R. Levitas Ish Yavneh diz: Seja extremamente humilde, pois a "esperança" do homem são vermes. [Embora no outro meio o caminho do meio seja o melhor, com "orgulho", não é assim, mas é preciso se inclinar ao extremo de humildade de espírito. Pois o orgulho é especialmente desprezado. E, além do mais, a maioria dos homens se desvia dele, de modo que as pessoas não estão dispostas a se separar dele, pelo que exige distanciamento especial.] R. Yochanan ben Broka diz: Se alguém profanar o nome do Céu em segredo, será exigiu dele em campo aberto. Tanto o inconsciente como o inconsciente são responsáveis pela profanação do Nome.
Chovat HaTalmidim
You I need not warn about this bad trait. But know that the Mishnah says (Avot 4:4), "Be very, very lowly." One has to distance pride from oneself more than any of the other bad character traits, so that not even a trace of it remain. (Editor's note from the printed edition: As is known from the Rambam's Eight Chapters.) Hence perhaps there is a student among you who - while he is not affected by pride to the extent that he opposes his rabbis and parents - still has a bit of pride internally. He does not humble himself in his heart or admire and value them or their words. So even if he has the ability to overcome the evil pride in himself, since it is faint - and even if he listens to them and overcomes himself enough to do what they command - since he nevertheless has a strong sense of selfhood and rock-hard independence, he also needs to be laundered and washed until his heart and spirit are totally cleansed from the traces of this pride. And not only that. Even someone who is prideful towards his friends - whether because his intellect is sharper than theirs or whether he has no reason and is just proud - is also being clawed, together with his spirit, by his evil impulse. A young man like this - please listen to our words: Rise up quickly, be strong and expunge it, if you care about your spirit. Wash and purify it if you don't want to go bad, God forbid, all the days of your life forever.
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Hakhsharat HaAvrekhim
But don’t worry. We hope that God will help us, members of the low generation, on the heels of the Messiah and the end of generations,157The Talmud tells us that the history of the world until the final redemption will last six thousand years. If not the end of all generations, our generation, as was the author’s in 5704, is one of the last. to control ourselves and come closer to Him, may He be blessed. At such times when are heavy of heart, you can nonetheless conjure up the image of a close relative or friend who passed away, and think about what it was like when you were together. Think about how you talked together, laughed together, and enjoyed each other’s company. Now think about what he looks like in the grave. Black, flesh torn, bones exposed … You are sitting comfortably at home, standing and speaking according to your wants and needs, and still your spirit overtakes you to indulge yourself, while your relative or friend lies in a narrow grave surrounded by the wet earth, where worms nested in his mouth or throat, for, “man’s expectations are worms.”158Pirkei Avos, 4:4.
