MODESTY One should have a strong sense of humility before God. One should feel ashamed to do anything which would not be in accordance with the will of God, and certainly ashamed of actually sinning, God forbid. Having a sense of humility is the foundation for developing genuine fear of Heaven. A person who has no shame in this world will be put to shame in the World to Come. This is the worst of all punishments. The pain of the feeling of shame in the World to Come is even worse than the bitterest suffering in Gehinnom. Even the Tzaddikim will feel embarrassed before other Tzaddikim who reached higher levels than they themselves. Our Sages said, “Alas for that embarrassment, alas for that shame!” (Bava Bathra 75). They were talking about the shame the Tzaddikim will feel. How much more will sinners be ashamed and confounded. In this world it is impossible to form any conception of the bitterness and suffering which the shame and embarrassment of the World to Come will cause. But someone who develops a true sense of shame in this world acquires the instrument with which to keep himself from sin. He will discover true prayer and joy and inner strength. He will draw close to the Tzaddikim and learn from them how to develop perfect faith (22).
בּוּשָׁה
א. צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם שֶׁיִּתְבַּיֵּשׁ מְאֹד לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת נֶגֶד רְצוֹנוֹ חַ"ו, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֶה חֵטְא וְעָווֹן חַ"ו. וְהַבּוּשָׁה הִיא מַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד, כִּי עִקַּר הַיִּרְאָה הִיא הַבּוּשָׁה. וְאִם לֹא יַמְשִׁיךְ עָלָיו בּוּשָׁה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כַּנַּ"ל, יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁזֶּה קָשֶׁה מִכָּל הָעֹנָשִׁים. כִּי צַעַר הַבּוּשָׁה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא קָשֶׁה מְאֹד מְאֹד, וְהוּא קָשֶׁה יוֹתֵר אֲפִלּוּ מִגֵּיהִנֹּם הַמָּר. וַאֲפִלּוּ כָּל צַדִּיק יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ בִּפְנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ הַגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּמַעֲלָה. וְאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל עַל זֶה: אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִמָּה. מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אֵיךְ יִתְבַּיְּשׁוּ הַחוֹטְאִים חַ"ו, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה גֹּדֶל הַצַּעַר וְהַמְּרִירוּת שֶׁל הַבּוּשָׁה הַזֹּאת בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן. וּכְשֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְבוּשָׁה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְבַל יֶחֱטָא כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לִתְפִלָּה וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְעַזּוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וּלְהִתְקָרֵב וּלְהִכָּלֵל בְּצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וּלְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם אֱמוּנָה בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת: (לק"א סי' כ"ב אות י"א)
MODESTY
One should have a strong sense of humility before God. One should feel ashamed to do anything which would not be in accordance with the will of God, and certainly ashamed of actually sinning, God forbid. Having a sense of humility is the foundation for developing genuine fear of Heaven. A person who has no shame in this world will be put to shame in the World to Come. This is the worst of all punishments. The pain of the feeling of shame in the World to Come is even worse than the bitterest suffering in Gehinnom. Even the Tzaddikim will feel embarrassed before other Tzaddikim who reached higher levels than they themselves. Our Sages said, “Alas for that embarrassment, alas for that shame!” (Bava Bathra 75). They were talking about the shame the Tzaddikim will feel. How much more will sinners be ashamed and confounded. In this world it is impossible to form any conception of the bitterness and suffering which the shame and embarrassment of the World to Come will cause. But someone who develops a true sense of shame in this world acquires the instrument with which to keep himself from sin. He will discover true prayer and joy and inner strength. He will draw close to the Tzaddikim and learn from them how to develop perfect faith (22).