כבוד

When there is a desire to discourage a man from serving G-d, they give him honor in order to distract him.

One who speaks against the Tzaddik ends up humiliated in everyone's eyes. One who belittles himself each day in his own eyes, merits that his name will not be forgotten by the people, and people will name their children after him. Tikkun Chatzot (the Midnight Lament/Rectification) is a segulah (conducive) for honor.

One who causes the Blessed Holy One[’s glory] to be raised high, he becomes famous. The words of an honored man endure. When you give honor to a man, give honor also to the one serving him.

One who offends the honor of tzaddikim, through this he falls into weakness. Hugging the Torah scroll is a segulah (conducive) for honor. When the dead are unearthed, it is certain that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wanted to bring some humiliation on the living, and the matter was overturned.

Through humility comes honor. Sometimes a man receives honor and greatness because of the merit of one of his household. Through chasing after honor one comes to idolatrous thoughts. A man with a position of importance, it is not necessary to (i.e.

A miracle’s honor is in its coming discreetly. One who is despised, it is certain that he likes falsehood. A man’s clothes give honor to the man. Honor is dependent upon the soul .

One who says "I did not sin" is despised in everyone's eyes. Honor is dependent upon the desire in the heart. If you are being pursued (attacked), you will merit to have honor in this world.

Most of the humiliations that come upon a man are due to the sins of his youth. Through visiting the sick, everyone is honored with him. One who gains prestige by the shame of his friend will not merit to a book named after him.

Extraordinary thirst is a sign of descent from honor. One who saves a Torah scroll from any danger of destruction merits to honor. People who honor each other, it is certain that they are upright, and so too the opposite.

All the honor of all the monarchies in the world, are included in the Four Monarchies.

One who transgresses the command of the Tzaddik, he falls from his importance. Through the fashioning of the Menorah, Kiddush Levanah (Sanctifying the New Moon), the Incense, and guarding oneself from forbidden foods, all Four Monarchies return the honor within them to the Blessed L-rd.

With this that (the people) go out to greet an important man, the ten utterances by which the world was created are aroused. This also comes through bringing those who are distant back to G-d.

It is already explained in Likutay Tinyana, section 44, that Rabbainu, o.b.m., strongly warned against imposing excessive stringencies in any matter — for "the Holy Blessed One does not deal tyrannically with His creatures" (Avodah Zarah 3a), and "the Torah was not given to the ministering angels" (Berachos 25b), etc. And he then said: There is a teaching that it is fitting for every person to choose for himself one mitzvah in which he should be very careful and fulfill that mitzvah with all the stringencies and precisions.[422] As we find in the Gemara (Shabbos 118b): "In what was your father particularly careful?" etc. Yet even in that one mitzvah he should not enter into the stringencies of madness, foolishness, and depression — only to be careful in it without madness, in all its stringencies. But in all the other mitzvos one need not be stringent at all. And would that we merit to fulfill all the commandments of the Torah simply as they are — without any stringencies!

And also regarding excessive stringencies on Pesach, he by no means agreed with those who multiply preciseness beyond measure and enter into great depressions. And he spoke at length on this matter then — for one of our people asked him, o.b.m., a question about some stringency on Pesach and how to conduct himself. And he mocked him greatly. And he spoke extensively about this matter — that one need not search for excessive stringencies and madness and confusions. And he said that he himself had also been very deeply immersed in this matter — that excessive stringencies would arise in his mind. And once he was having thoughts about the water for Pesach — he was concerned that perhaps there was some negligible amount of something in the water they draw. And if he were to prepare water for himself before Pesach for all the days of Pesach, as some are accustomed — this too did not seem right to him, because it is difficult to guard the water properly from Pesach eve for all the days of Pesach. And no water seemed right to him except spring water that flows and goes forth and brings fresh water at every moment. But in the place where he, o.b.m., sat, there was no such spring. And he intended to travel for Pesach to a place where there was such a spring. To such a degree did he enter into stringencies and depressions and excessive preciseness. But now he mocks this, for one need not search for excessive stringencies — even on Pesach. 422. RAK: Sefer Chassidim, section 529; Rambam on Makkos 3:15.

And he spoke at length about this then: that the true service in truth is simplicity and straightforwardness — to multiply Torah and prayer and good deeds, without specifically searching to innovate excessive stringencies. Only to go in the way of our ancient forebears. And "the Torah was not given to the ministering angels." And he said then that because of this the world has abandoned the wisdoms of grammar and does not engage in it at all. For grammar is not needed at all — for one need not be overly precise about oneself in excessive stringencies. But in other mitzvos there is no need for stringency at all. And he expanded on this further. And he said then that there is no matter that is an absolute obligation — and if not, etc. — only: if one can, one can; and if not, "the Torah exempts the person under compulsion" — and it is already explained elsewhere.[423] He said to a certain person who was gravely ill and whose sufferings were very great. For he was ill lying on a sickbed, and he had toothache many many times with excruciating and enormous pain beyond measure — until his whole face became swollen (as they say "geshovalen"). And great efforts of prominent physicians were required to extract his teeth. And also in his internal organs he was gravely ill to the point of death. And his sufferings were beyond measure. And Rabbainu, o.b.m., said to him: All the difficult and bitter sufferings he suffered for many years — all of them are better than one burn in Gehinnom. One burn in Gehinnom is worse than all of them. (In Yiddish: "Es iz altz besser eyden eyn briya in Gehinnom, eyn briya in Gehinnom iz erger derfun.")[424]

423. RAK: See Chayai Moharan, "Not to be Stubborn." 424. RAK: See Ramban in the Introduction to Job; Alim LiTerufah, letter 167.

one should not) humiliate him, even if he is wicked. He said: One must be very careful not to let out from one's mouth any word of wickedness, Heaven forbid — even in a way of mockery. That is — one should not say, Heaven forbid, about oneself that one will be wicked, Heaven forbid, or that one will commit a transgression, Heaven forbid — even if one says this in jest and has absolutely no intention of doing it. Even so, this speech harms one greatly and can compel one, Heaven forbid, afterward to do what one uttered from one's mouth — even though one did not say it sincerely but only in jest. And through this King Yehu stumbled — through uttering from his mouth (II Kings 10:18): "Yehu will serve him greatly." Even though in his heart he intended not to serve him but said this in jest in order to deceive the worshippers of the Baal as is explained there in the Scripture — even so he stumbled afterward through this until he himself worshipped idolatry as our Sages o.b.m. said. Therefore one must be very careful about this — for "a covenant has been made with the lips," etc., as our Sages o.b.m. said (Sanhedrin 102a; Moed Katan 18a).

It is necessary to give honor to the monarchy, even though he worships idolatry. Through the honor one gives to the Torah, one is saved from his enemies. It is necessary to honor one who the hour (fortune) smiles upon him.

And he said about himself:[426] When the day arrives I surrender all my movements of the entire day to Him Yisburach — that all the movements of mine and of my children and of those who depend on me should all be according to His will Yisburach, etc. And likewise when Shabbos or a festival arrives, I surrender the day to Hashem Yisburach that all the conduct of that Shabbos should be according to His will Yisburach. And afterward — however matters go with him on that day or that Shabbos, etc. — after that, he does not confuse his mind about it at all. Whether the conduct of that day was as it should have been or not. And understand. 425. RAK: See above, section 52.