In this chapter, Rabbeinu Bachya continues to guide us in our avodah of purifying our intentions for Hashem, exposing the subtle traps of the yetzer hara. When the yetzer hara sees he cannot stop a Yid from serving Hashem with bitachon, he tries a different angle: enticing him with the love of praise, honor, and acquiring a good name in this world.
The yetzer hara will argue that it is proper to reveal one's piety to others so they may learn from these good deeds, promising honor in this world and reward in the next. Rabbeinu Bachya teaches us how to answer this claim with deep yiras Shamayim, showing how seeking human approval only ruins our mitzvos and risks losing our reward in the Olam HaEmes.
וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הָיִיתִי עוֹשֶׂה כְּפִי דַּעְתִּי, הֲיַסְפִּיק הַכֹּל לְהוֹדָאַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה עַל הַקְּטַנָּה שֶׁבְּטוֹבוֹתָיו עָלַי?
And even if I were doing everything within my understanding, would it all suffice to express proper gratitude to the Creator, may He be exalted, for even the smallest of the favors He bestows upon me?
וּמָה הִיא מִדַּת יָמַי בְּמִדַּת יְמֵי הָעוֹלָם? וְכֻלָּם לֹא יַסְפִּיקוּ לְסַפֵּר טוֹבוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא עָלַי, וְאֵיךְ אוּכַל לְשַׁלֵּם מַה שֶׁאֲנִי חַיָּב עֲלֵיהֶם לֵאלֹהִים?
And what is the span of my days compared to the lifespan of the universe? Even if my days equaled the age of the universe, they would not suffice to recount the favors of the Creator upon me, so how could I ever repay what I owe to G-d for them?
וּכְבָר אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיהו מ׳:ו׳): "כָּל הַבָּשָׂר חָצִיר, וְכָל חַסְדּוֹ כְּצִיץ הַשָּׂדֶה"; וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זַ״ל: "אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי? וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי? וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁו, אֵימָתַי?".
And Scripture has already said, "All flesh is grass, and all its kindness is like the flower of the field," and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִתְיָאֵשׁ הַיֵּצֶר מִפַּתּוֹתְךָ בַּפָּנִים הָאֵלֶּה, יִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְפַתּוֹתְךָ מִצַּד אַהֲבַת הַשֶּׁבַח וְהַשֵּׁם טוֹב בעוה״ז, וְיֹאמַר לְךָ:
When the yetzer hara despairs of enticing you in these ways, he will try to entice you through the love of praise and acquiring a good name in this world, and he will say to you:
"שָׂמֵחַ אֲנִי עַל עֲבוֹדָתְךָ לֵאלֹהִים עִם בִּטְחוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב עָלָיו, וַהֲשָׁבָתְךָ כָּל עִנְיָנֶיךָ אֵלָיו, וְשֶׁפִּנִּיתָ לִבְּךָ מִתּוֹעֶלֶת הַבְּרוּאִים מִבַּלְעֲדֵי הַבּוֹרֵא; וְאַתָּה הוּא הַבּוֹטֵחַ בֵּאלֹהִים בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם.
"I rejoice in your service of G-d, along with your excellent trust in Him, your referring of all your affairs to Him, and that you have cleared your heart of seeking benefit from created beings instead of the Creator; you are indeed one who trusts in G-d in truth and with a whole heart.
וְאֵין רָאוּי שֶׁתַּסְתִּיר מִבְּנֵי אָדָם מָה שֶׁאַתָּה עָלָיו מִן הַחֲסִידוּת; אֲבָל הַנָּכוֹן לְךָ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּשַׁלְתָּ בְּעַצְמְךָ וְגָבַרְתָּ עַל תַּאֲוָתְךָ, שֶׁתַּרְאֶה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ לִבְנֵי אָדָם וּתְגַלֶּה לָהֶם לִבְּךָ.
And it is not proper for you to hide the high level of piety you have attained from other people; rather, the correct path for you, since you have mastered yourself and overcome your desires, is to show your deeds to people and reveal your heart to them.
וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ בָּזֶה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כָּבוֹד מֵהֶם, וְזֵכֶר טוֹב וְשֵׁם טוֹב בְּתוֹכָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (שם נו): 'וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמֹתַי יָד וָשֵׁם טוֹב מִבָּנִים וּמִבָּנוֹת', וְאָמַר (שמואל ב ז): 'וְעָשִׂתִי לְךָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל כְּשֵׁם הַגְּדֹלִים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ'.
Through this, you will receive honor from them in this world, and a good remembrance and a good name among them, just as Scripture says, 'And I will give them in My house and within My walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters,' and it says, 'And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.'
וְעוֹד, שֶׁיִּלְמְדוּ מִמַּעֲשֶׂיךָ וְתִהְיֶה נִשְׂכָּר עֲלֵיהֶם; ע״כ אַל תַּסְתִּיר מִמַּעֲשֶׂיךָ אֶלָּא מָה שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְגַלּוֹתוֹ וּלְהַרְאוֹתוֹ לִבְנֵי אָדָם, וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ בָּזֶה כָּבוֹד וְשֵׁם טוֹב בעוה״ז וְהַגְּמוּל הַטּוֹב לעוה״ב".
Furthermore, others will learn from your actions and you will be rewarded for that; therefore, do not hide any of your deeds except those which are impossible to reveal and show to people, and you will thereby have honor and a good name in this world, and a good reward in the World to Come."
הָשֵׁב עָלָיו: וּמָה יוֹעִילֵנִי שֶׁבַח ב״א וְהַשֵּׁם הַטּוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי בְּתוֹכָם, עִם יְדִיעָתִי בְּקִצּוּרִי בְּמָה שֶׁאֲנִי חַיָּב לַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה?
Answer him: "And what benefit will the praise of human beings and the good name I might have among them bring me, when I am fully aware of my shortcomings in what I owe to the Creator, may He be exalted?
וּמָה הֲנָאָתִי בִּכְבוֹדָם וְהִדּוּרָם, וְאֵין לָהֶם יְכֹלֶת לְהוֹעִילֵנִי וְלֹא לִדְחוֹת הַנֶּזֶק מֵעָלַי? וַהֲלֹא הֵם בָּזֶה כְּמוֹ הַצֶּמַח וּבַעֲלֵי חַיִּים שֶׁאֵינָם מְדַבְּרִים!
And what pleasure can I derive from their honor and respect, when they have no power to benefit me or ward off harm from me? Are they not, in this regard, just like plants and mute animals?
וְאוּלַי כְּשֶׁאֶתְכַּוֵּן לָזֶה בְּמַעֲשַׂי, לֹא יִתָּכֵן לִי מֵהֶם הָרָצוֹן הַמְכֻוָּן אֵלָיו, וְיַעֲלֶה בְּדַעְתָּם כִּי אֲנִי חָנֵף בְּמַעֲשֵׂי, וְלֹא אֶהְיֶה רָאוּי אֶצְלָם אֶלָּא לְמֵאוּס וְלִגְנוּת;
And perhaps, if I have this in mind during my actions, I will not even achieve the favor from them that I aimed for; instead, they might realize that I am acting hypocritically, and I will become in their eyes an object of disgust and disgrace.
וְאָז אֶהְיֶה מַפְסִיד מַעֲשַׂי בְּכַוָּנָתִי בָּהֶם בִּלְתִּי הָאֱלֹהִים, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה בְּיָדִי מָה שֶׁקִּוִּיתִי מִבְּנֵי אָדָם בעוה״ז.
Then, I will have ruined my deeds by not dedicating them to G-d, and I will also fail to attain what I had hoped for from people in this world.
וְנֶאֱמַר לְמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד: 'וְהֵיאַךְ לֹא עָרְבָה לְךָ קְרִיאַת פְּלוֹנִי, וְהָיָה קוֹלוֹ עָרֵב וּבָקִי בַּטְּעָמִים שֶׁל קְרִיאָה?'.
It was once said to a certain king, 'How is it that the Torah reading of so-and-so did not please you, when his voice is so sweet and he is so expert in the cantillation notes?'
אָמַר לָהֶם: 'וְהֵיאַךְ תֶּעֱרַב לִי קְרִיאָתוֹ, וְהוּא אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁתֶּעֱרַב לִי וְיִמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינַי בַּעֲבוּרָהּ? אֲבָל אִם הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתוֹ בָּהּ לִרְצוֹן הַבּוֹרֵא בִּלְבַד, הָיְתָה עֲרֵבָה לִי'.
He replied to them, 'How could his reading please me, when he only read it so that it would please me and so that he would find favor in my eyes through it? Had his intention been solely for the sake of the Creator's will, it would indeed have been sweet to me.'
וְכֵן נֹאמַר בְּכָל מִי שֶׁמְּכַוֵּן בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ מֵהַמִּתְפַּלְּלִים בְּצִבּוּר, וּבַעֲלֵי הַחִזּוּן בַּפִּיּוּטִים הַחֲדָשִׁים, לִמְצֹא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם מִבַּלְעֲדֵי הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְקֻבֶּלֶת אֵצֶל הַבּוֹרֵא.
And so we must say regarding anyone among those praying in public, or chazzanim who compose new liturgical poems, whose intention is to find favor in the eyes of men rather than G-d, may He be blessed—their prayer is not accepted by the Creator.
וְתֹאמַר לוֹ עוֹד: שֶׁמָּא אִם יִהְיֶה לִי הַכָּבוֹד בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל מַעֲשַׂי, לֹא יִשָּׁאֵר לִי לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא מִן הַגְּמוּל עָלָיו כְּלוּם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקִּבַּלְתִּיו מְהֵרָה בְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
And say to him further: "Perhaps if I receive honor in this world for my deeds, nothing of my reward will remain for me in the World to Come, because I received it prematurely in this world."
וְאָמְרוּ עַל אֶחָד מִן הַחֲסִידִים שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַשּׁוּק לִקְנוֹת חֵפֶץ, וּבָא לַחֲנוּת אֶחָד מִן הַסּוֹחֲרִים לִקְנוֹתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאָמַר לוֹ שְׁכֵנוֹ: 'וַתֵּר לוֹ וַעֲשֵׂה כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי הוּא מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַיִּרְאָה וְהַתּוֹרָה'.
It is told of one of the pious men who entered the marketplace to buy an item. He came to the shop of one of the merchants to buy it from him, and the merchant's neighbor said to him, 'Give him a discount and do as he wishes, for he is a man of fear of Heaven and Torah.'
אָמַר לוֹ הֶחָסִיד: 'אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לְוִתּוּרְךָ, כִּי לֹא בָּאתִי לִקְנוֹת כִּי אִם בְּמָמוֹנִי, לֹא בְּתוֹרָתִי'; וּמֵאֵן לִקְנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ הַחֵפֶץ, וּבִקְשׁוֹ אֵצֶל זוּלָתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ עִנְיָנוֹ.
The pious man said to him, 'I do not need your discount, for I have only come to buy with my money, not with my Torah.' He refused to buy the item from him, and instead sought it from another merchant who did not know who he was.
וּמָה שֶׁזָּכַרְתָּ מֵעִנְיַן 'וְעָשִׂיתִי לְךָ שֵׁם', הוּא כִּשְׁאָר מַאֲוַיֵּי בְּנֵי אָדָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מֵעֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד, אֲשֶׁר הַבּוֹרֵא מֵטִיב בָּהם לַעֲבָדָיו כְּשֶׁחָכְמָתוֹ מְחַיֶּבֶת לָהֶם זֶה,
And as for what you mentioned regarding the verse, 'And I will make for you a great name,' this is just like other worldly desires of men, such as wealth and honor, which the Creator bestows upon His servants when His wisdom deems it appropriate for them,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים א ג׳:י״ג): 'וְגַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁאַלְתָּ נָתַתִּי לָךְ, גַּם עֹשֶׁר גַּם כָּבוֹד', וּכְתִיב (משלי ג): 'אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ, בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד'.
as it is written, 'And also that which you did not ask for I have given you, both riches and honor,' and it is written, 'Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.'
אֲבָל הַחֲסִידִים אֵין כַּוָּנָתָם בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לְדָבָר מֵהֶם, אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה, שֶׁהוּא מֵטִיב בָּהֶם לְמִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה מֵאַנְשֵׁי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְזוּלָתָם, מַאֲמִינִים וְכוֹפְרִים, כְּפִי שֶׁמְּחַיֶּבֶת חָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ד״ה א כט): 'וְהָעֹשֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד מִלְּפָנֶיךָ'.
But the pious do not intend any of these things in their service; their sole intent is for the sake of the Creator, may He be exalted, Who bestows these things on whomever He wishes among His servants and others, believers and non-believers alike, as His wisdom dictates, as it is said, 'Riches and honor come from before You.'
וּמָה הוּא העוה״ז? אֲפִלּוּ אִם יִפְשֹׁט זִכְרִי בְּכֻלּוֹ, וּמָה מִדַּת יָמַי? וְאִם יֵצֵא בּוֹ שְׁמִי, כ"ש שֶׁזִּכְרִי לֹא יַעֲבֹר בּוֹ חֵלק קָטָן מֵחֶלְקֵי הַיִּשּׁוּב כְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל וְיִפְשֹׁט, וְלֹא יַתְמִיד כִּי אִם זְמַן מוּעָט וְיִשָּׁכַח כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה.
And what is this world? Even if my memory were to spread throughout all of it, what is the measure of my days? And even if my name becomes known, my memory will certainly not reach more than a tiny fraction of the inhabited world, and even then it will not endure but for a short time, and then be forgotten as if it had never been.
וְאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים סב): 'אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם, כָּזָב בְּנֵי אִישׁ' וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמַר (שם קמו): 'תֵּצֵא רוּחוֹ יָשֻׁב לְאַדְמָתוֹ', וְאָמַר (קהלת א׳:י״א): 'אֵין זִכְרוֹן לָרִאשׁוֹנִים'.
And Scripture says, 'Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie...' and it says, 'His breath departs, he returns to his earth,' and it says, 'There is no remembrance of former things.'
אִם כֵּן, טֵרוּד נַפְשִׁי בּוֹ וְכַוָּנָתִי אֵלָיו פְּחִיתוּת נִרְאֶה וְטָעוּת מְגֻנֶּה מִמֶּנִּי.
If so, for me to occupy my soul with this world and to make it my goal is an obvious degradation and a disgraceful error on my part.
וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ עַל אֶחָד מִן הַחֲסִידִים שֶׁאָמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ: 'הֲנִשְׁתַּוֵּיתָ?'. אָמַר לוֹ: 'בְּאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן?'. אָמַר לוֹ: 'נִשְׁתַּוָּה בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַשֶּׁבַח וְהַגְּנוּת?'. א״ל: 'לֹא'. א״ל: 'א״כ עֲדַיִן לֹא הִגַּעְתָּ; הִשְׁתַּדֵּל, אוּלַי תַּגִּיעַ אֶל הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הִיא הָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁבְּמַדְרֵגוֹת הַחֲסִידִים וְתַכְלִית הַחֲמוּדוֹת'.
And they have already told of one of the pious men who asked his friend, 'Have you achieved equality?' He asked him, 'In what matter?' He replied, 'Are praise and insult equal in your eyes?' He said, 'No.' He told him, 'If so, you have not yet arrived. Keep striving, perhaps you will reach this level, for it is the highest of the levels of the pious and the ultimate of desirable traits.'
NoteThis level of 'hishtavus' (equanimity) means a person is so focused on serving Hashem that human praise and criticism affect him exactly the same way—not at all.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִתְיָאֵשׁ הַיֵּצֶר מִפַּתּוֹתְךָ בַּפָּנִים הָאֵלֶּה, יִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְחַבֵּל אֶת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ בְּטֵרוּד לִבְּךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבַאֲנָשָׁיו, וּבְאֹרֶךְ מַאֲוַיֶּיךָ וְשִׁכְחַת קִצְּךָ.
And when the yetzer hara despairs of enticing you in these ways, he will try to ruin your deeds by distracting your heart with this world and its people, and with your extensive desires and your forgetting of your end.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה כִּי אַתָּה רוֹצֶה לְפַנּוֹת אֶת לִבְּךָ לְעוֹלָמְךָ הַבָּא, בִּתְפִלַּת חוֹבָה אוֹ רְשׁוּת, אוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁאַתָּה קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ לוֹמֵד שׁוּם חָכְמָה מֵחָכְמוֹת הָאֱמוּנָה וְהַמּוּסָר, מְבַלְבֵּל אוֹתְךָ וּמַטְרִיד לִבְּךָ בְּדִבְרֵי הָעוֹלָם, בִּסְחוֹרוֹת וּמִקָּח וּמִמְכָּר וְרֶוַח וְהֶפְסֵד.
And when he sees that you wish to clear your heart for your World to Come—whether during obligatory or voluntary prayer, or when you are reading the Torah, or studying some wisdom of faith and mussar—he will confuse you and distract your heart with worldly matters, such as business, buying and selling, profit and loss.
וְיֹאמַר לְךָ אח״כ: 'יֵשׁ לְךָ לְקַבֵּל עֵת הַפְּנַאי הַזֶּה בְּשִׂמְחָה, וּשְׁעַת הַבַּטָּלָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר לֹא תּוּכַל עָלֶיהָ בְּעֵת אַחֶרֶת מִפְּנֵי רְבוֹת הָעֲסָקִים עָלֶיךָ;
And he will say to you then: 'You should welcome this free time with joy, and this hour of leisure which you will not be able to find at any other time due to your many business involvements;
וַחֲשֹׁב עַתָּה עִם שֻׁתָּפְךָ, וּבָרֵר מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ וּמָה שֶׁעָלֶיךָ, וּמָה שֶׁקִּבַּלְתָּ מֵחוֹבוֹתֶיךָ וּמָה שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר לְךָ, וּמָה שֶׁרָאוּי לְךָ לְהִתְעַסֵּק בּוֹ מִסִּבּוֹת הַטְּרָפִים וּמָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְךָ, וּמָה שֶׁקָּדַם מִמַּעֲשֶׂיךָ שֶׁשָּׂמַחְתָּ אוֹ שֶׁנִּתְחָרַטְתָּ עָלָיו;
so think now about your partner, and clarify what is yours and what you owe, what you have collected of your debts and what remains for you, what is proper for you to engage in regarding your livelihood and what is not, and your past actions that you either rejoiced in or regretted;
וְאִם יֵשׁ לְךָ דִּין עִם אָדָם, הַעֲבֵר עַל לִבְּךָ כָּל טַעֲנוֹתָיו וְטַעֲנוֹתֶיךָ, וְכָל מָה שֶׁתּוּכַל לְהִתְחַכֵּם לוֹ בּוֹ בְּעֵת דִּינְךָ עִמּוֹ וּתְנַצְּחֵהוּ;
and if you have a lawsuit with someone, review in your mind all of his arguments and your arguments, and how you can outsmart him during your trial with him so that you will defeat him;
וְכֵן אִם יִהְיֶה לְךָ מָמוֹן, אוֹ צֹאן וּבָקָר, אוֹ אֲדָמָה לִזְרֹעַ, אוֹ עֲבוֹדַת שָׂרִים אוֹ עַם הָאָרֶץ, אוֹ חֶשְׁבּוֹן עִם הַשַּׂר אוֹ עִם עַם הָאָרֶץ, אוֹ אִם יֵשׁ עָלֶיךָ חוֹבוֹת וְאֵינְךָ יָכוֹל לְפָרְעָם, אוֹ אִם יֵשׁ לְךָ חֲבֵרִים שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהַרְגִּישׁ עַל עִנְיָנָם וְלַחְשֹׁב עִם נַפְשְׁךָ עֲלֵיהֶם'.
and likewise if you have money, or sheep and cattle, or land to sow, or service to officials or common people, or an account with an official or a commoner, or if you have debts that you cannot pay, or if you have friends whose affairs you need to look after and think about.'
יַעֲבִיר עַל לִבְּךָ, בְּעֵת שֶׁתִּפְנֶה לַעֲבוֹדַת שָׁמַיִם, אֵיזֶה מִין שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִן הַמִּינִים הָאֵלֶּה, לְהַטְרִידְךָ בּוֹ וּלְהַפְסִיד בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאַתָּה בְּעֵת עֲשׂוֹתוֹ מְזֻמָּן בְּגוּפְךָ וְאֵינְךָ מְזֻמָּן בְּלִבְּךָ וּמַצְפּוּנְךָ;
He will bring to your mind, at the very moment you turn to the service of Heaven, any of these kinds of thoughts to distract you and ruin your deeds, because while you are performing the service, you are present in body but not present in your heart and mind;
וְאִם לֹא יַטְרִידְךָ בְּמָה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ, יַעֲבִיר עַל לִבְּךָ חִידוֹת וּדְבָרִים אֲרֻכִּים.
and if he cannot distract you with what we have mentioned, he will bring riddles and lengthy matters to your mind.
וְאִם יִהְיֶה הָאָדָם מִן הַמְּשַׂחֲקִים בַּקּוּבְיָא אוֹ בִּפְסִיפָסִים וְהַדּוֹמֶה לָהֶם, מַרְאֶה לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא לְפָנָיו, וְחוֹשֵׁב בְּמָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹ לְהַקְדִּים וּלְאַחֵר בּוֹ וְאָפְנֵי הַתַּחְבּוּלָה לְנַצֵּחַ.
And if a person is one of those who play dice or checkers and the like, the yetzer hara makes it appear as if the game is right before him, and he thinks about what moves he needs to make first or last, and the strategies to win.
The chapter outlines the proper response to the yetzer hara's temptation of seeking honor, emphasizing that human praise is worthless since people cannot help or harm us. Rabbeinu Bachya warns that performing mitzvos or leading tefillah to find favor in the eyes of men makes those deeds unacceptable to the Creator, and brings the famous story of the pious man who refused to use his Torah knowledge for a discount in the market. He concludes by explaining that true servants of Hashem do not seek wealth or honor, as this world is fleeting and human recognition quickly fades, urging us to strive for the high level of 'equality' where praise and insult are completely equal in our eyes.
My dear friend, the yetzer hara is incredibly clever. When he sees he cannot stop you from doing a mitzvah or learning Torah, he changes his tactics. He whispers in your ear, "Look how beautifully you are serving Hashem! Let others see your piety so they can learn from you—and you will get a little well-deserved honor, too." This is a dangerous trap. The moment we perform our avodah to find favor in the eyes of people, we ruin the purity of the act. Like the story of the chazan whose beautiful singing was rejected by the king because it was sung only to please human ears, a mitzvah done for social approval loses its sweetness before Hashem.
True yiras Shamayim means striving for "hishtavus"—a state of mind where the praise and the criticism of other people feel exactly the same to you. Why should we care about the fleeting compliments of flesh-and-blood people who cannot truly help or harm us? Like the pious man in the market who refused to use his Torah status to get a discount, we must protect our avodah from being traded for cheap honor in this world. Our relationship with Hashem must remain a private sanctuary, untouched by the desire for a "good name" or social credit.
Today, perform at least one good deed—whether it is a hidden act of tzedakah, a heartfelt tefillah, or a string of words of Torah—completely in private, or intentionally keep it a secret from others, so that it remains a pure, beautiful gift solely between you and the Ribbono shel Olam.