Kabbalah Mazmur 34:19: Reshit Chokhmah & Sha'arei Kedusha

And so it says in the Midrash (Midrash Vayikra Rabba 80:7) on the passuk of Tehillim (Tehillim 51:19), "זבחי אלהים רוח נשברה," [that the sacrifices to Hashem are a broken spirit], this is what it says. Rabbi Abba bar Marion says, "כל מה שפסל הקדוש ברוך הוא בבהמה הכשיר באדם," ["all that is passul ('invalid') to Hashem regarding animals is kasher ('kosher') to people."] "Passul in animals," includes, a broken bone, etc. (Vayikra 22:22). "Kosher for people," refers to a "לב נשבר ונדכה," a broken and crushed heart. Rabbi Alexsandri explained this -- "if one uses broken vessels, it is not sightly (it is ugly) for him (for a person)." However, for Hashem, for a vessel to be able to be used [by Him], it [needs to be] broken. As it says, קרוב ה' לנשברי לב, הרופא לשבורי לב (שם קמו, ג), את דכא ושפל רוח (ישעיה נז, טו), זבחי אלהים רוח נשברה לב נשבר (תהלים נא, יט), etc. [In other words, we live in an upside-down world. Everything that is broken to us (when we have a broken heart or a diminished ego), is considered complete to Hashem. It goes the other way too; many things that we might indulge in, or the act of indulgence itself is not seen as good to Hashem, as the act with desire or pleasure which is not for the sake of a mitzvah falls into klipah and impurity (see Ch 15 of Shaar haKedusha).]

In contrast, there is no greater quality than humility and a sense of lowliness. We learn this³⁵³Also see Reishit Chochmah, Gate of Humility, Ch. 7 from our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, the father of all the prophets in Torah, mitzvot and fear of sin. Even so, Torah only praised him for his humility, as it states,³⁵⁴Numbers 12:3 “The man Moshe was exceedingly humble.” Go and learn the quality of humility from the Holy One, blessed is He, who set aside the loftiest heavens to dwell with the despondent and the lowly of spirit, as written,³⁵⁵Isaiah 57:15 “I abide with exaltedness and in holiness, but I am with the despondent and the lowly of spirit.” Similarly, it is written,³⁵⁶Psalms 34:19 “HaShem-יהו״ה is close to the broken hearted and He saves those who are crushed in spirit.” It likewise states,³⁵⁷Psalms 15:1 “Who may sojourn in Your tent? One who is lowly and contemptible in his own eyes.”