Musar zu Mischlej 26:12

The third section: One who always mocks things and actions, but he does not intend to disgrace those associated with them. Rather he pushes off things that should not be pushed off and pushes off the [possibility of] results from actions that have hope for results. And about this is it stated (Proverbs 13:13), “He who disdains a thing will be injured thereby.” And they said (Avot 4:3), “Do not disdain any man, and do not discriminate against anything; for there is no man that has not his hour, and there is no thing that has not its place.” And what brought this scoffer to this bad trait is his being wise in his [own] eyes. And sometimes this trait brings a person to heresy, to mock the commandments - like the matter that is stated (Psalms 119:51), “Though the arrogant have cruelly mocked me, I have not swerved from Your teaching.” And this third section is a group that does not accept reprimand, as it is stated (Proverbs 9:8), “Do not reprimand a scoffer, for he will hate you.” And it is [also] stated (Proverbs 9:7), “To rebuke a scoffer is to call down abuse on oneself.” And it is [further] stated (Proverbs 19:25), “Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever.” And that which causes this group not to listen to reproof is that the trait that leads to this [type of scoffing] is that a person is wise in his [own] eyes. And this trait controls him so much until he scorns the intellect of anyone besides himself. And it is a trait that has no hope, as it is stated (Proverbs 26:12), “If you see a man who thinks himself wise, there is more hope for a dullard than for him.”

The twenty-fourth thing one should remember is that a man whose eyes are weak cannot see the fine engraving on gold and silver dishes. Even though he sees all these things, he cannot perceive them as clearly as one whose eyes are strong. Thus, if a man has studied Torah and wisdom in his youth and it appears to him that he understands them properly, let him not rely upon that childhood understanding, for wisdom strengthens itself as one advances in years, and he now understands more clearly than he did in his youth. Therefore, when your wisdom becomes stronger, you should begin to consider well all the matters around you, and then you will understand and increase your ability to distinguish, and you will know the matter more clearly than you did previously. And you must continue always to search out from every man what you do not know, as it is said, "From all my mentors I have learned" (Ps. 119:99). And you should not think that no one can tell you anything new that you did not know when you were young. Concerning this it is said, "Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Prov. 26:12).

The third type is the one who scoffs at things, although he has no intention to humiliate those who do them. Yet by his scoffing he hinders work that has hope of success and might be achieved. This type of scoffer is wise in his own eyes, and everything that he himself has not begun he considers folly and mocks it. This trait can even lead him to heresy, mocking the Commandments themselves, as it is written, "The proud have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not turned aside from Thy law" (Ps. 119:51). And this type of a scoffer does not accept rebuke, as it is said, "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee" (Prov. 9:8). And it is said, "He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame" (Prov. 9:7). And inasmuch as he is wise in his own eyes he mocks the work of another man, and this is a trait for which there is no hope, as it is said, "Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Prov. 26:12).