The Baal Shem Tov on Humility

1. Once there was a king who wished to live forever – and they gave him a remedy that he should distance himself from arrogance – but the more humble he conducted himself with humility- the more arrogance his heart felt “for he’s such a great king… as well as being so humble….” till his master came to him and told him that he should conduct the Kingdom from the outward appearance, but inward – he should be truly humble – through the fact that he showed him a toilet with comes from man.

Note 2

Another version

The Baal Shem Tov gives an example of a king that wanted to live forever – and all the doctors said that this is impossible – but one man came and said to him “I will heal him, by this that I will show him the eternal life” and he told him to choose the way of humility…. and the King when he came to ride in his Royal Carriage he said that the carriage should ride forward and he will walk behind it – and the man said to the King – “this is not the correct path – sit in the carriage – the greatest difficulty is being truly humble in your own heart.”

3. This is also the meaning of the verse “God the king pride wears” – so the question was asked of the Baal Shem Tov it says wherever you see the greatness of God you see his humility – and he explained, that this is exactly what the verses say – it’s only worn for the conducting of the Kingdom – but within himself is only humility.

4. Another teaching on humility, is once there was a king who sent to have his sons away – one he sent with great honor – and the other he sent with great shame, so he should learn the attribute of humility – and so it was, the one who had humility conquerored far more countries than the one that was sent with great honor.