הלכה על אבות 5:3

We have mentioned before (Chapter 1: 3) the saying of Rabbi Yehudah ben Teima,²⁸Mishnah Avos 5:3. "Be bold as a leopard…" [which teaches] not to be ashamed before people who deride you when you worship the Creator, blessed is He. Nevertheless, you should not answer them rudely,²⁹This paragraph refers to the case where an individual is being mocked for his performance of a certain mitzvah. However, if the mockery is intended as a flagrant demonstration against Torah Judaism as a whole, as an attempt to influence others to abandon God’s way by holding an observant Jew up to ridicule, then these efforts must be thwarted by whatever means possible, no matter how harsh or drastic they may be. (Biur Halachah 1:1) so that you will not acquire the habit of being impertinent even in situations not involved with the worship of God, blessed be His Name.