וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֗ב בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּטַל֙ מֵאֵ֣ת ה' כִּרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵ֑שֶׂב אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יְקַוֶּה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְלֹ֥א יְיַחֵ֖ל לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ וְהָיָה֩ שְׁאֵרִ֨ית יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּאַרְיֵה֙ בְּבַהֲמ֣וֹת יַ֔עַר כִּכְפִ֖יר בְּעֶדְרֵי צֹ֑אן אֲשֶׁ֧ר אִם עָבַ֛ר וְרָמַ֥ס וְטָרַ֖ף וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃ תָּרֹ֥ם יָדְךָ֖ עַל־צָרֶ֑יךָ וְכָל־אֹיְבֶ֖יךָ יִכָּרֵֽתוּ׃ (פ) וְהָיָ֤ה בַיּוֹם־הַהוּא֙ נְאֻם־ה' וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י סוּסֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֖י מַרְכְּבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י עָרֵ֣י אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהָרַסְתִּ֖י כָּל־מִבְצָרֶֽיךָ׃ וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י כְשָׁפִ֖ים מִיָּדֶ֑ךָ וּֽמְעוֹנְנִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִֽהְיוּ־לָֽךְ׃ וְהִכְרַתִּ֧י פְסִילֶ֛יךָ וּמַצֵּבוֹתֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדֶֽיךָ׃ וְנָתַשְׁתִּ֥י אֲשֵׁירֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י עָרֶֽיךָ׃ וְעָשִׂ֜יתִי בְּאַ֧ף וּבְחֵמָ֛ה נָקָ֖ם אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ (ס) שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֕א אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֹמֵ֑ר ק֚וּם רִ֣יב אֶת־הֶהָרִ֔ים וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה הַגְּבָע֖וֹת קוֹלֶֽךָ׃ שִׁמְע֤וּ הָרִים֙ אֶת־רִ֣יב ה' וְהָאֵתָנִ֖ים מֹ֣סְדֵי אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י רִ֤יב לַֽה' עִם־עַמּ֔וֹ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִתְוַכָּֽח׃ עַמִּ֛י מֶה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי לְךָ֖ וּמָ֣ה הֶלְאֵתִ֑יךָ עֲנֵ֥ה בִּֽי׃ כִּ֤י הֶעֱלִתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים פְּדִיתִ֑יךָ וָאֶשְׁלַ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה אַהֲרֹ֥ן וּמִרְיָֽם׃ עַמִּ֗י זְכָר־נָא֙ מַה־יָּעַ֗ץ בָּלָק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וּמֶה־עָנָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר מִן־הַשִּׁטִּים֙ עַד־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל לְמַ֕עַן דַּ֖עַת צִדְק֥וֹת ה'׃ בַּמָּה֙ אֲקַדֵּ֣ם ה' אִכַּ֖ף לֵאלֹקֵ֣י מָר֑וֹם הַאֲקַדְּמֶ֣נּוּ בְעוֹל֔וֹת בַּעֲגָלִ֖ים בְּנֵ֥י שָׁנָֽה׃ הֲיִרְצֶ֤ה ה' בְּאַלְפֵ֣י אֵילִ֔ים בְּרִֽבְב֖וֹת נַֽחֲלֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הַאֶתֵּ֤ן בְּכוֹרִי֙ פִּשְׁעִ֔י פְּרִ֥י בִטְנִ֖י חַטַּ֥את נַפְשִֽׁי׃ הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־ה' דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (פ)
The remnant of Jacob shall be, In the midst of the many peoples, Like dew from the LORD, Like droplets on grass— Which do not look to any man Nor place their hope in mortals. The remnant of Jacob Shall be among the nations, In the midst of the many peoples, Like a lion among beasts of the wild, Like a fierce lion among flocks of sheep, Which tramples wherever it goes And rends, with none to deliver. Your hand shall prevail over your foes, And all your enemies shall be cut down! In that day —declares the LORD— I will destroy the horses in your midst And wreck your chariots. I will destroy the cities of your land And demolish all your fortresses. I will destroy the sorcery you practice, And you shall have no more soothsayers. I will destroy your idols And the sacred pillars in your midst; And no more shall you bow down To the work of your hands. I will tear down the sacred posts in your midst And destroy your cities. In anger and wrath Will I wreak retribution On the nations that have not obeyed. Hear what the LORD is saying: Come, present [My] case before the mountains, And let the hills hear you pleading. Hear, you mountains, the case of the LORD— You firm foundations of the earth! For the LORD has a case against His people, He has a suit against Israel. “My people! What wrong have I done you? What hardship have I caused you? Testify against Me. In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. “My people, Remember what Balak king of Moab Plotted against you, And how Balaam son of Beor Responded to him. [Recall your passage] From Shittim to Gilgal— And you will recognize The gracious acts of the LORD.” With what shall I approach the LORD, Do homage to God on high? Shall I approach Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, With myriads of streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, The fruit of my body for my sins? “He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God;
Hif. - הִצְנִיעַ to withdraw (from use); to reserve, hide. Sabb. X, 1 המַצְנִיעַ לזרע וכ׳ if a person had laid aside something for seed, or for a sample, or for medicinal purposes, and takes it out into the street &c. Ib. 90ᵇ שהִצְנִיעוֹ ושכח וכ׳ if he had laid it aside, but forgot for what purpose &c. Ib. 91ᵃ כל … להַצְנִיעוֹ ואין מַצְנִיעִין וכ׳ a thing not fit for reservation, or of the kind not usually reserved, but this person considered it fit &c. Num. R. s. 1 מַצְנַעַת עצמה keeps herself in retirement (chastity). Num. R. s. 20 הִצְנִיעוּ עצמן contained themselves (remained chaste); a. e.—Part. pass. מוּצְנָע; f. מוּצְנַעַת &c. Ter. VIII, 8 מקום המ׳ a retired (well-guarded and clean) place; Bekh. 33ᵇ, a. e.—Gen. R. s. 94; Cant. R. to I, 12 (ref. to Ex. XXXV, 24) מלמד שהיו מ׳ וכ׳ this shows that acacia wood was kept by them in reserve from the days of Jacob; a. e.—Gen. R. s. 1 (ref. to אמון, Prov. VIII, 30) אמון מוצנע amon (= amun) means well cared for (by ref. to אֹמֵן, Esth. II, 7).
Pi. - צִינֵּעַ to restrain. Y. Bets. V, 63ᵃ מי הוא זה שבא לצַנְּעֵינוּ וכ׳ who is he that comes to put us under restrictions in our own house?
והיינו דא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (מיכה ו, ח) הגיד לך אדם מה טוב ומה ה' דורש ממך כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלקיך. עשות משפט זה הדין. ואהבת חסד זו גמילות חסדים. והצנע לכת עם אלקיך זו הוצאת המת והכנסת כלה לחופה. והלא דברים ק"ו? ומה דברים שדרכן לעשותן בפרהסיא-- אמרה תורה הצנע לכת דברים שדרכן לעשותן בצנעא על אחת כמה וכמה.
Honor/Pride:
A Hasidic tale tells of a man who came to the Zaddik with a complaint. “All my life,” he said, “I have tried to follow the advice of the rabbis that one who runs away from fame will find that fame pursues him, and yet while I run away from fame, fame never seems to pursue me.” The Zaddik replied: “The trouble is that while you do run away from fame you are always looking over your shoulder to see if fame is chasing after you.”
רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי קִבֵּל מֵהִלֵּל וּמִשַּׁמָּאי. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, אַל תַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמְךָ, כִּי לְכָךְ נוֹצָרְתָּ.
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received [the tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have learned a lot of Torah, do not credit it favorably for yourself, because for this you were created.
Self-Deprecation:
Shimon, his son, says, "All my days I grew up among the Sages, and I did not find anything good for the body except silence. And the exposition [of Torah] is not what is essential, but the action. And whoever increases words brings sin."
Ramban in a Letter to his son: “I shall explain how you should become accustomed to the practice of humility in your daily life. Let your voice be gentle, and your head bowed. Let your eyes be turned earthwards and your heart heavenwards. When you speak to someone do not look him in the face. Let every man seem superior to you in your own eyes. If he is wise or rich you have reason to respect him. If he is poor and you are richer or wiser than he, think to yourself that you are therefore all the more unworthy and he all the less, for if you sin you do so intentionally whereas he only sins unintentionally.”
Decency:
רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מְמַעֵט בְּעֵסֶק, וַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה. וֶהֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ בִּפְנֵי כָל אָדָם. וְאִם בָּטַלְתָּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, יֶשׁ לְךָ בְטֵלִים הַרְבֵּה כְנֶגְדָּךְ. וְאִם עָמַלְתָּ בַתּוֹרָה, יֶשׁ לוֹ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה לִתֶּן לָךְ:
In relation to God:
Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99). Who is the mighty one? He who conquers his impulse, as it says, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person and the ruler of his spirit than the conqueror of a city." (Proverbs 16:32). Who is the rich one? He who is happy with his lot, as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come. Who is honored? He who honors the created beings, as it says, "For those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me will be held in little esteem" (I Samuel 2:30).
ותשובות כל אלו השאלות. כי העובד מיראה שני מינים. הא' שיעבוד הש"י כדי שישיגנו הגמול וייטיב הש"י לו בעוה"ז ובעוה"ב. ומאשר ירא לנפשו פן ישיגנו הש"י על עבירות בעולם הזה באבדן הבנים וכליון הממון וזולתו מן הרעות. סוף דבר לא יעשה המצות ולא ירחיק העבירות רק לתועלתו ולחמלתו על נפשו ועל גופו. וזהו שאמר עליו פרוש מאהבה פרוש מיראה, או שהוא מכלל העוסקים במצות שלא לשמן והחלק הב' שתקבל הנפש זכרון רוממותו ית' וגבורותיו ונפלאותיו. והזכרון והידיעה הזאת יהיו מקובלים בנפש ומצויים בה בכל עת, ונעצרים וחרותים בלב. ושיקבל הנפש בזה מורא גדול ובושה וצניעות מצויים בה בכל עת, ויהיה דבר נמנע לנפש לעבור את פי ה' כאשר ירא העבד את רבו והבן את אביו גם כי יודע אליו שלא יגיענו עונש בבטול מצותו.
The answer to all of these questions is that those who serve out of fear are of two types. The first type serves the Blessed One for reward, so that He bestow good upon him in this world and the next, and out of fear that the Blessed One will punish him for his transgressions in this world with loss of his children or of his wealth or with other evils. In sum, he performs mitzvoth and pushes aside transgressions only for his own benefit, out of compassion for his soul and his body. This is the type referred to as "a porush out of love and a porush out of fear" or as being in the category of those who perform mitzvoth shelo lishmah. The second type of service out of fear is that in which the soul is impressed by the exaltedness, and might, and wonders of the Blessed One, this impression being absorbed by the soul and being constantly immanent within it and assimilated by and inscribed in the heart. In this type, the soul is invested with great fear; humility and modesty constantly pervade it, and it is impossible for it to transgress the word of the L-rd. This type of fear can be compared to that of a servant for his master or of a son for his father, obtaining, as it does, even when it is known that violation of the command will not result in punishment.