does submission depend on good traits or the opposite Is submission secondary to other moral qualities or are other moral qualities secondary to it? I answer this as follows:
It is well known to us, that the first prerequisite for the service of G-d is for one to divest from himself completely the trait of masterhood and leave it to G-d alone and that he accepts on himself all the traits of slavehood to the Creator.
Because slavehood and masterhood are interdependent, one cannot exist without the other, a man cannot be called a slave if he does not have a master, and a master is not fit for this title until he has a slave. Neither one can precede the other whether by title or by relationship, similar to a buyer and a seller.
Hence, a human being's service of G-d can only exist when he assumes all the traits of slavehood, namely submission and humility before Him, shedding from himself all traits of masterhood, namely, self-glory, honor, splendor, pride and the like.
One of the wise men said: "Grandeur is the garment of the Creator. Whoever wishes to come into His presence in this garment will be pushed out. David said: "The L-ord reigns; He is clothed in majesty" (Tehilim 93:1).
PROOF THAT SUBMISSION IS FIRST AND FOREMOST The believer cannot acquire [extra] piety until he [first] discharges his [basic] obligation, as written "Has the L-ord as much desire in burnt offerings and peace-offerings, as in obeying the voice of the L-ord? Behold, obedience is better than a peace-offering" (Shmuel 15:22).
And he cannot succeed in fulfilling the [basic] duty until he undertakes the service of the Creator. And he cannot succeed in undertaking the service of the Creator until he first designates G-d alone with all the traits of masterhood and divests them from himself for His sake. And he cannot succeed in this until he undertakes all the conditions of slavehood.
And he cannot succeed in undertaking the [conditions of] slavehood except through training to submit himself to G-d, and to humble himself and lower himself before Him, as we explained.
Hence, it follows that all moral qualities are secondary to the trait of submission, which is the head and beginning of all of them. And it follows logically from this, that no piety can possibly exist in one whose heart is devoid of submission to G-d or has in it any trace of arrogance or pride.
Therefore the beginning of repentance is lowliness, humility, and submission, as the verse says: "If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, [and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hearken from heaven, and will forgive their sin...]" (Divrei II Hayamim 7:14), and "They have submitted themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance" (Divrei Hayamim II 12:7).
אֲבָל אִם הַכְּנִיעָה סְמוּכָה לַמִּדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת אוֹ הַמִּדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת סְמוּכוֹת לָהּ אוֹמַר בִּתְשׁוּבַת זֶה:
does submission depend on good traits or the opposite
Is submission secondary to other moral qualities or are other moral qualities secondary to it? I answer this as follows:
מִן הַיָּדוּעַ אֶצְלֵנוּ כִּי תְּחִלַּת מָה שֶׁתִּתְקַיֵּם בּוֹ הָעֲבוֹדָה לֵאלֹהִים מִן הָאָדָם הוּא שֶׁיִּתְנַצֵּל לוֹ מִמִּדּוֹת הָאַדְנוּת [וִייַחֵד אוֹתָן לוֹ בִּלְבַד, וְשֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ כָּל מִדּוֹת הָעַבְדוּת לַבּוֹרֵא],
It is well known to us, that the first prerequisite for the service of G-d is for one to divest from himself completely the trait of masterhood and leave it to G-d alone and that he accepts on himself all the traits of slavehood to the Creator.
כִּי [הָעַבְדוּת וְהָאַדְנוּת הֵן] מִשַּׁעַר הַמִּצְטָרֵף אֲשֶׁר תִּתְחַיֵּב מְצִיאַת כָּל אֶחָד בִּמְצִיאַת הָאַחֵר שֶׁהָאָדָם אֵינֶנּוּ רָאוּי לְשֵׁם עֶבֶד עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ אָדוֹן וְהָאָדוֹן לֹא יִהְיֶה רָאוּי לַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עֶבֶד. וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם כְּעִנְיָן הַקּוֹנֶה וְהַקָּנוּי אֵינֶנּוּ קוֹדֵם אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בַּשֵּׁם וּבָעֵרֶךְ.
Because slavehood and masterhood are interdependent, one cannot exist without the other, a man cannot be called a slave if he does not have a master, and a master is not fit for this title until he has a slave. Neither one can precede the other whether by title or by relationship, similar to a buyer and a seller.
וְלֹא תִּתְקַיֵּם הָעֲבוֹדָה מִן הָאָדָם לֵאלֹהִים אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ כָּל מִדּוֹת הָעַבְדוּת וְהֵן הַכְּנִיעָה וְהַשִּׁפְלוּת לְפָנָיו וְשֶׁיִּתְנַצֵּל לוֹ מִכָּל מִדּוֹת הָאַדְנוּת שֶׁהֵן הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַיְּקָר וְהַגֹּבַהּ וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַגָּאוֹן וְהַדּוֹמֶה לָזֶה.
Hence, a human being's service of G-d can only exist when he assumes all the traits of slavehood, namely submission and humility before Him, shedding from himself all traits of masterhood, namely, self-glory, honor, splendor, pride and the like.
וְאָמַר אֶחָד מִן הַחֲכָמִים הַגְּדֻלָּה מַעֲטֵה הַבּוֹרֵא וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִכָּנֵס עָלָיו בְּמַעֲטֵהוּ יַהַדְפֶנּוּ. וְאָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים צב) ה׳ מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ.
One of the wise men said: "Grandeur is the garment of the Creator. Whoever wishes to come into His presence in this garment will be pushed out. David said: "The L-ord reigns; He is clothed in majesty" (Tehilim 93:1).
וְאֵין מִדָּה טוֹבָה לַמַּאֲמִין עַד שֶׁיִּפְרַע הַחוֹבָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (שמואל א ט״ו:כ״ב) הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב,
PROOF THAT SUBMISSION IS FIRST AND FOREMOST
The believer cannot acquire [extra] piety until he [first] discharges his [basic] obligation, as written "Has the L-ord as much desire in burnt offerings and peace-offerings, as in obeying the voice of the L-ord? Behold, obedience is better than a peace-offering" (Shmuel 15:22).
וְלֹא תִּתְקַיֵּם לוֹ הַטּוֹבָה עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא וְיוֹדֶה לוֹ בְּכָל מִדּוֹת הָעַבְדוּת.
And he cannot succeed in fulfilling the [basic] duty until he undertakes the service of the Creator.
And he cannot succeed in undertaking the service of the Creator until he first designates G-d alone with all the traits of masterhood and divests them from himself for His sake.
And he cannot succeed in this until he undertakes all the conditions of slavehood.
וְלֹא תִּתָּכֵן מִמֶּנּוּ הָעַבְדוּת אֶלָּא בְּאֹמֶן כְּנִיעָתוֹ לֵאלֹהִים וְשִׁפְלוּתוֹ וְשַׁחוּתוֹ לְפָנָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְדַּמְנוּ.
And he cannot succeed in undertaking the [conditions of] slavehood except through training to submit himself to G-d, and to humble himself and lower himself before Him, as we explained.
וְזֶה מְחַיֵּב שֶׁתִּהְיֶינָה כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת וְהַחוֹבוֹת סְמוּכוֹת לִכְנִיעָתוֹ וְהִיא רֹאשׁ וּתְחִלָּה לָהֶן, וְהַדִּין נוֹתֵן בַּעֲבוּר זֶה שֶׁלֹּא תִּתָּכֵן מִדָּה טוֹבָה לְמִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ רֵיק מֵהַכְּנִיעָה לֵאלֹהִים וְיֵשׁ בִּלְבָבוֹ מְאוּמָה מִן הַגַּאֲוָה וְהַגְּדֻלָּה.
Hence, it follows that all moral qualities are secondary to the trait of submission, which is the head and beginning of all of them. And it follows logically from this, that no piety can possibly exist in one whose heart is devoid of submission to G-d or has in it any trace of arrogance or pride.
וְכֵן רֹאשׁ הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשִּׁפְלוּת וְהַשַּׁחוּת וְהַכְּנִיעָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ד״ה ב ז) וְיִכָּנְעוּ עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עֲלֵיהֶם וְיִתְפַּלְלוּ וִיבַקְשׁוּ פָנַי וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר (שם יב) נִכְנְעוּ לֹא אַשְׁחִיתֵם:
Therefore the beginning of repentance is lowliness, humility, and submission, as the verse says: "If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, [and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hearken from heaven, and will forgive their sin...]" (Divrei II Hayamim 7:14), and "They have submitted themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance" (Divrei Hayamim II 12:7).