Авот 5:3 Галаха: Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs, Sefer Chasidim & Kitzur Shulchan Arukh

As soon as this giant was weaned he commenced to busy his mind, in his infancy he commenced to think by day and by night, and would encounter this enigma: How is it possible that this planet should continuously be in motion and have no leader—and who, indeed, causes it to revolve, it being impossible that it should revolve itself? Moreover, he neither had a teacher nor one to impart aught to him, for he was sunk in Ur of the Chaldeans among the foolish worshipers of stars, and his father, and his mother, like all the people, worshiped stars, and he, although following them in their worship, busies his heart and reflects until he attains the path of truth, and, by his correct thinking, he understood when he finally saw the line of righteousness. He knew that there is One God; He leads the planet; He created everything; and in all that is there is no god save He. He knew that the whole world was in error, and that the thing which caused them to err was, that their worshiping the stars and the images brought about the loss of the truth from their consciousness. And, when Abraham was forty years old he recognized his Creator. After he came to this comprehension and knowledge he started to confute the sons of Ur of the Chaldeans, and to organize disputations with them, cautioning them, saying: "This is not the true path that you are following", and he destroyed the images, and commenced preaching to the people warning them that it is not right to worship any save the God of the universe, and unto Him alone it is right to bow down, to offer sacrifices, and compound offerings, so that the creatures of the future shall recognize Him. Moreover, it is right to destroy and break in pieces all of the images, so that the whole population of the future be not led to an error like unto these who imagine that there is no God save these images. When he had them subdued by his well supported contentions, the king tried to put him to death, but he was saved by a miracle, and went hence to Haran. There he stood up anew and called out in a great voice to the whole world, to let them know that there is One God for the whole universe, and unto Him it is proper to render service. And thus he went onward with his proclamations from city to city, and from government to government, until he attained the land of Canaan amidst his outcry, even as it is said: "And called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God" (Gen. 21.33). When the people who congregated about him asked him concerning his preachments, he replied by imparting knowledge to each and every one according to his mentality, to the end that he was able to turn him to the path of truth, until there congregated about him thousands, even tens of thousands, and they became the people of Abraham's household, in whose heart he implanted this great cause, concerning which he compiled books, and which he imparted to his son Isaac.³Nedarim, 32a. C. Isaac, from his seat of learning, gave instructions and admonitions. And Isaac, in turn, imparted it to Jacob and appointed him head master, who, at his seat of learning, gave instructions and supported all who flocked to him. And Jacob our father instructed all his sons, but separated Levi and appointed him head master, and established him in a seat of learning where to instruct in the path of the Name and in the observance of the charges of Abraham. He, moreover, commanded his sons not to interrupt the succession of the sons of Levi to the presidency of the school so that the learning be not forgotten. So did the movement advance intensely among the sons of Jacob and their followers that the world saw a God-knowing nation called into existence, until Israel spent a long time in Egypt, when they turned to be instructed in their practice and to worship the stars as they did, save only the tribe of Levi, which remained faithful to their ancestorial charge; for the tribe of Levi at no time worshiped stars. Verily, in but a short space of time, the root which Abraham had planted would have been uprooted, and the sons of Jacob would have turned to the universal error and wandering; save because of the Lord's love for us, and because He observes the oath of covenant with Abraham our father, He appointed Moses our Master lord of all prophets, and made him His messenger. After Moses our Master was endowed with prophecy and the Lord chose Israel as an inheritance, He crowned them with commandments, and made known to them the way to serve Him, and what will be the judgment rendered against idolatry and all its erring devotees.³

The foundation of the fear of God is the trial. For the essence of fear becomes apparent in the time of trial. And as fear is apparent when involving passion for women, so is it recognizable in all sorts of passion. And the Holy One, blessed be He, does not put man to a trial except when He intends to do good to him; Satan, who embodies the attribute of strict justice, comes before God and says, “Lord of the Universe, it would not be proper to do good to him until he proves himself in trial.” Therefore the just are sworn to conquer their passion.¹Hagigah 10a. And thus when He brought good to Saul and his children He tried him, and so with Abraham and Job.²Aboth 5:3. Man should always be deliberate in the fear of the Lord,³Berakoth 17a. answering softly, turning back anger,⁴Ibid. speaking peacefully with his brothers and close ones, even with a gentile in the street, in order that he be beloved above and favored below and acceptable to human beings. They said concerning Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai, a man never was first in saluting him not even a gentile.⁵Ibid. And let a man be deliberate in fear of the Lord and understanding to think subtle thoughts for the improvement of the world and the honor of heaven. In the end the words of every man who is God-fearing are heard. As it is stated, “The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God” (Eccl. 12:13).⁶Berakoth 6b. A man who possesses learning but is devoid of works is analogous to one to whom have been given the inner keys but not the outer ones by which he shall enter; and how shall he enter?⁷Shabbath 31b.

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.