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Sefer HaMiddot, Haughtiness

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א. אֵין מָשִׁיחַ בָּא, עַד שֶׁיִּכְלֶה [כָּל] גַּאֲוָה מִן הָעוֹלָם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Mashiach will come only when {all} haughtiness is eliminated from the world.

ב. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה בָּא לִידֵי תַּאֲוַת מִשְׁכַּב־זָכָר גַּם בָּא לִידֵי כַּעַסף, גַּם לִפְעָמִים אֵין אִשָּׁה מִתְעַבֶּרֶת מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהִיא מְקַשֶּׁטֶת וְהִיא בַּעֲלַת־גַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Pride leads a person to homosexual desires and anger. There are times when a woman cannot become pregnant because she glamorizes herself and is haughty.

ג. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה בָּא רָעָב לָעוֹלָם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Haughtiness brings hunger to the world.

ד. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה בָּא לְשִׁכְרוּת וְהוּא הַדִּין לְהֵפֶךְ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Pride leads a person to drunkenness, and vice versa.

ה. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה בָּא לְפַחַד.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person’s haughtiness causes him to be afraid.

ו. סְגֻלָּה לְבַטֵּל גַּאֲוָה, לִתֵּן צְדָקָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Giving charity is a segulah for eliminating pride.

ז. מִי שֶׁנּוֹהֵג רַבָּנוּת בְּעַל־כָּרְחָם בְּגַאֲוָה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מְעוֹרֵר עָלָיו שֹוֹנְאִים.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

The Holy One incites enemies against a rabbi who haughtily rules over people against their will.

ח. מִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ רָם עָלָיו, יֵדַע שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מַצְלַחַת עָלָיו.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person feels his heart is uplifted, he should know that this is an opportune time for him.

ט. מִי שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעַ לַעֲנִיִּים, יֵשׁ בּוֹ כּחַ בְּהִסְתַּכְּלוּת עַל בַּעֲלֵי־גַאֲוָה לְהַשְׁפִּיל אוֹתָם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

One who saves the poor has the power to humble proud people by [merely] staring at them.

י. מִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בַּשּׁוּק וְנוֹפֵל, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא גַּדְלָן.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person who falls while walking in public clearly is haughty.

יא. סְגֻלָּה לְבַטֵּל גַּאֲוָה, שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּתֵּף בְּצָרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A segulah for eliminating one’s pride is to empathize with the suffering of the Jewish people.

יב. עָנִי שֶׁהָרָשָׁע רוֹדֵף אוֹתוֹ תֵּדַע שֶׁהֶעָנִי הוּא בַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

You should know that when a wicked person persecutes a pauper, it is on account of the poor man’s pride.

יג. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה נוֹפֵל מֵאֱמוּנָתוֹ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person’s pride causes him to fall from his faith.

יד. עַל־יְדֵי גַּאֲוָה נִסְגָּר הַלֵּב וְעֵינֵי הָאָדָם מִלְּהַבִּיט בִּפְלָאוֹת [בִּפְעוּלַת] הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, לְיִרְאָה מִלְּפָנָיו.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Haughtiness prevents one’s heart and eyes from seeing God’s wonders and thus fearing Him.

טו. אֵין לְהִתְגָּאוֹת בְּהַשָּׂגוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת אוֹ בְּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, כִּי הַכּל עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, וְהוּא אֵצֶל הַצַּדִּיק כְּעֵט אֵצֶל סוֹפֵר.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person should not take pride in his intellectual achievements and good deeds, which all stem from the Tzaddik of the generation. He is to the Tzaddik like a pen in the hand of a scribe.

טז. אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה מֵבִיא לְגַאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Eating and drinking lead to haughtiness.

יז. תִּקּוּן לְגַאֲוָה – שֶׁיִּתְעַנֶּה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Pride can be rectified through fasting.

יח. סְגֻלָּה לְגַאֲוָה – שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A segulah for eliminating pride is to gaze at the heavens.

יט. מַבְהִילִין אֶת הָאָדָם בַּחֲלוֹמוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהָסִיר מִמֶּנּוּ גַּאֲוָה שְׁקוּעָה, שֶׁהִוא מְכֻסָּה מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכִּיר בָּהּ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person is sent confusing dreams in order to remove his deep seated haughtiness, which is hidden from him and of which he is unaware.

כ. כָּל הַמִּתְיַהֵר – חָכְמָתוֹ וּנְבוּאָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person is haughty, his wisdom and foresight depart.

כא. דַּל גֵּאֶה – אֵין הַדַּעַת סוֹבְלוֹ. גַּם הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מִתְחָרֵט לְאַחַר זְמַן וְנִבְזֶה בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמוֹ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Reason cannot tolerate the poor person who exhibits pride. He will one day regret his behavior and be ashamed of himself.

כב. אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְגֵאֶה לְהַשְׁפִּיל דַּעְתּוֹ וּבָא לִידֵי שִׁכְחָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A proud person is incapable of humbling his opinions. He will experience forgetfulness.

כג. יָהִיר – בַּעַל־מוּם הוּא.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A haughty person is flawed.

כד. לְפִי צרֶךְ הָעִנְיָן יֵשׁ הֶתֵּר בַּדָּבָר לַעֲשֹוֹת דָּבָר, הַנִּרְאֶה כְּאִלּוּ מִתְגָּאֶה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

There are certain circumstances in which one is permitted to behave in a manner that appears haughty.

כה. מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ גַּסּוּת, לְסוֹף נִכְשָׁל בְּאֵשֶׁת־אִישׁ; וְהוּא כְּעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה; וּכְאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר; וּכְאִלּוּ בָּא עַל עֲרָיוֹת כֻּלָּם; וּכְאִלּוּ בָּנָה בָּמָה; וּמִתְמַעֵט מֵחֲשִׁיבוּתוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ; וְרָאוּי לְגַדְּעוֹ כַּאֲשֵׁרָה; גַּם אֵין עֲפָרוֹ נִנְעֶרֶת; וּשְׁכִינָה מְיַלֶּלֶת עָלָיו.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person’s pride eventually leads him to immoral behavior with another man’s wife. When a person is haughty, it is as if he serves idolatry and denies God’s existence, and as if he engaged in sexual relations with all the women forbidden to him by the Torah. He is likened to one who builds an altar [for unlawful worship]. His importance diminishes and disappears entirely, and it would be right to cut him down like a tree used for idolatry. The Divine Presence laments over him and he will not rise from the dust [at the time of the Resurrection].

כו. הַכּוֹבַע שֶׁל צַדִּיק – סְגֻלָּה לְהָסִיר הַגַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Wearing the Tzaddik’s hat is a segulah for removing pride.

כז. עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה יִהְיֶה לְךָ כּחַ לְשַׁבֵּר אֶת עַצְמְךָ מִגַּאֲוָה, וְתִמְשׁל עַל מִדַּת גַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Having faith will give you the strength to break your pride; you’ll have mastery over the trait of haughtiness.

כח. בַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה – מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אֵין מַצְלִיחִין.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

The plans of a proud person will prove unsuccessful.

כט. כְּשֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לְךָ עֲבֵרָה בְּלִי דַּעַת – בְּוַדַּאי יֵשׁ לְךָ גַּאֲוָה, וּבָזֶה מַרְאִין לְךָ, שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֵין אַתָּה צַדִּיק.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Should you sin unwittingly, you can be sure that you possess pride. This is to show that you are not yet righteous.

ל. כְּשֶׁבָּא לְךָ אֵיזֶה גַּדְלוּת, תִּדְאַג מִפֻּרְעָנוּת.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When you experience some feelings of haughtiness, beware of trouble.

לא. עָנִי שֶׁהוּא שְׁפַל־רוּחַ, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן צְדָקָה, הוּא טוֹב מֵעָשִׁיר בַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A humble pauper, though he does not give charity, is better than a haughty rich man, even if he is generous.

לב. כְּשֶׁנּוֹפֵל לְךָ גַּדְלוּת, תְּצַיֵּר לְפָנֶיךָ דְּמוּת אָבִיךָ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When beset by feelings of pride, picture the image of your father.

לג. גַּאֲוָה הוּא סִימָן עַל שֶׁבֶר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Haughtiness is a portent for disaster, God forbid.

לד. גַּאֲוָה בָּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁלּא תִּקַּנְתָּ חַטַּאת נְעוּרִים.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Pride stems from a person’s not having rectified the sins of his youth.

לה. מִי שֶׁיֵּינוֹ מַחְמִיץ, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When one’s wine ferments, clearly it is because he is haughty.

לו. מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ גַּאֲוָה, מְדוֹרוֹ אֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986
  1. One who is haughty, his dwelling place will not endure.

לז. מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ גַּאֲוָה, אֵין אֲנִי וָהוּא יְכוֹלִין לָדוּר בָּעוֹלָם. וַאֲפִלּוּ רוּחַ קִמְעָא עוֹכַרְתּוֹ; וְאֵין תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת; וְאֵין לוֹ רְפוּאָה; וּבָא לִידֵי עֲנִיּוּת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה; וְאִשְׁתּוֹ מְבַזָּה אוֹתוֹ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

God says of a haughty person: “He and I cannot live together in the world.” Even a small wind causes him trouble. His prayers are not heard and he has no cure. He will be wanting in Torah and even his own wife will disgrace him.

לח. מִי שֶׁמַּלְבִּישׁ אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּמַלְבּוּשׁ שֶׁל תַּלְמִיד־חָכָם וְהוּא אֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד־חָכָם, אֵין מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ בְּמְחִצָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

One who undeservingly wears the mantle of a Torah scholar is not allowed to enter into the sanctum of the Holy One.

לט. גַּאֲוָה מְעַכֶּבֶת אֶת מָשִׁיחַ וּמַטְרִיד אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Haughtiness delays Mashiach and drives a person from the world.

מ. הַפָּסוּק: "אִם יַעֲלֶה לַשָּׁמַיִם שִׂיאוֹ", וְהַפָּסוּק – "כִּי לא לְעוֹלָם חֹסֶן", הֵם מְסֻגָּלִים לְשַׁבֵּר אֶת הַגַּאֲוָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Reciting the verses, “Though his excellence rises to the heavens...” (Job 20:6), and “For riches are not forever...” (Proverbs 27:24), is a segulah for breaking one’s pride.