NUM43 There is a positive aspect of pride in one's body, lest he say: Since pride is such an evil trait I shall separate myself from it to the extreme--so that he will not eat meat, nor drink wine, nor take a wife, nor live in a comfortable home, nor wear becoming garments, but only sackcloth and stiff wool, and garments that are torn and besmirched, and he will use dirty, ugly utensils, and he will not wash his face, hands, and feet until he looks worse than other men--and all this to remove himself from pride and lust to the farthest possible extreme. One who follows this course is called a sinner, for it is written in relation to a Nazarite [this verse]: "And he shall make atonement for himself for sinning against his soul (Ta'anis 11a): "Now if a Nazarite who abstains only from wine is called the sinner, how much more so one who abstains from everything!" Our Sages have stated further (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:1): "Is its not enough for you what the Torah forbade, that you have to forbid yourself other things?" About such courses and similar ones Shelomo wrote (Koheles 7:16): "Do not be overly righteous, and do not be overly wise--why should you destroy yourself?" (Continued at [[LEV114]] Leviticus 11:43 abominate TZADIK 35-7).