Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

~Level 1~
Bartenura - "be very very humble of spirit" - even though for other middot (character traits), the middle way is praiseworthy, but for arrogance it is not so. Rather, one should tend to the opposite extreme towards humility of spirit. This is because arrogance is very reprehensible. Furthermore, most people stumble in it and do not separate from it. Therefore, it needs great distancing.

~Level 1~
Ben Ish Chai, Birkat Avot - "be very very humble of spirit" - he said "lowly of spirit", not just plain "lowly" . For the main humility is internal, from the side of the spirit. It is not in external appearance from the side of the body, like a certain priest who conducted himself in humility so that people will praise him for his humility. This is the meaning of "be lowly of spirit" - that it be an internal humility..

~Level 2~
Chida, Rosh David, parsha Noach - the perfection of humility is when a person reaches "equality". Namely, that words of praise or insult are equal in his eyes. When praised he does not feel joy and when insulted he does not feel pain. Both are equal in his eyes.. That the lowliness (shiflut) is so firmly fixed in his heart until he truly feels in the bottom of his heart the same whether someone honors him or insults him.
If he does not merit this level, then the trait of "one who is insulted but does not answer back" (ne'elevim veinam olvim) is also a great level, as our sages said (Gitin 36b)...

~Level 3~
Chida, Shulchan Bamidbar - in the talmud (Sotah 5b): "one who is humble, it is considered as if he offered all the temple sacrifices". This teaches that through humility one is meyached yichudim (unites holy Names) similar to the temple sacrifices. For through humility, his heart is broken and his heart and mind are together (meyuchad) with holy thoughts. His words and tone are calm, and all his limbs display humility. It is known that everything hints to the traits above.

Through humility he brings down tremendous spiritual flow to all the mystical worlds (meyached yichud gadol umashpia shefah rav b'kol haolamot).

This is the reason his prayer is answered.. and his entire body becomes like the temple and he constantly unites great yichudim and automatically he increases divine flow and holiness and even the attribute of justice transforms to mercy.. (see there)

~Level 3~
Siftei Daat, Daat Chochma u'Mussar 3:24 - we find in the midrash (Gen.Rabba 17:5):

When the Holy One, blessed be He, asked Adam: "you, what is your name?"
Adam replied: "me, it is befitting to call 'Adam', for I was created from the earth (adama)".

G-d asked him: "and Me, what is My Name?"

Adam replied: "You, it is proper to call 'A-donai' (my Master), for You are the Master of all the creatures You created".

The Name of G-d is "Adon" (Master).

" 'I am A-donai, this is My Name' - this is My Name which Adam called Me" (Midrash there).

The matter is awesome and wondrous! Who can fathom the holiness of the Name "Master of all" (Adon kol)?.. This is the defining Name of G-d - only the Name "Adon" (Master).

I will explain a bit. For the name "great", there are many other things "great". For there are many Seraphim and Ophanim (spiritual beings, angels) which can be called by the title "great". But G-d is "greater" than all of them. This ["Great"] is not His Name. Likewise for all other names - they are not inapplicable to the creations. But for the Name "Master of all" - this is G-d's true Name.

For it is inapplicable to all the creations. This is the defining Name of G-d (so to speak). The matter is very deep to those who contemplate it.

With this we will understand the Song at the Splitting of the Red Sea (Parsha Beshalach). All my life, I have tried to understand it a bit but was very puzzled. The entire praise is: "I will sing to G-d, for He has become proud (ki Gaoh Gaah)" (Shemot 15). Likewise in the Song of Miriam there "sing to G-d, for He has become proud (ki Gaoh Gaah)".

Thus they did not extol Him with other praises and titles besides the two words "ki Gaoh Gaah" (for He has become proud). This is all our praise to Him?

The Targum Onkelos renders the verse: "for He became proud over the proud and pride belongs to Him".

Likewise in the Midrash there: "all human beings become proud over each other, but the Holy One, blessed be He, becomes proud over all. This is "ki gaoh Gaah... why is this so? So that human beings should not become proud and so they should know that the kingdom of Heaven is upon them..." (Shemot Rabba 23:13).

Thus, the midrash explains and defines the praise of G-d, namely - that pride belongs to Him and the entire matter of pride belongs to Him alone and no one else. (Translator: for He answers to no one whatsoever).

This is His title and definition. For no created being has any relevance or connection whatsoever to pride, even a tiny bit. Rather, all pride until the furthest extreme belongs solely to G-d.

This is the matter in scripture: "G-d has reigned, He dons pride" (Tehilim 93:1). i.e. the garment of pride is the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one who uses pride however little - he is using the crown of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He (see the Ramban's letter).

As we brought from the Midrash, when G-d asked Adam "what is your name?" Adam replied: "it is proper to call me 'Adam' for I was created from the ground (adama)".
(i.e. despite that man is also made of a lofty spiritual soul).

It is clear from here that the title and definition of man is the exact opposite of the title of G-d. The Name of G-d is "Master" (Adon) and pride belongs to Him. But the name of man is specifically - lowliness and humility. This is all of man.

This is the name which Adam the first man called man. For man's garment is humility. The entire matter of lowliness and humility is the title and description of man.. and it is not for nothing that our sages said: "be very very lowly of spirit" (Avot) which the Rambam explained "to the furthest extreme, unlike other traits whereby the middle path is praiseworthy. For the entire definition and title of man is humility...

~Level 3~
Rambam - "be very very humble of spirit" - our sages praised humility saying: "that which 'wisdom' made a crown on its head, 'humility' made a heel to its shoe, as written: 'the beginning of wisdom is the fear of G-d'" (Midrash Rabba Shir Hashirim, Yerushalmi Shabbat ch.1) .

This is a proof that fear of G-d is greater than wisdom and it is a cause for the existence of wisdom.

Our sages continued there with the verse: "the heel of humility is the fear of G-d". That is to say, you will find fear of G-d in the heel of humility. Hence, humility is much greater than wisdom... You can learn from Moshe Rabeinu who attained perfection in all the virtues of wisdom and character traits. He was the father of prophecy, the father of torah, the father of wisdom, etc. and nevertheless G-d praised him above and over all men with the trait of humility, as written: "the man Moses was extremely humble, more than any other man on the face of the earth" (Bamidbar 12:3)...

To strengthen the matter, the sage here said: "be very very humble of spirit. For the hope of man is but worms", i.e. you must train your spirit until you distance it from arrogance by thinking on the end of the body, namely, its transforming to maggots.

~Level 3~
Matanat Avot - in the torah: "and the man Moses was very humble [more] than any person on the face of the earth".

Why then does the sage here ask us more than Moshe Rabeinu in saying "very very humble"? ("very" two times). I heard in the name of Rabbi Ezrah Atiah that every person needs to be "very very humble". But Moshe Rabeinu was "very humble more than any person..", i.e. he was on a higher level more than every man. Thus, he was also "very very humble".

~Level 4~
Chida, marit haayin - (Kabalistic) "be very very humble of spirit (shafal ruach)" - the Roshei Teivot (first letters) have gematria of "Shechina" (divine presence). For the humble person becomes a merkava (chariot) to the Shechina. Through this he merits to become Kadosh (holy), which is the gematria of "shafal". The main thing is talmud torah (torah study), which hints to the Ruach (spirit). This is the meaning of Shafal Ruach, that he occupies himself (yisa v'yiten) in torah with humility, pleasantness (neimah), and holiness.

For "the hope of man is but worms". Through this he will become a rosh (head), namely, the halacha will be like him, as the roshei teivot "shtikvat enosh rimah.." For it is impossible to acquire the torah unless one is "very very humble of spirit" in truth. Then he will be a baal torah.. From beginnning to end he must be truly humble. For if he becomes proud - immediately his wisdom departs. Even if he merited to attain a level of wisdom, nevertheless, it departs from him. Therefore, he exhorted: "be very very humble of spirit" - always and without interruption. And if he becomes a rosh (head), he should not become proud. For "the hope of man is but worms", roshei teivot "rosh".

~Level 1~
Sfas Emes on Avot - "be very very humble of spirit. For the hope of [mortal] man is but worms" - what is this matter of "hope"? We can answer according to what is known. For the soul of the deceased person does not find rest until the body is decomposed and disintegrated and becomes worms, except for the great tzadikim (righteous). Therefore, he used the term "enosh" which is a lower name for man, that he (his soul) hopes to this so he can ascend to his place..

~Level 2~
Derech Avot (Rabbi Eliyahu Shik) - the kabalists teach that a tzurah (form/spirit) cannot receive another tzurah unless the first tzurah becomes annulled... Thus, the main thing is humility, to be humble (thereby annulling oneself in order to receive the divine light).

~Level 3~
Rabeinu Yosef ben Shushan - "the hope of man is but worms" - as known, beauty and shine of the face makes a person proud. Likewise tallness and strong and thick build inflates the heart. Avshalom is proof of this. Thus, scripture mentions his handsome appearance. For it was his beauty which made him proud and caused him to do what he did.

What is the remedy? Just like one gazes at the external appearance of beauty, let him also gaze at the internal ugliness - blood, biles, liver, lungs, intestines and the filth that circulates in them and the urine in the bladder. Let him remember that if he were to see them when he eats, he would run away from there and be nauseated by all food. Then he would be "a base person despised in his eyes" (Tehilim 15:4). Furthermore, let the intelligent person consider that this handsome external appearance is only due to the movements and reactions in the disgusting interior. The interior is what maintains him and this beauty caused by the disgusting, what is its end? Worms and maggots. Woe to that disgrace!

I heard from my teacher: a great and wise king became arrogant of heart. When he sensed his illness, he summoned a wise sage to consult with him on how to become healed. The sage advised him to wear less beautiful clothing and other remedies but it did not help.

The sage then asked the king to join him in a stroll among the gardens, orchards, fields and vineyards. The sage showed him many beautiful trees and fruits, splendid fields and plants, flowers and meadows.

Afterwards, they arrived in a place where the sewage of the toilets and bathouses was dumped.

The sage stood there looking astonished and silent. The king watched him and asked him why he is standing there. The sage replied: "my master, the king, I asked this sewage a strong question and they refuted me with a winning answer. I asked them: "what happened O beautiful plants that your wonderful fragrance transformed to a disgusting stench?" They answered: "you [humans] ruined our fragrance by passing us through your bodies".

When the king heard this rebuke, he accepted it and received the mussar (ethics) and was healed from his illness (of pride).

Furthermore, one should contemplate in the way he is nourished. For when a man chews food, if he were to spit out the food, how disgusting and revolting would it be in his eyes to put it back in his mouth. No doubt he would vomit everything he ate out of intense disgust.

Consider that this food is no different than before he put it in his mouth and chewed it. Nothing disgusting was added to it. The only thing that disgusted him was the new appearance after it was chewed and mixed with saliva. And it was pleasant to his palate and he chewed it with a desiring soul.

This is a powerful rebuke to those who contemplate it. For nature entices us and does this in secret, hidden to the eye so that we should eat and survive and not die, leaving the land barren.

If nature entices the imagination like this and embellishes it, the intelligent man who fears the word of G-d should exhort his mind to not be enticed by contemplating and putting to heart what he truly is, lest he become proud on gazing at his external appearance and tall height.

~Level 4~
Matanat Avot - "the hope of [mortal] man is but worms" - in the talmud (Berachot 5a):

Rabbi Levi ben Hama says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: "A man should always incite the good inclination [in his soul] to fight against the evil inclination. For it is written: 'Tremble and sin not' (Tehilim 4:5). If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him study the Torah. For it is written: 'Commune with your own heart' (ibid). If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him recite the Shema'. For it is written: 'Upon your bed' (ibid). If he subdues it, well and good. If not, let him remind himself of the day of death. For it is written: 'And be still, Selah' (ibid).

This implies thinking of one's day of death certainly helps. For afterwards the talmud does not give any additional advice. This is difficult. If it is such a potent remedy why is it not mentioned first? There are many answers given to this question. One simple answer is that if one does not first employ the earlier remedies (to rouse the good inclination over the evil inclination, toil in torah, recite shemah), then thinking of one's day of death will not help at all. For even if he thinks on this all day, he can still remain thoroughly wicked and not change in the least.

On the contrary, thinking of his day of death will only help him to be more zealous in his lusts and wickedness, as written: "let us feast and drink for tomorrow we die" (Isaiah 22:13). Only one who studied how to employ this remedy of thinking of one's day of death by doing the previous remedies first - only for him this remedy will help to improve and rectify his ways.

~Level 1~
Rashi - "whoever desecrates the Name of Heaven in secret" - i.e. that he sins in secret.

"punishment will be meted out to him in public" - the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals his disgrace to everyone, as written: "When the hatred is covered with darkness, his evil will be revealed in public" (Mishlei 26:26).

Why so much? So as not to desecrate the Name of Heaven through him. Namely, so people won't say: "did you see that person who is a wise torah scholar and nevertheless receives such sufferings? Therefore, whether he sins unintentionally or intentionally G-d reveals everything.

~Level 2~
Ahava b'Taanugim - "whoever desecrates the Name of Heaven.." - he said this after "be very very lowly of spirit" to teach that although the trait of lowliness is good, but this is so only when there is no chillul H' (desecration of Heaven). If there is chillul H', however, such as if he is a torah scholar and others are mocking him - he is under duty to defend the honor of the torah.

~Level 3~
Ruach Chaim - "desecrates (chillul, literally: empty space, a void)" - as written in the zohar on "mechaleleha (those who desecrate the Sabbath)", "mechaleleha" is from the term "chilul" (void). For the "earth is full of His glory". But in a place where a sin was committed, G-d so to speak withdraws His Shechina (divine presence) from there and it becomes void..

~Level 3~
Sefer Yereim - as written in Parsha Emor "you shall not desecrate My holy Name" (Vayikra 22:32). This verse drills to the depths of the earth. Its explanation should cause all to sigh. For chillul H' (desecrating G-d's Name) can occur in many ways without limit. One who disrespects even one mitzvah and is a little lenient in the honor of Heaven (G-d) is called "desecrating G-d's Name". If he studies torah, he must guard himself from anything ugly. He must not cause people to suspect him (of anything bad) so that they don't say anything bad about him. And if he does not act like this, he is called one who desecrates G-d's Name, as we learned in the talmud (Yomah 86a) "what is an example of desecrating G-d's Name? Rava said: for me, if I buy meat at the shop and don't pay immediately" (people may suspect he won't pay). Rabbi Yochanan said: for me, if I walk four amot (cubits) without torah and tefilin..."

~Level 3~
Merkevet Hamishna - he placed this after the previous mishna which exhorts against arrogance. This is to teach that included in desecrating G-d's Name is arrogance. For he dons the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He.

"Unintentional and intentional are equal in desecrating G-d'sName" - for man needs to have fear of G-d before his eyes until he does not err.

The analogy is to one who takes a rock and throws it at the palace of the king without intending to cause any damage to the king. Even though the damage was accidental and unintended, but nevertheless he will certainly be punished as if he were intentional. For he should have chiseled in his heart that sometimes the king is there and may get hurt. The fear of the king should have been upon him and he would not have erred.

So too here, it is proper for a man to chisel in his heart and not forget [the commandment of G-d]. Therefore, it is proper for him to be punished as one intentional in desecrating G-d's Name, even though he forgot.

~Level 4~
Maharal - "whether unintentional or intentional, there is no distinction regarding desecration of G-d's Name" - we don't find that the torah was strict with the unintentional (shogeg) except for one who murders unintentionally. This is because the bottom line is that he killed a human being and this is a severe act. Thus, the torah was strict with him and obligated exile (to a city of refuge).

Likewise, the torah was strict with all monetary damages, as our sages said: "a man is always considered fully liable (mued), whether he is unintentional or intentional, whether it is accidental or willful. All this is because the bottom line is that he did monetary damage to his fellow.

Likewise, one who desecrates G-d's Name. "His glory fills the world" and the bottom line is that whether he was unintentional or intentional, he desecrated the honor of G-d, blessed be He, whose glory fills the world..

This is not to say that unintentional and intentional are equal. The attribute of justice does not consider it so. Rather, it refers to what was said earlier: "one who desecrated G-d's Name privately is paid publicly".

The reason for this is in order to rectify G-d's honor. For when G-d delivers retribution on the wicked, His honor is elevated. This is as our sages said: "Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: 'G-d's Name is elevated in His world only when He exacts justice on the wicked'" (Mechilta Shemot 14:14).

And in scripture: "I will judge him with pestilence and blood" (Yechezkel 38:22). And afterwards: "I will be aggrandized and sanctified" (ibid 38:33).. and "I will become glorified through Pharaoh and his army, and Egypt will know that I am G-d" (Shemot 14:4).. and many more like this.

Thus, when G-d exacts justice on the wicked, His honor is elevated. Hence, for one who desecrated G-d's honor, it is proper for G-d to exact justice from him in order to elevate His honor corresponding to this person's desecration of G-d's honor.

Through this, G-d's honor is restored.. The reason this sin is worse than all sins is because the bottom line is that the person desecrated G-d's honor and G-d's honor is eternal. Unlike killing a human being who is anyway going to die eventually (see there for more).