A person is obligated to say, “How can I do things for Hashem, and bend myself before the G-d of the height, for He has increased His goodness over me and favoured me with some knowledge, and helped me to perform goodness more than other people! This is a tremendous kindness which is worth more than all of the life in this world and the next. I am very small before all of the kindnesses and all of the truth. Whatever I do, I will not be able to fulfil my obligations in return for this kindness alone!”. This was the reason why our teacher Moshe was the humblest of all men.
A person should also reflect constantly about his sins and say, “Why should I enjoy receiving the honor that they give me because they do not really know me? I know my own iniquities, and if my neighbors would even smell a little of my sins they would keep far away from me and my borders. This is also one of the great kindnesses that Hashem has done for me and it is called “covering sins”.” In this orphaned generation, a person who is knowledgeable will easily understand his insignificance, lack of value, shortness of understanding, and his lack of service of Hashem as he has not performed even one thousandth of that which is incumbent on him. So shall he do constantly; a living person should regularly think about these and other thoughts which cause his heart to be humble.
He must especially be humble at a time when others are honoring him, as his evil inclination will persuade him with double force at this time so that he should enjoy the honor and seek greatness and desire honor. He should then immediately strengthen himself and find himself a place of refuge with pure thoughts, and he should also say pure and holy sayings with his mouth.
