In this chapter, the Chovos HaLevavos guides us through the practical application of submission, outlining the seven specific areas of life where a person is obligated to conduct himself with genuine lowliness and humility. The author shows us how this middah must penetrate our daily interactions with other people, our attitude toward Torah scholars, and our inner response to both praise and criticism from others.
We also learn how a Yid must humble himself when Hashem bestows material wealth upon him, recognizing the immense responsibility that comes with it. The chapter further details how submission is demanded when we learn the words of the Torah and Nevi'im, and even when we are actively engaged in performing mitzvos, ensuring that our avodah remains pure and free from any touch of pride.
אֲבָל בְּאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן חַיָּב לְהִתְנַהֵג בִּכְנִיעָה וּבְשִׁפְלוּת?
But in what matters is a person obligated to conduct himself with submission and lowliness?
אוֹמַר, כִּי הַכְּנִיעָה חַיָּב אָדָם לְהִתְנַהֵג בָּהּ בְּשִׁבְעָה עִנְיָנִים.
I say that a person is obligated to conduct himself with submission in seven distinct areas.
אֶחָד: בְּמַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ עִם אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרוֹ, וּבַמִּנְהָג הַטּוֹב עִם בְּנֵי מִינוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בְּמָה שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לְדַבֵּר בּוֹ; וּבוֹ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "נִבְזֶה בְעֵינָיו נִמְאָס".
First: In his business dealings with the people of his generation, and in proper, ethical conduct with his fellow human beings, as I will explain in what I am destined to discuss later; and regarding this, the verse says, "Despised and disgraceful is he in his own eyes."
וְהַשֵּׁנִי: כְּשֶׁיִּפְגַּע חֲכָמִים בְּדַעַת אֱלֹהִים וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ, וְהַחֲסִידִים הַקְּרוֹבִים אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, כְּמוֹ שנא׳: "יֶהֶלְמֵנִי צַדִּיק חֶסֶד וְיוֹכִיחֵנִי", וְאָמַר: "שַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טוֹבִים".
Second: When he meets sages who are wise in the knowledge of Hashem and His Torah, or pious men who are close to Hashem, as it is written, "Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me," and it says, "The evil bow before the good."
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי: כְּשֶׁיְּשַׁבְּחוּהוּ בְּמִדּוֹתָיו הַטּוֹבוֹת, חַיָּב לְהִכָּנַע, וְיַעֲבִיר עַל לִבּוֹ מָה שֶׁקָּדְמוּ לוֹ מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת וְהַחֲטָאִים אֲשֶׁר הַבּוֹרֵא יוֹדְעָם וְכִסָּה אוֹתָם עָלָיו וְהֶאֱרִיךְ לוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּשׁוּב מֵהֶם.
Third: When people praise him for his good character traits, he is obligated to humble himself and bring to mind his past sins and transgressions, which the Creator knows about but has hidden from others, showing him patience so that he may repent of them.
וְאַל יִשְׂמַח בְּטָעוּת בְּנֵי אָדָם בּוֹ, אַךְ יֶאֱבַל בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה יוֹדֵעַ בֶּאֱמֶת רֹעַ מַעֲלָלָיו וְהִתְעַלְּמוּתוֹ מִפְּרֹעַ חוֹבוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים וּגְמוּל טוֹבָתוֹ, וְיִכָּנַע בְּלִבּוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: "כִּי עֲוֹנִי אַגִּיד, אֶדְאַג מֵחַטָּאתִי".
He should not rejoice that people are mistaken about his true spiritual standing; rather, he should mourn because the Creator, Exalted be He, knows the absolute truth of his bad deeds and how he has neglected to pay his debts of service to Hashem and show gratitude for His goodness, and he should submit in his heart, as the verse says, "For I will declare my iniquity; I will be anxious because of my sin."
וְהָרְבִיעִי: כְּשֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים בִּגְנוּתוֹ, יִכָּנַע לַבּוֹרֵא וְיוֹדֶה לוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר גִּלָּה לוֹ מְעַט מֵהַרְבֵּה לְיַסְּרוֹ וּלְהוֹכִיחוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֵלָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: "וַיִּגֶל אָזְנָם לַמוּסָר".
Fourth: When people speak disparagingly of him, he should submit himself to the Creator and thank Him for revealing to him a tiny fraction of his many faults to chasten and rebuke him, so that he will return to Him in teshuvah, as it says, "He opens their ear to discipline."
וְהַחֲמִישִׁי: כְּשֶׁמֵּטִיב לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּמִינֵי הַטּוֹבוֹת, יִכָּנַע לָאֵל מִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד מַשָּׂא חוֹבַת הַהוֹדָאָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיִשָּׁפֵל לְפָנָיו מִיִּרְאָתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶינָה לִנְקָמָה מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי רֹב הַמָּמוֹן בָּעוֹלָם יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָד מִג׳ דְּבָרִים: לְטוֹבָה מֵאֵת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ, אוֹ לְנִסָּיוֹן וּמִבְחָן, אוֹ לִנְקָמָה וּמִכְשׁוֹל.
Fifth: When the Creator bestows various kinds of goodness upon him in this world, he must humble himself before Hashem because of the heavy burden of gratitude he owes for them, and lower himself before Him out of fear that perhaps these blessings are actually a form of retribution. For an abundance of wealth in this world is granted for one of three reasons: as a genuine benefit from the Creator, Blessed be He; as a trial and test; or as retribution and a stumbling block.
וְסִימַן הַטּוֹבָה: שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּעָלֶיהָ טָרוּד בְּקִיּוּם חוֹבוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא מֵהִתְעַסֵּק בָּהּ, וְתִהְיֶה סִבָּה לְהוֹסִיף בַּמַּעֲשֶׂה לֵאלֹהִים, וְלֹא יָשִׂים לִבּוֹ לַטּוֹבָה הַהִיא וְלֹא יִבְטַח עָלֶיהָ וְיוֹצִיאָהּ בְּחוֹבוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא.
The sign that wealth is a genuine benefit is that its owner is more occupied with fulfilling his duties to the Creator than with managing the wealth itself, it serves as a catalyst for him to increase his service to Hashem, and he does not set his heart on this physical benefit or trust in it, but rather spends it on fulfilling his obligations to the Creator.
דּוֹמֶה לְמַה שֶׁמְּסַפֵּר אִיּוֹב מִמִּנְהָגוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, וְהֵיאַךְ הָיָה מוֹצִיאוֹ בְּחוֹבוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא, וְאָמַר בְּמִעוּט בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בּוֹ: "אִם שַׂמְתִּי זָהָב כִּסְלִי, וְלַכֶּתֶם אָמַרְתִּי מִבְטַחִי".
This is similar to what Iyov relates regarding his conduct with his wealth—how he would spend it on his duties to the Creator, and how little trust he placed in it, saying, "If I made gold my hope, or said to fine gold, 'You are my security.'"
וְסִימַן הַנִּסָּיוֹן וְהַמִּבְחָן: שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בַּעַל הַמָּמוֹן טָרוּד בְּהַרְגָּשָׁתוֹ עַל שְׁמִירַת מָמוֹנוֹ וּלְהוֹסִיף עָלָיו וּלְפַחֵד עָלָיו מִן הַפְּגָעִים, מִקִּיּוּם מָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב מֵהוֹדָאַת הַבּוֹרֵא עָלָיו, וּבְעָלָיו מְנֻסֶּה בּוֹ.
The sign that wealth is a trial and a test is that the owner of the wealth is constantly preoccupied with guarding his money, increasing it, and worrying about potential losses, rather than fulfilling his obligation of gratitude to the Creator for it, meaning the owner is being tested by it.
אֵין לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא אֹרֶךְ הַדְּאָגָה בַּעֲבוּרוֹ וּשְׁמִירָתוֹ, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּא עָלָיו לִידֵי חֶשְׁבּוֹן; וּבִכְמוֹתוֹ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "כִּי כָל יָמָיו מַכְאֹבִים וְגוֹ׳".
He gets nothing from it but endless worry over its preservation and guarding, and yet he will still be held accountable for it in the future; of such a person the verse says, "For all his days are painful, and his occupation is vexation..."
וְסִימַן הַנְּקָמָה: שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בַּעַל הַמָּמוֹן טָרוּד בַּתַּעֲנוּג בּוֹ וּבַהֲנָאָה, מִפְּרֹעַ חוֹבוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא וְחוֹבוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב מִמֶּנּוּ, וְשָׁכַח בַּעַל הַטּוֹבָה, וְלֹא יַרְגִּישׁ בְּמָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב עָלֶיהָ מֵהָעֲבוֹדָה, כמ״ש הַכָּתוּב: "וְהִנֵּה שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה, הָרֹג בָּקָר וְשָׁחֹט צֹאן וְגוֹ׳", וְאָמַר: "וְהָיָה כִנּוֹר וָנֶבֶל תֹּף וְחָלִיל וָיַיִן מִשְׁתֵּיהֶם וְגוֹ׳".
The sign that wealth is a form of retribution is that the owner of the wealth is entirely preoccupied with indulging in physical pleasures and enjoying his money, neglecting his duties to the Creator and his obligations to his fellow men that he owes because of this wealth; he forgets the Benefactor and does not feel his obligation of avodah, as the verse says, "And behold, joy and gladness, slaying cattle and slaughtering sheep..." and it says, "And the harp and the lyre, the tambourine and the flute, and wine are at their feasts..."
וְזֹאת הִיא הַנְּקָמָה בִּדְמוּת הַטּוֹבָה.
And this is indeed retribution disguised as a benefit.
וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל, כְּשֶׁתָּבוֹא לוֹ טוֹבָה וְהָעוֹלָם מְקֻבָּל כְּחֶפְצוֹ בְּכָל עִנְיָנָיו, יִכָּנַע מִיִּרְאָתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה נְקָמָה מֵאֵת הַבּוֹרֵא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "עֹשֶׁר שָׁמוּר לִבְעָלָיו לְרָעָתוֹ".
But the wise person, when good fortune comes to him and the world goes smoothly according to his desires in all his affairs, will humble himself out of fear that perhaps this wealth is a form of retribution from the Creator, as it is written, "Riches kept by their owner to his own hurt."
וְהַשִּׁשִּׁי: כְּשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְסִפְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים וְרוֹאֶה הַגְּמוּל וְהָעֹנֶשׁ, וְיוֹדֵעַ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כִּי קִצֵּר בְּחוֹבוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים, הִתְחַיֵּב לְהִכָּנַע וּלְהִשָּׁפֵל לִפְנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ מִיִּרְאָתוֹ אֶת עָנְשׁוֹ, כמ״ש בְּיֹאשִׁיָּהוּ: "וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת דִּבְרֵי סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת בְּגָדָיו".
Sixth: When he reads the Torah and the books of the Prophets and sees the rewards and punishments, and knows in his soul that he has fallen short in his duties to Hashem, he is obligated to submit and lower himself before the Creator, Blessed be He, out of fear of His punishment, as we find written concerning Yoshiyahu: "And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Torah, that he rent his clothes."
וְאָמַר לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא: "יַעַן רַךְ לְבָבְךָ וַתִּכָּנַע מִפְּנֵי ה׳".
And the Creator said to him, "Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Hashem..."
וְהַשְּׁבִיעִי: כְּשֶׁהוּא מִתְעַסֵּק בְּמַעֲשֶׂה מִמַּעֲשֶׂה הָעֲבוֹדָה, כִּצְדָקָה וּתְפִלָּה אוֹ מִצְוָה אוֹ רְשׁוּת אוֹ תּוֹכָחָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַסֵּק בּוֹ וּבִלְבָבוֹ שׁוּם גֵּאָה וְגֹבַהּ, אֲבָל יִכָּנַע וְיִשְׁפַּל לִפְנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא בְּנִגְלֵהוּ וּבְנִסְתָּרוֹ.
Seventh: When he is engaged in any act of divine service, such as giving tzedakah, praying, performing a mitzvah, dealing with permitted mundane matters, or giving rebuke, he must not engage in it with any pride or haughtiness in his heart; rather, he must submit and lower himself before the Creator, both outwardly and inwardly.
NoteThe word "רְשׁוּת" (permitted/optional matters) refers to everyday physical actions, like eating or sleeping, which a person elevates by doing them for the sake of Heaven (leshem Shamayim).
וְאַל יַחְשְׁבֵהוּ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לִמְאוּמָה אֵצֶל גֹּדֶל מָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בּוֹ לֵאלֹהִים מִכִּפְלֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא, כמ״ש: "בַּמָּה אֲקַדֵּם ה׳, אִכַּף לֵאלֹהֵי מָרוֹם? הֲיִרְצֶה ה׳ בְּאַלְפֵי אֵילִים וְגוֹ׳? הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם מַה טּוֹב וְגוֹ׳".
He should not consider his deed as anything of significance in his own mind when compared to the immense debt of service he owes to Hashem, which is many times greater than that single deed, as it is written: "With what shall I come before Hashem, and bow myself before the High G-d? Will Hashem be pleased with thousands of rams...? He has told you, O man, what is good..."
The chapter details the seven areas of required submission: first, in business and social dealings with our fellow men; second, when encountering Torah scholars and pious men; third, when receiving praise, by remembering our hidden shortcomings; fourth, when facing criticism, by accepting it as a wake-up call from Hashem; fifth, when blessed with wealth, which requires deep humility and self-examination to determine if the riches are a true benefit, a trial, or a dangerous retribution; sixth, when learning the rebukes and punishments in the Torah; and seventh, when performing mitzvos and acts of service, which must always be done with an inward and outward lowliness before the Creator.
My dear friend, the Chovos HaLevavos is teaching us a profound secret about how to live with true emunah. We often think that humility is something we only practice when we feel low, but the Rabbeinu Bachya reveals that the ultimate test of a Yid's submission to Hashem actually happens when things are going beautifully. When people praise you, or when Hashem sends you success, wealth, and comfort, that is the exact moment to bend your head in deep, genuine humility.
Think about how easy it is to let our hearts swell when we are praised or when our pockets are full. The yetzer hara whispers that we earned this, or that we are truly as righteous as people think we are. But the Chovos HaLevavos warns us that worldly success can be a test, or G-d forbid, a distraction that distances us from our Creator. The truly wise person looks at their blessings and feels an overwhelming weight of gratitude, thinking, "Hashem has covered my shortcomings and showered me with kindness, how can I use this to serve Him even more?"
When you receive a compliment today or experience a moment of success, do not let it feed your ego. Instead, quietly whisper a thank you to Hashem, acknowledge that He is the source of this blessing, and immediately look for one small way to use that positive energy to do a chesed or learn a word of Torah.