The Test of Faith: Dealing with Criticism and Disdain from Society

First and foremost, strengthen yourself and do not fall into the thought that if people do not value you, it means you are worth nothing. This is a mistake!

Public relations, by their rules, are not the rules of the Torah. What is considered valuable according to the Torah is often the opposite of what people value in the world of lies.

If you see that you are striving to align yourself with the obligations of the Torah and adhering to them, then by the standards of the Torah, which are the rules of Hashem, you are considered important. So why should you fall because people have rules against the Torah?

We expanded on this subject above in this section (letter 39) regarding those who endure the ugliness of their body and face.

A Person Who Is a "Sacrifice"

Especially the virtue of scorn—who can measure its greatness? Here is a passage about the virtue of scorn:

In the book "Kol Bochim" on the verse (Lamentations 3:30) "Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes him and be filled with disgrace," [this is clearly also from the words of the Ari of blessed memory, mentioned in several pious books], and here are his words: As it was customary for my master (the Ramak) to say that among all the penances in the world, the highest virtue for purifying sins and transgressions is enduring insults and abuses. It is greater than all lashes and self-mortifications because if one fasts alone, he may weaken and neglect the words of the Torah to those who cannot, and he is considered a sinner, as well as with lashes and similar.

However, with this measure of enduring insults, you can eat, drink, and work, and the sins are atoned. And from your understanding, stop, because if they say to you: Would you wish for financial loss, the fall of homes? You would say: No. And if they say to you: Would you wish to accept upon yourself the death of children? You would reply: God forbid, only You, Hashem, protect them. And if they say to you: Would you wish that Hashem strike you with consumption and fever, cold and heat—immediately your heart would race, and you would reply: Heaven forbid. And likewise, if they tell you about death and hell and negative reincarnations—for all, you will respond: Heaven forbid.

So, tell me: in your life, with all the sins and transgressions that you have sinned and wronged and damaged the elevated virtues, in deeds, formation, creation, and those you have impacted from your soul’s origin since existing on earth, how would they be atoned? And the foolish old man pursues you every day to the utmost, as he has no other task, and has never beaten me except by a single task attributed to him, and the measure is filling, and Hashem's slumber has been cast, and your sleep will not wake.

If your sins have prevailed to taste forbidden pleasures, night and day your thoughts do not cease, and from every transgression arises a prosecutor, forming groups attacking and condemning. As they said, blessed memory: it rises and accuses, rises and condemns. And the holy and just judge, His ears attentive to their prosecutions, and will grant them no silence until the dark king [angel of death] arrives, his sword drawn. And the bloodthirsty man says: the king demanded to ascend the mountain, and your body must yield to lying shallow. What can you say, what will you reply to his criticism? Therefore, the advised counsel from Hashem of hosts issued to say (Lamentations 3:30) "Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes him and be filled with disgrace," as stated, "For Hashem will not cast off forever" (ibid 31).

Also found in "Shaarei Kedusha" by Rabbi Chaim Vital (Part I, Gate 6): If you have eyes of wisdom, you should seek those who will distress you, as you seek life for yourself.

This World is the Opposite of the World to Come

In "Tomer Devorah" (chapter 2), it is written: The third part of the path to healing from the disease of pride is to always think of one’s sins, desire purity and rebuke, and wish for afflictions. One should say: what are the afflictions most good in the world that do not burden me from God's service? None is dearer than these, to be scorned and degraded and cursed, as they do not prevent strength and vitality from illness, nor prevent eating and clothing, nor lead to punishment, heaven forbid, on one’s life and children in death. Therefore, one should truly desire them and say: why should I fast and self-mortify with sacking and lashes that weaken me from Hashem’s service? It's better to self-mortify with the scorn of people and their insults to me, and my strength will not depart nor weaken. Thus, when the disgraces come upon him, he will rejoice in them, and indeed, desire them.

This world is the opposite of the world to come. The humility of this world will cause greatness for them [Israel] in the future, in the days of the Messiah and in the resurrection—both for the body, and in the world to come for the soul. (Menorat HaMaor section 7)

And know further that scorns are not specifically insults and curses that spill the blood of a man. Every word that offends, even small, holds great atonement. Sometimes it happens that a person says to his fellow a word or a comment not appropriate, thereby humiliating and offending him, and thus causing him great anger and sorrow, which becomes for the person a significant atonement from a small word. How valuable this investment is, yielding immeasurable returns, as in this, nothing is required of the person but to remain silent and believe that from Heaven he was sent upon to say this word to me, as King David said when Shimei son of Gera cursed him: "Leave him alone; let him curse, for Hashem has told him." And what did he earn from this? Hida (in the book Metuk Midvash, letter 9) says: become the fourth foot of the chariot. So you see, for such a small silence, one earns a boundless height—to be in the company of a chariot for the Shechina with the holy forefathers.

Rabbi Yehezkel Levenstein, of blessed memory, the spiritual influencer of Yeshivat Mir and Ponevezh, endured immeasurable disgraces in his life and always sought to rise above. Once, a student entered him and found him extraordinarily joyful. The student was amazed and asked his rabbi: what is the cause of this joy? Rabbi Yehezkel replied: a person greatly insulted me, and Hashem helped me not to respond at all; therefore, I rejoice immensely! (Booklet The Virtue of Prayer XIV)

The article is taken from the book "Living in Faith." To purchase Rabbi Yaakov Israel Lugasi's book, click here.