When
Should
One
Use
Pride
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
6,
1990
It
is
written
(2
Chronicles
17),
“His
heart
was
proud
in
the
ways
of
the
Lord.”
And
in
the
Mishnah,
it
was
said
(Avot,
Chapter
4:4),
“Be
very,
very
humble.”
Thus,
this
contradicts
what
is
written,
“His
heart
was
proud.”
The
Zohar
(VaYera,
Item
17)
asks,
“‘And
the
Lord
appeared
unto
him
by
the
Oaks
of
Mamre.’
Why
in
the
Oaks
of
Mamre
and
not
elsewhere?
It
is
because
Mamre
gave
him
an
advice
about
the
circumcision.
When
the
Creator
told
Abraham
to
circumcise
himself,
Abraham
went
to
consult
his
friends.
Aner
told
him,
‘You
are
over
ninety
years
old;
you
will
torment
yourself.’
Marme
told
him,
‘Remember
the
day
when
the
Chaldeans
threw
you
in
the
furnace,
and
that
famine
that
the
world
endured,
and
those
kings
whom
your
men
chased
and
whom
you
struck.
The
Creator
saved
you
from
all
of
them.
Rise
up
and
do
as
your
Master
commands.’
The
Creator
said
to
Mamre:
‘You
advised
him
in
favor
of
the
circumcision,
thus,
I
will
appear
to
him
only
in
your
abode.’”
This
is
difficult
to
understand.
If
the
Creator
commanded
him
to
circumcise
himself,
he
went
to
ask
his
friends
if
he
should
obey
the
Creator?
What
if
Mamre
had
said
otherwise?
He
would
heed
the
advice
of
Mamre
and
not
the
word
of
the
Creator.
Can
we
say
this?
It
is
also
difficult
to
understand
what
Mamre
told
him,
that
he
should
obey
the
Creator,
that
He
will
save
you
for
sure,
just
as
He
saved
you
from
the
furnace.
This
implies
that
the
basis
for
why
Mamre
told
him
to
obey
the
Creator
is
because
He
would
save
him,
just
as
He
saved
him
from
the
furnace.
Otherwise,
you
should
not
obey.
We
see
the
same
thing
where
our
sages
said
(RASHI
brings
the
words
of
our
sages,
Genesis
11:28),
“‘Terah
died
in
the
presence
of
his
father,’
during
his
father’s
life.
Some
say
that
because
of
him,
his
father
died,
when
Terah
complained
to
Nimrod
about
his
son,
Abram,
about
the
breaking
of
his
statues
and
throwing
them
into
the
furnace.
Haran
sat
and
said
to
himself,
‘If
Abram
wins,
I
am
with
him.
If
Nimrod
wins,
I
am
with
him.’
When
Abram
was
saved,
they
said
to
Haran,
‘Who
are
you
with?’
Haran
replied,
‘I
am
with
Abram.’
They
threw
him
in
the
furnace
and
he
burned.”
We
see
about
Haran
that
since
he
said
that
he
was
going
to
take
upon
himself
devotion
on
condition
that
the
Creator
would
save
him,
he
was
burned.
Thus,
why
in
Abram’s
case,
when
Mamre
told
him,
“You
should
obey
the
Creator,”
since
He
saved
Abram
from
the
furnace,
meaning
yesterday’s
Abram,
for
example,
He
would
also
save
Abram
today
when
he
circumcises
himself?
This
is
just
like
Haran
and
Abram
with
the
furnace.
The
only
difference
here
is
that
they
are
the
same
thing
but
in
the
same
body,
meaning
in
two
states
of
Abram.
In
the
literal,
we
see
that
with
Haran
and
Abram
and
the
furnace,
there
was
the
matter
of
gentiles,
meaning
that
foreigners
wanted
both
Abram
and
Haran
not
to
obey
the
Creator.
This
is
not
so
with
the
circumcision,
which
the
Creator
instructed
him.
That
is,
there
is
a
difference
between
foreigners
saying
not
to
obey
the
Creator,
or
the
Creator
telling
him
to
obey
Him.
We
should
say
that
when
foreigners
want
a
person
to
idol-worship
and
detach
himself
from
faith
in
the
Creator,
a
person
should
give
unconditional
dedication.
For
this
reason,
when
Haran
said
that
he
was
ready
to
dedicate
himself
on
condition
that
he
survives,
like
Abraham,
this
is
not
regarded
as
dedication.
This
is
why
he
was
burned
in
the
furnace.
This
is
not
so
here
when
the
Creator
told
him
to
circumcise
himself
and
he
went
to
consult
his
friends.
We
should
interpret
this
differently,
that
he
thought
that
the
Creator
telling
him
to
circumcise
himself
is
a
high
degree
and
he
was
still
unworthy
of
it,
as
he
thought
that
if
the
Creator
told
him
to
circumcise
himself
and
he
was
still
unworthy
of
it,
he
might
fall
even
from
the
state
he
was
in
at
the
time,
since
he
knew
that
he
was
in
lowliness,
as
it
is
written,
“And
I
am
dust
and
ashes.”
Therefore,
he
went
to
ask
whether
he
was
permitted
to
walk
into
this
high
degree
and
circumcise
himself,
or
should
he
wait
until
he
is
worthy
of
it.
This
is
why
Aner
told
him,
“You
are
over
ninety
years
old;
you
will
torment
yourself”
beginning
to
ascend
high
degrees
now,
and
beginning
to
do
more
work
in
order
to
qualify
yourself
to
be
worthy
of
the
Mitzva
[commandment/good
deed]
of
circumcision.
“You
are
too
old
to
start
making
great
efforts
now
in
order
to
be
rewarded
with
higher
degrees.
This
is
suitable
for
a
young
man,
who
has
a
great
future,
not
for
you,
who
is
already
over
ninety.
Therefore,
this
is
not
for
you.”
However,
when
he
came
to
ask
Mamre,
Mamre
replied
to
him,
“You
see
that
the
Creator
does
not
look
at
your
lowliness;
let
Him
say
when
you
are
worthy,
and
then
He
can
help
you,
as
our
sages
said,
‘He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.’
When
you
feel
that
you
are
dust
and
ashes,
the
Creator
cannot
help
you,
but
you
see
that
when
you
were
thrown
in
the
furnace,
the
Creator
helped
you
nonetheless,
since
He
is
merciful
and
gracious.”
This
is
as
our
sages
say
about
the
verse,
“‘And
I
will
pardon
whom
I
pardon,’
although
he
is
unfit
and
unworthy
of
it.”
Therefore,
here,
too,
with
the
Mitzva
of
circumcision,
the
Creator
wants
you
to
enter
a
higher
level
although
you
are
not
worthy
or
fit.
Hence,
go
and
do
your
Master’s
commandment
and
do
not
look
at
your
own
lowliness.
This
is
as
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
what
the
Creator
said,
“Now
I
know
that
you
are
God
fearing.”
The
question
is,
Does
the
Creator
not
know
the
future,
that
He
said,
“Now
I
know,”
meaning
that
now
He
knows
that
“you
are
God
fearing”?
That
is,
this
means
that
now
Abraham
knew
that
he
was
God
fearing.
The
question
is,
Why
did
Abram
need
to
know
this?
We
should
say
that
now
that
he
knows
that
he
is
God
fearing,
Abraham
can
go
to
a
higher
level
and
is
not
afraid
that
it
might
be
too
high
for
him.
Rather,
he
can
already
ascend.
Likewise,
we
can
interpret
what
Rabba
said
(Berachot
61),
“One
should
know
in
one’s
heart
whether
he
is
a
complete
righteous
or
not.”
We
should
also
understand
there
why
he
needs
to
know
this.
Indeed,
by
this
he
will
try
to
walk
in
higher
degrees
and
will
not
think
that
it
is
too
high
for
him.
This
is
why
Mamre
advised
him
not
to
look
at
his
lowliness
that
he
feels,
that
he
is
dust
and
ashes.
Rather,
the
Creator
wants
you
to
ascend
in
degrees
through
the
Mitzva
of
circumcision?
Go
and
do
it,
and
do
not
look
at
anything.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
verse,
“The
Lord
is
high
and
the
low
will
see,”
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
raises
up
the
lowly.”
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
Why
did
Abraham
consult
his
friends
whether
to
obey
the
Creator?
The
meaning
is
that
if
he
should
wait
and
qualify
himself
to
enter
the
high
degree
with
which
he
will
be
rewarded
following
the
doing
of
the
commandment
of
circumcision,
or
should
he
do
it
right
away
and
ignore
his
lowliness,
where
he
feels
that
he
is
dust
and
ashes.
This
is
what
he
asked
his
friends
about,
and
not
whether
to
observe
the
commandment
of
the
Creator.
By
this
we
will
also
understand
why
when
he
was
thrown
into
the
furnace,
he
did
not
seek
his
friends’
advice,
but
agreed
to
be
thrown
into
the
furnace
in
order
to
sanctify
the
name
of
heaven.
However,
this
is
the
quality
of
faith,
where
we
must
give
unconditional
devotion,
meaning
to
say,
“I
am
very
low;
this
is
why
He
does
not
want
to
give
devotion.”
But
in
idol-worship,
the
rule
is
“Be
killed
but
do
not
breach.”
For
this
reason,
when
Haran
wanted
to
sanctify
the
Creator
with
dedication
only
on
condition
that
he
stays
alive
like
Abram,
this
is
clearly
not
“Be
killed
but
do
not
breach,”
since
his
view
was
that
he
agreed
to
be
thrown
in
the
furnace
provided
he
is
not
killed.
It
follows
that
he
did
not
observe
at
all
the
Mitzva
that
there
is
in
idol-worship,
“Be
killed
but
do
not
breech.”
This
is
why
Haran
was
burned
in
the
furnace.
Conversely,
Abram’s
view
was
in
the
form
of
“Be
killed
but
do
not
breach.”
Therefore,
thanks
to
the
complete
Mitzva,
he
was
saved
from
the
furnace.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
nations
speaking
to
him
there,
demanding
of
him
to
idol-worship.
But
with
the
commandment
of
the
circumcision,
where
the
Creator
told
him
to
circumcise
himself,
the
Creator
certainly
demanded
of
Abram
to
ascend
in
degree.
Once
he
sanctified
the
Creator
with
Nimrod,
what
did
the
Creator
want
from
Abraham?
Certainly,
to
ascend
to
a
higher
level.
It
was
about
this
that
he
thought
that
perhaps
he
was
still
unworthy
of
ascending
to
such
a
high
level,
which
is
why
he
went
to
ask
his
friends
what
to
do,
since
he
felt
that
he
was
still
not
worthy
of
such
Gadlut
[greatness/adulthood],
which
he
would
be
awarded
by
observing
the
Mitzva
of
circumcision.
Therefore,
it
is
a
completely
different
matter
here.
According
to
the
above,
we
see
that
there
are
two
states
in
the
work:
1)
faith,
2)
Torah.
In
the
state
of
faith,
it
cannot
be
said
that
he
is
lowly,
and
therefore
cannot
observe
the
commandment
of
sanctifying
the
Creator,
which
is
done
by
the
general
public
in
Israel,
even
among
common
people,
that
we
hear
that
they
died
for
the
sanctification
of
the
Creator.
Therefore,
when
a
person
begins
the
work
of
the
Creator
on
the
path
of
truth,
he
must
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
faith
above
reason
even
though
all
the
nations
of
the
world
in
his
body
laugh
at
him.
He
must
sanctify
the
Creator
before
the
gentiles
in
his
body
and
say
that
he
believes
in
the
Creator
and
wants
to
serve
Him
with
all
his
heart
and
soul.
And
even
though
they
disagree
with
him,
he
can
say
that
he
takes
upon
himself
to
love
the
Creator.
Even
if
he
has
no
feeling
when
he
utters
it,
a
person
should
not
be
impressed
with
the
organs
disagreeing
with
his
view.
He
does
what
he
can
do.
That
is,
in
speech
and
action
he
can
do
this
by
coercion.
And
although
he
feels
nothing
in
it,
he
is
still
doing
an
awakening
from
below.
It
was
said
about
this,
“And
I
will
bless
you
in
all
that
you
will
do.”
That
is,
the
Creator
will
later
send
him
blessing
on
what
he
does.
Although
after
the
overcoming
he
does
not
see
that
he
received
any
blessing,
meaning
he
does
not
feel
any
nearing
to
the
Creator
more
than
he
was
prior
to
the
overcoming,
so
the
body
asks
the
person,
“You
told
me
that
if
you
overcome
your
mind
and
reason,
the
Creator
would
give
you
blessing,
meaning
that
by
this
you
will
feel
the
importance
of
spirituality.
But
you
see
that
you
are
in
the
same
state
as
before
the
work,
when
you
exerted
to
do
things
by
coercion.”
To
this
comes
the
answer,
“If
I
felt
the
blessing
instantaneously,
then
I
would
have
done
it
in
order
to
receive
reward.”
This
is
similar
to
Haran
who
said,
“If
I
see
that
Abraham
was
saved
from
the
furnace,
I
am
with
him.”
Here,
too,
when
he
says,
“I
am
willing
to
bow
myself
and
do
good
deeds
against
the
body’s
will,
but
on
condition
that
afterwards
I
will
get
a
good
feeling,
how
worthwhile
it
is
to
serve
the
Creator
in
order
to
receive
reward,
meaning
a
good
feeling.”
Hence,
if
a
person
wants
to
receive
reward
immediately
after
the
work
by
coercion,
it
is
as
though
he
began
with
the
coercion
so
that
afterward
he
would
not
have
to
work
by
coercion.
It
follows
that
when
accepting
the
faith,
he
sets
conditions.
But
the
faith
of
acceptance
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
must
be
unconditional
surrender.
For
this
reason,
where
faith
is
concerned,
it
cannot
be
said
that
a
person
feels
that
he
is
too
lowly,
that
it
is
not
for
him
to
assume
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
Also,
a
person
should
not
say,
“Now
I
am
not
in
the
mood
for
this;
I’ll
wait
for
when
I
am
in
a
better
mood,
and
then
I’ll
try
to
take
upon
myself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven.”
Rather,
this
duty
lies
with
every
person
to
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
at
any
place
and
at
any
time.
Conversely,
when
speaking
of
the
Torah,
this
is
the
time
when
one
should
feel
one’s
lowliness.
Since
our
sages
said,
“It
is
forbidden
to
teach
Torah
to
idol-worshippers,”
but
only
to
Israel,
he
should
therefore
first
see
if
he
is
truly
regarded
as
“Israel.”
This
means
that
he
should
see
whether
he
is
worthy
of
learning
Torah.
If
he
sees
that
he
is
still
unworthy,
he
must
try
to
be
worthy,
and
then
he
will
be
able
to
learn
Torah.
What
is
the
way
by
which
one
should
qualify
himself
to
be
worthy?
The
way
is
as
our
sages
said,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
In
other
words,
a
person
should
learn
Torah
first,
so
the
Torah
will
lead
him
into
being
regarded
as
“Israel.”
When
he
has
the
quality
of
“Israel,”
he
will
ascend
in
degree
to
learn
Torah,
which
is
then
called
“the
Torah
of
the
Creator,
as
in
the
names
of
the
Creator.”
Before
he
is
rewarded
with
being
“Israel,”
he
must
try
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
so
it
will
make
him
become
“Israel.”
Then
is
the
time
to
come
to
wholeness,
called
“the
purpose
of
creation,”
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
However,
when
he
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
since
a
person
must
walk
on
two
lines—right
and
left—meaning
a
time
of
wholeness
and
a
time
of
lack,
on
one
hand
we
must
thank
the
Creator,
and
one
who
feels
he
has
received
a
lot
of
good
from
the
Creator
is
more
capable
of
giving
more
gratitude,
so
when
a
person
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
this
is
the
time
to
be
in
wholeness,
as
though
the
Creator
has
brought
him
close,
to
be
among
the
King’s
servants.
However,
one
must
not
lie
to
oneself
and
say
that
he
feels
that
he
is
serving
the
King
when
he
does
not
feel
this
way.
Therefore,
how
can
he
be
grateful
to
the
Creator
for
drawing
him
near
if
he
does
not
feel
it?
Instead,
at
that
time
a
person
should
say
that
although
he
is
in
utter
lowliness,
meaning
he
is
still
immersed
in
self-love,
and
still
cannot
do
anything
above
reason,
the
Creator
still
gave
him
a
thought
and
desire
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
has
also
given
him
some
strength
to
be
able
to
overcome
the
spies
who
speak
to
him
and
poke
his
mind
with
their
arguments.
And
still,
he
has
some
grip
on
spirituality.
At
that
time,
a
person
should
pay
attention
to
this
and
believe
that
the
Creator
is
tending
to
him
and
guides
him
on
the
track
that
leads
to
the
King’s
palace.
It
follows
that
he
should
be
happy
that
the
Creator
is
watching
over
him
and
gives
him
the
descents,
as
well.
That
is,
a
person
should
believe,
as
much
as
he
can
understand,
that
the
Creator
is
giving
him
the
ascents,
since
certainly,
a
person
cannot
say
that
he
himself
receives
the
ascents,
but
that
the
Creator
wants
to
bring
him
closer;
this
is
why
He
gives
him
the
ascents.
Also,
a
person
should
believe
that
the
Creator
gives
him
the
descents,
as
well,
because
He
wants
to
bring
him
closer.
Therefore,
every
single
thing
that
he
can
do,
he
must
do
as
though
he
is
in
a
state
of
ascent.
Therefore,
when
he
overcomes
a
little
during
the
descent,
it
is
called
an
“awakening
from
below.”
Each
act
that
he
does,
he
believes
that
it
is
the
Creator’s
will,
and
by
this
itself
he
is
rewarded
with
greater
nearing,
meaning
that
the
person
himself
begins
to
feel
that
the
Creator
has
brought
him
closer.
It
is
as
Baal
HaSulam
said,
that
when
a
person
is
happy,
when
he
feels
that
he
is
privileged
that
he
has
some
grip
on
spirituality,
that
person
is
called
“blessed,”
and
“The
blessed
clings
to
the
Blessed.”
That
is,
the
person
begins
to
feel
that
the
Creator
is
blessing
him
now,
and
he
feels
no
lack
at
all.
However,
this
is
so
specifically
when
he
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
Yet,
one
must
dedicate
a
little
bit
of
his
time
to
work
on
the
left
line,
as
this
gives
him
room
to
pray
for
the
lacks
in
him.
It
is
needed
that
during
the
wholeness,
when
a
person
is
grateful
to
the
Creator
for
bringing
him
a
little
closer,
this
is
the
time
to
receive
the
filling
for
his
lacks,
which
he
felt
while
working
in
the
manner
of
the
“left.”
It
follows
that
the
answer
to
the
prayer
is
not
when
he
prays,
since
then
he
is
in
a
state
of
“cursed,”
meaning
deficient,
and
the
complete
does
not
connect
to
the
deficient.
Rather,
when
a
person
feels
whole
not
because
he
knows
that
he
has
wholeness
but
because
he
feels
himself
as
lowly,
and
regards
whatever
grip
he
has
on
spirituality
as
a
great
fortune,
from
this
he
derives
wholeness
and
says
that
he
is
not
even
worthy
of
this.
This
is
the
time
when
he
can
receive
the
filling
for
what
he
felt
while
he
was
working
in
the
manner
of
the
“left.”
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
why
on
one
hand
they
said,
“Be
very,
very
humble,”
and
on
the
other
hand,
it
is
written,
“And
his
heart
was
proud
in
the
ways
of
the
Lord,”
as
they
are
two
opposites
on
the
same
topic.
The
answer
is
that
they
are
two
opposites
on
the
same
topic,
but
in
two
times.
In
other
words,
when
he
engages
in
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
to
take
upon
himself
faith
above
reason,
when
the
body
disagrees
with
it
and
gives
him
many
excuses
that
now
is
not
the
time
for
this,
and
brings
him
evidence
from
other
people,
who
do
not
pay
attention
to
this
work
of
faith
in
the
Creator
above
reason,
he
should
say
about
this,
“And
his
heart
was
proud
in
the
ways
of
the
Lord.”
He
does
not
look
at
anyone,
but
is
determined
that
this
is
the
path
of
truth
and
he
should
not
look
at
anyone
or
hear
what
the
body
makes
him
understand—“Go
and
look
at
reputable
people,
who
understand
what
is
the
work
of
the
Creator.”
It
is
about
this
that
they
said,
“And
his
heart
was
proud,”
to
be
proud
that
he
understands
better
than
everyone.
But
when
he
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
and
sees
that
he
has
no
idea
what
he
is
learning
or
what
he
is
praying,
at
that
time
he
must
not
be
proud
and
say
that
if
he
does
not
understand,
why
should
he
look
at
the
books
in
vain,
if
he
does
not
understand
the
matters
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
At
that
time
he
should
be
in
lowliness,
as
our
sages
said,
“Be
very,
very
humble.”
In
other
words,
a
person
should
be
in
lowliness
and
say
that
he
is
happy
with
whatever
grip
he
has,
since
he
sees
how
many
people
do
not
have
any
grip
on
spirituality.
Therefore,
here
he
needs
to
feel
that
he
is
not
worthy
of
anything,
and
be
happy.