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Likutei Moharan, Part II

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בְּעִנְיַן הַהַכְנָעָה טוֹעִים הָעוֹלָם הַרְבֵּה

Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012

People are very much mistaken with regard to the issue of meekness.

כִּי הֲלֹא כַּמָּה אָנוּ מְיַגְּעִין עַצְמֵנוּ בַּעֲבוֹדוֹת וּבִתְפִלָּה כְּדֵי לָצֵאת מִמֹּחִין דְּקַטְנוּת לְמֹחִין דְּגַדְלוּת, וְאִם־כֵּן אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַהַכְנָעָה בִּפְשִׁיטוּת, כִּי אִם־כֵּן הוּא נִכְנָס לְקַטְנוּת, וְעַל־כֵּן בְּהֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּזֶה דַּעַת,

Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012

Do we not exhaust ourselves in devotions and prayer in order to go from constricted consciousness to expanded consciousness? That being the case, it is impossible that meekness is meant literally. For if that were so, a person would enter into constricted consciousness. It must therefore be that this involves daat.

וְעַל־כֵּן לָאו כָּל אָדָם יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת עָנָו כָּרָאוּי, רַק מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, הוּא הָיָה עָנָו מִכֹּל הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה (במדבר י״ב:ג׳).

Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012

Consequently, not every person can be properly humble; only Moshe Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, who was “very humble, more so than any other person on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).

וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה קָרְאוּ לַעֲנָוָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּרָאוּי – חֲנֻפָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה מא:) עַל יִרְמְיָה הַנָּבִיא, שֶׁהָיָה עָנָו נֶגֶד הַנְּבִיא־שֶׁקֶר חֲנַנְיָה, וְאָמַר לוֹ בְּהַכְנָעָה: אָמֵן, כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה ה'; וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, עַל זֶה: כָּל הַמַּחֲנִיף וְכוּ' לַסּוֹף נוֹפֵל בְּיַד בְּנוֹ וְכוּ':

Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012

Our Sages, of blessed memory, called improper humility “flattery.” This is as the Sages taught concerning the prophet Yirmiyahu. He displayed humility in the presence of the false prophet Chananiah, and in meekness said to him, “Amen! May God do so!” Our Sages, of blessed memory, said of this: Anyone who flatters [his fellow]… eventually falls into the hand of his son… (Sotah 41b).