Sotah 9

[the meaning is:] Though he practise charity in secret,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He gives from 'hand to hand'. ');">¹</span>

concerning which it is written: 'A gift in secret pacifieth anger,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXI, 14. ');">²</span>

he will not escape the punishment of Gehinnom.

Whence is there a prohibition for the haughty of spirit? — Raba said in the name of Ze'iri: Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XIII, 15. ');">³</span>

R. Nahman b. Isaac said: [It is derived] from this passage, Thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VIII, 14. ');">⁴</span>

and it is written: Beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 11. ');">⁵</span>

This is in accord with what R. Abin said in the name of R. Elai; for R. Abin said in the name of R. Elai: Wherever it is stated 'Beware' 'lest' and 'Do not' the reference is to a prohibition.

R. 'Awira expounded, sometimes he said it in the name of R. Assi and at other times in the name of R. Ammi: Every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit will in the end be reduced in rank; as it is said: They are exalted, there will be reduction of status;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXIV, 24. ');">⁶</span>

and lest you think that they remain in existence, the text continues, 'And they are gone'. If, however, he changes [and becomes humble], he will be gathered [to his fathers] in his due time like our father Abraham; as it is said: But when they are lowly, they are gathered in like all<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' lbid. ');">⁷</span>

— i.e., like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in connection with whom the word 'all' is used.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Gen. XXIV, 1, XXVII, 33 and XXXIII, 11. ');">⁸</span>

If not, They are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job loc. cit. ');">⁹</span>

What means 'as the tops of the ears of corn'? R. Huna and R. Hisda [explain it]. One says that it means like the awn of the grain, and the other that it means like the ears themselves. This is quite right according to him who says that it means like the awn of the grain, since it is written 'as the tops of the ears of corn'; but according to him who says that it means like the ears themselves, what signifies 'as the tops of the ears of corn'? — R. Assi said, and it was similarly taught in the School of R. Ishmael: It is like a man who enters his field; he gleans the tallest ears.

With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LVII, 15. ');">¹⁰</span>

R. Huna and R. Hisda [explain it]. One says that it means the contrite is with Me, and the other that I [God] am with the contrite. The more probable view is in accord with him who holds the meaning to be I am with the contrite; for behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, ignored all the mountains and heights and caused His <i>Shechinah</i> to abide upon Mount Sinai, but did not elevate Mount Sinai [up to Himself].

R. Joseph said: Man should always learn from the mind of his Creator; for behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, ignored all the mountains and heights and caused His <i>Shechinah</i> to abide upon Mount Sinai, and ignored all the beautiful trees and caused His <i>Shechinah</i> to abide in a bush.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. III, 2. Similarly should man associate with the humble. ');">¹¹</span>

R. Eleazar also said: Every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit is fit to be hewn down like an Asherah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An object of idolatrous worship. ');">¹²</span>

It is written here, The high ones of stature shall be hewn down,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. X, 33. ');">¹³</span>

and elsewhere it is written: And ye shall hew down their Asherim.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VII, 5. ');">¹⁴</span>

Further said R. Eleazar, Every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit, his dust will not be disturbed [for the Resurrection]; as it is said: Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVI, 19. 'Ye that lie in the dust' would apply to all mortals. ');">¹⁵</span>

— it is not said 'ye that lie in the dust', but, 'ye that dwell [shokne] in the dust', i.e., each one who during his lifetime made himself a neighbour [shaken] to the dust [by his humility]. Further said R. Eleazar: Over every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit the <i>Shechinah</i> laments; as it is said: But the haughty he knoweth from afar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXVIII, 6. The Hebrew word translated knoweth, [H], is understood in the sense of punish, cf. Jud. VIII. 16. ');">¹⁶</span>

R. Awira expounded, and according to another version it was R. Eleazar: Come and see that the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the manner of human beings. The manner of human beings is for the lofty to take notice of the lofty and not of the lowly; but the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. He is lofty and He takes notice of the lowly, as it is said: For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' lbid. ');">¹⁷</span> R. Hisda said, and according to another version it was Mar 'Ukba: Every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit, the Holy One, blessed be He, declares, I and he cannot both dwell in the world; as it is said: Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy; him that hath an high look and a proud heart will I not suffer<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CL. 5. ');">¹⁸</span> — read not 'him' [I cannot suffer], but 'with him'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Involves a slight change in the vocalization. ');">¹⁹</span> I cannot [dwell]. There are some who apply this teaching to those who speak slander; as it is said,'whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy�. R. Alexandri said: Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit, even the slightest wind will disturb;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The smallest disappointment is liable to discomfit him.] ');">²⁰</span> as it is said: But the wicked are like the troubled sea.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LVII, 20. ');">²¹</span> If the sea, which contains so many quarters of a <i>log</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A liquid measure, equal to the contents of six eggs. ');">²²</span> is ruffled by the slightest wind, how much more so a human being who contains but one quarter of a <i>log</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was considered the minimum quantity of blood in the body essential to life. ');">²³</span> R. Hiyya b. Ashi said in the name of Rab: A disciple of the Sages should possess an eighth [of pride].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He should have a little pride to maintain his self-respect. ');">²⁴</span> R. Huna the son of R. Joshua said: [This small amount of pride] crowns him like the awn of the grain. Raba said: [A disciple of the Sages] who possesses [haughtiness of spirit] deserves excommunication, and if he does not possess it he deserves excommunication.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To have too much is bad, and also too little because it prevents a Rabbi from exercising his authority. ');">²⁵</span> R. Nahman b. Isaac said: He should not possess it or part of it; is it a trifling matter concerning which it is written: Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XVI, 5. ');">²⁶</span> Hezekiah said: A man's prayer is not heard unless he makes his heart [soft] like flesh; as it is said, And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, shall all flesh come to worship, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LXVI, 23. ');">²⁷</span> R. Zera said: Concerning flesh it is written: And it is healed;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 18. Hence only one whose heart is soft like flesh will be healed, and not a man in his full pride. ');">²⁸</span> but it is not written concerning man, And he is healed. R. Johanan said: The word for man [adam] indicates dust, blood and gall;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The initials of these words in Hebrew form adam. ');">²⁹</span> the word for flesh [basar] indicates shame, stench and worm. Some declare that [instead of 'stench' we should have the word] Sheol, since its initial letter corresponds.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The initial of the word for 'stench' is samek, whereas the second letter in basar is similar in form to that of 'Sheol'. ');">³⁰</span> R. Ashi said: Every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit will in the end be degraded; as it is said,