifetime should be taking credit.
And if someone has worked on personal growth for 70 years, does that make him superior to the 25 year old who is on the same path but has not had as much time? I think not.
This part, I disagree with (the rest might be semantics). The younger person may be on the same path, but he hasn’t gotten there yet, though he may be faultless for that.
In other words, I think you are defining superior in a third way, which avoids my “mah nafshach”, as worthy of credit.
Under that definition, I agree that being born into a
“superior” family doesn’t deserve credit (although according to my definition he might be superior), but someone who has maintained a path of growth for a longer period of time does deserve more credit, all else being equal, than one who has done so for less time, even if it is only due to age.