Self Compassion & Authenticity

(11) Overlay it with pure gold—overlay it inside and out—and make upon it a gold molding round about.

The verse states concerning the Ark: “From within and from without you shall cover it” (Exodus 25:11). Rava said: This alludes to the idea that any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside, i.e., whose outward expression of righteousness is insincere, is not to be considered a Torah scholar.

(6) It is forbidden for man to demean himself by the use of the language of flattery and allurement; and he shall not be one thing with his mouth and another with his heart; but his inner and outer being must be the same, for the subject of the heart is the matter of the mouth. And, it is forbidden to steal the mind of people, even the mind of the alien. For example? One shall not sell to an alien meat of a beast that died of itself or that was improperly slaughtered (Nebelah) and represent that it was meat of an animal that was slaughtered properly; or shoes of the hide of a beast that died of itself and represent that it was of a slaughtered beast; one shall not urge his friend to dine with him, when he knows that he would not eat; nor over-burden him with offerings when he knows that he would not accept; nor open a barrel, which he must open for his trade, to talk in his friend that he opened it in his honor, and so other like deceptions. Even one word of allurement and stealing of mind is forbidden. But man must be of true lip, steadfast spirit, and pure heart, free from all travail and clamor.⁵ Hullin, 94a. C.