DEUT378 Remembrance is a trait without which this world cannot endure. All of the dealings of the world are dependent upon remembrance, for a man would not believe in his friend or lend him anything if he did not remember. The same applies to all of the world's affairs, such as business, for instance. If people forgot what they had said, they could not do business, and they could not make any conditions if they did not remember. It is not necessary to expound on this, for it is common knowledge. Therefore, one should adopt this trait in all of his affairs, for remembrance is a fence to the truth. He must remember his vows which must be fulfilled; if he agreed on something with his friend, he must remember the matter as it was agreed-upon and not change his words; if his friend has told him a secret and asked him not to reveal it, he must remember this and not reveal it; if one has borrowed money or household utensils from his friend, he must remember exactly what he has borrowed and repay everything. And one who is involved in many affairs must take care not to borrow money or solicit other things, for his preoccupation will cause him to forget everything and not remember. If his friend has done him a favor, he must remember it so that he can return it. With respect to charity, he must remember the poor and bring to mind their plight so that he will assist them. And if he comes to testify in court concerning something that he has seen and knows, he must take great care to remember everything and not to add to nor detract from what he has seen. See how the Holy One Blessed be He has exhorted us to remembrance, as it is written [this verse:] "Take heed to yourself less you forget Hashem your God, not to observe His mitzvos, His judgments, and His statutes." Remembering the Blessed Hashem and all of one's deeds is a great attainment, as King David said (Tehillim 16:8): "I have set Hashem always before me."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT382 … the primary traits of character [having] prevalence in our lives… are pride, anger, envy, and lust. All of these are harmful traits whose destructive effects are recognized and universally acknowledged [as] harmful both intrinsically and in their outcome, all of them function outside [the parameters of] intelligence and wisdom, and each one by itself has the capacity to lead a person to severe transgressions. Referring to pride, Scripture explicitly cautions us [this verse]: "And your heart will be proud and you will forget the eternal, your God."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT384 The factors that lead to the loss of [humility] are extravagance and overindulgence regarding the good things of this world, as stated explicitly in Scripture (this and two preceding verses): "So that it will not happen, [when] you eat and are satisfied… that you become conceited.…" For this reason, those who are pious have found that it is beneficial for a person to sometimes afflict himself, in order to humble the [evil] inclination of haughtiness, since it only succeeds in strengthening itself through excess. This is similar to what they of blessed memory have said (Berachos 32a): "A lion does not roar over a basket of straw, but over a basket of meat."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT383 See [[DEUT377]] Deuteronomy 8:11 forget TZADIK 27

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT385 Arrogance [I.e., the opposite of submissiveness] leads to numerous sins and allows the yetzer within man's heart to prevail over him, as the pasuk says [this verse], "Your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem, your God." [Arrogance leads to forgetting Hashem and, as such, to sinning].

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT387 The ninth principle [of repentance] is breaking one's physical desire. One must impress upon himself that desire leads the soul to sin and draws transgression with cords of emptiness [Yeshayahu 5:18]. He should establish restraints for safeguarding the path to repentance--he must refrain from pleasures, and not be drawn to his own desires, even when permissible. He should follow the ways of abstinence, and only eat to satisfy his needs and to maintain his body, as the pasuk says (Mishlei 13:25), "A righteous person needs to satiate his soul." [I. e., To satisfy his needs, rather than to indulge in pleasure.] He should not engage in intercourse other than to fulfill the mitzvah of procreation or that of conjugal rights. For as long as one pursues his desires, he will be drawn towards the material [world], and he will be distanced from the path that leads to the higher intellect. Subsequently, his yetzer will prevail, as the pesukim say, (Devarim 32:15), "But Yeshurun grew fat and kicked [rebelliously]"; (ibid. this and preceding two verses) "Lest you eat and be sated... and you will become haughty"; and (Mishlei 30:9), "Lest I be sated and deny [Hashem]." The Sages, z"l, have commented (Sukkah 52b), "There is one small organ in man--when he satiates, it is hungry, and when he staves it, it find satisfaction." ... Desire, which is lodged in the heart, is the root of all of one's activities. Therefore, if he corrects his desires and all his limbs are drawn towards the intellect, subordinating themselves and serving its needs, rather than serving the desires--this will rectify all his activities, (Mishlei 21:8), "But one who is pure [I.e., free of his desires] his action is upright."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT386 See [[GEN1048]] Genesis 18:27 dust LEHRMAN 255-6

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT388 The rabbis recognized quite clearly that certain character traits were basic and crucial in their influence upon the overall personality and behavior patterns of people. One such set of opposing traits is humility (anavah) and pride (ga'avah). The Torah had already warned against pride and arrogance: [this verse] and "Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). The Rabbis made the judgment, on the basis of both Scripture in their own experience, that the most important single virtue was humility, and conversely that the severest vice was pride, haughtiness, or arrogance (Avodah Zarah 20b; Orchot Tzaddikim, p. 13). Not only was humility or meekness seen as a key quality in achieving a proper relationship to God, a necessary condition for prophecy and for acquiring Torah knowledge, but it was considered a prerequisite for attaining a moral relationship with one's fellow creatures (Nedarim 38a, Berakhot 43b, Avot 6:6).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT389 I suggest the following reasons why the opportunity to obtain his livelihood without trouble and trial might be withheld from a righteous man.... Sometimes it is in accordance with [the principle of] compensation in the World-to-Come, as it is written: “To do you good at your latter end” (Devarim 8:16).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT390 Every individual, when going through troubled times, must turn to reflection and fasting, together with repentance and prayer, just as the community is obligated to fast during times of collective distress, as our Sages, z"l, have enacted [See Mishnah Ta'anis 1:5-6] -- this is a preferred fast and day of favor. When Divine chastisement is directed to one who is pure and upright, it is there to test him and to enhance his reward in the World to Come, as the pasuk says [this verse], "In order to afflict you and you test you; to ultimately benefit you." Our Sages, z"l, said regarding this (Berachos 5a): "One who scrutinizes his deeds during times of distress, and undergoes self-examination and self-analysis without finding any sin--these then are the sufferings of love." [I.e. The stress is for the sake of increasing his reward in Olam Haba, beyond what he deserves based upon his deeds (Rashi).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT