Tools for Growth: Shevet Mussar: Shabbat Humility

There is a man who chooses the attribute of humility, and he dresses himself in shabby clothes, and separates himself from all the pleasures of this world. He fasts and afflicts himself with suffering to achieve purity and humility. King Solomon describes such a man when he said, “Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Proverbs 26:12).” The Torah has already taught, “So you shall live through them (Vayikra 18:5).” (Shevet Mussar, 30:22)

We do not need to separate ourselves from this world in order to achieve you humility. In fact, the holiest day of the week, the Shabbat, is a day on which we benefit from the pleasures of this world. The challenge of Shabbat is to sit at a magnificent table, full of beautiful food, dressed in special clothes, all the while enjoying and partaking with a sense of humility.