Group None

A man should not look at a woman even though she be unattractive,1Abodah Zarah 20a. neither at the colored garments of a woman, neither at animals during mating,2Ibid. even though he be “full of eyes” as the Angel of Death. The rabbis have taught, “Thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing” (Deut. 23:10). From this Rabbi Phineas ben Jair makes the following3Ibid. deduction: “Torah leads to zeal, and zeal leads to care, and care leads to cleanliness, and cleanliness leads to self-control, and self-control leads to purity, and purity leads to fear of sin, and fear of sin leads to saintliness, and saintliness leads to the resurrection of the dead; and saintliness is greater than all, as it is written, “Then Thou spokest in vision to Thy godly ones” (Ps. 89:20). Others say humility is greater than them all, as it is written, “Because the Lord hath annointed me to bring good tidings unto the humble” (Isa. 61:1). To bring good tidings to the saintly is not written, but to the humble. But the wicked who have evil imaginings and do not guard themselves against evil, come to uncleanliness at night, and to dreams, and to impure fancies leading to pollution. And as there is no shame for the dream, so is there no embarrassment for the wicked with their deeds in this world, as it is written, “Yet they are not at all ashamed, neither know they how to blush” (Jer. 6:15). And all those wicked who imagine evil things and do not dispel them with study of the Torah or with other means, in the world to come The Holy One, blessed be He, will give recompense; for in the same measure that a man commits evil so will he be repaid.4Sotah 8b. Even though humility brings a person to the world to come, humility does not exist in the world to come, and no person will be able to honor his neighbor by saying, “Sit beside me.” For each one will rest on his couch and each one will come in peace to the place that is prepared for him. And each one who humbles himself in this world and is able to rule over himself and take a position of leadership and administration in the community, and has no desire to exalt himself, as did the Sons of Bathyra (Elders of Bathyra) who resigned their leadership in deference to Hillel who was greater than they,5J. T. Pesahim 6:1. and all others like them, will be at the forefront in the world to come.