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Concerning the root of humility, one must remove oneself from a situation involving high office and honor, and let him not include himself with other individuals. How so? If he was before his teacher and he remembered a question or some query that he posed or some answer that he supplied, let him not say to his teacher or his friend, “So have I answered, so have I asked,” but “So have you asked,” in order that his heart may not be gratified.1Rashi, Shabbath 30b. Also let him give his teacher or friend the honor and not himself. For such do we find with Moses, when he said to Joshua, “Choose us our men” (Exod. 17:9).2Mekilta, ed. Jacob Z. Lauterbach (3 Vols.; Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1933-1935), Exodus II, 140. From this Rabbi Gamaliel derived and wrote, “The matter pleases me and my colleagues.”3Sanhedrin 11b. And it is also written that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isa. 6:8). From this the Torah indicated the path of humility for scholars. If you question why it is written, “Whom shall I send,” and it is not written “Shall we send,” the answer is: let it not be said that there are two powers governing the universe.4Sanhedrin 38b. And he should mention his friend’s name before his own in all matters, in French, “vous et moi,” and let him not say “moi et vous.” Thus the Schools of Hillel and Shammai were wont to do. In relating the opinions of both each one mentioned the other’s reason before indicating its own,5Erubin 13b. even in worldly matters.6Let him show respect to others. And when he sits in council and knows both question and a good answer, let him not jump to speak until he sees that it will not occur to others, then may he speak.7Aboth 1:17. And when he hears his friend speaking of a certain matter and he knows of it, likewise let him not leap and interrupt his friend’s remarks, saying, “I know about it”; rather let him be silent and hear him out.8Aboth 5:10. For there will be many instances wherein he will hear explanations that he did not hear previously. Moreover what profit is there to glory in the matter saying, “I know as well as you do.” The end of the matter is that in every way that one is able to diminish his own honor in order to magnify the honor of those that fear God let him do so, as it is written, “In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord” (Ps. 15:4). And if he sees that others pride themselves through humility resulting in his own embarrassment, let him listen to them. For example, if they are greater than he is and they do not wish to walk before him, i.e., they say, “We are also humble,” and because of this he is embarrassed in that he must walk before them; he is exposed to embarrassment because they urge him to walk in front and he grieves lest they say of him, “How impudent this one is who goes before us, it is we who are greater than he, and see how he magnifies himself because of it,” and in this they pride themselves. In spite of this he should bear the embarrassment in order to respect them, and it will be regarded as a sin and transgression on their part in that they honor themselves at the expense of his embarrassment Let him not honor his friend in a way that causes him embarrassment. For example, he (his friend) is customarily called by name, but he calls him “teacher,” and he (his friend) is embarrassed by this, in that he feels mocked and ridiculed.9Gittin 56a. (When studying with two teachers) Let him not praise one in the presence of the other10Pesahim 100a. nor praise his teacher’s teacher in his teacher’s presence, that he should say to his teacher, “So and so your teacher,11Rashi, Ketuboth 69a. etc….” Here is a case where students spoke to their teacher Rabbi Eliezer concerning Rabbi Eliezer’s teacher Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai, saying, “Your colleagues have already been polled concerning you and have permitted it.”12Betzah 5b. Although a person should not profit from his humility,13Sotah 22b. as has already been stated; one should not extoll his own humility since it is written, “Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth” (Prov. 27:2), however if he wishes to praise himself to his students and friends in order that they learn from his ways, he may praise himself, as David stated, “And I was single-hearted with Him” (Ps. 18:22), “For I have kept the ways of the Lord.” And so do we find a scholar who related to his students his good deeds for which he achieved longevity.14Megillah 28a. Let a man not stand in a place where he is being praised,15Aboth of Rabbi Nathan, ed. Schechter, version A, Chapter XXXIX, p. 87. for it is impossible that he should not profit thereof. All the good deeds that a man might perform, are as a dish without salt if he be lacking in humility.16Berakoth 34a. And all humility which has not in it fear of heaven is as victuals without seasoning. This world compares to the world to come as sleeping to wakefulness. In a dream one is not ashamed. For if one were ashamed, imaginings such as, for example, that he is sleeping with a woman and playing with her would not occur to him. He would not do things (in his dream) that he would be ashamed of if they were done while awake. The reason is that dreams come as a result of imaginings.17Ibid., 55b. If a man entertains impure thoughts he is not ashamed of them (his impure fancies), because (he realizes) that a man does not know or have an understanding of what his neighbor imagines in his heart, (for this reason) therefore he is not embarrassed during his dream. He who is God-fearing with all his heart and because of fear of his Creator does not imagine evil things when awake, will also never be visited with evil imaginings in his dreams.18Ketuboth 46a. And so did Ezekiel (4:14) say, “My soul hath not been polluted.” I did not imagine by day and therefore did not come to pollution at night.19Hullin 44b. And so did our rabbis explain, “Thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing” (Deut. 23:10). A man should not imagine by day and come to pollution by night.20Ketuboth 46a.