Rebbe Nachman’s Advice: Honor 13-15

HONOR.

13. When some new honor comes to a person, it is something to be quite apprehensive about. At times honor is sent to a person as a prelude to his soul being taken. Therefore a person should always be careful to receive any honor in great holiness and only for the sake of God, not for his own benefit or enjoyment (Likutey Moharan I, 67:1).

14. Usually, however, the honor comes for good. For when a new soul comes to a man, it is clothed in honor. Thus, when a person receives the honor as he should, he is able to receive the new soul that is clothed in it (ibid.).

15. A greedy appetite is a blot on the honor of God. Then God hides His face, and the world comes under the shadow of His harsh severity. Glory falls to the arrogant, who abrogate all the dignity to themselves. Power, kingship, authority and honor fall into the hands of the heathens, the wicked and the insolent, and when a situation arises where the Jewish people need to take some firm action to ensure the survival of our holy faith, it is necessary to have recourse to their strength.

But when we break the lust for food, the honor of God is vindicated and the insolent are left without power, authority or dignity. God’s countenance radiates to the world and the harsh judgments are broken (ibid. I, 67:3).