LEV851 Do not follow the customs of non-Jews. For example, do not behave like them in their way of dress or follow their styles. Do not seek out their forms of entertainment, such as circuses, theater performances and any type of frivolous gatherings where idols are worshipped or men and women immodestly mix. Similarly, do not cut your hair bloris--to shave the sides of your head and leave the hair in the middle.

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LEV852 See [[LEV201]] Leviticus 18:3 copy AMEMEI 136

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LEV853 [Pride] is manifest in one's eyes as it is written (Tehillim 6:17): "Haughty eyes." It is manifest in one's ears by not paying heed to the words of the poor, unfortunate ones. It is manifest in one's nose if, when standing near the poor or upon entering their houses, they smell offensive to him. And it is even in his speech, when he speaks imprudently and with pride against the righteous. Pride can also be manifested in eating and drinking and in clothing oneself ostentatiously in gentile apparel. We have been exhorted against this in the Torah of Moshe, as it is written [this verse]: "And do not walk in the ways of the nations," and (ibid. 18:3): "Do not walk in their ways," and (Devarim 12:30): "Take heed lest you be ensnared after them." The point is the same in all of these instances: Israel is exhorted to stay separate from the nations and its apparel, its speech, and all of its customs, as it is written (Vayikra 20:26): "For I have set you apart from the peoples." The proud are despicable in the eyes of Hashem, as it is written (Mishlei 16:5): "The abomination of Hashem are all who are proud of heart." And the proud man is given into the hands of his evil inclination; he does not receive Divine assistance since he is the abomination of Hashem. And though he does not elevate himself above any man in speech or in deed, but only in his heart, he is still called in "abomination," as it is written: "The abomination of Hashem are all who are proud of heart"--though his pride exists in his heart alone, he is still called an "abomination."

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LEV855 See [[EXOD314]] Exodus 19:5 covenant DORFFDRAG 68-71

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LEV854 Conceptually speaking, commandments [] are to be observed because they are commandments, not for any other reason. [For illustration an early tradition: "Rabbi Eliezar Ben Azariah said: 'From whence do we know that a man should not say "I cannot tolerate wearing sha'atnez, or I cannot tolerate eating pork or cannot tolerate elicit relations" but rather he should say "I am capable and willing, but what can I do [given that] my Father in Heaven decreed thus?" Therefore Scripture states: "I have separated you from the nations to be Mine" [this verse], because of that he avoids the sin and accepts God's sovereignty,'" Sifra, Kedoshim, on those verses. And according to a later talmudic hyperbolic pronouncement, attributed to Rav Nahman bar Isaac: "A transgression committed for its own sake is better than a commandment performed not for its own sake" (B. Nazir 23b). This is not to discount completely other motivating factors within rabbinic literature for acting in accordance with the commandments. (By Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert, “Ethical Theories in Rabbinic Literature”)

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LEV856 The trait of zeal is an ornament to all the other traits and it perfects them. And now you should remember those things which men commonly tend to be lax about. If you must see something in a book, be zealous to bring the book and also to search for what you need. And be zealous to go and ask someone who knows the subject. If a poor man comes to your house to ask for bread, do not say, "I cannot go to bring bread," but go with zeal to bring it. If you need to wash your hands, but you have only little or unfit water, or if the vessel is not entirely ritually suitable -- being split, for example -- and you are very hungry, do not let your hunger cause you to demean the washing rite, but be zealous to get water and a utensil fit for washing. And one must be especially zealous not to delay evacuation, both defecation and urination, even one moment, so as not to transgress [this verse]: "Do not make yourselves revolting" (Makkos 16b). Moreover, one who delays evacuation brings sore illnesses upon himself. And one must be watchful and zealous to keep himself clean, both his clothing and his body. He must wash the anal opening after defecation, for it is impossible to cleanse oneself properly without water. It also requires zeal for one who attend to his needs at night by his bed to arise and wash his hands and go to a clean place to recite the Asher Yatzar benediction. If he wishes to drink water, he must arise and wash his hands, go to a clean place and wash and make the preliminary and concluding blessings over water. If he is in bed and hears the sound of thunder or sees lightning, he must get up, wash his hands, and make the blessing. He also requires zeal to rise early from his bed, shake slumber from his lids, and learn Torah. And he needs zeal to break away from his defective thoughts, such as thoughts of envy and hatred and lewd thoughts. All of these require unusually great zeal for the bending of all of one's thoughts to the Blessed Creator's will. ... In sum, one must seek out any transgression to which he is habituated and hastily make fences around it to take care and keep himself from it. He must likewise seek out any mitzvah in which he is lax, first understanding what caused this laxness. For example, the idle man must understand at the outset that idleness comes from idle activities and that one who obituates himself to idle activities neglects Torah, prayer, and all good. He must therefore be zealous to remove himself from men who are given to idle talk and not associate with them. This will be the cure for his illness. He must do likewise with respect to all defective traits. He must first locate the defective foundation and destroy it, and remove from his eyes the darkness that obscure the light of his soul. And removal from all of this requires zeal, for if he will be slothful in rooting out defective traits, they will become branches in his heart, so that he will no longer be able to cut them out. (Continued at [[DEUT863]] Deuteronomy 16:20 righteousness TZADIK 291).

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LEV861 The dietary laws were invested with the absoluteness of Divine commands. They were to be observed not because of personal taste, but as an expression of obedience to God. In the words of the Sifra to (this verse),: "Say not, 'I do not like swine's flesh'; but rather' I do like it, but abstain from eating it in accordance with the decree of my Father in heaven.'" (Continued at [[LEV123]] Leviticus 11:44 sanctify COHON 167-8).

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LEV858 See [[EXOD314]] Exodus 19:5 covenant DORFFDRAG 68-71

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LEV862 To the Sifra (93:2), we turn again for a most striking ethical observation. Commenting on [this verse], the sages add: "Whence do we derive that one should not say: I do not like to wear Shatnez (a web mixture of wool and explained in Kil. Ix. 8 as an acrostic. I do not like to eat the flesh of the pig ..." Rather: "I do like to do these things; but what can I do since my Heavenly Father has decreed in His Torah: "And I have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be Mine?" Discipline manifests greater obedience and self-sacrifice. (Continued at [[DEUT1111]] Deut. 22:3 indifferent LEHRMAN 66-7)

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LEV860 See [[LEV854]] Leviticus 20:24 apart OXFORD 55

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