Lessons on Humility, Holiness and Fearing Hashem
Fear of Sin - Punishment and Loftiness
Ideally, a person should distance himself from sin due to God's loftiness. How can man, God's own handiwork, even consider acting in opposition to the will of his Creator? Such fear, fear of God's loftiness, befits wise and enlightened individuals.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed | 5762
Fear of Sin - Punishment and Loftiness
Ideally, a person should distance himself from sin due to God's loftiness. How can man, God's own handiwork, even consider acting in opposition to the will of his Creator? Such fear, fear of God's loftiness, befits wise and enlightened individuals.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed | Tuesday, 14 Elul 5767
51. Sanctity
Sanctity is the highest rung on the ladder of desired character traits: Torah leads to caution, caution to alacrity, alacrity to cleanliness, cleanliness to abstinence, abstinence to purity, purity to piety, piety to humility, to fear of sin, to sanctity.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed | Monday, 8 Menachem Av 5767
49. The Components of Humility
A person should hate possessing authority but not avoid positions of authority. One should accept such positions with a desire to serve the public, not to control the public. Hence the sages tell us to “love labor and hate authority.”
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed | Sivan 5762
46. Humble and Happy
It is important to realize that a humble person is not miserable and unhappy. Neither is a conceited person happy and blissful. To the contrary, it is humility that brings happiness and bliss, while pride leads a person to misery and discontent.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
